It was a Sunday morning, pleasant breeze, silver sun fondling at the tips of nascent apple leaves, sweet calling of birds and a feeble thud of hot teacup at my bedside desk was what I woke up to. As if everything was a beautiful dream. My knuckles rubbed my slumber into dissolution and eyes gradually opened to not the regular setting of my bedroom. It took me a moment to realize that my presence occupied a living picture of my desktop wallpaper today.
I was in my beautiful hometown. I had reached there, the previous night with one of my friends. It was then I realised that I had left behind all that loud clattering of the city and its unbearable summer heat and in there, it felt like heaven. The small town is surrounded all around with thick canopies, with huge trees standing tall as the guardians of the nature’s haven. The lush green foliage, salubrious spaces, offer a striking contrast to the stinking pungency of industrial waste and pollution that looms like a permanent apparition in any city’s backdrop. Beautiful clouds perching at tree tops amaze the eyes so deeply that you can keep on lauding their beauty while you weave shapes of your desire from that heavenly wool.
We woke up, had tea, pulled the blankets closer and inadvertently started talking about the magnificent weather of the town. Just a day before, we were at the mercy of harsh climate rendering unbearable heat and aching noise. Here, we had fresh air to breathe, cold water from natural Bowlis (natural springs) to drink; everything was amazing about this place. This was arguably the best way to get close to nature and be at peace.
As the day progressed, we decided to visit a place, locally known as "Beer ae ro Ghord" which means the ‘The Stone of the Beer’. It is believed that a God who is the ‘Kul Devta’ (clan God) of many villages in that vicinity, resides since the ancient times, beneath a huge boulder set in the middle of a forest. People visit this place to worship the Serpent God and make wishes. It is quite common to see people sacrificing animals and dedicating their children’s hair to the deity. They also make ‘sukhans’(offerings and sacrifices to seal the grant of their wishes) and bring ‘yatras’ (pilgrim processions) to offer their reverence to the God. The said rock stands approximately 30-40 feet tall & spans about 10-15 feet radially (Only the visible part of it).
According to a custom of this place, people sometimes bring ‘trishuls’( metallic tridents) and place them near the stone as a dedication to the deity. There are many more small spiky stones present beneath the boulder that appears like the mouth of a huge serpent from the front side. Small herbs and shrubs add to the appearance of a slithering behemoth that seems to have frozen there, in time, as a stone. The place is well covered under the canopies of large pine trees and is surrounded by two beautiful mountain peaks. It is at a distance of 5-7 km from the town. On excessive and regular exposure to the intense mountain heat, one might get mild sun burns or tanning i.e. in case of a sensitive skin type but don’t bother to check your sun block yet, as all the while, cool shade of the trees offers unparalleled respite and protection.
The place is mystically serene and peaceful. One can completely relax and be in harmony with natural elements here, forgetting all about the haste that life generally imposes upon us. The space was so pacific & full of optimism that I was immediately purged of my scepticism and trivial everyday botheration. Days later, I can still feel those transiting vibes emanating from my rejuvenated spirit.
Apart from the surreal experience, the best memory that I carry in my head, or rather in my hair is that of the heavy gushes of cool air that gently strived to push me backwards as I tried to stand atop a boulder to get a picture clicked. We spent almost 5-7 hours there; sitting, sighting & shooting the magnanimous, majestic stone shelter of the serpentine God "Beer Dev".
Wish to Visit again & would definitely recommend everybody to visit this site and intake the Positivity that it holds in abundance for a parched spirit.
Quick note: Just a gentle hike of 15 to 20 minutes from the road.
