Miracles do happen, all around us…

Some may call it a mere coincidence, and some a miracle. Whatever it was, it was beyond my comprehension. The weather was sunny and we (me and my husband) were taking photographs with the beautiful Bramha-kamals. Another group of trekkers climbed up to take photographs. A glacier was visible at the top. It appeared as if you can just run and touch the glacier. After the photography session, my husband moved towards the glacier and I came down with the other trekkers, as it was starting to get cold and I had left all my woolens on the banks of the Hem Kund Lake. By the time we came down it was freezing cold. I pulled my jacket on and the other trekkers left in a hurry.

Within a few seconds the visibility dropped to zero. I was worried how my dear husband will find his way back, in middle of this white darkness. Every passing minute appeared like an hour, the visibility was so poor I was not even able to see the Hem Kund Lake which lied hardly 3 meters from the place I was standing. The only company I had was the sound of the flowing Laxman Ganga River. To top it up, every now and then huge rocks would tumble down into the lake because of a landslide, some 200-300 meters away from the place I was standing, along the bank.

My husband had said he will come back in 10 minutes, but I knew it will take him at least 20 minutes. When he did not come down for 30 minutes, I got really worried, all sort of thoughts started to come into my mind, what if he misses his path and moves toward the landslide area, what if he faints in the path, he doesn’t even have water with him. I got a bit scared; I even thought of going to the Gurudwara and ask for help. I looked for the path; it too had vanished in the cloud. Then I thought what if he comes down and didn’t find me here; and I who normally do not pray, turned towards the likely direction of the Gurudwara and requested to my favorite Gods and the wise sprits guarding the area to forgive my husband for his foolish decision and assist him come down safely. I turned towards the glacier and waited. It was probably a minute when the cloud suddenly lifted, as if by magic and I could see my husband coming down. I turned towards the shrine to say “Thank you”, and by the time I had turned back, he was gone again. But this time I knew, he was safe and coming down.

After waiting for another 15 min in the white darkness my husband emerged from it and tears rolled down from our eyes. Soon the cloud lifted and it started to drizzle, we rushed towards the Gurudwara and enjoyed the hot khichdee and chai at the langar. It was one of the best meals we ever had. His side of the story is even more interesting but I will leave it for him to tell.