Ram Charit Manash

I loved mountains.
Even three for years ago I used travel quite a lot . I always preferred spots on mountains to deserts or forests or oceans. As a matter of fact all these places have a kind of strange attractions . Year after year I just packed up little something and boarded the trains to my destination.spent few weeks in those places in the company of vastness, the depth and solitude. In one of those trips to Himalaya I was walking
towards Gangotri. In those days say 11/12 years ago the road to gangotri was not so plain and simple . The bus could take you
upto someplace situated about 15 km from gangotri and then you had to walk. So together with some fellow travellers I started to walk . The road was rugged, and narrow. There were animals which was taking the pious but old people up. I refused to be considered as old and also refused to subject these animals that humiliation. I was 67 but it was a number only as it is still now. But when there were nearly 3 km left I felt , well that would be my last journey. I was gasping.scanty Oxygen at that height, the steep uphill rough road was giving the road sign of eternity.True time to time I sat down on a rock to rest but since the end of day was approaching I knew I have to walk. so I started trudging. Suddenly there was a voice behind me " Babuji, chalne mey bohut taklif ho raha hai, Hai na?. I quickly turned around and saw a very ordinary looking man behind and smiling at me with that kind of smile which you see very rarely in your life, a smile of infinite compassion. I just nodded my head wearily. He came to my side and said , Iye, apko ek gana shunayenge. Ramcharit manas. I was familiar with this great gatha from my visit to Ramakrishna mission. So
He started to sing . His face was full of rugged beards just like the road, His half shirt was patched , his Dhoti was short and unclean, and he was wearing canvas shoes with hole. But as he started to sing I felt so rejuvenated that I forgot all my pains and with greater enthusiasm I walked and walked side by side..
suddenly he stopped singing and stopped walking. His eyes was filled with that childish glint and he sad " Babuji, oh dekhiye apka Ganga mai ji ki mondir" I looked and there It was the gorgeous beautiful temple of gangotri ! I turned back. He was vanished . He was nowhere to be found again. He just vanished in the Himalayan air.