Darjeeling Trip 2015

Photograph - Anirban Saha | www.anirbansaha.com

It has been quite some time since I visited the hills, the last destination being Gangtok and adjoining areas of Sikkim. So when Anirban da asked me to join him on a short Darjeeling trip, I was thrilled. Twenty seven gruelling hours on a super-late bus to Siliguri, earthquakes, reports of landslides and a three hour drive later, I had actual reason to be thrilled.

The atmosphere at Darjeeling was magical. The mist, the gentle rain, the wind all combined to engulf us in a welcoming envelope of happiness. Taking a break from the sultry climate of Kolkata, it was exhilarating to feel the cold breeze brushing across my face. The scenery, of course, was breathtaking, with the hills at a distance partly shrouded in fog, and the sun occasionally breaking through the clouds.

Let it rain

“Into each life some rain must fall” – H.W. Longfellow.

Through the looking glass | www.anirbansaha.com

There is just something about the sight, sounds and smell of raindrops falling from the sky that appeals to the senses more than any other natural phenomenon ever can. Rains make you realize the wealth of emotions that you carry. Rains make you introspect and retrospect, and bring you closer to understanding yourself. Put very simply, rains make you happy.

After braving the tumultuous heat of the Great Indian Summer, the rains come with a cathartic appeal – helping you transcend your dilapidated state both physically and mentally. The rains are nature’s way of asking you to let go. Let go of the soggy grimness that accompanied your summer. Let go of the exhaustion in your mind and in your limbs. Let go of your inhibitions and rise again, for the rains have washed away the sorrows of yesterday.