During my college days I read a book called “living with Himalayan Masters” , which summarized the writer’s ( who is a Sadhu) account of his experiences with Himalayan masters , yogis and some influential people . I remember reading writer’s experience in Valley of Flowers but I totally forgot about it .
We started walking towards VOF early on September 26th last month and reached at the entrance of Valley at 8 am . The light which was just entering the valley ,painting burnt colors to the whole valley. We continued to walk for nearly 3 kms in the valley enjoying the beauty around. We passed through bushes, dead plants and small streams before we saw the glacial river which later becomes Laxman Ganga . We decided to make that as our last stop . After few photographs and minutes rest we returned. It was tiring as we had very little food and it was already afternoon.
On my way back I felt bit dizzy and faint but I had full self control. I felt like I am fainting but I am not . Everything was happening like in dreams . I thought it is because of altitude or tiredness . When I told Manjunath we joked about it . We came back slept . I was dizzy for rest of the night . For next days I felt same in the afternoons but not as strong as the first day.
After returning to Bangalore I suddenly remembered my experience and started reading the book again. To my surprise the Valley of flower chapter in the book explained the similar experience and upon searching over google I found the locals say that too. Here is the excerpt from the book
“The flowers were in full bloom as far as the eye could see. For the first few hours it was soothing to the senses and stimulating to the mind. But slowly I started noticing that my memory was slipping away. After five or six hours the baba asked, “Hey you! Can youtell me your name?”
We were both so disoriented that we could not remember our names. We had completely forgotten them.I was only aware of my existence and had a hazy idea that I was with two other people. That’s all. The fragrance of those flowers was so strong that we could not think rationally. Our ability to reason wouldn’t function. Our senses were anesthetized. We had a faint idea of our existence and that of the things around us. Our talk to each other did not make any sense. We lived in this valley for a week. It was highly enjoyable. The baba made fun of us all the time and said, “Your education and strength have no value.”After we came out of the Valley of Flowers, the baba said, “Your joy was because of the influence of the fragrance of the flowers. You were not meditating. That’s what marijuana and hashish do to people, and they think that they are in meditation. Look at me.I was not affected or influenced by the fragrance of those wild flowers. Ha, ha, ha!”
few quick images of the trip, make sure you click and open in full view !
