[FYI :: Julley = Hello in Ladakhi | This blog entry is in 4 parts]
And I’m back from one of the most beautiful
experiences of my life - a two week holiday in Ladakh!
I didn’t know what I was getting
into signing up for this trip to Leh. I’d been to Leh last year, loved it and yet
for some reason had felt the urge to go back there again. The opportunity
presented itself in the form of
JwM. I knew I needed a break. This was a good
15 days. A long one in a long time!
But I was apprehensive. I was going to join a group of 10 unknown people. Looking back I’m glad I took that
plunge. What’s stood out for me from the past two weeks is the “quality” of the
interactions I’ve had.
I say quality because somewhere down the road pointless,
banal conversations were beginning to become a fad in my routine mundane life. There had to be
more to everyday existence, I would hear myself say not too audibly though.
Not every
relationship had to be transactional in nature – measure for measure, cautious
giving and expectant receiving, like a book of records.
But as sad as it may sound, even everyday pleasantries such as a simple, ‘Hi! How have you been?’ were
suffering the same fate. And it was what I’d witness rather frequently.
I
wanted out.
And I’m pretty sure I got what I
wanted.
Along with me were these 10 other
soul-searching enthusiasts. The first few days went into conversations around
what each one of us was currently doing - studying, working, freelancing,
volunteering or even quit jobs to figure out the larger scheme of things.
10
may be a small number, but it was the range of thoughts, ideas and perspectives
that was potent.
Moving from what each was currently doing to what we want to
see ourselves doing only added another dash of colour to these exchanges.
We
came from different backgrounds – geographically, academically/professionally;
our life experiences so far had been unique to us, and us alone. Yet amidst that
we resonated with each other.
We’d each flirted with a similar set of
challenges, posed existential questions to ourselves and a select few around us.
We couldn’t stop, nor were we interested in stopping.
Why do we do what we do?
Why don’t we stop even when we’ve seen and known of
the consequences?
How can we stop?
Where can one start?
How can on make that difference?
Whose is the ownership?
Whose is the responsibility?
What’s the cure for inertia?
Why the need for validation even when the act in
itself is self-destructive?
As we listened to each voice
their dilemmas, concerns and suggest possible ways forward, there was an all
pervading sense of reassurance - we weren’t alone. That there were other brave hearts
around who’d tread similar un-treaded paths only to discover solutions the
mainstream majority with its mighty blinkers on had failed to notice.
Our hunger for solutions has only
been further nourished, armed with the quest to know more and learn more.
And we not only learnt from each
other but also about each other…so much so that we realized that none of us
were christened in accordance with our characters.
So now we’re now a crazy
bunch of 10 with aliases!
We learnt how one is allergic to elaichi, others to
chocolate and that peas makes someone else grumpy!
(Continued...)