Teacher in the form of stranger - Part 2

Not to rush all the questions, I smiled and we walked on, for quite some time.

Then the love for puppy pushed me to ask him “ How much does the puppy cost??”

He replied “I do not sell my puppies, I only find good hands to

take care of them, well her new home will be a new yoga centre

being built on the top of a waterfall, the owner is a friend of mine,

I work for them.”

With every word of his, thoughts cleared and became a piece of

information, it was a sigh of relief to
get out of so many thoughts answered. I asked him if I could hold

the puppy for a while and with his nod,
I held the puppy and walked on towards its new home.

Then he said “ First, will take her to the waterfalls, get her blessings of the waterfalls, let her smell her new home and it's surroundings. She will live here, her entire life”

Now listening to the calm and composed man who talk felt like a cryptic code in a puzzle,

I asked, “What do you do?”

He replied “I am helping the yoga centre being set up with horticulture”

My thoughts rolled upon. “Where are you from?”

He answered “I am from Darjeeling”

Deep inside I wanted to know more about this person, but it's easy to offend a person walking an uphill in a forest with questions. So a moment of silence followed enjoying the view around.
He carried a stone with him and was turning out to be weird and interesting,
tethering the Sherlock in me.

Teacher in the form of stranger - Part 1

Walking along the muddy small path, besides a spring, in the deep

forests, I found an irresistible sight.

It was of an old person with a laptop and travel bag, holding a puppy and walking the same route.

We both walked forward the same route for some time and my curiosity, as big as of the child’s finally pushed me to ask him, “What's the name of the puppy??”

“She has no name yet, she is going to her new house” he replied

with the smile.

Now, thoughts started to pour in my mind.

Is he a seller of the dog??
If so, what is he doing with the laptop in this forest?
Has technology reached this far in the forest?
Where is this new house of the puppy!???.

The Mountains and It's People

“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”

Having enjoyed the view for a while near the camp, situated on a conflux of river Ganga and one of its tributaries, outside Rishikesh, I decided to head on for a short trek (1.5 kms one side from the motorable road) in The Rajaji National Park. It leads to the Patna Waterfalls, named after the nearby village Patna.

This trek runs parallel to the spring, lush greenery bordering it. Birds chirping and waters gushing felt like a perfect musical concert sponsored by nature.

Going along, I met a lone villager on his way back to the village in the park. intrigued seeing him walking in the forest, with no roads, to his home, the conversation had already sparked. We walked along, talking about the life over there.

I asked, What about wild animals around? "A few days back, I saw three Tigers crossing this path, they come in search of food. Sometimes they feed on our cattle and this is the only way for us to commute," he replied.

A strange thought jumped into my mind saying “What if we are welcomed by the Tigers on our way now!!!? It's their area”

This thought faded away as we were joined by a few more villagers, one septuagenarian!

Surprised, I shot the villager back with another question,

"How do you carry necessary goods and materials to build houses and stuff.!”

He replied, "Sir, khachars (mules) are used for carrying stuff up to the villages and we have no other way to do it, well we are used to it, that's life up here."

It is their daily life, a village of around 200 people, 4 kms up inside the forest, some villages ahead, this trek, short, but not an easy one, definitely not for the septuagenarian.

Worrisome fact is that, Rishikesh, a Yoga hub is flocked with tourists all around the year. Yet there is a village nearby and the only way to reach it is by a trek and nothing seems to deter these smiles.

Bidding bye to the villagers, I took a detour to reach the waterfalls, sun rays being dispersed into colours by the water drops in the air. It was a delight to watch and the view filled my soul with peace.

Wandering around, found a small tea shop, talking to the shopkeeper, I complimented him on the tea, it was by far the best tea I have had on that day of travel. He responded with a smile,

Asking him "Why don't you sell it in Rishikesh?" He replied, "Sir, I have no interest to earn more by adding water to the milk that I use in preparing tea. I prefer it served here, the way I have it myself at home. I am happy and this tea is the only way a person coming here will remember me or my shop. I love this feeling, when someone enjoys it, just like the waterfalls here!"

Amazed by their simplicity and disheartened for their hardships, I left from there with mixed feelings, thinking how happiness lies in small things. The mountains and the simplicity of the people have affirmed my faith in humanity and this small trek has now become a part of me.