By Geetanjali Sharma
A part of me often thinks of sitting on benches fixed on the side of roads to watch the world go past – some of it speedily and the rest cruising at life’s pace, one scene at a time.
Dehra is a city to explore and wander through, study and grow in, visit to only revisit and to live in with a wholesome life experience. I hope this column doesn’t turn into a weekly appreciation thread about Dehra, but even if it does, who’s complaining?
While living in the plains I thought monsoon to be lovely. With scattered rainfall that often left a humid stain and a drowsy feeling behind, the season was enjoyable enough to keep my mind at ease. Now, living in a valley, monsoon hits differently. It’s actually raining all day, every day, as taught in our geography classes. And my love for this season has only grown firmer and fairly, I do find myself dancing sometimes to the sound of the rain.
Drives in the valley are always scenic. From the usual scenery of winding roads and hilly streets to dense forests and secluded trails – what is just another drive leading up to a view for us is the adventure others plan for long.
Our progress towards tourism has been substantial but with many new windows with views to book and gorgeous vistas to wake up to, I hope the sanity of this serene city will dodge the inevitable nether side of development.
Monsoon brings in a wave of happiness and drives nowadays are more romantic. The city feels cooler and greener after the frequent showers wash off the summer heat, bringing a scent of goodness and love.
Only the other day, escaping the thriving pulse of the city, we drove towards a quiet village. The roads were dark and weathered, as I admired a creeper growing on a lamppost on one turn and a wild berry bush making the successive one turn fragrant. In the car cruising through nature, I found myself looking at life growing in harmony. No template to follow, no desire to be the only one standing. Nature as life in its truest form just belongs to its habitat – fulfilling its needs and maintaining the environment for life beyond the present.
Dehra is a place with many characters, and its ‘nature’ brings out the charming essence this season holds.
(Geetanjali Sharma is an author and communications specialist. She holds a post-graduate degree in international communication from Macquarie University, Australia.)
