My Journey Of Discovery

Having got disillusioned with life in mega cities - teeming millions, utter poverty co-exist with super rich, the falsehood, the cheating, lying, the total lack of honesty, the author decides to leave all that behind and head into the Himalayas hoping to find truth, peace, contentment, compassion, lack of greed, lust of power, etc. His journey takes him through the lush green cedar forest of Himachal Pradesh to the tribal belt of Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur with its raw, dry, barren and rocky landscape bereft of any vegetation. He meets and interacts with these tribals living in the harshest conditions, learning about their origins, culture and traditions. His journey takes him to various Buddhist monasteries scattered all over dating back centuries. He desires to learn and see more takes him to Ladakh with its predominant Buddhist religion. Criss-crossing Ladakh, He ventures towards the Siachein glacier crossing the highest motorable road in the world, Khar-Dung- La where he discovers the harsh realities in which the Indian Soldier braves sub-zero temperatures at heights of 20-22,000 ft. guarding Indian borders. Traveling all the time he crosses Kargil and Drass "The second coldest inhabited region in the world after Siberia" and onto Zanskar, this being the remotest region of the Himalayas with its distinct culture, almost frozen in time. Finally he moves into Kashmir, a state torn by constant conflict having suffered four wars since 1947 with the displacement of the Kashmiri Pundits (Hindus) who are forced to flee on account of militancy and insurgency in 1989-90. He tried to understand both sides of the story but is left shattered by the destruction of this 'Paradise on Earth'. He also visits the migrants' camps where the K.P.ees live in squalid and unhygienic conditions. What he discovers leaves him with pain and horror. His is a journey of self discovery.