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Soul Searching


The land of gods Dev Bhoomi (Himachal Pradesh). My connection with the place goes back to my birth. I never really got a chance to know about my roots as I was living in a concrete jungle and was happy with the fast pace life there. During summer holidays our destination had always been.. yes...Himachal. As a kid I never really enjoyed my summer vacations here as I had no friends to spend time with but the only relief was the escape from the Delhi heat which made me escape to this paradise. To pass 2 months in solitude was really hard. The silence of the jungles near my Grandmother's place made me even more reluctant to go there every summer. But I did. kids don't have a choice.. Do they? During my childhood days my friends used to envy me when they heard that I am from Shimla as for everyone it was a tourist paradise. I never really felt connected to the place what so ever. They used to ask me all sort of questions related to the place which I managed to answer most of the times but somehow could never answer them properly. 

It was when I came to Himachal around this time last year which made me think about this beautiful abode differently from what I have thought of it as earlier. Initially it was a little difficult for me to understand the people and the place but as time progressed I got to understand my surroundings much better. My experience with the culture here made me aware of my roots which I had missed during my growing years. The songs, dance, the dresses the jewellery be it Linnauri, Lahauli, Ladakhi, all made me very inquisitive to know about the culture more.


The people in this part of the country are very soft spoken, humble and very down to earth. I met quite a few people who I can say I share a deep bond with and will always remain a part of my life no matter what happens. During the Apple Season one of the most shocking periods of my life I saw heaps of rotten apples thrown in and around the place which I visited. I can never forget that sight. I experienced the chill blazes-the extreme conditions during the winter season here which made me realize that my body has adapted itself to the extreme temperatures of summer's in Delhi which made it adverse to the weather  which prevailed here.

My experience in Himachal taught me a lot about myself and the culture which I was always a part of but didn’t know how. I feel blessed to have spent whole 10 months among relatives who I had jus known formally and know known them deeply. Today I can  say I am a proud Himachali.

Himachal will always be a part of me……!








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Location: Punjab, India

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