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| photo credit: dev pathak |
Finding Lingthem Lyang Homestay is a prized moment. Staying here we were blessed with exotic rustic living filled with the charm of ordinary, magic of mundane, and extraordinary experience of living in the Himalayan surrounding. The mornings were like prayer coming true as the clouds descended to the homestay and the magnificent Kanchenjunga peeked through the wooden window of our room. Gushing river downhill and many streams passing by added to the sublime. The evenings brought about fulfilling moments of silence, muffled in the solitude of the surrounding. My three year old Prabuddh made friends with gentle and furry dogs of the neighborhood, collected many unseen leaves and pebbles, and played all day by himself without asking for any of his city-based toys. We were truly civilized in the wilderness. Far from the alloy of civilization the humming winds brought to us Buddhist chants. And, most importantly, the exquisitely caring members of the homestay made us feel that hospitality industry can not provide us with the care and affection that can come from informal staffs of the homestay.
What more! The long walks to the monastery nearby, a small drive to the gigantic tributary of the Teesta river, and a visit to the hot-water spring a dip in which almost cured us of the fatigue of lifetime. When I was not moving around, I sat by the mint-grove and did so much by integrating my mind, body and greenery around me. The uninterrupted dialogue with the mountain continues. And, I am sure, this is just the beginning for us. We intend to be back soon, again, and again and over again. Not to look for the five-star facilities of the hotels, nor for the cold-chaos of Gangtok. We long to be back to the unrivaled fragrance, beauty, and the elegance of informal home stay.
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| photo credit: dev pathak |
Priya Naik teaches at Zakir Husain College, University of Delhi & Prabuddh Pathak attends Santa Maria Integrated Learning Experience in Delhi
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