Travel Diaries - Mesmerizing Leh & Ladakh - Part 1

You are playing a sport - say Football or Cricket. You are diving to catch the ball. You have achieved it brilliantly but in the process, you have fractured your elbow in a nasty manner. The doctor has advised you strict bed rest until you are up and running again. In the mean time, you have also adhered to the rules imposed by the doctor upon the health so that the road to recovery is without any hitch and glitch. But, you slip down on the floor when you get up to get yourself a drink and get hit on the same elbow. Again. The pain is tremendously torturing.

Let's freeze the frame for a moment here. When it's emotional and psychological, the magnitude of the torment is further amplified to the point that it pushes you to suicidal limits.

That's precisely what happened to me as well post the Hong Kong Trip. I was convalescing well and on the verge of a fast recovery track to get back in shape properly and continue my IT career again. As I had become as brown as a berry, I also took the help of Dermatologist to de-tan and clear away the black pigmentation due to acne. The doctor's reco was NO SUN until the treatment was done and dusted. Taking all the necessary precautions which was given by the doc like staying hydrated than normal average and using prescribed lotions, I was within the four walls and being self-reflective on my idealistic nature to get on terms with the practical world. Idealistic individuals are the ones who push the humanity to a humanely good and positively better world but can it be at the cost of the individual themselves? It is better and prudent to be a Krishna than a Rama in this ugly and highly self-centered world.

It was then a big fight ensued between my mom and me which eventually culminated to having suicidal thoughts. That's the problem when you are a feeler and an empath even though you can crystal-clearly understand the other person's position by putting yourself in their shoes. Just like the fractured person breaking and damaging his injured elbow again, the on-the-mend emotional scars were violently thrown open like a hurricane devastating a house.

So, to get back to normalcy, I went to temples in Kumbakonam and Trichy like Ucchi Pilayar Temple. I have been there as a kid with family and relatives a long time ago. But, this was the first time that I had gotten the opportunity to be solo in the midst of the Darshan. Likewise, it was really an absolutely blissful place @ the Auroville Ashram, Pondicherry. Full of trees. Invigorating air. Stimulating atmosphere. Auroville is the aura of Pondicherry. A peach of a beauty. People usually travel to Pondi for something else. They can save their money and improve their health by immersing themselves into the tranquil surroundings of Auroville.

Prior to proceeding to Kumbakonam, I had opted for a Leh-Ladakh tour package from Cox&Kings (C&K). Why Leh & Ladakh? The place had loads of Buddhist monasteries and serenity permeating the air. Why C&K? Coz they offered the cheapest price after extensively analyzing out the other tour websites. As the direct flight from Chennai to Leh was toweringly steep, I had to board a flight from Chennai to Delhi and from Delhi to Leh. 

How did I suddenly jump to Chennai and then to Leh? As the journey was tedious and fatiguing from Kumbakonam and Trichy, I halted for a night at Pondicherry to give my body some rest before catching an early morning bus to Chennai and then a flight to Leh from Delhi. Don't ask me how I managed to journey from Chennai to Delhi. It was again by a flight.

As soon as I landed in the chilly and exquisite Leh, I found to my consternation that my dratted Aircel didn't have any signal to contact the C&K Tour Manager. 

                                               

                                                            X---To Be Concluded---X

PS 1:

Now,you must know by now why I said "Destiny always has an ace up its sleeve" in one of my travel blogs earlier. I had no intention to be there at Leh-Ladakh. But, there I was then.

PS 2:
When you think through as to why Lord Krishna had said committing suicide is not a viable option in the Gita, you will not even think again to do that act.

PS 3:
Commonly and conventionally, people are of the opinion that committing suicide is a dastardly act. But, when you look through the prism of Suicide's POV, the people who does them are actually more courageous than those who don't as they have the guts to take their own lives. Some might say that they don't have the courage to face life's problems. What's gutsy in doing suicide?

Once again, that's just a part of the perception. When you see the whole picture, a life overpoweringly transcends the problems - small or big or simple or difficult. And those normal souls who have given up their lives on their own accord due to personal problems or depression, they cared enough to not care for their life anymore by shedding away their value for their life.

SO, you will probably have a question as to whether I support the concept and practicality of suicide since I have given a detailed explanation for the phenomenon.

When you have thought through from Lord Krishna's POV as to why he said suicide is an irresponsible solution, you can never ever say again that suicide is a good solution for life's problems. Hence, my answer is that I don't support it but respect the individuals' choice who does it as it's their personal wish and their life.

IMHO, playing with others' lives is highly wrong - knowingly or unknowingly. But, your own personal life - Do the damn you what without hurting or harming or injuring or wounding or bruising anyone around you.