I returned to Noida on the night of Dec 29. The next morning, when I looked at myself in the mirror, I expected to see some change. I expected a severe tan, like the one I got on when I went for a skiing course half a lifetime ago, but it wasn’t there. I expected the skin to have become harsher and the lines on my face deeper, but that wasn’t the case. I expected to see dark circles or at least some sign of physical strain. I expected the expedition to have changed me physically, but the image I saw in the mirror was largely unchanged. Yet I knew the person staring back at me, wasn’t the same.
The cacophony of the news channels, the venom being spewed on Twitter, the pessimism of the editorials and the endless protests on the streets – all seem petty and trivial. I have witnessed the unparalleled humility and hospitality of people who opened their houses and hearts to us in the bitter cold. I have experienced the care and affection of strangers, many of who didn’t even know my name. I have seen the remarkable effect of optimism in adversity. I have been rescued because of the courage of faceless soldiers, and I have learnt about the sacrifice of nameless workers. I have seen the naked face of humanity, stripped of all its masks and pretence. So, the real change isn’t in my appearance but how the world now appears to me.
I went to witness the splendour of nature and time and again its wonder did sweep me off my feet. But, even in all its magnificence, nature is indifferent. It is not harsh or beautiful, it just is. Beauty blooms not in nature but in the heart instinctively in the absence of toxic influences.
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Though the Kazoom Winter Spiti Expedition certificate is only a piece of paper with no real-world value. Yet, holding it gives me a sense of achievement and pride. Back in my office, most people have professional certificates, awards and personal photos stuck to their cubicle walls. On the barren walls of my cubicle, there is only the expedition certificate that hangs now. Somehow it alone feels meaningful enough to be displayed. To me, it is a badge of honour and a constant invocation to my true nature as an adventurer. It gives me a reason to live, to strive!
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A special note of thanks for Puneet, my cousin, friend and founder of the incredible organisation, La Himalaya. He invited me time and again to experience the expedition, until I finally did. I cannot thank him enough for not only giving me the opportunity to be a part of this exceptional experience, but also for his incredible hospitality and wonderful company. It is also important to mention that I could not carry my own DSLR because of the anti CAA protests in Delhi/ NCR. My camera could not be collected in time from the service centre on account of those protests. Yes, somehow Puneet managed to arrange a DSLR for me within a few hours and enabled me to not only come for the expedition but to experience it fully.
A special note of thanks, also, for my expedition partner and friend, Jatin. He and I met for the first time in the expedition, but when I think about it today, it seems like I have known him for a long time. He was generous enough to accommodate me as his (mostly non driving) expedition partner. It was also Jatin who came bearing the most important piece of equipment for me – the DSLR. It was his brother, Iqbal, who lent me the camera for the trip, for which I am forever indebted to both of them. Jatin’s gregariousness, expert driving skills and amazing sense of humour also contributed immensely in making this expedition memorable. I hope we have the opportunity to travel together again.