Am back from a gruelling journey to the Uttarakhand for a week. I would not havebelieved that a physical journey to any place on earth can make such a marked change in the mental framework as well as the total shift of the paradigm. To cut a long story short, the trip cut me, my ego, the self or whatever you call it really to size. It was a great humbling experience. The range around you abounds in lofty mountain ranges and deep gorges. The gurgling/roaring rivers make one remain silent and enjoy their conversation with the nature instead. The sheer size of them makes one feel like an iota a nothing. To add to this, the silent and non-grumbling attitude of the pahadis(the hill folk! as opposed to the plains folk like us!!) was really endearing. Could I hear a single impatient honk at either of the 5+ hours of waiting for the roadblock due to landslide to get cleared? you bet. None. Second time, in a matter of 24 hours when I heard the familiar honk, you guessed it right, it came from a chandigarh vehicle. Still none reacted to it. I even wondered how, the great Shankaracharya could endure this physical ordeal to build that Badri Vishal temple there? Single minded determination to propagate advaita only could have given him the strength to traverse mostly by foot.
