Saudade

Each person has a certain yearning, an element that fires her up and it would have to be the mountains for me. The longing is more acute as I live, walk and now lock down myself within walls of a city that smells of concrete and steel.

My journeys through the small hillocks, valleys and the mighty mountains keep breaking at my mind as waves of the past, the murmur of the mountain breeze crisp in my ears, the scent of the evenings in a valley enlivening my senses. The mountains never leave you – they stay where they are but keep calling out to you from up above and keeps you wanting for more.

And here is where ‘might’ might matter but a small hillock is no less superior and can bring wafts of freshness and breezy pleasures to you, a small winding path to the valley brings much more than better views. A valley and a small hill town cleanses you of your material greed, it teaches you to love the air, to enjoy the warmth of a hot tea and to immerse into the sunset and dewy sunrises of the valley!

But there is something about might  - the mightier than the mightiest – the Himalayas- it reigns supreme as the emperor of the clouds. A sight to behold, a sight to experience and a sight that will remain a part of you. No matter which profile, which side and which view, the sight of the Himalayas evokes an emotion that I am yet to encapsulate into a word. Whether covered with mist, embroidered with snow or cascaded with rain – its bewitching beauty never fades and in the company of pristine clouds, it stays there in all its royalty and glory.

So the feeling of Saudade – the deepest longing for the mountains, for the Himalayas or maybe just the little hill town next door. So today I am on a winding journey through the memories of trips to the mountains, of the coldest shivers in the snow, of the piping sweetness of masala chai and the rainbow of shades that embraces the mountains every evening.