Tejas Saptarshi.Ever since he has boarded the flight he is thinking about his trek to Triund and excited to see millions of sparkling stars in the clear sky from the height of 9000 ft above the earth. He made sure he is carrying his newly bought telescope to see them closer.
His love toward celestial bodies is not something newly acquired but he has been interested in stars from his childhood. He still remembers gazing into the sky while his mother telling a story to him sleeping on the terrace. He always believed that stars make his wishes true, specifically the wishes that prayed for, during the fall of a star. He was ecstatic and proud that his stars made them true sometimes. Of course, that was in childhood but now he realized that stars don’t have any special powers to make our wishes true. His wishes became true because he worked and took actions on them.
Still, his love towards stars hasn’t gone any less but increased as he grows and understands more about the universe. Somehow he thinks that he belongs to them. He also thinks that maybe every human being must be thinking that they are related to stars that we see in the sky. After all, as Carl Sagan claimed “We are all the stardust”
Somewhere thousands of miles away Arpita is packing her bag and excited to meet her friends after almost 19 months of their physical separation. their gang of 6 members was very famous in their college for their friendship and all the craziest things they did together. Anybody who hears their craziest memories would be jealous of their gang for not having such memories of their own. neither Arpita nor Tejas have never guessed that this trip To Triund might change a lot of things in their life.
His trek to Triund is starting in some time. Though he has traveled solo all the way to do his trek he is supposed to join a group as they both have the same guide Sameer to help them reach the peak of Triund which is considered Jewel of 💎 Mcleodganj.
Finally, a group of 6 girls arrived at the hotel and Sameer is getting to know everyone. Like everyone else, Arpita also got introduced to Tejas but the moment he has seen her he had felt some connection, strangely same kind of relationship that he shares with the stars. A cosmic relation he said to himself.
As they started to trek the hills of Triund they started to know each other. Tejas introduced himself as a humanist to everyone.
As usual, he was asked to explain what humanism is
To keep it short this time, he introduced Humanism to them with Babu Gogineni’s quote “Atheism is just a common sense conclusion. Rationalism is an approach to life. It is Humanism which is a philosophy, a way of life”. So basically Humanism is built on two principles atheism and rationalism. All humanists stand for Human rights and against any kind of oppression.
So you don’t believe in god and religion? Asked Arpita.
No. I am against anything that divides people be it cast or religion which legitimizes the first one.
By the way, is it your first day of the trip?
No. It’s been two days in Mcleodganj. spent two days in Buddhist monastery named Namgyal monastery where Dalaï-lama stays when he is not traveling. Spent time observing Buddhist monks practicing and listening to their debates. Two things that attracted apart from the practicing Buddhism at the monastery are the aura of peace that one experience is breathtaking and the monastery premises are clean, calm and serene.
You said you don’t believe in religion. How come you find yourself in a Buddhist monastery?
As a humanist when I approach rationality to understand Buddha certainly I can’t agree with legendary stories and mythology built around him but his teachings are still relevant and human-centric.
He has denied the existence of God and afterlife yet he recognized the existing materialist world and suffering in it. He proposed four noble truths about suffering and proposed a solution with his eightfold path. Does his solution to lead an ethical and moral life on earth without any need of a god works is a debatable topic and he asked his pupils to not to believe him just because Buddha has said but asked them to inquire themselves and then come to a conclusion. Isn’t that the same thing "Self-inquiry" Humanism ask everyone to do and to be skeptical about everything and to approach reasoning.
Considering the time and circumstances buddha has emerged I would say his philosophy is an earlier form of Humanism and Buddha was a humanist.
You seem to have a lot of interest in philosophy. Your parents named you correctly Saptharshi what?
No, you are mistaken. My name is Tejas. Saptharshi is a family name.
Don’t you feel loneliness traveling solo?
Loneliness and being alone are two different things. I am always accompanied by my thoughts and books.
Moreover, I meet new people everywhere and listen to their stories. That's the best part I like about traveling solo and I would like to write these experiences.
After 4 hours of trekking together discussing a lot of topics like movies, books, and history Tejas mentioned about the cosmic connection that he felt when he met her and how he believes that they both are half and only together they get completed.
Arpita just laughed and said “You are crazy. Of course, you talked well and I could hear your stories this long. But it doesn’t mean I am interested in you and I don’t believe in this magic or cosmic connection what so ever” and continued trekking
Tejas telling a lot of stories to convince why he believes they would make a great pair but all he could make her say is “Let’s make a deal, Now that you know my name and whereabouts but you shouldn’t follow me or try to reach me. If at all we meet again just how you believe that we will meet again so randomly then I would think of your proposal”
So far it was the normal hill area being trekked and was of not that difficult. Finally, everybody has reached the base camp where all could sit and have lunch that Sameer carried with him. All the girls who were interested have visited a small temple there and ready to continue.
Sameer asked everyone to assemble a group and passed instructions “So far we did well and this was of not difficult but here starts our challenge in the form of almost 2 kilometers of the path covered with 3 feet snow which we have to cross. Help each other and walk carefully”
Everyone nods their head as if they agreed to everything Sameer said but Sameer could sense little fear in everyone face because of all stories heard about accidents happened while crossing this path.
Tejas with his prior experience in trekking could guide people in the front and so Sameer could help who needed in crossing this difficult path.
As they continued to trek on snow, Arpita found herself after Tejas who has reached a place where everyone can sit and rest for some time but reach there she had to cross a small path which covered with a lot of snow and loses of any balance would cause them to fall into the jungle one can dare to peep into from there.
Tejas offered himself to help Arpita to reach a safe place and put his hand forward to pull her.
Once he pulled her on to the rock, Tejas asked “Be careful. This snow on the rock is slippery and will lead you into the jungle”
“If at all I am going to slip I will take you too” Arpita laughed.
“That’s what problem with you. I am asking to live together if we are living but you are saying we will die together if we are dying here”
Finally, everyone could cross this difficult path covered with snow and reached the peak of the hill which is popularly known as “Mona”. The view that one can see is breathtaking from here, front view of Douladhar ranges of Himalayan mountains. Wow is something that everyone exclaimed.
“Wow, this view. Worth all the pain that we suffered to reach here” said Arpita’s friend Sakshi Karn who is very sarcastic and name everyone in the group. She was the one who introduced Arpita to Tejas as “Gali ki rani(The queen of abuses)” in their batch.
As every one playing the snow fight, Tejas decided to sit and enjoy the silence just observing the view of beautiful mountains.
not sure if that was naturally built or somebody has created there was a table structured rock like two people can sit opposite sides comfortably and enjoy the calmness.
Tejas sitting one side facing the mountains just opened the bag and picked the book. Observing the Tejas sitting alone Tired Arpita started moving towards Tejas and informed friends “I am tired and cold, you guys continue”.
Arpita came and without disturbing she sat silently opposite side of the table and observing friends playing snow fight. Breaking that awkward silence both turned back at the same time
“I want to know more about you” uttered Arpita
As they exhale and talk small clouds are forming because of the condensation. As everyone there busy and lost in their own worlds Only the surrounded snow-capped mountains witnessed Arpita and Tejas kissing. Maybe they didn’t want to or unbearable cold forced them to but still, they could have controlled. All those mountains witnessed is they didn’t but they understood each other more than what they could have if they have discussed for an hour.
Awkward silences again, She has picked the book named “Veronica Decides to Die- by Paulo Coelho” that Tejas had opened some time back and randomly opened the second page and underlined the 11th line which read “Nothing in this world happens by chance”.
Because of bad weather, their camping on the Triund is canceled. As they started climbing down the hill Arpita talking to Tejas suggested though we couldn't complete this trek to Triund because of bad weather
You must write something about our experience as you said when we met
I would suggest the title “Halfway to the Triund”
Sure he said outside and said to himself
“Halfway to the women of my life”