Gust

Badrinath is a place of pilgrimage which every Hindu is expected to visit atleast once in his lifetime. Being an agnostic I was reluctant to go there four years back. It'll only be after three days that I'd find out that I didn't want to go back home.

To reach the shrine one has follow the NH-58 all the way till the end, hopping through plains and mountains, where our destination just welcomes the Tibet border from the other side. On the way lies the holy town of Haridwar,holy since it's the host to the most sacred river in India,Ganga.

A little towards our destination, the temperature started dipping as we gained height and with amazing vistas accompanying us now,I knew it would keep me engrossed.We stopped at one food joint on the way which was owned by some local family.While the mother and the father were busy making tea and noodles for us, I couldn't help noticing their green-eyed son who was busy wiping tables.I felt an urge to talk to him and I did just that.
Me:"Hi!"
Boy:(hesitant)"Hi."
Me: "How old are you?"
Boy: "Twelve."
Me: "Do you go to school? Or you always help your parents here?".I felt like I had just poked my nose into his private life.
Boy:"I went there till last year but due to some financial problems I had to leave it. So I am working with my family now and if we earn some good money this year then I'll continue it again from next year. My school will easily take me in as I stood first in my class." He was proud,it was easy to tell.
I felt short of words.
Then I saw him staring at my phone and I thought that the phone that I considered to be low-end, could be equivalent to his annual school fee!
Boy:(grinning)"I want to buy an iphone one day."
I wished him luck and left the table.

Its one thing to be aware of your country's economic conditions and another to actually witness someone struggling so closely.This encounter with that little soul changed me for good.I'm a lot less materialistic today and value small things of joy and love more than the big things that money can buy. Even after leaving from there,the panoramic views combined with the cold winds and some good music playing inside the car filled my brain up with some really nice memories.Since then I've been trying to find opportunities to travel to North India and want to cover the whole of Himalayas just for the sheer pleasure of looking at those valleys with cool breeze brushing my face and my favorite music playing in my ears. And yes,we did reach the temple by the way.