Travel with Meghan

Travel with Meghan

October 2024

Travel with Megan

The valley of  FLOWERS

Enthralled by the mesmerising beauty of Nubra Valley, Rashi Bunny eulogises it enough  for most of us to want to explore it at least once in this lifetime 

As dusk settled its mist on my palms and the  

cold breeze caressed my face, I knew in my  heart that this was going to be a memorable  night. The energy of anticipation was intense, and  the joy in my heart had spread in wide circles to  encompass the little village in the valley.  

I had taken a walk around the little village where  we were staying and seen for the first time how  people on the street and stray animals would  just bend down by the roadside and drink off the  mountain streams. The constant sound of stones  and pebbles underneath my shoes and the greyness  all around—of the stone walls, rocky terrains, and  tall stark mountains— all these new experiences  had made my mind and heart open to new vistas of  deep connection with the land and its life.  

Nestled in the Indian Himalayas, Ladakh is a realm  of breathtaking beauty, rich cultural heritage, and  spiritual significance, drawing travellers from  far and wide. After landing in Leh at 11,500 ft, I  wandered through the picturesque landscapes to  acclimatise to the high pressure and low oxygen  levels. The gentle rustle of leaves and the soft  whispers of the wind carried ancient secrets,  beckoning me to explore the depths of my soul.  

Our odyssey begins in Leh, the land of the lamas.  150 km from Leh, the journey to Nubra Valley via  Khardung La Pass is a spiritual odyssey, a path that  winds through the realms of the soul, awakening  the spirit to the beauty and wonder of the universe. 

The road to Nubra 

The road to Nubra Valley unwinds like a serpentine  path to the heavens. We ascend to Khardung La  Pass, the world’s highest motorable road, where  the air is sweet with the scent of liberation. This  majestic gateway to Nubra Valley stands at 18,380  feet, a threshold to the realm of the gods. The  rugged terrain, a testament to the unforgiving  power of nature, awakens the spirit to the beauty  of resilience. 

I remember when I got out of the car and stood  at the landmark point where everyone takes  photographs, I felt my body was not standing on  the road but slanting and floating. I was reeling  with joy mixed with the elixir of height and a taste  of god! The snow-capped peaks, like shards of  splintered light, pierce the sky. In this moment, the  

62 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2024 

veil between the worlds is lifted, and the Universe  reveals its hidden truths. You are grateful that you  have come up till here in your life.  

The enchanting valley 

As we descend into Nubra Valley, the landscape  transforms—a kaleidoscope of colours and textures,  a symphony of light and shadow. The Diskit River,  a shimmering ribbon of silver, guides us through  the valley. Diskit Monastery, perched atop a hill,  stood as a testament to the region’s rich spiritual  heritage, inviting me to surrender to the Divine.  The majestic statue of Maitreya Buddha stood tall,  radiating an aura of peace and compassion through  the arid, cold, grey Hunder desert.  

Enchanting Nubra Valley, often referred to as the  Valley of Flowers, cradled me in its serene beauty,  awakening my spirit to the magic that lies within  and around us. But the journey itself was an eye 

opener for me. With each step, the valley’s majestic  beauty unfolded like a canvas of endless wonder— the turquoise waters of the Shyok River, the rolling  hills of golden sand, and the snow-capped peaks that  touched the sky. In this mystical land, I discovered  the harmony of nature and the tranquillity that lies  within it. 

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting  a warm orange glow across the valley, I felt the  Universe whispering secrets of the cosmos. In this  moment, I was one with it, my heart filled with an  overwhelming sense of gratitude and awe. 

A surreal experience 

In Nubra Valley, time stands still, as the celestial  beauty of the surroundings transcends the  boundaries of reality. The stars twinkle like  diamonds in the evening sky. In this land of  

enchantment, the soul finds solace, and the heart  discovers its true home. 

At the resort, we were told that it was going to  be a clear night, with Planet Mars much closer  to Earth, and if we were lucky, we could see,  connect, and meditate with the Milky Way! And  I remembered from school, Lord Byron’s line:  “Between two worlds, life hovers like a star, twixt  night and morn, upon the horizon’s verge.” 

As the horizon started to fade and black vastness  took over the land, the shimmer and glimmer  of the stars, so near, so large, so bright, cast its  spell on me. I remember sitting with my face  perpendicular to my body and staring, almost  eating the shine of the stars. Star-gazing all night  and not wasting it on a single wink made my neck  hurt, but my heart danced as I moved in my room  in the wee hours of the morning. I could only  recall faintly that, in Nubra Valley, we spent all  day surrounded by flowers, and all night, by the  shining Milky Way and the stars hanging low. 

I have never told this to anyone, but trust me,  if you go to Ladakh on a spiritual journey and  allow the magic to lead you, you may just witness  unimaginable miracles. Nubra is perhaps the  highest cosmic vallewwwy laden with stars that  open portals to another world. And if you believe  me, I felt the stars come inside my room too. In the  dark blanket, I saw dazzle, like that of twinkling  fireflies. And with the broadest smile ever, I  wandered off into the cosmic nebula of twinkling  flowers and starry love. 

“May all the stars hang bright above her dwelling,  Silent as though they watched the sleeping Earth!” —Samuel Taylor Coleridge 

Rashi Bunny, loves the majesty of the planet and the human enterprise. As  an explorer, she writes on various themes- sacred spaces being her passion.  Meghan is also a quantum energy healer and a clairvoyant channel.