I was in the clouds, madly dancing, running, jumping and shouting; trying to breathe, feel life as it should be, free. The world around me was soaked in misty droplets. I gazed at the green pastures and mountain peaks till my eyes had had their fill. A sense of absolute bliss started soaking in, my mind calmed down. This was Mussoorie's magic effect.
After a year-long cubicle life, I was desperately searching for a break. The concrete, the walled society and the chaos of the urban life were taking their toll. Luckily, two of my school pals came down and we decided to "break free." A quick brain storming session revealed we all wanted fresh air, some adventure and lots of water! The answer, which could logistically fit into our weekend schedule, was Mussoorie.
Early on Saturday morning we took a cab and headed towards the Gateway to the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines. By noon, we had crossed the sprawling Doon valley and the picturesque city of Dehradun, en-route to Mussoorie. The first glimpse of Mussoorie, the Queen of all hill stations, stunned us into silence. The Raj-era town lazily snuggled in the green paradise of the Shivalik peaks — white roofed houses creating little polka dots on the olive background. It promised a welcome break.
We took to the ascending zigzag road with new gusto towards the honeymoon capital of India. "Mussoorie welcomes you. Have a happy journey," said a signboard as we entered the city limits.
Our first stop was the Mussoorie Lake — a picnic spot situated on the Mussoorie-Dehradun road. The lake, which also has a park with lots of trees, is the favourite haunt of honeymooning couples. A visit here will convince you about eternal wedded bliss.
After that we headed towards Mall Road — the famous shopping paradise. Reaching there, we checked into a hotel and came out for a stroll. A boisterous holiday crowd thronged the shops, buying knick-knacks and woollies. Many were enjoying the glorious views of the mighty Himalayan peaks. It could have been the shopping plaza of any other city except for the soft coverlet of cloud that gave it a dreamlike appearance.
A local pointed out the Camel's Back Road — a must-see — where we went for picturesque views of the Himalayan panorama and its life-like resemblance to a sitting camel. Long walks and a joyride on a horse later, we were ready for our next stop, Gun Hill, the second highest peak in Mussoorie. And how did we reach it? Through the clouds! An exhilarating ropeway ride took us to Gun Hill, where the skies meet the hills. I screamed my till lungs out, my voice reverberating amid the rolling hills. I felt one with nature.
After loitering for an hour, purging our lungs with the fresh air, we started off for the tourists' delight, Kempty Falls. Situated on the Yamunotri Road, Kempty is among the most beautiful and famous falls in northern India. But the magic begins much before you reach the water cascade, right from the moment you curve into the green valley that leads to the fall. The lush green carpet streaked by the silvery fall was hypnotic. There is a ropeway ride to the fall but we opted to walk down, staying as close to nature as we could.
As we were going down, the sound of the waterfall called out, wooing us to hurry up. We couldn't hold ourselves back. We ran down the last few paces till we stood just a few metres away from the water curtain, its drizzle soaking us.
It didn't take much goading for us to tear off our clothes and jump into the small pool that holds the water from the fall for a while before it rushes down with a thundering roar.
The water was chilling. For an hour we frolicked around in the water, splashing, soaking each other, trying to swim, letting go of all adult inhibitions and being kids once again. September, 23, 2008
