I am on a timeless journey. I forbidden trail I want to follow, I know not why.
The roads beckon me, little-known places and faces. I'm a traveller - I have always been one, in every life.
I am at the cross-roads - my past, present and future meet here . Are there any roads ahead?
Nowhere to go. Nowhere to return to.
I don't know how to keep my sangfroid. The Buddha knows ...
A storm picks up great speeds in the moonscapes of a high desert. Sombre chants ring across monasteries of the Padmasambhava. The Buddha will return a thousand times to this earth ...
The scent of burning juniper wafts through thin air, bonds with the milky mist and envelopes the verdant slopes in a sleepy seclusion. Fluttering flags whisper prayers to the wind.
An ancient gompa opens its doors to the nascent sunlight. The waves of the Mansarovar touch its shores and my heart misses a beat.
A lonely lama walks past a cluster of golden poplars swaying in gay abandon. He crosses a wooden bridge over a turbulent stream and vanishes into the mountainous confines. My eyes wander about the path he walked.
Has he taken the road to salvation ? Each one has his own path, the Great Master has said.
The mid-day sun warms the snows on high-peaks. The glistening snow can make you blind.
I have been blind for ages ...
I haven't looked within. I have remained a slave of the temporal.
I have loved, I have cried and I have lost.
But I never owned anything - nothing.
So, what have I lost ? How can I loose what I never had ?
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
Unforgettable Arunachal
When the opportunity to visit Arunachal came my way suddenly, I was more than thrilled. Whatever little I had read about it was enough to convince me that it was a place I had to visit.
So we started from Kolkata and landed up at the Guwahati airport on a cloudy morning in April. The sight of the clouds hovering over the green and hilly Guwahati town from our airplane's window was quite a pleasant one. We didn't stop for breakfast since the Airlines had provided for us generously.
The road ahead was a long one - almost an 8 hours journey that would take us to the Assam-Arunachal border town of Bhalukpong. We passed over the mighty Brahmaputra, sped through the intoxicatingly green rural Assam neighbourhoods and crossed an eerie forest to reach Bhalukpong after sunset.
Left with nothing much to see in the dark, we had our dinner early and went off to bed. The dawn came much earlier than anyone one of us thought it would. Sun rises at around 4 am in Arunachal! I was out of my cottage in an instant, not wanting to miss the sunrise. Along with a group of friends, which included an experienced trekker, I made my way to the native-style watch-tower. Perched up on the tower, all we could hear was the sweet gurgling of the Jiyabharli river and chirpings of unknown birds . Before us lay a serene river-side, bordered by green hills and dense forests. The sun rose after some waiting and when it did, the sights left us mesmerised. The crimson glow leaked from the clouds and poured first on the glassy river and then onto the surrounding hills. Our cams started clicking before this spectacle would vanish.
Our cottages at Bhalukpong were beautifully located on a flat, raised ground overlooking the gushing river and blue hills and surrounded by carefully manicured lawns and shady trees. It was difficult to say goodbye to Bhalukpong.
Our next stop was to be Bomdilla, the cloud-kissed hilly town of Arunachal.
Moss-green hills shrouded in layers of milky clouds is what we firt saw of Bomdilla! After settling my luggage at the hotel and a mug of smoking hot coffee, I was out. The small town lay on rolling hills almost always touched by frolicking clouds. So, one moment it would be bright and sunny and before you came to know, you would find the friend near you disappearing in the midst of clouds. The locals, specially the women, come accross as friendly and warm; a mother-daughter duo readily agreed to escort me and a friend to our hotel when we lost our way in the mist-covered lanes.
The Bomdilla monastery is a small climb up from the town. Beautiful setting, richly decorated interiors and the sight of groups of smiling light-footed lamas make the visit enjoyable. Having spent a day and half at Bomdilla, it was time to move on. This is the hardest part of a planned travel, you have to leave a place just when you felt like you've fallen in love with it.
All I knew about Tawang was that it housed the second largest Buddhist monastery in Asia, the largest being Rumtek in Sikkim. The journey to Tawang takes you through breathtaking scenery, ever-changing weather and a heavenly lake. Arunachal is as green as you can imagine. The lower slopes abound in lush vegetation. There's a great profusion bamboo and wild banana trees. The higher altitudes bring with them great varieties of rhododendrons (my favourite!)and endless rows of stately pines. You have to travel the Sela pass if you are going to Tawang. As our car was slowly approaching the highest point of the pass - the Sela Top, the scenery outside changed dramatically. The soft green hills gave way to awe-inspiring craggy black mountains. They were swept with snow and the strong winds that blew relentlessly at these altitudes carved out sharp edges in their bodies. The Sela lake is the star-shaped jewel on the Sela Pass' crown. Surrounded by craggy, naked peaks this star-shaped blue lake seems like a drop from paradise. As we gazed in awe, a mass of cloud came down hurrying from nowhere and descended on the lake casting a pall before our eyes. The weather goddess was always playing her pranks up here I thought! The lunar landscape of Sela was dotted with rhododendrons in full bloom - the profusion of reds,yellows, whites, pinks and purples stood out in magnificent contrast to the desolate surroundings. An unbelievable sight!
Chilly winds picked up great speeds and it was becoming difficult to stand in the open.
A drive down the Sela pass brought us to the doorway of Tawang. An ornate gate welcomed tourists here.
To be continued ...
So we started from Kolkata and landed up at the Guwahati airport on a cloudy morning in April. The sight of the clouds hovering over the green and hilly Guwahati town from our airplane's window was quite a pleasant one. We didn't stop for breakfast since the Airlines had provided for us generously.
The road ahead was a long one - almost an 8 hours journey that would take us to the Assam-Arunachal border town of Bhalukpong. We passed over the mighty Brahmaputra, sped through the intoxicatingly green rural Assam neighbourhoods and crossed an eerie forest to reach Bhalukpong after sunset.
Left with nothing much to see in the dark, we had our dinner early and went off to bed. The dawn came much earlier than anyone one of us thought it would. Sun rises at around 4 am in Arunachal! I was out of my cottage in an instant, not wanting to miss the sunrise. Along with a group of friends, which included an experienced trekker, I made my way to the native-style watch-tower. Perched up on the tower, all we could hear was the sweet gurgling of the Jiyabharli river and chirpings of unknown birds . Before us lay a serene river-side, bordered by green hills and dense forests. The sun rose after some waiting and when it did, the sights left us mesmerised. The crimson glow leaked from the clouds and poured first on the glassy river and then onto the surrounding hills. Our cams started clicking before this spectacle would vanish.
Our cottages at Bhalukpong were beautifully located on a flat, raised ground overlooking the gushing river and blue hills and surrounded by carefully manicured lawns and shady trees. It was difficult to say goodbye to Bhalukpong.
Our next stop was to be Bomdilla, the cloud-kissed hilly town of Arunachal.
Moss-green hills shrouded in layers of milky clouds is what we firt saw of Bomdilla! After settling my luggage at the hotel and a mug of smoking hot coffee, I was out. The small town lay on rolling hills almost always touched by frolicking clouds. So, one moment it would be bright and sunny and before you came to know, you would find the friend near you disappearing in the midst of clouds. The locals, specially the women, come accross as friendly and warm; a mother-daughter duo readily agreed to escort me and a friend to our hotel when we lost our way in the mist-covered lanes.
The Bomdilla monastery is a small climb up from the town. Beautiful setting, richly decorated interiors and the sight of groups of smiling light-footed lamas make the visit enjoyable. Having spent a day and half at Bomdilla, it was time to move on. This is the hardest part of a planned travel, you have to leave a place just when you felt like you've fallen in love with it.
All I knew about Tawang was that it housed the second largest Buddhist monastery in Asia, the largest being Rumtek in Sikkim. The journey to Tawang takes you through breathtaking scenery, ever-changing weather and a heavenly lake. Arunachal is as green as you can imagine. The lower slopes abound in lush vegetation. There's a great profusion bamboo and wild banana trees. The higher altitudes bring with them great varieties of rhododendrons (my favourite!)and endless rows of stately pines. You have to travel the Sela pass if you are going to Tawang. As our car was slowly approaching the highest point of the pass - the Sela Top, the scenery outside changed dramatically. The soft green hills gave way to awe-inspiring craggy black mountains. They were swept with snow and the strong winds that blew relentlessly at these altitudes carved out sharp edges in their bodies. The Sela lake is the star-shaped jewel on the Sela Pass' crown. Surrounded by craggy, naked peaks this star-shaped blue lake seems like a drop from paradise. As we gazed in awe, a mass of cloud came down hurrying from nowhere and descended on the lake casting a pall before our eyes. The weather goddess was always playing her pranks up here I thought! The lunar landscape of Sela was dotted with rhododendrons in full bloom - the profusion of reds,yellows, whites, pinks and purples stood out in magnificent contrast to the desolate surroundings. An unbelievable sight!
Chilly winds picked up great speeds and it was becoming difficult to stand in the open.
A drive down the Sela pass brought us to the doorway of Tawang. An ornate gate welcomed tourists here.
To be continued ...
 |
| Arunachal Trip Second Album |
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
I Found You
I met you somewhere my friend;
where the hills hide in mist
where winding roads end in a hermitage
or amidst the chaos of a thriving civilization
where fluttering prayer flags dot the sylvan hillside
where dappled sunlight reaches for the mossy forest floors
where monks meditate in magnificent seclusion.
when the rains swept away a hundred years of drought
when lightning ripped the sky
I know I called your name - and found myself lost in abstraction.
when a thousand stars died
when melodies were born
I know I held your hand - and the scent of burning chandan filled my mind.
I know I found you.
where the hills hide in mist
where winding roads end in a hermitage
or amidst the chaos of a thriving civilization
where fluttering prayer flags dot the sylvan hillside
where dappled sunlight reaches for the mossy forest floors
where monks meditate in magnificent seclusion.
when the rains swept away a hundred years of drought
when lightning ripped the sky
I know I called your name - and found myself lost in abstraction.
when a thousand stars died
when melodies were born
I know I held your hand - and the scent of burning chandan filled my mind.
I know I found you.
Silence
I can hear the music of silence
Wafting through the valleys of separation
And melting into pools of unspoken words.
Silence kisses the unmoved strings of a lute -
Calms the rippled spirit-lake
It stirs up a thaw in the cold heart of logic
And plays a symphony that stars can hear.
Look within, and take silence with you;
Hear what you have never heard before
Watch the palls of reason lift before your unbelieving eyes
To reveal the light effulgent;
Feel the shower of soft dew in the well of your mind
And sing the song that is written by the soul
On the pages of infinity.
Know yourself, and let silence speak.
Wafting through the valleys of separation
And melting into pools of unspoken words.
Silence kisses the unmoved strings of a lute -
Calms the rippled spirit-lake
It stirs up a thaw in the cold heart of logic
And plays a symphony that stars can hear.
Look within, and take silence with you;
Hear what you have never heard before
Watch the palls of reason lift before your unbelieving eyes
To reveal the light effulgent;
Feel the shower of soft dew in the well of your mind
And sing the song that is written by the soul
On the pages of infinity.
Know yourself, and let silence speak.
My Piece of Eternity
The infinite lies within you in unhindered slumber
Between the soul and the shadow, no ripples rise in the ocean of consciousness;
My thoughts are like birds of cosmic-white plumage,
Wanting to spread across the endless blue of your mind in their grand flight.
Won't you let me swim the depths of your infinite eyes?
Won't you see my spirit rise from the ashes of time?
You are my little piece of Eternity.
In you, I rejoice in the evanescence of my duality.
I desire to cease to exist;
I am not afraid to die, to migrate beyond the temporal
For I will forever live in the open, scented spaces of your being.
You are my little piece of Eternity.
Between the soul and the shadow, no ripples rise in the ocean of consciousness;
My thoughts are like birds of cosmic-white plumage,
Wanting to spread across the endless blue of your mind in their grand flight.
Won't you let me swim the depths of your infinite eyes?
Won't you see my spirit rise from the ashes of time?
You are my little piece of Eternity.
In you, I rejoice in the evanescence of my duality.
I desire to cease to exist;
I am not afraid to die, to migrate beyond the temporal
For I will forever live in the open, scented spaces of your being.
You are my little piece of Eternity.
Dreamscape
The rain pours softly
Like a tune long unsung
And paints my dreamscape in overwhelming hues;
I look though my mind's eye,
Into the window of the beyond -
Where the horizons melt into dew and descend upon my being;
Where the soul is pregnant with the seed of immortality -
And there's promise of grander creations.
I feel the space, the nothingness -I see the beginning and end;
I feel love, that makes me weightless, selfless
And urges my spirit to soar
To shores I've never been before,
And to touch a heart in a way I never touched before.
The unravelling of my dreams from the wraps of consciousness;
The demystification of beliefs -
All for the sake of eternity.
This is the story of a timeless journey ... untold.
Like a tune long unsung
And paints my dreamscape in overwhelming hues;
I look though my mind's eye,
Into the window of the beyond -
Where the horizons melt into dew and descend upon my being;
Where the soul is pregnant with the seed of immortality -
And there's promise of grander creations.
I feel the space, the nothingness -I see the beginning and end;
I feel love, that makes me weightless, selfless
And urges my spirit to soar
To shores I've never been before,
And to touch a heart in a way I never touched before.
The unravelling of my dreams from the wraps of consciousness;
The demystification of beliefs -
All for the sake of eternity.
This is the story of a timeless journey ... untold.
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