Sojourn : mahabharata's era

PROLOGUE

Everyone in the class started to hoot and clap, I was on cloud nine. I was happy too. I love mountains! And I was eager too. I remembered the map I saw in the morning that marked Kasol. Now I was even more excited to go.

"Kasol—I'm coming !" I said.

* * *

A month had passed and I was going to Kasol on a school trip with my friends, but I had that urge to take that box along with me. It was there in my mother's cabinet since the day I saw it. I don't know what was even inside it, I made an effort to open it but it was locked. But since that day I have had the same dream again and again of someone, in the disguise of a rishi or something with a Rudraksha mala around. It was strange.

As soon as the time was coming to go, I felt like I wouldn't come again. I don't know but it was the feeling of never returning.

"Nihira—babu, all packed." Said Mumma coming into my room with a glass of milk in her hands. I had tears in my eyes. And she saw them.

"Why are you crying baby—? Everything alright ? " she said putting away the glass and bringing me into a tight hug.

"I'm going to miss you, Mumma," I said sobbing in her arms.

"aww there's no need to, you'll be back in ten days and if you feel like not going. It's okay. You don't have to." She said holding up my chin.

"No I will, I'll enjoy it with my friends," I said. Sweeping off my tears and hugging her once again.

"That's the spirit, my girl." She said handing over the glass to me. We were joined by Papa and my stupid brother we had this cute family time together, and soon we all went to sleep expecting a better day tomorrow.

* * *

The trip had begun, and we had reached the mountains. The tall Himalayas stood upright on the horizon, the sun was behind the peaks, scattering its crimson colour across the valley. A shaft of sunlight spreading throughout the valley enlightened each plant blossoming every flower and even grass. The roads were now steep and narrow, and cattle were down the roads in the pasturelands. The breeze carried an icy stain along with it but was in the best form of being revivified.

I was on the bus looking at the dawn, and we continued to saunter along the bus, there were vast apple farms, along with peaches and strawberries. Locals sold them at every crossroad. And we were not alone, we were escorted by the Parvati River streaming along the beds of Parvati Valley at a vicious speed.

Long and narrow wooden bridges allied two distinct mountains with one another. With a lot of colourful Tibetan flags tied along it. The environment was captivating, making me wanna stay here forever!

"Students we've almost reached our resort "The Himalayan Stay." Claimed the teachers who came along with us, everyone was excited and tired from the long trip from the plains to the mountains. I stretched my arms and legs getting cozy on the seat.

"What a tremendous sunrise is it." Said Yashika, one of my closest friends.

"Yes, it feels like home. It feels like I'm home." I called out.

"Home—?" She questioned. And I had nothing to say, even I didn't know why I said it. I was confused, but something was different i felt a strange connection here. Something like someone is calling me, someone I have known for thousands of years, someone old and lost. And sometimes I even got bizarre flashbacks of someone running through these lanes of the valley. Thinking about it I thought back to the box that I found i my mother's desk. I decided not to carry it along, for it might contain something precious.

"Everyone sees to your left that's Pari Tibba, the famous Fairy Hill." Said our teacher. I turned towards the window looking at it with utmost excitement and passion. It was huge, covered with snow at the peaks and deodars in the middle. It was beautiful indeed.