Sun and the Shadows!!

Even though forests are my favourites, there is nothing more seductive than the seashore in terms of raw beauty.  The white sands, the waves - at times mellow and at times roaring, the dancing crabs, scintillating sun, salt laden winds – seashore has a coy charm of her own!  And our venture to Gokarna was all of this and lots more.

Gokarna – the name always reminded me of temples and holiness, but this time exploration gave me a complete flip and now, Gokarna for me is pristine beaches, mesmerising trek trails and soul-soothing solitude. I do not shy away from sun; rather I love to bask in its warmth!  I was delighted to know that certain beaches in Gokarna are still not accessible by roads and this meant lesser crowds and cleaner beaches.  Narrow, volcanic stone alleys lead you to one such beach.  It is surprising that places we Indians shy away from exploring are already known to people from outside India.  A place is best explored with the help of local folks and thus, we took the help of a friendly fisherman and his boat to know the place better.  A view of blue till the horizon, dotted by coast guard ships, the wind whispering into your hair, the boat being rocked by the waves -  a feeling which needs to be felt rather than read! We found a small beach all for ourselves and this is where we decided to camp for the night.

As we sat perched on a rock staring into oblivion, each was lost in their own.  I felt minuscule in front of the sea, with her engulfing waves and sat wondering what she held in her dark depths.  Suddenly, my worries, thoughts and my life as a whole felt so trivial and the human race so petty!  While we pay to get entertained in the crowded city hangouts, that night the sky put out a stunning show of stars and for free!  For us city-dwellers, sleeping under the open sky, enjoying the show put together by the stars is a luxury and we need to be blessed to experience one.

The day was a true competitor to the night in terms of providing us with the best scenic views!! As we trekked parallel to the shore, the sea kept putting forth enthralling views and at one such point, I wondered why I would ever want to go to Jamaica when I have Gokarna in my very own state.

As forests are always on my getaway places list, Gokarna seems to have broken the genre and made a special place of her own in my list of soul-soothing places!