Raj and his expedition

Gasping for breath, Raj reached the summit of the mountain. It is crispy cold. The mountain is laden with several sheets of ice. The peak of the conical mountain is touching the dark blue sky. Raj sits over it, looking over the horizon, not feeling anything. There is no one to accompany him, but he himself. He could listen to his contracting and expanding lungs. Raj is hitched with his supplies of food, clothing, camping material, heating source and oxygen. He is also carrying certain equipments like oximeter, maps, ropes and compass scale. Raj is not exhausted at all. He outdid himself from the previous expedition. This was one of the scariest expeditions in the world. Raj feels regretful that there aren’t enough of the high peaks to out climb him.

Raj has no attachment with the chaotic social world. He is affixed and in a way, have to, to these mountains, quiet and alone. Raj looked at his watch. It is still time to start the downclimb. He took no picture. He has no anxiety. He was thinking. He was worried about his 'self'. The breeze is mild. He has covered his face and his eyes along with his body to avoid the snow kill. These inhospitable places are not fit for human habitats. Everything is abnormal here. The temperatures are too low. There are regular avalanches. No crops can grow here. These are cold deserts. Heating is too costly to maintain, except if there is a source of geothermal energy.

There are few crazy people, high on their ego who divert their energy in conquering the impossible. They are confident. They have high self-esteem. They come here. They fight with these places. These are their play grounds. They stay here. This is one way for them to prove their self-worth. However, not everyone could make it. Several of them realize the deep-seated powers of these meek mountains and they return, only to come back stronger. The thirst of the human ego is rebounding and never-ending. Humans are not a friendly breed. They can do anything if pushed to the edge. Raj is not one of them. Raj starts all his adventures by following a certain ritual. Raj is eternally grateful to these mountains. He is, in a way, only fondling over the kind bosom of his mother. He finds solace here. These places reverberate with his deeper self. He worships them. His God resides here. He could not live with the people back in the town.

Raj has traveled the world in search of such places. He could not live a life surrounded by people. It is not his cup of tea. He is not made for a monopolistic life. He doesn’t want to be caged in a city for ages. For him, the change is permanent and if not, he invites it proactively. Raj looks one last time over the edge. He raises his hands to try to touch the sky. It is as if he is poking the earth’s atmosphere. Raj knows that he is nothing compared to these mighty places. Humans come and let go of their egos after returning from here. They become humble. From where he stands, there are several other peaks, all snow-laden. As far as his vision penetrates, there are mountains of different heights and shapes. They have sharp edges. To climb them is not an easy task. Raj has several cuts and bruises over his body.

The mountains are meditating. He opens his eyes wide. He drinks the scenery from his eyes, his ears, from the touch of the cold winds hitting and cajoling him and with a sense of satisfaction. He is heavyhearted. He is almost in tears. It takes so much to come here and meet these new places. These are the living saints that he has met over his life. He doesn’t want to go back. He wishes that he become one of these, maybe a tiny stone fossil, and be placed at one of the sharp edges of it. Raj bent down in reverence before finally returning back to his base camp, where he will spend few days and then he will go back to his town…