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Journalism of Courage
It8217;s been almost a year since I returned from my trek to Muktinath, Nepal, but the very word Nepal8217; brings back such a tumult of memories that it seems as though the whole experience occurred just yesterday.
We, a bunch of eight friends, entered Nepal via the conventional Gorakhpur-Sunauli route. For many of us it was our first time abroad if Nepal can be termed abroad8217;, an Indian doesn8217;t even need a passport or visa to enter! and we had long been anticipating the moment when we8217;d be standing triumphantly with one foot in India and the other in Nepal. However, much to our disillusionment, we found that the garishly painted Indian and Nepalese border entrances were a good 100 feet apart, separated by a dismal, drizzly grey patch of fetid land and pompous customs officials!
Throughout life we have morosely been taught that what goes up comes down, and now we optimistically urged each other on with this philosophy, only to realise that on the mountains what goes up keeps going higher, and in the bargain, the air keeps growing thinner. Things were okay through Rupse 8211; a brooding, melancholic hamlet surrounded by mountains and consisting of a sum total of seven houses! Even upto Kalopani and the surprisingly modern Tukche, complete with the rare luxury of electricity and satellite television, where we shamelessly gushed over a Boyzone special. But from Thomson onwards, the air started thinning subtly. At first it was barely discernible, but en route Kagbeni to Sharkot I got the sensation that I was being choked in slow motion.
Every step became a major effort, and we soon began to despair ever making it to our destination. We were all prepared to die then and there, but rather than suffer the indignity of death on an unknown, obscure mountain, we decided to put off death for something worthier, like Mount Everest. I mean, 8220;Valiant Warriors meet hypothermic end on Everest8221; sounds a lot more spectacular than something like, 8220;Unknown trekkers die of unknown ailment on unknown mountain.8221; Hence we reached the pilgrimage of Muktinath sufficiently alive, stared dispassionately at the much raved about 108 gowmukhs, squinted hard, to catch a glimpse of the renowned eternal flame8217; arising from an inexhaustible supply of natural gas and managed to make it back to the airport town of Shomsona in time for our flight to the city of Pokhara in a precarious 15-seater which was about half the size of a bus! It was demeaning, it had taken us 11 days to climb up, but now it took a mere 20 minutes to fly down!
I have always been skeptical of the concept of learning through fun8217; but suddenly I realised that one of the most fun8217; experiences of my life has also been one of my greatest learning experiences. The trek taught me some of the most important lessons a person can ever learn 8211; lessons of compromise, adaptability, team spirit and cooperation, and these will linger long after the memories fade.
