What I learnt from Rafting in PoChhu

“Punakha has rafting!”

The moment I heard that, I wanted to go. Having rafted once at Rishikesh, I wanted to go again. The mind screamed all possible objections, but the heart was clear. Rafting! 

“Rapids are up to 4+.” Does not matter. I have to.

MoChhu and PoChhu rivers are where rafting is undertaken. MoChhu, the mother river is calm and meant for families or those looking for gentle waves. PoChhu or father is for the brave hearts ready to battle the rapids up to 4+. It is where the rivers meet that the Punakha Dzong is located. 

We were wrapped very snugly into more protective gear I have ever seen. Body suit, wind cheater and life jacket. We grumbled initially, but were grateful for it later when the waves hit us!

I took the back seat...easy way out. And off we went with a guide in front in a small boat and 2 guides behind us who gave us the necessary orders. “Forward” “Backward” “Left forward” “Right backward” etc. Shivering, shaking, drenched with water we listened to them and tried to smile when they broke into Bollywood songs in Hindi.

All set!

Snug in our gear

...and we did it!

Did it...!

It was the most exhilarating experience of my life and I learnt the basic principles for living from it. So what were they?

1. We have guides all around us. 1 in front leading and 2 at the back shouting orders...we have guides all around us. It was due to their steering that we did not hit any rapid head on and bypassed them with a ‘gentle lapping of the waves’.  Trust the inner and outer guides’ presence.
2. Obey the guides totally! Forward when they say ‘forward’ and backward when they say ‘backward’. The guides know the tracks and where we might get stuck. So listen and obey. We don’t know the Rapids, they do. They understand the level of each wave that comes to us. So even if we don’t understand the circumstances of life listen to the guides within us and ‘obey’!
3. Enjoy! Watching the guide ahead go right in the middle of the rapid and enjoying getting upside down in the river, it struck me that when the life rapid hits me, I could simply learn to let the waves direct me and ‘enjoy’ it.
4. Getting drenched is great! Absolutely. Getting hit by the waves again and again...especially when the body suit is on.
5. Follow the heart’s intelligence. Till the last moment, every logical bone in me was screaming ‘you can’t do it! Don’t go.’ But my heart said, ‘I just have to’. And I did it.
6. We are not alone. Every movement of my oar affects the others in the boat and vice versa. It was eerie to feel that we all are interdependent! So I am not only responsible for my life but also of the other traveller who I did not like much, for we are related in the boat! This was humbling.
7. Rapids are okay! Yes the rapids were till 4+. But we steered around them with ease for the guides knew the right angle. So in the rapids of life when the big ones hit you, simply know what the angle should be of steering right through them!

I came back feeling stronger and humbler!