Mountain Memories

From Rimbik, a plenitude of greenery on the way calmed my spirit. Rivers, mini waterfalls on the way, valleys and mountains all greeted us. The waterfall had water in a hurry, in contrast to the rest of the surroundings, which simply were.

Watercolors merged with blue, trees silhouetted against the sky. After lunch, another trek took us to Gurdum. UNO now also known as ENO and a local brew led to a merry evening. Saw orchids too.

Next morning, after a breathtaking sunrise, we started trekking to Sandakfu. The stillness and coolness of the jungle green was soothing. Panoramic clouds crept up on the hillside. Felt like pulling a particularly fluffy one down for a pillow.

It gave a feeling of achievement to see how far we had come in just half an hour. Seven hours later we were in Sandakfu. Most of us slept through the sunset. In the morning we saw the first rays of the sun hit Kanchenjunga and Mount Everest. The range looked like a sleeping Buddha.

Coming back we reached Gurdum by lunch and Srikhola by evening. In the morning we trekked to Rimbik by starlight and torchlight. The entire sky was glowing with stars. After a peach blushed sunrise on the way, we soon hit the plains.

I can still taste the memories though. Only need to close my eyes and I am back in the hills.

Silver Lining

The stars elbowed out the night from the sky.

I knew Venus, Sirius, and Orion’s Belt.

Then I started making up my own.

Silver spangles in the sky’s night dress.

They rained down on us, as we craned our necks.

Hillistan

Is it hookah smoke?

Or are the hills on coke?

Tucked in a white blanket they will slumber sweetly

Till they are woken up tomorrow morning.

Sunset in the Hills

Blue light of twilight rose to the top like yeast

While the golden red sunset we know 

Settled like rust in boiled water at the bottom.

Streaks of gold electrified the sky

Intense fireworks before the earth sleeps again

Red clouds blushed the sky for an evening out.

Sunrise at Gurdum

The sun made its presence felt

Yellowing the sky while being out of sight

Then blues, as if it didn’t want to get up

But had to, for duty’s sake, to awaken us.

Still no sight of the sun, now

Watercolour hues drench the sky

Yellow wins finally

Warming waves of mountains from the back

Which we can’t see, only deduce.

A range of cloud formations also seduce

It is camera shy

Warm red with yellow in the right.

Want to erase the mountains blocking our view

Like we could do when we painted them in

Now we cross them, once we choose to and have to both.

Now the warmth reaches the eyes

The clouds on the left warm

The mountains in front of the red

Are mere graph lines now.

Streaks that could be clouds

Now the yellow’s warmer

That’s where the sun is

The rays reach an opposite mountain

The yellow’s swallowed the red

Liquid gold floods the V.