Here…..
This majestic view is from Pelling, a town in Sikkim, India. It is known as the land of flowers for others, but it is the land of healing for me. Have you ever been to a place you felt you finally belonged. Growing up, I dreamed of settling in a place with trees more than there are stars in the sky, no other sound other than the night chirps, and I by a fireplace, in the afterglow of the gentle fire, I must have watched a similar scene on the TV as a kid, but it imprinted on me. And I made it my happy place in my head.
Pelling, in many ways, is the real-life version of this place.
It’s picturesque and all the usual superlatives you would want to use to describe its beauty, for me, it offers an escape from the regular hustle, a chance to unload and just breathe. There’s a sense of liberation here, a feeling of being unchained from life that’s hard to find elsewhere.
The sights are part of what makes it special. The view of the snow-capped Kanchenjunga peak is breathtaking. It’s like standing at the edge of a different world, where everything is peaceful and still. And when the sun sets, the sky turns various hues of red and orange, kind of like the glow of a fireplace, bringing back memories of that childhood dream.
But it’s not just about what you see, it’s also about what you hear. At night, the only sounds are the crickets chirping. It’s the kind of quiet that lets you hear your own thoughts, reminding me of the silence I imagined in my happy place.
The simplicity of the people in Pelling is another thing I admire. They lead an unhurried life, detached from the hustle and bustle we’re used to. It’s like they’ve figured out how to live without the stress that seems to be part and parcel of modern life.
Pelling, for me, is where I find peace. It’s a place that feels like a sigh of relief, a weight lifted off your drooping shoulder & a warm cup of tea on a cold January morning.
and here…….
Fingers in symphony 