The Wandering Feet

Its my love for travelling that this post is here.As I prepare myself  to take again a short trip to the countryside and lose myself amidst the grandeur of  stretched for miles furrowed fields,the electric blue hued flowing river and sweet tweets of the nestlings I am remembered nostalgically the memories of  my past tours.The tours at regular intervals not only have broadened my knowledge about the places I have visited also they have contributed largely in my moral and spiritual development.Watching the most revered Ganges flowing perennially  from the steps of Dakhineswar Temple,Kolkata to witnessing  the spectacular rising sun strike the colossal Kachenjunga range of snow capped peaks in a blaze of rapidly changing colours from the highest point in Darjeeling,the experiences have been rewarding.These experiences have taught me to trek hard until the goal is achieved with immutable spirits.
                   When the tickets get booked for the tour I feel a sense of freedom coursing my veins.With every tour my experience has been educational as well as novel.Even the road trips provide a scope to escape from the muddles and monotony of daily life by presenting panoramic views of lush plantations and small hamlets doting the winding road ,making for a journey replete with introspecting and photographic opportunities.Rising steeply from the heart of  north eastern part of Dhenkanal is the abode of Shri Chandrasekhar  and it is well worth climbing to the top through the 1352 steps to experience the magnificent view of the temple not only uplifts a spirit of immense zeal and enthusiasm rather make us appreciate the rich engineering skills of our culture and tradition.
                Travelling is not about 'roaming' or 'loafing' around,its an art in itself.Its about exploring,learning and making memories.The tours among the gentle mists ,light drizzles ,gardens of rhododendrons,magnolias,gladioli,tiger lilies,sweet peas,corn flowers,roses and dahlias highlights the incredibility of nature and inspires us to fill ours and others lives with the myriad colours of happiness and joy for a better world.
                Local shops adorned with bright colours,oil lamps lit around the the perimeters of the temple yard create a magical experience  and the delightful galleries are home to impressive collections and memories.The villages and hills around hill stations replete with well maintained bridle paths and tastefully furnished dak-bungalows placed at regular intervals along the route bring out the spirits of an adventurer to the foot of towering Himalayas.The picturesque vistas and stunning views are worth the travel.
            The diversities of a place's life and its inhabitants come together to make for a unique local cuisine.The popular snacks available at every roadside eatery,be it pav -bhaji of Maharashtra,steamed dumplings or momos of the north eastern states,idli,dosa and uttapam with the accompaniments sweet and spicy sambar and  coconut chutney in the southern states,leave an indelible mark on the taste buds.
    As Ibn Battuta quotes-''Travelling-It leaves you speechless,then turns you into a storyteller'',I have listened to the tours taken by my father during his childhood and adolescent days.The description of the string of the camels crossing the deserts in Rajasthan, the forts and mahals of the Rajputs who are the glories of our history and intriguing details of the fine architectural skills of the architects make me exclaim and gasp in awe and excitement.They feel in me a sense of pride for my country.
          With every step I put forward to take a ride I  shed my comfort zone because life begins at the end of the comfort zone.A comfortable life at home  is like a ship in harbor,undoubtedly we and the ships are safe at home and harbor respectively but thats not why harbors are built for.

 ''The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page''--Saint Augustine.