A walk through the woods

1. A walk through the woods  Come with me and I will take you through an unforgettable journey through  the woods of Shimla. I spend a couple of days each year in the serenity of  nature, in its arms, me and Mother nature at close quarters. The guesthouse  that I choose to stay at, is usually at a short distance from the hustle and  bustle of the main city where finding tranquility and peace is not an issue. The  only sound to wake me up early morning is the chirping of the birds. It is the  best music I have ever heard created for the benefit of mankind, only he has  been ignorant and unaware, too consumed in his daily worldly routine to take  cognizance of beautiful things that bountiful nature engulfs in its lap. The  back door of my guest house throws open endless scenic views for me to  imbibe. The hunger seems insatiable and I wish I could be in its midst day  after day, month after month and year after year.    My usual day begins with sweet music of chirping of birds filling my senses.  My long time caretaker, Amar Singh serves me a hot cup of tea. The tea is 

2. sweet not because of the sugar in it but because of the love he radiates. His  touch is good enough to make it sweet. After this perfunctory but life-saving  exercise, I am ready to undertake the ‘walk of life’ through the woods. This  time I choose to take a less frequented but really beautiful walk from one  corner of The Mall down to Annandale. The walk is so invigorating that every  ounce of fresh air that seeps into my lungs does so much good to me. After a  couple of hours of wandering down the valley, my hands and face become  numb with cold, every muscle in the legs starts to ache but just one thing that  never tires after years and years of such salubrious walks is the heart. The  entire walk takes close to three hours. One could see, smell, hear, feel and  touch only nature. The only sounds that one could hear are those of chirping  of birds, the sound of air whistling through the leaves and water gushing over  the rocks, on its way downstream. The only artificial sound that invades my  ears is the sound of my own footsteps, marching rhythmically to the beats of  an invisible and silent drum. There is a song that is constantly playing in my  head that instils a cheerful and a happy feeling.   

3. As the day draws to a close, I patiently absorb the scenic beauty of the silent  landscape and the lovely lights strewn over the mountains like tiny stars. One  can see these tiny lights tracing a curved path until it approaches somewhere  nearby and terminates up close at a bus station. There is a congregation of a  few tourists at a small tea stall eager to find a safe haven from the unrelenting  cold wave that wades the air. I merrily sip away a cup of hot soup and enjoy  every gulp with full satisfaction.  Soon white flakes of snow will make soft landing on everything as far as the  eye can see and take under its wings. It heralds the start of winter sports and  Indulging in it is an experience in itself.    But, alas we are all social beings and we all have social responsibilities to  discharge. ​My job beckons me back to Delhi​. I wish I could get the weather  back home, for me to cherish the pristine fruits of mother nature. Here I am  retracing my journey back to where I came from, a couple of days ago. Back to  the most wonderful person that I have ever known and the one I love so much.  And with a promise to return next year.