The Enigma of Things – Chiliyanaula & Ranikhet

chelseachls18 — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:50:25 +0000

The Enigma of Things – Chiliyanaula & Ranikhet
Ye na teri…na meri, ek din bus…bhagwan teri… (Neither mine nor yours; this life belongs to Thee) I suddenly recalled this Himachali song from the Beat of India CD that I borrowed from Manu the other day. Though lyrics were yet to be traced out and understood well but still I would say it had the feel which I needed to keep me walking. I was alone but thoughts have got me talking to myself and the distance was still some 6 kms. It did not amused me to be alone since I didn’t asked anybody to come along and above that I was enjoying this misty weather around and cloudy surfaces above me. Anytime the rain would start, I said to myself.
Ranikhet was not new to me. I was introduced to the place first in 2001 when me and Kaustav, a friend, visited this place with uncertainty and assumptions. We just took the bus from Ramnagar and what more I could remember well was about the road that was quite broken at places till Bhatrojkhan came and we relieved ourselves.
But this time, I took the Haldwani route which goes via Moradabad, then, Rudrapur covering some 280 kms. The route then covers Jeolikot, and takes the road that goes to Almora covering Kainchi Devi temple just before Khairna comes from where straight road goes to Almora and the one bending towards the bridge over the river Kosi to Ranikhet – both places at some 30 kms from here but my mind was made up.
I was just out of this Delhi-Almora Uttarakhand Transport Corporation bus that I boarded the night before, from Anand Vihar ISBT, Delhi some 9 pm and, got down near the bridge. The time was 7 am. I took morning tea at a small restaurant which had just opened up. It was chilling amidst the fog as I awaited bus or jeep – whosoever comes first to get a drop to Ranikhet. First, came bus, and then the jeep but all full. Then, again came another jeep followed by two buses, off which, the later one I managed to get but not without any struggle. I just jumped before it. Reaching Ranikhet, I decided to go to Chiliyanaula as the place was too crowded and looked sordid and moreover I had a rough plan in my mind which was indeed peaceful. Therefore 6 kms did not look much to me to cover on foot though a jeep ride for Rs. 10 could be taken. I preferred walking.
Walking – thinking, walking – observing and, walking – trying to understand the complexities of life that ends with simplicity which we never realize. Sometimes thinking lead us nowhere – no conclusion, no solution – only empty situations whose burden has to be carried till we dominate our brain or perish the cause. But, for me both the things seemed difficult so I would travel to occupy myself.
I was quite not coherent neither I wish to be, but off-late thinking about how much good these hills have made to my life. My survival quite much is dependent on them. They are to me a friend, my first love, destiny and a world.
Finally I reached the destination. I chose not to sleep and visit the Baba Haidakhan ashram. It was a fortunate day with light showers and soft breeze touching up wet hairs from the mist. I sat there for a while and came back to my rest-house at KMVN, which was adjacent to the Ashram. I ordered for tea and ate paranthas, then slept for 2-3 hours.
At 12:30, I was again ready to take a stroll and decided to go down the road that was narrow and leaves no scope for any vehicle to ply. It connected to some village down. I decided to sit after I saw a flat field which gave stunning 360 degree view to both sides of the valley. The clouds were forming again and I returned back to the rest house after some half an hour. It rained soonafter while I ordered my dal-chawal with dahi, and witnessed the thunderstorm and downpour.
At 3 around, I decided to walk a bit towards Ranikhet. The view seemed greener than usual and fresh with water drops shining over the pines and deodar in the evening sun sort scene. I could smell the vintage aroma of pines as I tried pulling all of it inside my lungs in one go.
I saw children playing cricket, a school hostel upside the road and some tourist passing by the road who stops now and then to click the pictures of beautiful meadows surrounding.
I returned back once more to ashram after walking few kms to and fro. I sat there in silence though this was the one thing that I have been observing since last night. Sometimes silence is wonderful, it soothes and it creates ripples in your brain to analyze what worth you deserve.
Next day, I had two choices – to spend the day at Ranikhet visiting Chaubatiya apple orchids which was nothing more than poorly managed gardens where you have to abstain yourself from plucking the apples and the high tension wires (normally to restrain the animals in nights to destroy the garden) that if you try to cross from within can give you a shock of your life. Or I could go to see Binsar, the temple of Shiva which was some 20 kms from this place.
I was told earlier that alone in Garhwal region; there are some 20,000 temples of Shiva in various forms. The statistics did not surprise me because in any case Lord Shiva is more popular than any other deity. It is also said that more than half the deities are the forms of Shiva. Anyway, I chose to visit Binsar, not because temples are worth a visit but because I have been there before and I knew it is different set of silence that awaits me there. After all I meant to be still and silent.
I approached the taxi – a maruti 800 for a price of Rs. 50 a seat and comforted myself. We were four inside the cab and soon ready to hit the road. Beeru, our race car driver was driving over the cloud no. 9 and I realized it was the mistake. I feared- not my life but the views I was missing and asked him to either – play slow or let me just get out. He understood soon what I wanted while other 3 locals kept mum.
I became the fan of Lalit Mohit Joshi ever since I heard his album ‘teri bholi anwar’ that featured quite some songs for all the moods, and there he was singing in the cassette and me singing along and Beeru understood I was a locale too.
It was another fortunate day linked with the sentimental decision – to be myself or to lose myself. I had to lose myself to find it all. I was prepared quite much.
And, just before we were to leave the road that goes to Ramnagar and cuts toward Binsar I asked Beeru to stop, got down and paid him. He understood I needed a different space. I ordered for tea and begin taking the feel around. It was indeed a nice cup I ever had in these two days. I liked it. Soonafter I was walking along towards the temple which remained some 1.5 kms or so amidst the jungle path along with a bunch of people visiting.
Binsar happened to be full of motley crowd while temple in the setting appeared very much white made up of marble and looked fine after repeated rains. Despite the light showers, and misty weather; the crowd already was multiplying but it was nevertheless noisy. The loudspeakers all over the place could be heard chanting aarti and shlokas and sometimes wishing the visitors. It was a colorful sight with white and green in the backdrop.
I paid my tribute to Binsar Mahadev, and came along the road towards upside rather have taken the jungle path. There was Bhandara ongoing inside the temple premise and it was still slow down pouring outside.
I catched up with Beeru again as he awaited some new passengers. He said ‘kya aap Ranikhet waapas jaoge’ and I nodded with a smile. I offered him tea along with those 3 guys at Sauni market. We chatted up about almost everything and he offered me to show things around Ranikhet which I politely refused. I remember he had talked about Someshwar which he had plans to take a couple the next day, and asked me to accompany for this day’s visit. I said yes and got down at Chiliyanaula since he happened to going there only.
It was 4 around; I ordered for tea and sandwich and came to my room. I rested a little wondering I re-visited to see Ranikhet which I never went to see.
I wondered, how much true it is that – we think and plan something and we do and act something and I begin to evaluate – should the life be planned? In my case I am still drawing the line.
Himanshu Dutt

An Old Fashioned Christmas Lyrics

Carols being sung by the tree,

Window’s candlelight shining bright for the whole world to see

Children’s eyes of sweet expectations

Wondering what each present will hold

Lying in their beds and impatient

On long Christmas Eves of old

It used to be that all the family would gather for this one night

It used to be that special feeling shared together knowing Christmas was here one night a year

How I miss that Old Fashioned Christmas!

Memories that last through the years

Call me sentimental; Don’t mind if you do

I wish an Old Fashioned Christmas to you!

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chelseachls18 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:44:50 +0000

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The Enigma of Things – Chiliyanaula & Ranikhet

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