Walking away...in Mclaudganj part 2

Sighboard.


Holy but dirty lake


Pondy, Modi


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....(contd.) As we started, after going a few steps, I realised that we had no water or empty bottles with us. So we turned back. After that we also realised that we were running on empty stomachs. There we spotted a very tiny place where all local monks and crowd was going. I thought that this is the place where we can get some good local food.

Let me tell you that you should never judge a book by it's cover. This tiny place was a paradise. There was only a small room with 3 tables in total with a small kitchen. Unfortunately I am not having any picture of it. The room was full of monks and localities. 1 table was still empty, fortunately. So we occupied it. There was so much calmness and silence, with light Buddhist or Tibetan music supporting the silence. I felt really meditative and silent. Each hair or cell of my body became silent on it's own accord. Food was very delicious. Everyone came out of that place with a bliss on their faces.

Buying a bottle of water we really and finally started our journey. After walking for about an hour, covering 2 kms, we saw a milestone, with '3kms Dahl Lake' written on it. Then we came to know where we all are heading to. We all were just walking and walking, in silence. The only vibration my ears sensed were that of wind disturbing the leaves or birds chirping. We were walking on a road, so a few cars and motorbikes went passed us, making ugly noises. I was carrying a book 'FRANNY AND ZOOEY' which I read whenever I felt like. Everything was in such a harmony among us that at a moment i completely forgot that this is some fucking hill station. But truth is truth. Plastic bags, plastic bottles, and every kind of trash lying in the lap of nature broke the rhythm and harmony. I was really sad at the site of it. Everyone was. I do not know what has happened to us Indians. I was not at all 'proud to be an Indian' type for a moment.

We reached Dhal Lake. It was a very dirty lake. But definitely there were fishes, which were still unaffected by the filth and dirt of the world, and managed to posses their innocence. We wandered here, there and anywhere. Spent some fagging times together. Discussing life and philosophy. It was getting late so we all decided to go back.

On our way many signboards came, reading 'xyz 12 kms.' or 'abc 10 kms.', which were very tempting, but like cowards, we traced our way back to hell....(contd.)