Veer's POV:

"Maa, is it that important to go there—? I have a match. And it's fixed."

Hi, I'm Veer Sharma, I'm twenty-two and living in Delhi. And that was my hundredth attempt to persuade my mother not to send me to this stupid wedding of her friend's cousin.

"Veer, I booked your tickets for tonight, come on pack your bag now"

my moon yelled from the living room. I jerked my hands in frustration, as she handed over me a large backpack from her wardrobe.

"What, booked tickets? What about the tickets I booked for my match tomorrow?? That is so insane Mom, you're unbelievable" I shouted.

"Well, thank you now get ready it's three pm already".

"huh". I have to go. No choice. I love her.

I reluctantly boarded the bus headed towards the town of Kasol, questioning why I was even going there. And to make matters worse, I was going alone. If it weren't for my mother, I would never have agreed to this. The conductor assured me that we would arrive at our destination by five in the morning, leaving me with an entire night to endure.

The bus wasn't heavily crowded; I believe hardly anyone travels in that direction. Nonetheless, it's fine as we have an entire week to enjoy in the mountains.

Engrossed in a movie marathon, my eyes grew heavy with fatigue, and before I knew it, I succumbed to a deep slumber. In the midst of my slumber, I was awakened by a gentle voice, which evoked a tingling sensation in my chest. As the person continued speaking, a shiver coursed down my spine.

"you can always choose not to vikarna," As tears welled up in her eyes, her voice started to falter, and before I could fully grasp the situation, she vanished into a hazy blur.

"but I've too—mri—mri— " As she vanished, I remained rooted to the spot, feeling the mist turn colder and a chilling wind blowing through. I was freezing, on the verge of death. When I finally opened my eyes, I realized I was aboard the bus. Shit. I was on the bus—KASOL—Shit.

Upon awakening, a surge of fear coursed through me as I reluctantly opened my eyes. Glancing at my phone, I discovered that it was already seven o'clock. As the bus continued its journey, we passed through Kasol, leaving me disoriented and unsure of my current whereabouts. In an attempt to shake off the lingering unease, I vigorously shook my head.

Rising from my seat, I noticed that the bus was now stationary and devoid of passengers. This indicated that I had possibly arrived in Kasol, although I couldn't be certain. Stepping off the bus, I found myself facing a vast mountainside that gradually expanded to reveal a quaint village. The entrance was marked by a weathered wooden gate, surrounded by fields of mustard plants and various blossoming flowers.

The sunlight burnt on, an icy fever, and wind tacked across the shelved valley, altering the clouds. Here, the roles of heaven and earth are reversed. While normally the sky appears lighter than the landscape, the sky here is dark and deep, while the landscape stands out against it in radiating colours, as if it were the source of light.

I caught sight of a woman diligently ploughing the fields, while a man dressed in a pale white dhoti and kurta headed off to work. It made me wonder, where exactly was I? The surroundings seemed ethereal, as if I had entered a realm of unparalleled beauty. The villagers gazed at me with a penetrating gaze, as if they could see into the depths of my being. Their peculiar behavior perplexed me. When I approached some men to inquire about my location, their reactions were as if I had spoken an entirely foreign language.

"what the hell man, why is everyone so weird" I got frustrated.

I caught sight of a shepherd in the distance, standing tall with a dark complexion, slightly shorter hair, and dressed in a dhoti and kurta. There were a few cows in the background as well. I must say, he was truly captivating. Without hesitation, I hurried towards him, and as soon as he noticed me, he flashed a warm smile. In that moment, I felt a sense of relief knowing that at least someone here understood me.

"hey, brother" I spoke, a little out of breath.

"Kaho, Mitra," he said, his voice was pure and sweet.

"What is this place—is this Kasol?" I asked him foiled by the people of this town.

"You are in Malana, kasol is down there, you can see" he pointed down, I saw a small town, far away yet close enough to be visible.

"Malana? This place is amazing, but why everyone is so annoying and ignorant here"

"everyone? See yourself, you are messy, unbathed, and dreadful. Why would anyone talk to you? "

"point, anyway do we have any guest house in here"? I asked him carrying my bag on my shoulder.

"Guest house? " he replied.

"yes, a place to stay," I said.

"Oh, yes you can stay at my Mitra's place"

"Your Mitra's place? Is that good"

I asked, he was weird too, he spoke in Hindi and was smiling unnecessarily.

"Of course it is, c'mon I'll take you there". He stood up from the stone he was sitting on and moved in the path of the village.

I observed a petite river swiftly flowing through the depths of a precipitous, rocky gorge. Alongside the riverbank and the terraced slopes above, one can find diminutive plots of corn, barley, mustard, and onions. In close proximity to the village, a handful of fruit trees thrive.

"ah, I'm veer from Delhi" I initiated a conversation.

"I am Madhav, from—Oh, it doesn't matter," he responded.

"Indraprastha seems to be in its worst condition, I suppose," he muttered under his breath.

"what—? You are a local right? I asked him.

"yes," he replied.

Upon arrival, we found ourselves at a humble cottage adorned with a beautiful rangoli on the ground. Despite its lack of warmth, I will endure as this peculiar environment continues to perplex me.

A man emerged from the hut, disguised as a rishi, with an enormous beard and long, unkempt hair that appeared untouched by a razor for several months.

"Govind, who is he?" he spoke, his voice was deep. He was tall and athletic.

"Govind?? you told me your name is Madhav"? I asked, was he lying to me?

"you can call me anything you want, as you wish" he replied while smiling.

"weird man" I murmured to myself.

After enjoying a breakfast consisting of hot sweet milk and thick chapatis, Arjun, Madhav, and I embarked on our journey down the rugged path towards the river.

As the sun illuminated the mountains, we indulged in a refreshing bath in the river. While Arjun fearlessly dived off a colossal rock, I cautiously waded in, unsure of the river's depth and currents. The water, with its milky blue hue, originated from the melting snow, rendering it extremely cold.

After a swift bath, I hurriedly made my way towards a stretch of sand where a small ray of sunshine had descended from the mountainside, creating warm and golden pools of light.The place was the ultimate heaven.





In the cold, beneath the towering deodars, we lay slumbering on the grass. Within this tranquil existence, I encountered a profound and everlasting bliss that I had never before encountered in my life. It was a modest and serene existence, yet within it, I discovered the true essence of living in the present moment. Arjun and Madhav, whom I had never crossed paths with until then, seemed like kindred spirits, reminding me of dear friends from long ago. Their purity and simplicity were a striking contrast to the harshness and complexity of the world we inhabited.

I had a peaceful slumber. In my dream, I found myself in the midst of a magnificent castle, grand and imposing. Madhav was there, adorned with elaborate jewelry and a regal crown. Despite his transformation, he remained as handsome as ever.

I caught sight of Arjun, who had shaved for goodness' sake. He appears to be quite handsome, and I witnessed him smiling and laughing, which brought a smile to my face as well. Suddenly, he began calling out to me, repeatedly saying, "Veer—veer—"

I woke up, it was dark as if it was about to rain.

"We have to go," Arjun said quite more seriously than his usual self.

"what, why? " I said still in the dream.

"Veer, you are not listening get up we have to go, please," he said in a very serious tone.

I stood up and ran along with him.

The town was barren, with no sign of human existence. The town, which was a cheerful one in the morning, became still.

"where is everyone?" I said

"shut up, and come on get in the house" he forced me to get in.

I remembered, Madhav. Where was he??

"Arjun, Madhav? Where is he!!"

I yelled at him. What is happening tell me. Arjun.