Sanctum Sanctorum-India

The sun reflected blindingly, as I shielded my eyes. I looked at my bare feet in the slush, felt the cold air against my body and undressed. I had watched the others remove their clothes and turbans and walk over to the icy water and enter, sit and begin dunking themselves. My mind blanked as I walked to the edge, stepped down onto a large rock and then another. Sitting down with water up to my neck, I quickly immersed six times, stood up and walked out of the water without taking a breath. An ancient Sikh guru had meditated in this spot surrounded by the seven peaks. Pilgrims make the trek and immerse themselves in the sacred chilled waters. Shivering I stood against a wall feeling the sun’s rays slowly bring feeling back to my body.  A Sikh walked past and smiled…he said hello and told me that I was a very lucky man. Hemkund