"I go to the hills when my heart is lonely
I know I will hear what I've heard before
My heart will be blessed with the sound of music
And I'll sing once more..."
Wanderlust. It all came back with a morning watch of that darling of a film. Once again that desperate longing for the hills. The itch to sniff the piney mountain air. Where the sun is honest and the people simple-hearted. Where windows open to silent, sagely peaks. Where serpentine roads climb in a moody fashion. Where life does not mean getting gagged by work and expectations ...
While I pine for all this in my heart of hearts, I have been cooped up for a few days with a stubborn throat infection that just refuses to leave. And bouts of feverishness make it even more worse. The hills, the pines, the people - all seem far, far away. It's a terrible feeling, to be at one place and to leave one's soul languishing in another. Much more terrifying than that is to be surrounded by people and yet feel the most crushing pang of loneliness, because nothing they say makes sense to the world inside your head and vice versa. So for now, I'll have to do with Prajwal Parajuly's The Gurkha's Daughter that brings eight colorful tales from the Himalayan foothills to my arid Hyderabad doorstep. The debut of a brilliant 27-year-old, the simple yet deeply humane stories, not for once fail to mesmerize with their tender storytelling. The aroma of steamy momos, the reverberating serenity of the gompas, the ubiquitous prayer flags framed against the blue backdrop of alpine skies, the omnipresent Kanchenjunga, the murky waters of the winding Teesta - I see them all in the faint yellow of the afternoon light streaming through the bedroom windows. As I had seen them, wide-eyed and hypnotized, in a freezing winter of 2007. So yes, the hill junkie is satiated for now.
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And whoever came up with the honey-ginger-pepper tea for such sore and croaky times - may you be blessed forever!
Your own recommendation of 'The Gurkha's Daughter', Suman, would be more than enough to have us setting out for the nearest bookshop since we have never read these stories. Combined with the Guardian review it is immediately apparent that we are more than deficient in never having read this author. We hear all to well your cries of 'shame'. We shall, we promise, rectify this literary failing!
ReplyDeleteWe are so sorry to learn of your throat infection. We both had something very similar in the weeks leading up to Christmas which lingered on for far too long. It really does get one down. We wish you full speed recovery.
Thank you for your wishes, dear Jane and Lance. I've bounced back to normalcy, well almost.
DeleteAnd there are no cries of 'shame' or failing of any sort, believe me. Since this book is the author's debut, you have hardly missed out on anything. Also, when it comes to your abundant knowledge of music and architecture and travel and food and what not, guess who hears soft, guilty cries of 'shame'?!
I have been longing for the hills too recently .... Staying in TX , you would understand .... Your post is enough to satiate me for now :) ! Hey get well soon and take care !!
ReplyDeleteHow nice to see you here after ages! Yes, Texas does trample one's spirits to an all-time low; I remember that very well. Tell Rono to plan a mountain adventure soon; it's almost spring after all.
DeleteAnd thanks for your wishes.
Dear Suman,
ReplyDeleteI would like to read this book
Good recovery!! I’ve caught a cold and I have a sore throat too
Oh, hope you are better now. I wonder if this flu is something that's universal at the moment; some friends from the States have been complaining about it too.
DeleteI am almost better, thank you. You too get well soon. Take care.
Hi there.. I have been reading your blog lately and I just loved all your posts. I must say you have mastered the art of writing. Your ability to portray your thoughts into stories is simply amazing, and needless to mention about the lovely pictures accompanying your posts. Together they almost bring your stories to life.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way.. I just loved how you wrote.. "It's a terrible feeling, to be at one place and to leave one's soul languishing in another." I am in an exact same situation these days. :(
Hello Misty Mountains, thank you so much for dropping by and for saying all those lovely things. You are surely too kind! Regarding the wanderlust, I'm always bitten by it. Hope you get to your desired place soon.
DeletePS. Happy to meet yet another mountain lover! :-)