Thursday, December 14, 2017

A Wild Inspiration- Living Root Bridge, Cherrapunji, India

 A Wild Inspiration- Living Root Bridge, Cherrapunji, India

As a nature lover, how can I miss the living miracle of Nature? 
My trek to enjoy the nature's wonder inspired me to seek more!!











Though our journey was planned during the dry seasons at Cherrapunji, I knew I could make it easily only during that time. Though not my first experience trekking, We, 8 of us, youngsters planned the trek. Rest of the travelers planned for sight seining in cherrapuji.

I loved the walk down the steep steps leading down to a village in a valley & crossing a river walking through the iron bridge which was hanging. It would have been an exquisite sight in the monsoon as now it had little water and a blue pool with a tiny fall. 

Peoples' perceptions of things vary. Though you are optimistic, there is always this thought in our minds what if we could not make it? The day before our trek was planned, I heard several people tell me that it is going to be risky. The trek route was explained and we were given instructions not to carry much things. As nature & adventure lover, I didn’t listen to what people said. I was determined to take the trip.

The Journey:


The guy at our resort drew a map of the trek explaining the route. There were a couple of single root bridges, villages, natural pool with a double deck root bridge, Natural rainbow pool (which we didn’t go due to time constraints)

We began early in the morning (by 5:30 AM) from the resort we stayed and the driver took us to some place nearby, a 15-20 minutes’ drive. Enjoying the sun rise, we began our trek down by 6:05 AM. We were offered sticks and a guide also accompanied us. There were around 1500 steps leading down to a valley were there was a village. From that village were 2 routes. One in the right leading to a single root bridge & the one in left leading to double deck Root Bridge naturally set up in front of a small water fall. We marched towards the double deck root bridge. On the way to the double deck bridge was another single root bridge, crossing which was a small chai (tea) stall.

Now was a small climb up leading to the wonderful sight of the double deck bridge. I am not good at expressing my feelings while I look at nature. My mind becomes blank. Actually no thoughts crosses that I fail to even listen. I capture those shots in the camera of my mind. Then slowly coming to presence, I started taking pics with my friends walking around. Few walking on the root bridge, few getting in to the water falls, few enjoying the chillness of the water while my brother Ganesh Anna (Vignesh Chaithanya ji) simply seated on the huge rock near the falls and enjoying the sight calmly. The tiny waterfall had a natural pool with ample water for us to have a chill dip. The water was crystal clear. The fishes, black pricked my legs. I spent time accompanying them, and sooner they started accompanying me, softly pricking my feet.

The bed of the pool were covered with small pebbles and the crystal clear water hid the depth. The water again fell down and ran as a canal. Above this second fall is the double deck root bridge. The tree living for centuries, had created a bridge with its root, letting people cross. Nature is wonderful.

The wild Inspiration



Taking few dips standing in middle of the pool, enjoying the cold water which normalized sooner with my body, with sun shining straight at me, peeking in between the two root bridges, I had few moments of oneness with nature. There are lots of learnings from the MASTER GIVER- NATURE. Everything in Nature is a GIVER. All the Pancha Boothas: elixirs of life- Land, water, air, space and fire are all GIVERS.

The root bridge which stood in front of me, a miracle, also taught me how to be independent and strong. It built for itself crossing the river, letting out its root, strong enough and helping people walk through them. So, to help others, to be a giver, we need nothing but to be STRONG and INDEPENDENT. No one can stop you from being a Giver. The art of giving with expecting nothing in return is to be mastered from the Nature.

The root bridge dawned in me this thought to be a GIVER. Do I need to have something to give? I questioned myself? To give love, I guess I need a good heart. Rest will happen. When I am determined to be a GIVER, the universe will respond back, I thought. The nature aided the formation of the bridge by itself. Nobody helped it. The tree in itself had the capability!

Also, when I master myself, out of which I will learn to be calm, I can stay where I am peacefully. The feeling of oneness with nature will bring me peace of mind, inner peace, and fulfillment. I can be a giver and be where I am. Period.

Though we exploit nature by all means, it stays calm. It does not hurt us back. It expects nothing back in return. The SELFLESSNESS.

Post the dip, we had a quick change of clothes and started back skipping the rainbow fall. The guide informed us that it is another 20 minutes trek to the natural swimming pool where one can see a waterfall with the rainbow falling into it. Due to time constraint & as we had elders travelling with us who were waiting for us in the resort, we skipped the trek to rainbow falls and started walking back to the starting point. The climb up was little tedious. We took a small break at the chai stall were we had our breakfast which we carried with us form the resort, had good chai and walked up the steep steps. The sight of the hills, valleys, rivers, waters, trees, fruits, and fascinating flowers gathered our attention. We took pics & selfies, groupies and slowly climbed back to the starting point. We were back by 11 AM. I totally enjoyed the trek and immediately made up my mind to take up more such treks and also to make it to rainbow falls during the monsoonJ. Hope someday I will.

We must look for means to thank nature. At the least we must make sure we don’t harm them, exploit them. 

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