The art of happiness
Hello friends ♡
What a month it's been! It flew by for me as I spent the first half of June in India on a trip with my cousins and friends. It feels strange that it's all over, as we'd been planning it for some time and messaging each other about the countdowns. We were inspired to go on this trip based on a famous Bollywood movie called Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. In short, it's about a group of friends who go on a life changing trekking trip to Manali, and that's exactly what we did.
I wanted to share some of the highlights and things that inspired me on this trip. In my last blog, I mentioned that I took my sketchbook with me, but in all honesty, I just didn't have time to sketch. The trip was filled with constant movement - from exploring new sights to the never-ending cycle of unpacking and repacking. This left me with little time to unwind and let my creativity flow. It's such a shame because I wanted to capture moments in real-time rather than drawing from photos later on. There's something special about capturing moments as they happen, rather than when you're in another environment filled with other thoughts. Nevertheless, I’ll share a few pages from my sketchbook in this blog.
The entire India trip was part of a guided tour, so everything was planned in advance. One of our scheduled stops was a visit to the Himalayas. Yes, you read that right - the Himalayas! I still can't believe that I've ticked this off my bucket list. We woke up early, got all geared up with snow boots and overcoats that we rented for a few hours, and set off for Rohtang Pass, located at an altitude of 13,000ft on the eastern end of the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, about 51 km (32 mi) from Manali. The journey took some time due to the winding roads, which made me feel a bit nauseous, but the views of the mountains and valleys were absolutely breathtaking. The pictures really don't do it justice!
We sat down with our plates of warm maggi, our hands and noses numb from the cold. I started planning what I'd capture in my sketchbook: the herd of goats, the stunning views of the mountains, the friendly locals selling food from their carts, and the cool colour tones that I could use as inspiration. Here’s a spread from my sketchbook depicting my views in Manali.
In the movie "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani," Manali was a significant part of the storyline, where the characters underwent transformative experiences and learned more about themselves and their desires. The stunning mountain views inspired me, but also left me feeling uncertain about my career path. I realised that maybe I need more time for self-reflection. The fast-paced nature of the creative industry can be overwhelming at times. Does anyone else feel this way? I feel that artists have to be proactive in showcasing their work to be noticed. It can be so challenging at times.
Another memorable moment I'd like to share took place in Dharamshala, a town in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. After a long day of travelling around Shimla and Manali, we took an evening stroll to take in the sights and sounds of the beautiful town. Dharamshala felt like a completely different place – quieter, with more tourists and streets filled with Tibetan crafty shops. During our stroll, we came across a cosy café called Lhamos Croissant, where we had a pleasant conversation with a lady. When we mentioned that we were planning to visit the Dalai Lama Temple, she informed us that the Dalai Lama would be there the following morning for a pooja before leaving for the US. We were so surprised and excited because we didn't even think he'd be there, I just thought we'd be visiting his temple as it's of course one of the main tourist attractions, not that we'd see him in person!
Early the next morning, we excitedly made our way to the temple. No devices were allowed, so we couldn't take any photos - so for all you know I could be lying about this but don't worry I'm not! However, on arrival, I could hear the chanting of the pooja, and monks walking around, and feel the peaceful aura. We walked to the temple where we saw a huge crowd of people sitting, praying, and chanting. Although we could see the Dalai Lama on the big screen, we wanted to get closer and didn't know how. A lady overheard us speaking in English and started chatting with us. It was a wonderful conversation, and I always love speaking to new people and learning about their lives. She shared her journey with us, explaining how she tried to find happiness in various things in the past, but nothing fulfilled her. After coming to India to find peace, she has been living in Dharamshala for over 10 years and became a Buddhist. She was a regular visitor to the temple and knew exactly what was going on and what to do. I found her story so fascinating. She then said, "Follow me," and so, we followed her…
She led us into the temple, where we were just 15 metres away from the Dalai Lama. It felt so surreal to see him with my own eyes. The lady told us to take some prasad if we wanted and to keep walking around the temple clockwise, passing by the beautiful prayer wheels. As we did, we passed monks praying and people seeking blessings. It felt so peaceful and the energy was so tranquil.
We sat down among the crowd, and my cousin, who is a huge fan of the Dalai Lama, was sitting next to a monk. She asked him, "What is the secret to happiness?" He answered, "Don't focus on yourself too much, do service for others." I thought that was such an interesting answer. How often do we think this way? We're so consumed in our thoughts. We might do service for others in the smallest of ways, but how often do we let go of our inner thoughts?
What a moment! I will forever cherish it. I highly recommend visiting the place if you want to find inner peace; it made me feel a different, positive… peaceful.
I want to share so many moments with you, but the last one would be my visit to the Mcleodganj monastery. Art lovers would adore this place. I was truly amazed by everything – the art, the details, the atmosphere. I wish I could have spent the entire day there sketching. I tried to capture the beauty through sketches, based on the photos I took. The amount of detail I wanted to capture was incredible but it was really hard to. I also couldn’t get the colours quite right, but they were so vibrant and eye-catching.
The main temple was stunning, we all sat there and took in the silence and sat in our thoughts. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the huge tapestry that was hanging in the middle of the monastery, it had so many beautifully illustrated stories and historical tales. There is so much culture, religion and history behind each and every piece of art I saw in the monastery. I would love to know if you've ever visited a place that made you feel in awe of all the art?
I hope you enjoyed reading about my trip to India. So much happened on this holiday that it was hard to cut it down to a few experiences and moments. I'm always seeking inspiration from my travels and aiming to incorporate that into my work. I'd love to hear what you think is the secret to happiness!
Until next month,
lots of love, Janki x
