Editorial»
All about basics
DEC 29 - Luxury is a burden you can choose to carry but basics is all you need. Though many of you may not agree with this statement, it holds quite true when you are away from your home and in the midst of the enigma of nature.
Nepal is a small country blessed with natural beauty. Our country is lucky not only because god has been kind enough in bestowing us with the beauty of nature but also because people from other countries appreciate it. And, visitors to Nepal not only appreciate the beauty of this tiny Himalayan Kingdom by gazing at a shining peak from somewhere atop a hill station or by moving their legs to and fro in the cool water of a lake located elsewhere. They also come here to experience the thrill of doing what they have only heard in their homelands. Guessed right! It’s trekking!
I, too, was very excited to experience the thrill of trekking and enjoy the beauty of nature. Hence, I went on a short trip with my friends. As I love to travel light, I had carried as little luggage as possible. But my friends had quite a luggage. It was not a problem as long as our jeep carried us along, but once we left the comfort of the jeep, the luxury that we had been carrying became the burden.
Walking past one of the easiest trekking routes, yet very picturesque, I could experience an intimacy with nature. My mind started turning the pages of the Hindu Shastras. I had heard and read about Rishis and Gyanis taking exile from their homes and going to isolated places or mountains to achieve Moksha. After this very short trip, I was, at least, in a position to understand the reason why they had left their homes. The ambience of such places, no doubt, had attracted those sage and scholars. Though attaining Moksha was neither my intention nor any of my friends, it definitely helped me to restore the peace of mind.
The breathtaking trekking routes of the country attract a lot of tourists to Nepal. Also, increasingly, many Nepalese are spending their holidays by going out on a trek. All trekkers, surely, experience a different feeling when they walk through the lush, green and picturesque forests. It is not possible for everyone to feel in the same way, but the experience of being in the midst of nature is, undoubtedly, a soothing experience, for all. It has a purging effect.
Like any Rishi meditating for days and nights at a stretch, trekking, too, gives no space for availing the comforts of human created luxuries. Realistically speaking, luxuries have become a part and parcel of our life and it cannot be avoided. Hence, we have forgotten to live a pure life.
Even if it is not possible for us to now live a life devoid of luxuries, it would be wise to experience it for few days simply by going on a trek or even going to a remote village and living there for a some days.
Luckily or unluckily, science and technology is yet to penetrate the remote places of Nepal. Hence, we are still not late to savour the splendor of nature and learn what it means by getting back to the basics in its truest sense.Posted on: 2003-12-30 05:11
Headlines
Advertisements
