It was 1 Pm when I got down from the car on the river side, my first reaction to the scene was WOW. I had seen the beaches only on screen or in pictures till then. The golden sand shone in the sunlight, and the clear blue water sparkled. The river was furious on one side of the shore, whereas calm on the other side. The calmer side was the area for camps, only place in the entire view where humans could survive. The idea that I would be spending my night in the camp alongside the bank of river Ganges was thrilling. It was my first camping experience. The first thing I did after I had settled my luggage in the camp was remove my slippers. The sand was hot like hell. I started running towards the river like a kid running behind the candy floss vendor. The water was ice cold in stark contrast to the sand. I spent my evening the floating in the water. This side of the river was shallower compared to the river on the opposite side of the shore. Chilly water, soft sand below the feet, surrounded by huge rocks, the beauty was mesmerizing. I could spend my entire life admiring the scenic beauty. I watched the sun set, and the sky getting dimmer with every passing minute. The flow of the river increased along with its velocity. The sound of the tides got louder. By the time stars had appeared in the sky, the tides started roaring, and I for the first time I felt the thrill of being surrounded by water on three sides, and no sign of light till kilometers except for the oil lamps outside the camp. I was in Shivpuri, far away from the hustle of the city, far away from the traffic, far away from cables, far away from satellites. And I realized although I had all the comforts of a luxurious life in the city environment, I was missing the light of the stars in dark night, comfort of being with my loved ones, eating together in open, excitement of listening to the stories of strangers, and most importantly peace.
