Hindi Poetry - Yaadein Bhi Ajeeb Hoti Hai

(Source: Internet)

यादें भी अजीब होती है 
कभी नैमत बनकर बरस जाती है 
कभी क़यामत बनकर गरज जाती है 

एक सफर सा हो जैसे 
जो ख़तम नहीं होती है 
हाथ थाम कर चल पड़ती है 
और भूली बिसरी गलियों में 
तनहा छोड़के गुम हो जाती है 

यादें भी अजीब होती है 

एक कोहरा सा हो जैसे 
सामने होती है पर नज़र नहीं आती 
बस एक एहसास सा होता है 
किसी लम्हे के गुज़र जाने का एहसास 
और एक गहरा सन्नाटा रेह जाता है 

यादें भी अजीब होती है 
 कुछ भूली  नहीं जाती 
कुछ साथ नहीं रेह पति 



Yaadein bhi ajeeb hoti hai
Kabhi neymat bankar baras jati hai
Kabhi kayamat bankar garaj jati hai.


Ek safar sa ho jaise
Jo khatam nahi hota hai
Haath tham kar chal padhta hai
Aur bhuli bisri galion mein
Tanha chhodke gum ho jata hai.


Yaadein bhi ajeeb hoti hai


Ek kohra sa ho jaise
Samne hoti hai par nazar nahi ati
Bas ek ehsaas sa hota hai
Kisi lamhe ke guzar jane ka ehsaas
Aur ek gehra sannatreh jata hai.


Yaadein bhi ajeeb hoti hai
Kuch bhuli nahi jati
Kuch saath nahi reh pati.

Hindi Poetry - Zindagi Yunhi Guzar ti Rahi

   

कभी हस कर कभी उदास 

ज़िन्दगी यूँही गुज़रती रही । 

कभी लम्हो में कभी सदियों में 

सिमट कर बेह गयी । 

कभी मुठ्ठी से कभी ज़ंजीरों से 

फ़िसलती चली गयी 

ज़िन्दगी यूँही गुज़रती रही । 

कभी याद बन कर कभी दर्द बन कर

दिल में घर कर गयी । 

कभी एहसास की तरह कभी तेज़ाब की तरह 

सुलगती रह गयी । 

कभी अपनों की तरह कभी बेगानो की तरह 

आज़माती चली गयी 

ज़िन्दगी यूँही गुज़रती रही । 

Kabhi hans kar kabhi udaas

Zindagi yun hi guzar ti rahi..

Kabhi lamhon mein kabhi sadiyon mein

Simat kar beh gayi..

Kabhi mutthi se kabhi zanjeeron se

Phisalti chali gayi.

Zindagi yun hi guzar ti rahi..

Kabhi yaad ban kar kabhi dard ban kar

Dil mein ghar kar gayi.

Kabhi ehsaas ki tarah kabhi tezaab ki tarah

Sulagti reh gayi.

Kabhi apno ki tarah kabhi begano ki tarah

Azmati chali gayi

Zindagi yun hi guzar ti rahi..

Hindi Poetry - Akshhar

अक्षरों से खेलना मेरा सपना है

अक्सर उन ही से हार जाती हूँ । 

मन में कदम रखे जब लगते है अपने है 

कागज़ पर आते ही खो देती हूँ ॥ 

कोई टीस है मन में दबी 

लफ्ज़ कुछ परेशान है । 

मेरे ख्यालों की सियाही से भरी 

कलम भी बईमान है ॥ 

न जाने कब बिन बताये आये 

दबे पाओ किसी कागज़ पर उतर आये । 

या फिर इंद्रधनुष बन जाये 

जो नज़र तो आये पर साथ न चल  पाए ॥ 

पूरी हो कभी मेरी भी कहानी 

जो कब से है मुझे सुनानी ॥ 

Aksharon se khelna mera sapna hai

Aksar un hi se haar jati hoon

Mann mein kadam rakhe to lage apne hai

Kaagaz par aate hi kho jate hai

Koi tis hai mann mein dabi

Lafz kuch pareshaan hai

Mere khayalon ki siyahi se bhari

Kalam bhi baimaan hai

Na jane kab bin bataye aaye

Dabe pao kisi kaagaz par utar aaye

Ya phir indradhanush ban jaye

Jo nazar to aaye par saath na chal paye

Puri ho kabhi meri bhi kahani

Jo kab se hai mujhe sunani.

Hindi Poetry - Shunya

Source : Internet

शुन्य आखिर है क्या?

क्या है इसका अस्तित्व?

निरर्थक तो नहीं है 

पर कौन जाने इसका अर्थ?

आरम्भ इसी से सबका 

अंत भी सबका सिफ़र 

विज्ञान का आधार है ये 

विस्तृत है इसका सफर 

मायने इसके ढूंढने वाले 

समय की रेत में दफ़न है 

स्थान बदले तो कमाल कर डाले 

रेखाओं से भिड़ना इसका फन है 

निर्गुण है निराला है 

शांख्याओं की बुनियाद है 

अनूठा है आम भी है 

परिकल्पनाओं का स्तम्भ भी है

तन्हाई में दुर्बल सा लगे 

वास्तव में परम प्रभावशाली है 

केंद्र बिंदु है हर दशमलव  का 

हर समूह में सर्वाधिक बलशाली है 

शुन्य वरदान है या धोका 

प्रचलित है इसकी चर्चा 

पर अनदेखा न कोई कर पाया 

इसकी अध्भुत शक्ति  और सरलता 

एकाएक द्रिष्टि में ये तो है बस 

विज्ञान की गोद में बैठा एक नगीना 

Shunya akhir hai kya?

Kya hai iska astitva?

Nirarthak toh nahi hai,

Par kaun jane iska arth?

Arambh isi se sabka

Anth bhi sabka sifar

Vigyaan ka aadhaar hai ye

Vistrit hai iska safar

Mayene kise dhundne wale

Samay ki reth mein dafan hai

Sthan badale toh kamaal kar dale

Rekhao se bhidhna iska fan hai

Nirgun hai nirala hai

Shankyaon ki buniyaad hai

Anutha hai aam bhi hai

Parikalpanao ka stambh bhi hai 

Tanhayi mein durbal sa lage

Vastav mein param prabhavshali hai

Kendra bindu hai har dashamlab ka

Har samuh mein sarvadhik balshali hai

Shunya vardaan hai ya dhokha

Prachalit hai iski charcha

Andekha na koi kar paya

Iski adhbudh sakti aur saralta

Ekaek drishti mein yeh to bas

Vigyaan ki godh mein baith ek nagina

Written for  IndiSpire Edition 141  

100 Word Fiction - The Bridge

Source : Internet

Ryma stood at the end of the bridge and stared at it as she did for the past 7 years each morning.

She closed her and uttered, “You still need time?”

She opened her eyes and spoke to the air, “okay I will wait.”

Every day she would come and stare at the bridge in hope to see her father coming however, she left with the promise to be there again.

Seven years ago, her father left their village through this bridge to protect the nation’s boundaries and promised his angel to be back at the blink of an eye.

Hindi Poetry - Zindagi, Tu Nayab Hai

ज़िंदगी, तू कितनी नायब है,

हर सवाल का तेरे पास जवाब है। 

कभी तू शीतल नदी है,

कभी तू नाराज़ चट्टान है,

कभी तू अंतहीन सदी,

कभी तू पल में मुरझाती मुस्कान है। 

कभी तू रिश्तों की माला है,

कभी तू माला की  गांठ,

कभी तू रोज़  खेला,

कभी तू अजूबा आँठ। 

ज़िंदगी, तू कितनी नायब है,

समस्थ अनुभावों की क़िताब है। 

Zindagi, tu kitni nayab hai,

Har sawal ka tere paas jawab hai.

Kabhi tu sheetal nadi hai,

Kabhi tu nazar chattan hai,

Kabhi tu antaheen sadi,

Kabhi tu pal mein murjhati muskaan hai.

Kabhi tu rishton ki mala hai,

Kabhi mala ki ganth hai,

Kabhi tu roz ka khela,

Kabhi tu ajooba anth.

Zindagi, tu kitni nayab hai,

Samasth anubhavon ki kitaab hai.

Hindi Poetry - Shanti Tu Kahan Gayi?

शांति तू कहाँ गयी?

मेरे खिलोनो सी टूट गयी। 

या मेरी सहेलियोँ सी रूठ गयी ॥ 

मेरे सपनो सी खो गयी।

या हमेशा के लिए सो गयी ॥ 

तू उम्र की तरह ढल गयी । 

या मेरे अपनों को ही खल गयी ॥ 

तेरी आँस में मैंने पलके न झुकाई । 

ढूंढने में तुझे कई सादिया है बिताई ॥ 

अब तो मेरे दिल पे छाया यह है एक सवाल । 

तू है कोई सच्चाई या है बस एक खयाल ॥ 

Shanti tu kahan gayi?

Mere khilon si tut gayi

Ya meri saheliyon si ruth gayi

Mere sapno si kho gayi

Ya humesha ke liye so gayi

Tu umr ki tarah dhal gayi

Ya mere apno ko hi khal gayi

Teri aans mein maine palke na jhukai

Dhundne mein tujhe kai sadiya hai bitayi

Ab toh mere dil pe chhaya hai ek sawal

Tu hai koi sachhayi ya hai bas ek khayal

Hindi Poetry- Tera Hi Naam Hai

हर पन्ने में लिखा तेरा ही नाम है 

हर ख्याल में बस तेरा ही ज़िक्र 

हर ख़ामोशी में गूंजे बस तेरा ही नाम है 

हर बेचैनी में तेरी ही फिक्र 

Har panne mein likha tera hi naam hai

Har khayal mein bas tera hi zikr

Har khamoshi mein mein gunje tera hi naam hai

Har bechaini mein teri hi fikr

Hindi Poetry - Siyahi

हाथ मे कलम लिये सारी रात गुज़ारी,

एक ख़याल भी ना आया,

जब एक सोच ने दस्तक दी,

सियाही सूख चुकी थी। 

Haath mein kalam liye sari raat guzardi,

Ek khayal bhi na aya,

Jab ek soch ne kagaz par dastak di,

Siyahi sukh chuki thi...

I spent the night with a pen in hand,

Not a single idea came to my mind,

When a thought struck me,

I found the ink was dried...

Those were the best days of my life...

Is it too early to say it or not I don't know but I think my university days where the days of my life.

Never in my lifetime I thought I would be attending university. I am sure people who know me were surprised (not pleasantly) and some horribly shocked learning about my cracking the entrance exams. I always was an average student. I never thought that life would take such a beautiful turn and I will end up in a place that I will never want to leave and maybe the won't  will never leave me. Time spent in the university is a part of my life but never knew that it would become a part of my existence. In fact that place became special because the people I met there made it so.

"Sometimes I dream about this place"

All those crazy idiots that made everyday so funny , special and worth remembering. There were days we did nothing yet I remember them so vividly. Lazy afternoons spent in the corridors, tea in earthen pot served by Kapil, eating lunch on the terrace, in numerous tours of almost all the lifts available at the campus without any purpose and so many things we did together. I hope someday, maybe after 10 years we meet do all those stuff again and laugh our guts out just like the old days.

I don't know if I would be able to successfully sketch what you guys mean to me in words but I am going give it a try.

Kashish, if my memories doesn't betray me then you were first among 'WE' to become my friend. I am glad we became friends and there is no particular reason for that. Maybe because you taught to be strong, you taught me to be better person who doesn't need to express everything yet make you friend feel you are there for them you inspired me to be yourself.

Saima, I don't remember exactly when we meet or became friends but I do remember telling Maa just after the puja vacation of 2013 -" I don't know about others but you, me and Kashish would definitely remain friends even after the course is complete". Well I was not wrong. Saima you taught me how not pick up calls when you are needed the most, you taught me to comfortably react with a weird scream anywhere possible on the face of the earth and you inspired me be a friend who would listen to you when you need to share your emotions.

"I still prefer Tea in an Earthen Pot"

Madhu, I remember we used to talk occasionally earlier and one fine day after almost a year we met, I realised you have become a very dear friend of mine. I love the way you are and remain the way you are. You were the only support when i was going through a tough patch in life- my internship. You taught me that just by talking random stuff you can actually help someone relax and rejuvenate to fight the challenges that accompany the coming morning.

"I can still hear our laughter in this empty corridor"

Prashant, again I don't remember when we met however I do remember realizing that in spite of being poles apart we were friends one day and you preferred to be with us rather than your other friend circles (oh how I wish to mention their names and instances when you lied to them to be with us. hahaha). frankly neither you taught or inspired me for anything. yet you made me realised that you are a very good person at heart no matter how narcissist and self-obsessed you are. and I publicly announce that you and Saima are very bad at singing however I still enjoy all the voice notes you both sent.

I hope I did justice to all of you (smirk).

On  a serious note I am happy that you all helped me create the most memorable phase of my life.

"WE"

Souvenirs of My Childhood

I know I haven't been posting for a while. I was terribly busy with some of my assignments. I apologise for my negligence towards my blog and my audience. I hope I wont repeat this again..

this week i am presenting some old pages from my sketch book... these were my personal favourites then and remains till dates... 

these pages are the souvenirs of my childhood.  

Long Lost Passion

In December last year I borrowed a book from my friend. She said while giving the book that it a good read. Indeed it was. Due to exams then a few personal engagements I was reading that 461 page book at a turtle's speed. Almost a month later I had covered only 126 pages. Apart from the reasons mentioned above one more thing was pulling me back.. My habit of googling every new location that is mentioned in a book.. And why not if a book is that intriguing then you have to know the exact location and the images of the places described so beautifully. The book was Inferno by Dan Brown.

Thus by the time I reached St. Mark's Square, Venice ( page 303 according to the book) I had visited all the places not only through the author words but also with some help of Google. I was baffled with the author writing techniques. The way he made all the architectural wonders alive through his words and the way he kept on weaving the intricate plot, I was completely mesmerized..

That was the moment when I was googling images of St Marks Basilica and Square, I came up with an image of St marks basilica. Sun was pouring down the square. The golden aura that filled the surrounding buildings and the towers, stole my attention. I remember staring at the image for a long time.

That moment I wished that if I get some free time I would sketch this image.. Immediately I saved it.

After almost a month I was going through the pictures on my phone and I came across that same image.. That very moment i search for my old sketch book and started drawing..

Sketch of St. Marks Square

I realized how much I missed sketching. There was a phase in my life when I used to carry my sketchbook everywhere in case I find something to draw.

Then suddenly for no reason I stopped sketching; and lost that sense of satisfaction which used to fill my heart every time I sketched something new. Every new thing I created.

For the past one month I have been spending the a lot of time with my sketch book.

Thanks Saima for referring this book. Because of you I found my Long Lost Passion.

P.S - I have finished reading Inferno a couple of weeks ago. Its definitely one of the best fiction I have ever read.

DOODLING...

Recently I have invested my maximum time only on doodling. I won't say I am going through a writer's block but I am short of my short story stock... 

So here is a recent collection my doodles...

                          

A White Flower

(Source : Internet )

What else do you want in life? A peaceful Sunday with a cup of coffee and a nice book to read sounds great. Add a light drizzle outside your window. Your day is made. That’s a perfect Sunday for me. In the month of February came a Sunday similar to this. When life surprises you with such small cherish able moments even you feel like make others happy. That’s when I thought I should make this Sunday a little special for my mom too. 

For the past couple of months my mom was trying to convince me to clean up my old wardrobe. But I managed to avoid this every time with the same ‘every working women favourite alibi’ – “I am very busy with my office stuff. Give me time and I will definitely do it”.

Finally I was free and in a good mood so headed towards my wardrobe. It was a complete mess. It contained what not- My old projects from school, school badges, few diaries from my school days, my badminton racket (which papa gifted me when I won the inter college badminton championship), all my trophies since school, some from college and university too, few certificates, one of my school tie, some gifts from friends and a book gifted my Mehek on my 22nd birthday. 

I was experirncing the moments that disappeared in some faded corners of time. 

I opened the book. I like the smell of old books. It transports me to another world. The world, I sailed through with the eloquent authors. 

Books also remind me of small incidents happened while reading the book. Like I still remember when I was reading harry potter and the goblet of fire, Kasturi narrated verbatim how Fleur Delacour was introduced in the book. I used to count whenever she did that. I guess more than a dozen times she did that with the same intensity.

Oh I found harry potter and the chamber of secrets on the right shelf. I didn't know I kept this book here. This was and is my favourite of all times. I flipped through the pages and I found something unexpected. A dry white flower. 

I almost forgot this until I saw it. But which one is that?

I was in 7th standard and was a newcomer. The school environment was different for me and there were people who made it more difficult. One of them was Kabir. Reasons are still unknown. He wrote my name with any random guy from class and would enjoy my embarrassment. One day when I couldn't take it any more and tears trickled down my eyes he apologized with a white flower. 

Once when he lost a game of badminton, he pushed me in frustration then realized his mistake and apologized with a white flower. 

On that excursion he accidentally locked me inside a washroom attached to the restaurant. I was found after 20 minutes. I had an asthma attack. Doctor was called and almost an hour later my breathing came back to normal. He apologized with a white flower.

Whichever is that, it surely beholds some of the most torturing experiences of my life. Sometimes you don’t just preserve good memories but the bad ones too.

I kept that flower in the book back. And put all the stuff in the wardrobe again.

When mom asked me why didn't discard anything. “There’s nothing to discard”.

Some Sundays...

Some Sundays swallow sad stressful stretches, stopping slothful sensations.

Some Sundays surface some scattered shapes, sounds, senses: synthesized seamlessly.

Some Sundays speechlessly sew silence; surprising stimulations surrounding self survival.

Some Sundays stir some submerged sentiments sketching sundry sensations.

Some Sundays start stimulating strange sparks, surpassing standardised situations.

(This post is Inspired by #IndiSpire 107) 

Sunday Sketches

A Sunday is becomes a Super Sunday with a cup of coffee, sketch book and pencil..

AN EPISTOLARY RELATIONSHIP

30th April 2014

Hello dad,

Hope you are enjoying your vacation. I am good. My summer vacations are on so I am at home right now. Missing you badly.

Anjali came to see me yesterday. She is supposed to leave for Kashmir with her Mom and Dad today. She said she would tell me everything about Kashmir once she is back. I know she will, as always narrate how she enjoyed there with her parents, which will upset me more than ever. Don’t worry dad I am not complaining. Even me and Mom went to Victoria Memorial (may be for the 17th time).

Dad I want to ask you something. I don't know if its the right way to ask you this or not. I don't even know whether you would like me asking this question or not. But of course as the days pass and I see people happy around me with their families I become curious about you and Mom.. 

Why did you get divorced? Why was it so difficult for you both to live together? Why didn't you both considered me and my opinion?

Was this relationship business was too fragile to handle or too dangerous to carry on.?

I wont force you to answer. So please don't ask me to not ask you this question again and again.

Stay safe and reply soon..

Yours,

Ruhi

*********************************************************************************

2nd May 2014

Dear Ruh,

Yes I am enjoying my vacations. I am here for past 5 days and the experience is great. I feel relieved here. No cacophony of the racing life. No burden of living. No suffocation of stringent and confused human emotions.. Life is simple here.. I like it this way.

Yet I know I will have to be back in another weeks time. Then the fight for life would resume. The knife of deadlines would continue. Still it feels good.. 

Yesterday I met a girl here. She is a weaver. What an extraordinary craftswomen she is. She weaves shawls with all vibrant and lively colours (which are your favourites too). You know what mesmerized me the most? The way she was weaving that shawl with so many colours at once was incredible. Not a single knot could be seen as she kept on weaving. In a matter of few minutes she seamlessly weaved a great length of the shawl retaining her innocent smile on her face. You know even I tried to weave a relation once; unfortunately the seams could be found everywhere and by everyone...

I know being such a mature daughter you wont force your parents to answer questions that are difficult to answer. And thus even I wont ask you to not ask questions which are not only difficult for us to face but bother you for life...

Take care and remember we both love you a lot...

Yours and only yours,
Dad..

SIX WORD STORY - TESTIMONY

Dilapidated House Testify Its Glorious Past.  

In Memory of SIR ALAN RICKMAN

14th Jan came as a shock to me as I heard of the unfortunate demise of my favourite actor, Sir Alan Sydney Patrick Rickman. Actually he was not only an actor for me, He was one of the most significant part of my childhood.

I don't remember getting attached to any celebrity or actor or anyone in a such a way. I thought I am that kind of a girl who doesn't have silly emotional bindings with celebrity who obviously are ignorant about my existence.. I always find these kind of attachments silly and childish.. But now I realised that the child inside me is still alive. the child who once eagerly waited at her 11th birthday for the letter from Hogwarts. May be that child is still waiting for that letter.

The character of Professor Snape had caught my eyes since his introduction in Harry Potter.. back Then I hated  "obviously" him.. He was full of dark shades yet every time he astonished us with all his efforts to save harry in one way or the other without even admitting it.. He taught to control our emotions and control our minds. He showed us that having a stone face helps in deceiving not only the one's we hate but also the helps protecting the one's we love. with every Harry Potter book he taught us that you should never give up the passion for your favourite subject. He taught us that "life isn't fair". respect and reverence got etched in my heart for him as he taught our generation and many more generations to come the most beautiful thing in the world (be it magical or the muggle world) - love... 

He constantly taught us many great things all through the past years, yet all the Potterhead community never failed to hate him until he gave a new meaning and dimension to the word "Always". in fact it isn't a word any more.

                               

All these attributes and credits belong to Professor Snape but the reason I am mentioning this here today is that it was because of Alan Rickman who immaculately portrayed Snape in the movies that gave us a perfect face and aura to the character which was etched in our minds through the words by J.K.Rowling.. No one else  could have  portrayed Professor Snape impeccably and with such precision , better than him.. 

He made that fictional character immortal and more believable, more than the effort invested by J.K Rowling when she was sketching the character through her pen..

After I fell infectiously in love with not just Professor Snape but Alan Rickman, I watched his other movies as well. The one that was an adaptation of a novel by Jane Austen "Sense and Sensibility" were he portrayed Colonel Brandon.. I never thought I would be ever be able to appreciate him in any other role other than Snape but I guess I was wrong. He again was successful to make me fall in love again.. If any villain who became the most memorable and Die Hard rival of John McClane in the whole of  "Die Hard" was none other than Hans Gruber. He was the man, who in all sense, taught us to die hard. i am yet to watch his other appreciated works.. 

Coming back to my childhood fantasy Harry Potter Series, which I believe will stay like that for life.  I never thought that death of any fictional character would made me cry but when Snape died I cried for days.. And i am still crying while typing this as I am again reliving all those childhood moments I have spent reading Harry Potter books, talking non stop about Harry Potter and thinking and musing about Harry Potter.. His demise has left a strange void in my heart..

When I first read this I thought ,"Hey! He thinks like me". Today when I am reading it again I realise how unrealistically unpredictable life is.

Yes Alan, you aptly put your portrayal of the character of Professor Snape in words.

Not to forget his voice which will linger on our minds even when we will be reading  Harry Potter for the umpteenth time sitting on an armchair for our grandchildren.

Alan Rickman, you will be remembered as "one of the bravest man anyone knew".

Alan Rickman, you will be remembered as one the greatest potion master and then headmaster Hogwarts ever got.

Alan Rickman,you will be remembered as our half blood prince and "obviously"as the king one liners which consists only one word Always..

Alan Rickman, you will live in my heart Always..

GURUDONGMAR LAKE

AN ACCESSIBLE ABODE OF PEACE AND TRANQUILITY

The Gurudongmar Lake

Suddenly the car came to a halt. I looked up from the map I was looking at and realized that finally after an hour-long drive (from the last checkpoint) through the barren Himalayan deserts we reached our destination. After folding the map I stepped down from the car. The fresh, chilling air caressed my cheeks. I try to gulp in as much air as I could. It was but difficult, after a few minutes, it felt nauseated. It was because of the paucity of oxygen. It’s a common phenomenon where I was standing. After all, I was standing on a barren landscape facing an emerald blue lake at an altitude of 17100feet above sea level. I was at Gurudongmar Lake. The view was breathtaking. On one side were the majestic snow-capped mountains and the glacier across the partly frozen lake which shares the same name as the lake. The other three sides of the lake were surrounded by slightly elevated barren desert. The clear blue sky was without a hint of clouds except for the few patches near the mountain peak. 

The journey towards this paradise, located at North Sikkim starts from Siliguri, where innumerable options are available to reach Gangtok (the capital of Sikkim). It takes almost 6 hours to cover the 114kms journey from Siliguri to Gangtok. Then another 176kms from Gangtok to Gurudongmar Lake via Lachen. Sikkim is an eastern state in India.

I took a shared taxi which left Gangtok around 10 o'clock in the morning from the vajra taxi stand. It’s a taxi stand specially allotted to the taxi for the north Sikkim trips. The first day was spent to reach Lachen were I stayed overnight only to resume my journey towards Gurudongmar Lake the next day. Next day started quietly early that’s 3 in the morning. Around 4:30 we all left for our final destination. 

Road towards Thangu

It took us almost 2 and half hours to reach Thangu. It's a small village where we were served the breakfast and also hired some heavy woollen garments as the temperature was going to drop to sub-zero from then. Thangu is the last civilian village to our destination. It's also a checkpoint where army officers check whether tourists are able to cope with the extreme weather conditions. I noticed that two vehicles were not allowed to go further as there were children and aged people who were not feeling well. Thank god my taxi didn't face any such problems and we continued towards our destination. For the next one hour, I didn't notice even a single shred of grass. It was all barren and rugged. I had never seen such latitudinous landscape of nothing except solitude and void before. What surprised me more was the idea of such a heavenly bliss hidden beyond this desolate terrain. 

Way To Gurudongmar Lake

The spell bounding view kept me stuck to the spot where I landed after the car stopped. The spell remained but I felt unbounded after (which I thought) a long time.

I hardly took a few steps towards the lakeside when I heard a young man vomiting (Yes heard. Cause he was vomiting hiding behind another car). That’s another side effect of high altitude. To avoid such consequences one should continue chewing popcorn all through the way. 

Never mind. I decided to visit the religious enshrine situated just a few metres away from where I was standing. It was a small structure which is known as ‘Sarv Dharm Sthal’ (religious place for all religion). Photos of all gods and goddesses could be found here. Not only enshrine, but Gurudongmar Lake is also highly revered particularly by Buddhists, Sikhs and Hindus. It a little warm inside, felt soothing. According to legends, this place is guarded by the spirit of an army officer served in the Indian army. He fought during the Indo- Chinese war and sacrificed his life to save other soldiers. There’s a belief that the officers serving here safe because they have guarding spirit around them to protect them. 

The Enshrine

After offering my prayers I went out to endeavour my senses in the ever magnificent beauty of this heavenly place. Around the lake, there were many coloured religious flags where religious inscriptions are written. I walked towards the left side of the enshrine and took the stairs towards the lake. The railings of the stairs were all full of colourful religious flags. There are few things in life which we don’t understand or not know the meaning of but still, they remain coherent to you. These flags are one such thing to me, very close to heart.

Gurudongmar Lake

The lake was mostly frozen. The temperature was sub-zero. I was shivering with all my sweaters and jackets and whatnot. The view was what made it worth it. It was so pleasing that it gave me a sense of tranquillity. The best part about this part of the earth is that the phone doesn't connect here. In this era of technology, it’s sometimes a bliss to keep yourself away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday life and this is enough to give you the feeling of tranquillity. Haha. On a serious note, I was standing in front of a pristine lake which engulfed all my worries and tensions for some time. What else do you want from life, few moments to relax your senses and recharge your cells for all the struggles that lie ahead.

Gurudongmar Lake is located in the north district of Sikkim. It is 5kms away from China (formerly known as Tibet) and lies on the northernmost part of Kanchandzonga mountain range. This lake and its surrounding area are very sensitive due to its proximity to the Chinese border (as I already mentioned no cell phones, haha). Thus entry to this region needs special permission from the Indian army. Not to worry any travel agent will look after the documentation required but make sure you contact a trustworthy travel agent (ask the locals or hotel you are staying at). The best option is to contact the tourist information centre located at the M.G. Road in Gangtok. I did the same when I visited Sikkim for the first time.

Even if you don't ask I would say this should be a "must visit before you die" destination. I have been there twice and the charm of this paradise lives in my memories as fresh as the fragrance of a flower that presently blossoms in my garden.