Winter In The Himalayas

The ideal picture of a winter wonderland is a place covered in snow and the snow flakes descending at a moderate speed from the heavens upon the spectator, it's all about snowmen and Santa Claus getting stuck up the chimney, but let me tell you that there is something else that I identify as a winter wonderland. A brilliant panorama seen for miles among the Great Himalayas with forests on the slopes and little streams and fields in the valleys below, the snow-capped Himadri peaks rising far above their subordinates, looking a formidable sight and not to mention the skies—absolutely spotless blue crystal clear skies which look incredibly magical with a cool breeze to give company. Blue skies and I share a long relationship, might have been in the Dooars of West Bengal back in 2017 where the dense Terai forests supported such a sky, but the panorama was missing. Shimla and Manali, the following year, brought snow and panorama but not blue skies while the Kumaon Himalayas in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand brought them all—The Nanda Devi range, a portion of Kedanath range and the Panchachulli Range seen as clearly as they would have if I was standing at their base. I believe that that particular trip was probably one of the best in my life. 2020 brought blue skies as a result of the lockdown in the metropolis itself but with it, there was a fear being transferred upto those blue skies by a certain Virus so we did not take the risk of enjoying them beyond the safe premises of our home. December 2021, just after the 2nd wave was over and the Omicron had begun, panoramas, blue skies greeted us in Kalimpong and Darjeeling, a place almost every Bengali has a wish to visit atleast once in their lifetime. (I know someone who had 47 trips there, quite an achievement) 2022 brought about a great revisit to the Kumaon and even more blue skies and panoramas, and a one-of-a-kind nature walk in Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary among the Banjh Oak trees. The year recently past (2023) was one which brought winter a bit early—in October and at Kashmir where we saw quite a different kind of a panorama at the peak of Mt. Apharwat in Gulmarg, with the snow and the blue skies. From Sonamarg, we trespassed onto that side of the border. (The border of Kashmir with Ladakh and definitely not the LoC) Here, there were blue skies and snow on the Zanskar mountains, right opposite to the Pir Panjal mountains on which we were travelling (NH 1) that was without any snow. This is quite a great example of a geographical masterpiece and has a pretty logical explanation. Well, that just about summed up 6 years of Winter Wonderland, with a hope and wish that more are to come in my destiny, such that I may cherish them and share them with you all.