When the Himalayas call you, there's no saying no. You have to go. When Kriti calls you, there's no saying no as well!
Amidst the lead-up to the general elections, and in between pertinent decisions, Kriti, my dearest friend and ergo representative of Kalimpong, called me. "I have a proposal," she said. "I've been thinking of going somewhere to the mountains. I need a break. I'm thinking not too far North, something not too adventurous, but to rest, and simply be in the forest. To breathe the fresh air."
Kriti hails from Lucknow, a majoritarian state with the ruling party in widespread power. Particularly spending time at home during the elections phase was proving to be difficult. Beyond ideological disagreements, there was a floating feeling of despair seeing the prominent exit polls. They all predicted that there would be no change in power and that the far right BJP party would snatch more than 300 seats at the nationwide Parliamentary elections securing the majority for the third time in a row.
I belong to the Southernmost state of Tamil Nadu, and the scenario here is quite different. Secluded from national politics by the rift of language, ideologies here bend towards marginalised demographics and social welfare schemes are seemingly abundant. These tactics are however a veil and tool for propagating pro social ideas, while the government remains steady in implementing policies that shift the scale towards big businesses loosening labour protections.
Where Kriti and I intersect, is our belief in critical thought and our quest to learn new things. We come from different landscapes, but occupy similar worlds. We read and watch widely different sources, and are yet connected by the way we see things and speak about them; the agreements and disagreements in all their glory. In a way, our trip symbolised the national elections - a common thread connecting diverse citizens engrossed in varied politics. The 2024 elections phase in India happened over a duration of three months. That's fascinating for a country! I had voted in the first phase, with my hope in the democratic process rekindled as I cast my vote for the first time. Kriti was yet to vote, her constituency being part of the last phase of voting. She said we should travel immediately, as she wanted to return a few days before election day.
Not too far North, not too adventurous, she had proposed we go to Kalimpong and Darjeeling for our trip. A person who loves collecting trivia and gorging on information, Kriti has a quirky habit of browsing through Google Maps. Intrigued by national borders, she had been checking out the Eastern Himalayan ranges. She found Kalimpong to be in an interesting geographic position; enveloped between bordering countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. She looked for beautiful mountain homestay options, that were perfect for a retreat away from the plains. "I am the representative of Kalimpong" she said, and presented to itinerary to me. Nature and culture being our top priorities, these places sat well at the valley between the two. Kalimpong is home to old monasteries, and a neighbour to the Neora valley national park. Darjeeling has stunning architecture and hosts some cosy creative spaces like old bookstores and mountain cafes.
I was in a confused state at the time, struggling to take an important decision about which graduate school I should go to. The indecisiveness had seeped into everything and I was initially quite reluctant when Kriti spoke to me about the trip. However, Kriti's company and the places she had suggested reassured me that they would be the best for me to gain back clarity in order to take my decision. All the more, only the week before I had been reminded of the damp smell of monasteries and the quiet feeling of their wooden floors, that the promise of both pressed me to say yes. And I am so glad that I did.
I'm often surprised when my friends tell me about how hard it is to plan a trip. The delays in finding good company, expenses, concerns about safety, the weather and the list goes on. In truth, it is quite simple. I have been to most places on a tight budget with the exception of a few family trips where we spent more for comfort. I mostly travel on trains and local buses taking flights alternatively only if the train journey is more than twenty four hours. Finding stays and food is also easier in non-touristy places when you're comfortable with simple resources. What matters most is intent, the wanting to absorb yourself in places far from home. The rest simply happens. Before leaving, we only had a skeletal plan of the things we wanted to do, but framed most of our visits after reaching our destination based on how we were feeling and what was possible each day.
The flights and homestay were booked in less than an hour, and there was a wave of excitement. I was leaving in two days. The same week, I would be meeting Kriti after a complete year.
----to be continued
-Swarna
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