Snow and self-preservation.
In that spectacular silence, snow fell all around us.
From my writing desk, I could see the mountains beyond engulfed in grey clouds. When the veil lifted, it revealed a thin dusting of snow on the peaks - enough to distract me from the work I’d set out for myself. Curious, we decided to go on a drive towards those mountains. There were still remnants of the previous snow on either side of the road, and as we drove further, there was a layer of snow right on the road. When the car began to skid, we parked it and began walking.
The further we walked, the deeper the layers of snow became. My hiking shoes sank gently into them, leaving footprints on the white surface. The sun was trying hard to peep out from the dark clouds, casting a surreal golden light on the afternoon.
Suddenly, I saw the tiniest little ball of white dancing towards me from the sky. The locals call this fake snow, the kind that melts quickly. In a matter of minutes, the sky was full of these tiny white droplets of snow, falling towards us in the golden light.
We found a rock to perch ourselves on, and I filled my eyes with the vast, infinite white blanket around us. As far as my eyes could see, the landscape was covered in white, with more snow descending - some fake white drops, some real snowflakes. I held my gloved palm out to catch a few.
In that spectacular silence, as snow fell all around us, I realized that winter is nature’s way of self-preservation. In the snow-filled expanse, the trees had all shed their leaves. This was their time to hibernate and rejuvenate. Slowly, as the weather turns to spring, they’ll bear new layers - leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds.
Like the snow, Kabir’s words danced into my mind:
Dheere dheere re mana, dheere sab kuch hoye Mali seenche sau ghada, ritu aaye phal hoye (Slowly slowly oh mind, everything happens at its own pace The gardener may water with a hundred pots, but the fruits will appear only in spring)
Sitting on that rock, it occurred to me that I might not work seasonally like nature, and I might not have leaves to shed. But perhaps I could make an effort to shed the layers that don’t serve me. Layers that don’t align with my values, yet I continue to wear them in my professional and personal life, so I can try to fit in. If like the trees, I could slowly shed these false layers, I could show up in the world more as myself.
Going into 2025, I don’t have resolutions or goals. I just have this reminder from that snowy winter evening.
January recommendations
Conscious travel recommendations, eco-friendly finds and meaningful opportunities, as well as articles, books and films that’ve inspired me.
Travel:
In early December, I had the opportunity to spend time at some soulful travel initiatives in Maharashtra and Karnataka:
Around 400-600 years ago, members of an African community were forcibly brought to India, possibly to work as slaves. Known as the Siddis, some managed to escape into the forests of the Western Ghats, where they lived for several generations, and eventually settled across villages in Karnataka and Gujarat. I had the opportunity to learn from their way of life at Damami - the first community stay set up by women of the Siddi community, a 2 hour drive from Hubli! Plan a trip there with community tourism organization Suyatri.
Just an hour from Pune, ReCharkha is a social enterprise turning single-use plastic wrappers (think maggi and kurkure packets) into stunning, handwoven products. Their workshop is run by 20+ rural women, who work on charkas and manual handlooms - rescued from a shut-down sari mill - weaving plastic wrappers into colorful yarn. I’m totally in love with their laptop sleeves, diary covers, planters, tote bags and wallets! Check out their collection in Pune, Mumbai or online, or better yet, take a day trip to learn about their work.
Check out:
This weekend (11th Jan), I’ll be speaking about conscious travel at the Gypsy Travel Festival - a unique gathering of travel enthusiasts, travel creators and tourism boards, with talks and workshops that include taka maka rum tasting from the Seychelles! The festival committee has been hard at work to make it a sustainable event, from water refilling stations to carbon measurement and offsetting. Get tickets at 25% off with the code GYPSY25
I’m thrilled to share that the fourth short documentary film of my new series Routes of Resilience, premiered at the Mussoorie International Film Festival in December! Two of the women featured in the film attended the festival, and it was so exciting to see them get the recognition they deserve. As someone who has only ever seen herself as a writer, I’m learning that the magic truly happens outside of our comfort zone. Watch the film (runtime: 10 min).
My stories elsewhere
Stories I’ve written recently, as well as social media posts I’d love for you to check out.
Freelance:
For the January inflight magazine of Air India, I wrote about a ‘quietcation’ in the Great Himalayan National Park, with an unusual set of guides - the first rural female mountain guide collective in the Tirthan Valley! If you fly Air India this month, read the story on board (or check out the online copy here).
Instagram:
Stay in touch
Connect with me on Instagram or Linkedin.
Or hit reply to this email, and share your thoughts!
What a cozy one. I wish I had a cup of tea in my hand. This was a much needed reminder for me too!
A very beautiful read!
It was lovely meeting you at Damami and the women are looking forward to hosting you again!