It’s a story of once upon a time,

When in a land far far away,

I set foot upon a high mountain,

Not knowing I was here to stay.

Hiking up, I reached a meadow,

Where grew many exotic flowers,

It was magical, a beauty so pure,

As I sat there, time flew in hours.

I was all alone in this wilderness,

Finding solitude under an open sky.

The mystic breeze beckoned me,

To follow a stream that gushed by.

Walking ahead on moss laden land,

I found a lake blanketed in mist.

All around it were tall mountains,

Mountains that were cloud kissed.

As the last rays of the glorious sun,

Touched the towering snowy peak,

I was awed by the play of colours,

A mix of crimson and orange streak.

Wrapped in the arms of darkness,

Billions of stars twinkled above.

It was at this moment, looking up,

I lost my heart, hopelessly in love.

Never had I seen as many stars,

In a city, even on a cloudless night.

Nor the Orion, nor Great Bear,

But here I could see them bright.

What else could I’ve asked for,

To make my soul feel content?

But the silhouette of the mountain,

And the glowing light of my tent.

In the silence of the mountains,

I found answers that I long sought.

I was humbled, my ego shattered,

In its vastness I felt like a mere dot.

They call this place the Himalaya,

Grand it stands, proud ‘n high.

A moment here feels like an eternity,

Here time is lost, and so am I.

- Sanghita Nandi, February 2016