As you grow old, you find your children busy in their own lives and your spouse in her own pursuits. It is then that you wonder how are you going to spend your remaining life. You might have achieved a lot in business, settled your children, and seen your parents depart from this world. What next? During 2020-21, the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic changed the lives people around the world. We were stuck at home, not knowing how to keep ourselves engaged. Businesses were shut, socializing totally cut-off, the modern electronic devices were our only tool to connect with the outside world.
In such depressing circumstances, an opportunity came to me to learn yoga in a 3-month online course from Sri Sri School of Yoga. I did my Level-1 course in the first wave of Covid. For me, it opened the vast scope of knowing how to be fit both physically and mentally. When I realized that only a healthy mind can make a healthy body, yoga became my biggest passion.
During the second wave, I cleared my higher-level course in yoga; soon, I received a certificate, having finished both levels. I had a lot of practical and theoretical classes, wherein I learnt about how our body and mind function and the prerequisites for them to be healthy.I also learnt the science of Ayurveda and the importance of our diet for good health.
At that stage, I found that I had high blood pressure and was pre-diabetic. I immediately made a few dietary modifications to check further worsening of these two vital parameters. It was then that I decided to take some time off from my business and social activities and utilize it for some productive purposes.
I have always been very fond of travelling. My family and I have travelled to different locales both within and outside India. It was during these travels that I found myself drawn more towards the mountains, particularly the mighty Himalayas, for its unpolluted air, natural greenery and the serene surroundings. The mountains also offered me great opportunity to put to use my adventuristic mindset.
Soon, an opportunity came my way to travel to Kathmandu on two complimentary air tickets which my daughter transferred to me as she was unable to utilize it. Determined to trek in my dream locale, the Himalayas, I requested my friend Saurabh to accompany me on my first trekking assignment. He agreed and everything immediately started to realign for me. Saurabh advised that we could make a short trip to Namche Bazaar, which is enroute to the base camp for climbers to Mount Everest. The travel agent also confirmed that the time was right for us for the trek and that he would make all the arrangements.
Day 1: Monday, March 7, 2022
Kathmandu
Saurabh and I landed in Kathmandu. Our travel agent came to our hotel with our flight tickets to Lukla. Feeling nervous, I decided to first go to the Pashupatinath lemple and seek blessing of Lord Shiva.
Day 2: Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Kathmandu – Lukla – Tok Tok
2,800 m / 9,186 ft; 6 hrs
In the morning, we headed to the Pashupatinath temple at 5 a.m. for the darshan. There was already a huge crowd of devotees, as Nepal is a Hindu kingdom. At the temple, I saw a person who stood outside the gate, reciting shlokas and hymns in praise of the Lord for almost an hour, after which he simply disappeared without going inside. It was great to witness his pure and unadulterated devotion.
After receiving the blessings of the Lord, I felt more confident, and we proceeded straight to the airport to catch our flight to Lukla. The airport was quite small and our flight was delayed by two hours, which was not unusual here because of the changing weather conditions and other issues.
Everything looked normal until we were inside the aircraft when I felt a bit apprehensive, prompting me to chant the Lord’s name throughout the 25-minute journey. The crew, however, seemed unperturbed as they apparently were taking the expected precautions since air-accidents are common on this route. Saurabh told me that Lukla is one of the most dangerous airports in the world. The airstrip here is very short and an aircraft after landing has to turn at the correct spot to avoid hitting the rocks at the end.
But, once the flight with 15 passengers and a lot of cargo took off and stabilized mid-air, everything outside looked beautiful, with snow-kissed mountains and green dense forest below us. The feeling that we were flying so close to the peaks of the Himalayas was quite thrilling, and at the same time, it led me think of such a vast creation o the supreme Power.
When the flight landed, I heaved a sigh of relief and felt as if I had come face to face with death. I also realized how fragile life was and the existence of a Divine force which controls the entire universe. The whole creation of His is so admirable, so wonderful, so enjoyable!
It was past 9:30 a.m. Not wasting any more time, we had some porridge, wore our thermals and warm jackets and, along with the guide and the porter, set out on my first trek-a narrow path meandering through the small village, with inns and hotels on either side. Most of the fellow trekkers, small in numbers, were foreigners who were returning from Everest Base Camp. It normally takes around 10 days to complete the trek to Everest base camp. The trek pathway was paved with stones. Looking at the blue ethereal sky above, we started walking along small shops on both the sides, where the Nepali owners looked so naive and contented.
Soon, we reached the Pasamg Lhamu gate where the Lukla village ended. Now, the pathway was naturally formed – rough and filled with stones and pebbles, which necessitates the use of a stick to lend support and safety while walking. There were forests deep down the valleys, with its pristine and untouched beauty inviting our attention. Now, it was only you and your thoughts together, nothing else.
I was out of breath. The guide told me it took time to get acclimatized because at higher altitudes the oxygen level is depleted and one has to breathe more to increase the intake ot oxygen. faking frequent sips of water also helps. I had to look down, watching my steps to prevent overstepping and tripping on the unsized stones.
The porter used a large-sized bag on his back to carry essential items. I found the stamina of the Nepali porter to be quite high and he never makes any sound while climbing a steep slope. These people have a positive mental state and clarity of their thoughts, which make completing their goal much easier. There is indeed so much we can learn from these people.
Houses in hamlets along our route, which are visible from a distance, are painted in bright colours for easy identification and are all made of stone and wood available in abundance locally. Only for the sloping roof, galvanized iron sheets are used so that snow gets easily cleared during winters.
Rhododendrons, magnolia trees, and pine forests are common here. During the flowering season, rhododendrons flowers fill the whole landscape and are a sight to see. It was our luck that we had nice weather, with no trace of fog, clouds and rains.
We came across a very long suspension bridge made of iron ropes connecting two mountains. The bridge swayed as we walked over it, evoking a wonderful feeling. Down below was the fast-flowing Duch Koshi river. I carefully looked after my phone while clicking pictures.
It was now 11 a.m. and we kept walking to maintain our pace. there was dead silence all around us, as if we were the only people on the planet. The feeling of finally being on this long-cherished trip kept me in high spirits.
Many of the villages enroute had prayer wheels at the entrance.
In Buddhism the rotation of prayer wheels is like chanting the name of God. We also came across some huge boulders with Om Mani Padme Hum carved on it. Though it literally means jewel in the lotus, the six-syllabled Sanskrit mantra has a much deeper meaning. Buddhists use the phrase the same way we write Jai Shri Ram or Jai Shri Krishna.
I stopped at a place where the villagers were tilling pockets of land. They add organic manure and plough it till the soil becomes soft. I saw mainly women, working very hard in the fields. I waved to them and they reciprocated by smiling back at me. Did you notice a small child lying nearby and watching his parents work? The unforgettable sight prompted me to click a picture of the family.
Our schedule halt was Phakding village. Since we still had some energy left, we decided to go to the next village, Tok Tok, for the night. We stayed at the Himalaya Lodge for the night.
It had a small terrace where we sat down for tea. It offered a fantastic view of the snow-clad mountains.
I was told that Mount Everest is called Sagarmatha in Nepal.
Saurabh reached for his camera and began clicking pictures and also gave me lessons on photography. But I concentrated only on walking as my hands were not free to hold a camera. Somehow, I shot a few videos of the beautiful surroundings.
Aware of my being far away from my family and business, I was reminded of many useful teachings of the Bhagavad Gita which pushed me into the process of self-realisation. What was important for me was that I took time out from my daily routine to embark on this challenge and immerse in my own self. Whether I would be able to complete this journey, given my age of 60 plus, did not matter now. The Bhagavad Gita says that you have to just do your duty, without being impelled by the end-result of your work.
It was getting dark slowly. Trekking stops at 2 p.m. because of the erratic climate. Saurabh told me that mornings were the best time to trek. We stayed in a small inn; we were its only occupants that day. Our room was just 8 × 8 it. A fireplace in the dining room also kept our room warm. For food, we had porridge, dal and some vegetables; it was all bland, but somehow satiated our hunger. The apple pie which the lady cook offered us was the only saving grace, which made us quite happy.
We sat beside the fireplace chatting about the hardships of life in the mountains; venturing out in the cold was out of question.
Our aching legs needed to rest! We were given a 5-litre hot water can. I could not sleep well as the place was new and remote and in spite of using multiple rugs, I was not saved from the biting cold.
