“On our trip to Meghalaya earlier this year, we went to Krang Suri Falls. It is a trek down the hill in the middle of lush green mountains,” Swami told us the other day when we met for coffee.
“You can see the falls from a distance even at the start of that trek,” Jigneshbhai remarked. He had been there a few years back.
“Yeah. But you can’t quite make out how long and winding the trek route might be. In the post lunch afternoon, it seemed like a lot of effort,” Swami remarked. He continued narrating his experience.
‘”Is this all we will see?” I asked my wife, looking at the waterfalls from a distance’ Swami said. ‘”It seems like a small waterfall,” I added.’
“So, what did she say? Did you continue?” I asked in all eagerness.
“She didn’t respond, but clearly, she wasn’t as negative about going there as I sounded,” Swami answered.
‘”Yeah, but it looks quite beautiful. And there are people swimming the water,” she remarked,’ he added.
“But I wasn’t convinced,” Swami said.
“Yes, it can be a longish walk, especially in the afternoons, given that you have to trek all the way up too,” Jigneshbhai’s memories seemed fresh. Swami smiled and continued his story.
‘”Do you think we should go? We have to trek all the way up too,” I asked her,’ he continued.
‘”It is up to you. If you don’t feel up to it, we can turn back, though we have come this far,” she said,’ Swami narrated.
“It didn’t make it easy for me to make up my mind and take a decision,” he looked up to us and spoke.
“Yes, caught in the middle, I guess,” Jigneshbhai chuckled.
“It was then that I saw a small group coming up. They seemed like a bunch of couples in the same age group as us. They had finished seeing the falls and were climbing back up.”
‘”Let us ask them,” I said, and my wife nodded.’ Swami’s eyes were lost in the recollection of his trip.
‘I watched the group coming up. I could hear some of them panting with some heavy breathing. I saw that they were smiling too while they spoke with each other. As I saw them from a distance, they perhaps realised that I was going to ask them something.’
‘So did you ask them if you should go?’
‘I flashed a smile in an attempt to befriend those strangers and asked the first man in the front of the group. “How far is the falls further down?”‘
“Umm.. it is not that far,” he replied.
“Is it a straight route this way?” I asked further.
“Yeah, this way..,” he pointed to the mud road ahead. “It is a bit winding, but not much. There is another route that way, but it is longer, though some people told me it is easier,” he explained.
“Ok, Sir, thanks,” I said.
Swami told stories with gusto when he was in the mood. He looked up at us to check we were interested. Jigneshbhai and I were listening.
“Looks like you were not quite convinced how easy or tough, long or short, winding or straight, the route was, isn’t it?” Jigneshbhai asked with a wink.
“Yeah, the man went ahead towards his waiting wife while explaining this to me, leaving me confused, and another man from the group followed.”
“Ok – good, so you got hold of him?” I asked.
“Wait, listen. I am telling you,” Swami said, and we shut up and listened.
‘I waited for them to pass and didn’t ask him anything. But maybe, it was the confused look on my face regarding the route that the man stopped and turned towards me,’ Swami said.
‘”But the falls are very beautiful,” that man said. “And there is a small lake which is crystal clear, you can see the bottom of the lake. It is amazing,” he added.’
‘My face lit up on hearing that,’ Swami continued. ‘But the man explained further. “Even if you don’t swim, that scene is pristine when you get closer. Plus, if you want to do boating, you can do it for a hundred rupees,”.’
‘Wow!’ Jigneshbhai and I both exclaimed.
“Yeah, it was amazing that he took the effort to tell us,” Swami agreed.
‘But he didn’t stop there,’ Swami went back to his narration. ‘Just as he started walking ahead and climbing up, he turned back again. “You should go there. It is not much of a distance down this winding route,” he said.’
“Superb, that must have sealed the decision for you to go,” Jigneshbhai remarked.
“Yes, it was not just the route of where to go, but whether it was worth getting there which decided it for us,” Swami said, recalling his fond memories from the trip.
“Yeah – sometimes we ask the wrong questions,” Jigneshbhai said. My two friends seemed to have a rare moment of agreement.
“True – I didn’t need to know which route to take and how easy or tough it was. The first man had provided enough inputs on my question, but I was still unable to decide,” Swami was in a rare introspective mood. Holidays do this to the most impulsive.
“I needed to know whether the destination was worth the trouble,” he added.
“And the second man, even without you asking him anything, had provided you the impetus needed to take the path, simply by telling you that destination was worth it,” Jigneshbhai concurred, with a wise smile.
“It was a blessing that he did so.” Swami said.
“So did you enjoy the trek?” Jigneshbhai asked.
“Yeah – while the trek was not easy, especially post lunch, it wasn’t tough too. And most of all, the destination was really pristine. The crystal-clear lagoon and the views of it in lush green forests gave us the spring in the step to take the return trek back up with ease,” Swami recalled from his trip to Krang Suri Falls.
“The man had given you the answers not just to your question on which way to take,” Jigneshbhai said, “but also provided specific inputs on where to go and why.”
Swami and I started sipping our coffee as our wise friend spoke.
I noticed that the wealthy old man from the sprawling bungalow who had been listening to our conversation for a while had walked across to our table.
He left us even more enlightened when he remarked, “There are lots of maps in today’s age that tell you which way to take. Very few will tell you where to go and why.”
***