Healing power of the hills... For some time, I had been feeling exhausted and tired, navigating through tricky situations, complicated humans and personal emotional upheavals after my father’s death. The exhausting routine of the new job too was taking its toll. Thanks to my sister’s constant prodding, I decided to take a break and follow her to the hills in Uttarakhand.
Leaving Delhi’s sweltering heat and reaching our destination Natadol (meaning small dhol), a marvellous discovery, was the best thing that happened to me in some time. I had heard of the Japanese concept of Shinrin Yoku or forest bathing and its healing effect on mankind. And here was my chance to live it. It would not be an exaggeration to say that I did come back healed and cured!
As we ascended up the hills, the forest cover seemed to grow thicker and denser by the mile. The green cover was simply captivating and the mist all around appeared nothing less than warm and inviting. After an eight-hour drive, we reached our beautifully and tastefully decorated homestay run by a middle-aged Malayali couple. After gorging on the sumptuous lunch and an afternoon siesta, I ventured out for a short stroll around the place.
Twenty minutes up the side road brought me to a quiet and secluded temple with a fluttering red flag atop a pole. I sat there for a while to enjoy the quiet surroundings. The silence was deep and haunting. It was only when monkeys started making noise amid the foliage that I realised I had already spent an hour sitting there. I can still feel its calming effect on me. Next morning, I was woken up by the sound of heavy rain. Not wanting to miss the fun, I ventured out with my umbrella. The constant chirping of the crickets and tweets of birds of vibrant colours enlivened the surroundings. A black furry dog raced up and down the road.
Flowers of all hues seemed to smile at me, specially the large sunflowers looking up at the sun. Plum, apple and pear trees, along with beautiful wooden huts, lined the roads by the hillside. I did pluck a few on my way up. Occasional greetings from the folks and groups of school-going boys and girls chatting and giggling along the way make you feel so welcome.
After trekking for over an hour, I just settled myself on a small rock for a while. I gazed at the farthest mountains looking white amid the mist. I instantly felt so liberated. The clouds came along whispering something into my ears as if entreating me to release all my pent-up sorrows. Extremely cathartic, I would say. The flora and fauna of the hills were different from those of our plains. The quintessential huge pine trees make you realise the magnanimity of the hills that embrace you with open arms.
Padam trees with glittering bronze bark, wild lilies and angel’s trumpet were my favourite. Huge black-coloured honeybees hovering all over the flowers looked as busy as ever. The food cooked by our host invariably consisted of local veggies such as Himalayan oyster mushroom or dhingri and fiddlehead fern or dhekia shaak. Baked goods such as monkey bread, apple crumble, chocolate cakes and cookies added to the wholesome experience in the hills.
It reminded me of Robert Frost’s famous lines: “The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”
Mine was a promise to bring back myself to the woods again for their healing touch.
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