This one keeps screaming at you every half an hour on the Rishikesh-Badrinath road.
Aye musafir dheere chal… dheere chal… have I been walking a trifle too fast? A very special friend recently asked me where my nonsense of humour, that perhaps never existed, has disappeared. I had resolved that that which never perhaps existed, would be rediscovered. Shubhasya Sheegram!! The earlier, the merrier.
Every time it rained in Delhi, during those unexpected months; or it poured in those usual months, I’d send an sms to some select special friends- “its raining; go out, get wet, enjoy…”
I still have this one stored in the “drafts” of my old cell phone.
Its been long since I sent that out to people.
Yesterday morning, I woke up to the sight of snowfall outside my room in Garhwal; a light drizzle followed. And like the K serials, it just went on…on… and on!!
Have you seen those pretty ladies
As your eyes meet theirs, they shy away.
For a moment the eyes meet,
And then they look astray.
These mountains today displayed a glow- head to toe, covered with snow; veiled, sometimes, behind the clouds moving slow- forming their own nice shapes. The dancing stream behind me lent music to make the beautiful morning beaoootiful.
Yesterday had to be good. Just as day before yesterday was. Was traveling on the route after exactly 5 years and 8 months. The sight and sound of Ganga, in her various avatars, all along the route through Rishikesh to Devaprayag to Rudraprayag to Karnaprayag to Nandprayag and eventually to Vishnuprayag. Ganga looks most beautiful on this route. The water is pristine blue-green. The sound is pure magic.
As I drove on this road day-before-yesterday, Vairamuthu’s words played on in my mind- “nadiye nadiye!! Kaadal nadiye, neeyum penn thane…”. In the entire song he compares the river with a woman. Amazing song- set to tune by Rehman himself; do listen if you can lay your hands on it. It is from a film called “Rhythm”.
Yesterday was good too. After the amazing morning view and a decent workshop and an amazing lunch, I was chatting with this very good friend who has a special knack for poetry in Hindi/ Urdu. She writes-
Na koi dost hai na kareeb hai,
Tera shehar kitna ajeeb hai,
Kiska chehra padhoon main,
Yahaan kaun itna kareeb hai.
I was in a mood for poetry too- I modified this and massacred it.
Kiska chehra padhoon main,
Dikh nahi raha hai mujhko kuch yahaan,
Mera chashma hai kahaan?
Dhoondh liya maine saara jahaan,
Par chashma nahi hai mera yahaan,
Aur chashma nahi hai mera wahaan,
Kahaan hai mera chashma, kahaan?
And more such nonsense-
Kitne ajeeb hain ye raaste,
Kabhi seedhe hain ye jaate,
Kabhi daayein,
Kabhi baayein!!!
And more and more!!
My friend pleaded that I stop. She said she had not seen me in such a nonsensical mood for long. She was frustrated to see this mood back. (The sadist smile is back on my face folks)
Maybe the snow had had the effect.
Its not just the poetry. Had a snap clicked of mine- arms outstretched against the mountains- as if flying. Spent an evening with the Vedapathashaala kids at the Shankara-Mutt in Joshimath. Walked the slippery slopes in the village barefoot singing aloud. Enjoyed the rains drenching me. Enjoyed my feet grow numb with cold. My body crying for want of a sweater/ jacket (that I gleefully forgot in my Gurgaon room)- was now prancing along those meandering slopes- like Shammi Kapoor in Junglee.
Suhaana safar aur ye mausam haseen; hume dar hai hum kho na jaaye kahin.
Only that, kho jaane ka dar nahi laga.
Garhwal-especially Rishikesh was a place I visited every quarter- well, almost; except for these last 12 months. I visited this place for I felt it rejuvenated me each time. I guess the snow and Garhwal have had their effect on me- rejuvenated that nonsense within me.
The beautiful mountains, the beautiful rivers, the beautiful trees, the beautiful people. Garhwal truly is beautiful…
AJ… is back, peoples!! The nonsense that some (actually quite a few) of you had gladly come to accept as dead- is back.
Here’s one to celebrate guys…
Mujhe fiqr ki ab kya fiqr hai padee,
Wo kahaani yaad hai na of the legendary dandee,
Kahin Khadi, kahin padi aur kahin gadhee.
NB- Gadhee is not she-donkey here. Gadhee is something that lies buried..
