Baba kee Chamaat
- Harinath K
- May 9
- 5 min read
Harinath
Story Teller
The Journey Begins
The trek started from Gangotri — a place as mystical as it is majestic.
Over four days, we trekked a rugged Himalayan terrain, slowly inching toward our goal: the sacred Siva Kund.
Note
"We began our Kedartal trek from the sacred town of Gangotri, navigating through dense alpine forests and rugged terrains, ascending to the glacial lake nestled at 4,750 meters(15000 ft). Surrounded by towering peaks like Thalay Sagar and Bhrigupanth, the lake's pristine waters not only offered a visual feast but also resonated with deep mythological significance, believed to be the very spot where Lord Shiva meditated."
Kedartal is believed to be the origin of the Kedar Ganga River, considered Lord Shiva's contribution to the Bhagirathi River, a primary tributary of the Ganges.
Local legends suggest that Lord Shiva meditated near this lake, enhancing its spiritual allure
We had heard stories. Locals believed that Lord Shiva himself bathed in this hidden, high-altitude pond. That was enough to spark curiosity.
I half-jokingly hoped to catch him mid-bath. But when we arrived, the scene was far from what I had imagined.
Frozen in Time
We finally reached Kedartal.
After hours of slipping on loose rocks, running out of breath, and telling myself things like “This is amazing!” and “Why am I doing this again?”, the lake showed up — like a quiet surprise at the end of a tough day.
Everything around was white and silent — the snow, the rocks, the mountains.
The lake itself was just… still. Calm. Like someone had hit pause on the world.
It didn’t feel real. It was magical or shiny, and everything seems to be stopped — the noise, the thoughts, even time.
My wife sat in a corner, arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"Let’s get the hell out of this place," she muttered.
She wasn't just cold. She looked like her spirit had shut down.
She didn’t speak. Didn’t take pictures. Didn’t move.
It was as if the mountain air had put her in a trance.
Around us, 10-14 people stood silently, absorbing the eerie calm. A few decided to venture further.
I turned to her:
“Want to join?”
No response. So we stayed
Manikchand & Madness at 15,000 ft
Just when the moment had maxed out its poetic potential — when I was nearly convinced we’d discovered heaven tucked away in the Himalayas — I spotted it.
A gutka packet.
That’s right.
Manikchand. At 15,000 feet.
Even oxygen had trouble getting there, but gutka made it just fine.
No sign of life. No sound.
That crumpled packet screamed louder than the silence around us.
"How did this even get here?"
Humans are impossible. Even where life struggles to exist, we leave trash behind.
I was still mourning the sanctity of the setting when…
SMACK.
Something hit the back of my head.
I turned around.
A madman stood there. Wild eyes. Rough hands. Dressed like a Naga Sadhu.
And he started yelling.
Ae pagal... satyanash!
Yahan kya karne aaye ho?
Bhagwan tumhe swarg bhejte hain karm karne ke liye...
Aur tum yahan aaye ho marne ke liye?
Bhago yahan se, isse pehle ki main tumhari chutney bana doon!
"Tum bewakoof ho! Jaao apne ghar."
Translation:-
“Hey stupid...Why are you wasting your time here?! God sent you to this heaven do your Karma — and you’re busy looking for Him instead. Go back before I beat you into pulp!”
I froze. My breath caught. Was I hallucinating? Oxygen deprivation? Or something else?
I didn’t ask the others if they saw him.
Maybe I didn’t want to know.
Trying to Decode the Feeling
I bent down, touched the water, and even drank a sip — it was freezing cold.
All through the journey, I had imagined it differently.
I thought there’d be something magical.
Something mystical.
Something… life-changing.
But as we started walking back, something felt different.
I couldn’t point to what had shifted — but I felt lighter.
Happier. Calmer than I’d expected.
Things still weren’t clear — but strangely, I wasn’t worried.
Some quiet voice in my head kept asking:
Did something really change?
Was I any wiser now?
Did I feel the sacredness everyone talks about?
No big answers. Just soft questions floating around.
But one thing I knew for sure — that moment had stayed with me.
And maybe, just maybe… the magic had already happened.
I just hadn’t noticed it yet.
What That Madman Meant
Back then, I thought: What nonsense! What a crazy man!
But that encounter stuck with me.
What if this whole journey — this world — is already heaven?
A place meant to be lived, loved, and enjoyed?
We humans complicate things.
We search for meaning, for purpose, for God — in caves, temples, frozen lakes.
Some even fight in His name.
Others try to protect Him — as if God needs guarding.
Over time, I’ve done more treks. Climbed more mountains. But this one… kept resurfacing.
That madman’s words haunted me for years:
“God sent you to live your karma. Not to go looking for Him.”
Back then, I dismissed him as a lunatic.
But now… I’m slowly beginning to get it.
Maybe he wasn’t being rude.
Maybe he was trying to wake me up.
The Real Realization
All that effort — the planning, the trekking, the mental build-up —
Maybe it wasn’t about the Lake.
It was about realizing this:
You can do everything right… and still miss the point.
Maybe it's about living a little lighter.
Smiling a little more.
Being kind. Being silly.
Letting life feel like a bit of a party.
And after the party — well, we’re all heading to the same place anyway.
Live. Breathe. Laugh. Let go.
Don’t overthink it. Just be.
And maybe, that’s where the magic really is.
So… Was That the Real Pilgrimage?
Are we overusing our brains to complicate a life that’s supposed to be simple?
Are we building invisible walls and then wasting energy guarding them?
Maybe it all boils down to this:
We’re not here to solve puzzles or find God in remote corners.
We’re here to live fully,
do some good,
and hurt as few as possible along the way.
Maybe God isn’t hiding in the mountains.
Maybe He’s in the everyday kindness we ignore.
Maybe that’s all that’s expected of us.
Maybe that is the real pilgrimage.
Is that too much to ask?
What do you think?
Am I onto something? Or completely off the mark?
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