Chocolate mousse with scoops of vanilla.
Yes.
Now I will add to it a dash of orange.
Perfect.
Oh you don’t like orange? Never mind. After some time , I ‘ll make it strawberry?
This is exactly what God must be thinking when he painted the magnificent Kinner Kailash range.
Cotton clouds swirl around snow capped mountains engulfing the Jorkanden and Raldang peaks.
I was in the lobby of Hotel Grand Shamba la in Kalpa, peering outside the glass , trying to identify the ‘Shivling’ in the Kinner Kailash range. What seemed a tiny 1 inch chalk-like structure perched on one of the peaks, to my eyes is actually a 79 foot Stone boulder.
The range is revered by pilgrims from far and wide, appreciated by nature lovers and is an absolute delight for photographers. Everyone seemed to have a story associated with it. As I heard these stories, I wondered in my heart of hearts, would I have one too?
Every now and then I look up from my balcony, observing the clouds lazily marching past the Shivling.
Curiously I ask Doreen what the trek would be like. She says it’s extremely tough and arduous.
By now I am absolutely certain I will have no story of my own apart from the umpteen pictures I have clicked.
It’s 7 pm and the hotel lobby is unusually silent ( courtesy the wifi password given out by Yashpal, the guy at the reception).
This is when I choose to yap away with Mr. Anil Nair, an adman and a biker who was on his way to Kaza.
I learn about his fantastic initiative of Goodwind riding (full post on that later).
He narrates his story of the Kinner Kailash. A vision of the very same mountain range and a déjà vu feeling when he saw it in real.
Another Kinner Kailash story added to the list.
On a parting note, he tells me to go up to the attic on the 5th floor from 6.05 am to 7.10 am.
I look at him puzzled.
He stresses on the time again and says confidently, “You will witness the most spectacular show on earth“.
Quite like a prophecy, I feel.
The next morning I wake up at 5. ( my body clock reminding me of the prophecy).
Within an hour I am making my way upstairs to the deserted attic.
It is cold and the mountains are silhouetted. Sitting on the sofa I mentally talk to myself.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Now the sun will rise further up.”
“He said Spectacular show. What will that be?
The Rays? ”
“What’s with the time though?”
My thoughts are interrupted as the door opens and he walks in, smiling that I paid heed to his advice. “Keep watching” he says and those are his last words to me.
“Keep watching?” His words echo in my mind.
I fiddle with my camera, take a few pictures, contemplate going down, talk to mum, sigh and then focus on that chalk like structure, breathe and without thinking start singing Shivoham, my favourite meditation chant.
I have now begun to enjoy this solitude. Eyes transfixed on the scene ahead, at 6.35 am a cloud hovers over the mountain. Rays have started dispersing symmetrically. And within minutes the scene changes dramatically.
My hands are numb because of the cold. But my eyes are transfixed on the cloud.
The wisp is now a clot.
After a few minutes, my heart skips a beat.
The clot is now shaped in an OM. I blink and see again in disbelief.
In a crazy moment, I capture what I see just to be sure I am not dreaming.
The photo shows what I see. It isn’t an illusion.
I look up again.
The wisp is gone.
I run down to inquire if Anil has left. He has indeed and my mind is abuzz with questions.
“How did he know?”
“He was so confident!”
“This WAS the spectacular show?”
I go up to the attic again thinking just like some events cannot be explained, some questions can really not be answered.
The clouds have enveloped the mountain, completely shielding it from my view.
It is no doubt that this is truly Shiva’s divine abode. Where else can he get such tranquility.
As the wind blows in my ears and the sun shines brightly on my face, I beam from ear to ear, whispering a small thank you.
Thank you. For giving me my story.
Lovely images. My sojourn to Kalpa was also due to my solo biking trip to Kaza. And I found Kalpa better than most of other hill stations of Himachal. The sight of Kinner Kailash is out of this world experience.
Thanks! 🙂 absolutely! Kalpa is a serene, non touristy hill station away from chaos. Didn’t go up to Kaza. That’s for another trip!
Fabulous, mind-blowing, jaw-dropping!! Words can’t express how much I am awed by this post. I can only imagine how amazing it must have been to be there in person and see these spectacular sights! I loved the initial description you gave 😉 Spotting the OM was purely a divine experience I must say! Yes sometimes one has no questions, its something beyond what mortals can think of….simply divine!
Thanks so much Kala! Your comments are ever encouraging:) glad you liked it. The sight was sheer bliss. Nature and it’s million surprises!
Mister God, the ice cream man. Never forgetting this reference
But neither am I forgetting this story either. Ever.
Mister God and his variety of ice creams never fail to amaze me:) thanks for reading Elita:)
Really blessed to view this divine sign at Kinner Kailash
When you first described Kinner Kailash to me I so wanted to go and now I know why you say what you say 🙂 thanks doe 🙂
Wow simply amazing I’m adding dis place to my bucket list trully loved it
Thanks Antara:)
OMG That majestic mountain seems so calm and peaceful even in its greatness. Amazing pics 😀
Thanks Vish:) mountains have that effect, so sturdy yet so serene!
Beautiful story. And Anil Nair is one gem of a person full of stories.
Thanks Priyanka! Indeed, it was so lovely meeting him:)
Those clouds and mountains are just pure love 🙂
TOTALLY! 😊
this is awesome 🙂
Thanks Daniel!
Spectacular! Must have been divine to watch it unfold before your eyes!
Thanks Vinitha! 🙂 with all the drama and the hues of light, yes definitely!
Wow Divyakshi! This is amazing…you are really blessed to witness this..
Thanks so much Rashmi:)
Truly majestic! Lovely, lovely photos and your words perfectly capture those moments. I do love mountains too. They’re a wonder and make you feel so insignificant, but in a beautiful way.
Thanks so much Pooja. You have brilliantly said it. They make you feel protected too. Embraced in their silence! 🙂
Wow! I seriously don’t have words to express how good and divine these pictures are!
Also, I’m mesmerized by the way you have described the whole experience and storified the post with breath-taking pictures! Loved it, Divyakshii! 🙂
Thank you so much Saumy! 🙂 I am so glad you liked it!
Wow, that is indeed a Gr8 Sight to witness for sure ! Totally magical, somewhere between collecting the spiritual threads and believing in the Magic of Divine : We find some Nature Interventions and this incident happens to be one of those 🙂 gr8 Picturesque !
The trance of Kinnaur Kailash is unbelievable. Watch kinnaur kailash on a full moon night if you havent yet …. U literally feel gods have come down to the land of humans. Theres some kinda dance of kinnaur kailash on a full moon night . We 6 people recently visited Kalpa and spent a whole day just gazing at that peak, mesmerized and in complete trance. Just did nothing else. What u have mentioned in this article about Om is true … Its capture by us too in the camera.
Wow that’s so nice to hear! 🙂 I missed the full moon night. Will go again for sure to see it. I’d love to see the majestic mountain under stars as well. Divinity at its best:)
WoW! This was magical! Never knew the reality of Inner Kailash!
Loved reading your captions and notes on the images.
Thanks Indrani 🙂
This looks so captivating. Will read it at ease later…after my trip.
Got to read it now. It is magical!
I had a similar experience on my recent trip, that of sunset over snow-capped mountains. Those were heavenly moments!
Thanks Alok! 🙂 mountains have that mesmerising effect don’t they?:)
Absolutely…And that’s my latest post too!
Truly magical!! <3
It indeed was 🙂 thanks for reading Indah!
Divsi, the story and narration of ice-cream, with OM cloud, your imagination is just impeccable.. Lovely story 🙂
Thanks so much Rutavi! 🙂
I miss this alright! Or the opportunity to witness it! 🙂 Spectacular shots with a perfect narrative of what your experience was.
We are going again:) some day! Hopefully together to see it:)
Wow… A great captures…. Felt as if I am watching the scenes with my own eyes. Thanks for taking up to that level….
Thanks so much 🙂 glad you liked it!
Divine experience this; I shall go again to Kalpa just for this sight alone.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks shubham. It was indeed. Fell in love with Kinnaur:)
Wow.. This is so divine.. and much heavenly ..
that solitude; the dawn and the Om; what else could we ever ask for !!
You are indeed blessed 🙂 & thank you tonnes n tonnes for this post !!
Thank you so much for your kind words:) I am glad you liked it:)
We must thank you for the post 🙂
Awesome presentation it was..
Stay blessed 🙂
😊😊😊
beautifully written. You have witnessed magic and shared with us like a wizard.
Whoa! What a magical moment, that sight Divsi! I am awed by the captures that you shared and by your thoughts during those moments. Mountains reveal a different universe altogether. So peaceful, I felt blessed along with you!
fabulous, fantastic, mind blowing, mesmerizing shots….cant express in words hw much i liked these. Bookmarked this post.
Spectacular shots! The Himalayan mountain range is always magical. Btw, love the new look of your blog 🙂
I can read this post again and again.
What a delightful little read. This so reminds me of how I spotted the face of Buddha in the Stok mountains in Ladakh after an arduous climb up Stok Kangri. An what a story you got to pen. I’d love to be at that same attic someday and witness this magic in person too. Love the images. May he shower prosperity on us all. ☺
Oh wow.. I’m sorry I saw it so late. But damn that view. I can only imagine how you might have ran down to ask that guy if he knew about the clouds pehle se!!
Hope Next season when I go I can witness the Spectacular and the Divine View.
The pictures are absolutely stunning! I love your travel blog.