Our Ancestral Village: Memories in Every Corner
“As time flows, it doesn’t just heal – it reveals, rebuilds, and sometimes revolutionizes who we are.”. This hit me hard as I drove up the small, twisty roads to my old family village. It had been 2 decades since my childhood, I hadn’t set foot there although I had gone places nearby but never got a chance to visit the village. I was returning to my childhood village, which had only lived in my memories for two decades. The trip started as an ordinary family decision to reconnect with our roots but none of us could have predicted that this journey would profoundly impact me.
We reached our first stop which was our ancestral home, even though It was my first visit it didn’t feel like that. I could feel the laughter and memories that once bustled with life but now stood silent and abandoned. We opened the doors but inside was nothing, just me feeling a complex mixture of nostalgia, sadness, and a strange sense of homecoming.
The Village Temple: Reconnecting with Tradition
Chitai Mandir: A Symphony of Bells and Views
We headed towards the village temple, trying to shake off the sadness that felt like a war. a temple covered in bells – big ones, small ones, shiny ones, all jingling in the wind. This is Chitai Mandir of Golu Devta, who is famously regarded as the God of Justice, a special place where people come to make wishes and say thank you. A famed Hindu temple dedicated to the god of justice, adorned with bells & letters from pilgrims. The moment I stepped inside the temple I was amazed by the comforting scent and chiming of bells, all of sudden it all became so familiar to me.
When you visit, you write your wish on a small piece of paper. You leave this paper at the temple, like sending a message to God. Then you wait and hope your wish comes true. If your wish does come true, you come back to the temple. You buy a bell from the nearby shops – any kind you like. You hang this bell in the temple to say “thank you” for your wish coming true. So, all those bells you see and hear? Each one is someone saying “thank you” for a wish that came true and the blessings of God. Some are for getting good grades, others for finding a job, or getting better from being sick. Every bell has a happy story behind it.
When the wind blows, all these bells ring together. It’s like hearing thousands of “thank yous” all at once. It’s a happy sound that reminds everyone of all the good things that happen to people. This temple isn’t just a place to pray. It’s a place to hope, to dream, and to be grateful. Every time you hear the bells, you’re hearing someone’s joy. It’s a special way to remember how wishes can come true and how important it is to say thank you.
Discovering the Photographer Within
The best part about the trip was the scenic views of the Himalayas, the view from my village was so incredible that it made me want to take pictures of everything. From the moment we started our journey, I couldn’t stop taking photos. I captured different views of the mountains, rivers, and forests. It all felt magical like nature was teaching me something special and blessing me at the same time. The whole experience was breathtaking and made me feel connected to the world around me.
A Spiritual Finale: Kainchi Dham
Our final stop was Kainchi Dham, a place of remarkable beauty and spiritual significance place. It has achieved recognition owing to the ashram of the famous Shri Neem Karoli Baba Maharajji. Many hundreds of people visit the temples here every day, in season. Each year, during the June 15th Bhandara, reportedly, more than one lakh (100,000) people are fed. This ashram has attracted notable figures from around the world, including Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs. Zuckerberg visited Neem Karoli Baba’s ashram in Kainchi inspired by Steve Jobs. Other celebrities like cricketer Virat Kohli and Apple’s first employee, Daniel Kottke, have also sought solace in this peaceful haven.
The ashram maintains a soft and calm atmosphere by prohibiting the use of phones, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the peaceful environment. This sudden plan not only helped me to find my inner child but also taught me many life values. The place had a special feeling that made us all feel calm and thoughtful. It was a great way to end our trip. Before we left, I bought some small gifts from the ashram for my friends back home. I wanted to give them a little piece of this amazing experience, even if they couldn’t be there themselves.
The Journey Home: A Personal Transformation
As we began our six-hour journey back home from the mountains, I felt a profound change within myself. The trip had added a new dimension to my personality – a sense of calm and an ability to find peace within. The winding roads that led us away from the village seemed to mirror my internal journey, each turn revealing a new perspective on life.
This experience of Kainchi Dham and the Himalayas left a lasting impact on our hearts and minds. As we drove from the mountains back to flatter land, I felt different inside. I wasn’t just taking home the little things I bought. I was taking home a new me. I felt closer to where I came from and understood myself better. It was like I had found a missing piece of who I am. As we drove from the mountains back to the plains, I felt something different inside. I wasn’t only taking home the souvenirs but was leaving with a new version of myself. I felt more connected to where I came from and better understood myself. It felt like I had found a missing piece of myself.
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