Kareri Lake Trek

Monsoon had started its descent in the mountains. Rains would be irregular as the last week of August was approaching. Days would get foggy, making the mountains disappear in their dense cover till the Sun would shine through them. Some drizzles would come along with the sunshine making the grand entry for an immensely multicoloured rainbow. Somedays I would spot 2-3 rainbows overlapping from different angles, something which I had never experienced. The fog would fill the balcony, further making its way into the rooms. That would remind me of my hostel days in Lonavala. Mountains would be in their glory in the monsoons. Everything would come to life in those months. There was a Janmashtami festival in a few days. It was the celebration of Lord Krishna's birthday. Every mountain top would have a temple of Lord Shiva, no matter which mountain you would climb in the Himalayas. All devotees would march up to the temple to celebrate Janmashtami as a yearly ritual. Hundreds of people from all walks of life would be seen climbing uphill making the mountain look more alive.

                       

The nearby mountain for us to climb was Kareri which was famous for its lake on the top. Hence, the name Kareri Lake trek. That was the same place that I had planned to visit during my first visit to Himachal. But that remained unchecked from my list as I chose to stay in Salli only. One of our friends from Pathankot decided to join us on the trek. Rishav was a 22-year-old young businessman, way too mature for his age. He would always come to Salli with great energy and a big smile on his face. His friendly and down-to-earth attitude towards everyone made him unique. Being successful at a young age didn't make him arrogant, rather made him more grounded. We were sitting on the balcony for breakfast just before we could make our move uphill for 5 hour-long treks. The fog was covering the entire mountain while I was getting lost in my brain fog. The ambiguous future arising from a clueless career and unstable income was driving me crazy and my self-worth was crushing down every day passed by. I had started facing Identity Crisis. Who am I? What am I doing? What do I want to do? What work defines me? Where do I stand in the world? Why am I not financially secure even after so much education and experience? All these thoughts would cloud my mind creating thunderstorms, lightning, followed by hailstones pelting and ending with a foggy state of mind.

We started the climb as our neighbours joined us with their kids. The trail was heavenly beautiful. Many villagers had set up free food tents on the way for the devotees. It was their offering to the people. They would invite every passer-by with love and respect to share what they had prepared for all. The innocence and devotion of the people in the mountains were unparalleled. There were crystal clear streams, small bridges, sky-high cedar trees, and intimidating foggy mountains to climb. I felt like I had stepped into heaven. We were carrying a tent, as the plan was to spend a night at the mountain top and return the next morning. The usual excitement for climbing was missing in me. On the way, Madhu and Rishav were helping me talk out what was troubling me. No matter how much you share, the problem gets solved only when you were willing to solve that. I was falling into a whirlpool of a depressive state. When you become your own enemy, then destruction would be guaranteed.

After 5 hours of leg-breaking trek, we finally reached the top. The beauty up there was beyond any words to describe. An old temple of Lord Shiva was built next to the large and transparent lake. Devotees were making their way in and out of the temple while seeking the blessings of Mahadev. Just outside the temple in an open area, the villagers had arranged for Prasad, a devotional offering for god which was shared among devotees. The fresh food after the long trek was satisfying. We set up our tent at the farthest corner of the lake from where both mountain and lake were fully visible. The night spent in that tent under the stars was worth the memory. The tent wasn't a five-star hotel but was definitely a billion-star experience. Lord Shiva was known as the god of destruction. I had seen much of creation in my life till then. The universe had already rolled dice for me and the arrival of the eminent destroyer was clear.

Shiv Tandav Had Just Begun.