Haule Haule

I am a foodie & also I like to travel sometimes and everyone around me also knows that.

It was like 7 ish in the evening & I was just completing another assignment of CRW, my sister barged into my room:

She said: You free on Sunday or what??

I said: Yeah, but for what??

She said: [My Cousin] Gudia’s boss is taking everyone hiking on Sunday, so she was asking whether you want to tag along or not?

I said: No, Sis I have a ton of assignments I can’t go to.

She Said: Okay, but for your information, DAAL BAATI CHURMA will be served as early dinner.

And that’s how she got my undivided attention and after getting more information I agreed to the hike on Sunday evening.

On Sunday Evening around 4oclock, I reached our destination – Jhalana dungri hill along with my two sisters [Hans & Gudia] and with Vishu Ma’am who gave us an enjoyable ride in her neelu [ Maruti Suzuki Wagon Car]. After reaching the starting point of hiking, everyone started to gather and then we all noticed something only 3 of us are wearing full black and rest of the people are wearing normal clothes thus that’s how we were nicknamed as “Black Company” and after that, I guess that’s a story for another time. 

Then we initiated the task called hiking. And after some time, I was getting thirsty as I forgot to bring my water bottle with me, but the situation was solved, thanks to Narendra Sir [Gudia’s Boss] he distributed the water bottles at the starting of the trip. Thus, it made me realize that one should never forget his/her water bottle on his/her hiking trip.

As we progressed further, the path was also getting slippery and steeper, so we have to be cautious while hiking but at the same time the view was amazing.

It was so eye-catching that we stopped at some spots to take pictures and selfies. Deepak was the person who did all the photography as he brought the Camera with him. Then we [ Me, Gudia, Hans, Deepak, and PreemLaataa] decided to go ahead of others.

As we progressed on the rough path, we find it difficult to progress any further as it was too narrow, slippery, and unstable for us to walk properly. There were times when some people from our group slipped on the path due to carelessness and get tired because of continued walking. But still some people especially the children met the same fate as us, they slipped on various stones and have to take breathers due to lack of stamina.

And it gives a holistic view of how stamina plays a major role in any activity especially in hiking, it doesn’t matter whether you are a child or an adult.

As the path was dangerous, one wrong foot and your life can be in the danger, so we all decided to proceed slowly [ Haule Haule] with caution and after 45 minutes of the uphill battle, we finally reached the temple which is situated at the top of the hill & when I stared forward from hilltop towards the dusk scenery or the view, I realize it was just beautiful.

Hiking is beneficial to our physical and mental wellness. However, there is mounting evidence that it helps our interpersonal interactions as well. One reason is that many of us hike with others and exercising with others can evoke special feelings of closeness—and safety.

I remember when my sister fell on a trail, me & gudia hurried for her rescue and she was glad that we were there for her. Also, during our way up instead of using my cell phone I interacted with many other people as a result I got to know various individuals.

Then we started our linner[supper] with DAAL, 2 types of BAATI, 2 types of CHURMA, TRIPOLE and in the end with PAN which was cheery on the top. After the meals, there was an atmosphere of friendliness among us. 

I still remember it clearly when Maggi [Premlaataa] quoted a joke like “how about I put some portion of the meal in my pockets as a takeaway”. Just after listening to this, we all started to tease Maggi about how her pockets can be compared to the pocket of Doraemon.

The moon started ascending in the sky as we were descending from the hill, then Narendra sir mentioned that leopards are active at nighttime around this area so walk in groups and try to make a little bit of noise, so they won’t approach us. After some time, we stopped mid-way for a breather, the sky has some clouds but was almost clear then Narendra sir started to share some astronomy knowledge with us as the stars were visible.

After that we resumed walking downwards slowly [Haule Haule], some problems also occurred like slipping on the stones, fear of the dark, etc. but at last, we reached our vehicle and said goodbye to our new friends. 

All of this implies that hiking is one of the healthiest ways to keep your body in shape, and I’ve recommitted to hiking whenever the opportunity presents itself. Instead of idling in front of a computer all day, I’m taking time to walk outside—even if it’s only for 15 minutes. And I’m finding positive changes in my attitude, creativity, and relationships, as well as a deeper spiritual connection to the natural world. 

So, grab a water bottle, a backpack, and, if you want, a friend, and head out on the trail. You won’t be disappointed with what you did.

-Gautam Bagra