shawkatislam

There’s a certain kind of silence you find only in the mountains — not the hollow absence of sound, but a deeper, more deliberate quiet that makes you listen inward. I felt it the moment I stepped into Kasol, a little Himalayan village tucked deep in the Parvati Valley of Himachal Pradesh. For many, Kasol […]

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson We live in an age that worships speed. Faster Wi-Fi, shorter commutes, instant replies, one-click everything. We rush through days and sprint through years, constantly chasing what’s next — a promotion, a trip, a goal, a version of ourselves that always seems

“Just living is not enough,” said the butterfly, “one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” — Hans Christian Andersen I first came across this quote scribbled on a weathered wall in a small mountain café in northern Italy. I was exhausted from weeks of rushing — ticking places off a list, chasing sunsets

There’s a particular kind of silence you find only in nature — not the absence of sound, but the presence of something deeper. It’s in the rustle of leaves carried by the wind, the rhythmic crash of waves on a lonely shore, or the echo of your footsteps on a forest trail. It’s the language

Tucked away in the northeastern frontier of India, Arunachal Pradesh is a land of undisturbed beauty, tribal traditions, and landscapes that seem to belong to a dream. Known as the “Land of the Rising Sun,” this state shares borders with Bhutan, China, and Myanmar, making it a unique cultural and geographical gem. Unlike many mainstream

Darjeeling, The Queen of Hills is a district of Jalpaiguri Division in the Indian state of West Bengal. Darjeeling district city and municipality area is located at an altitude of 7,100 ft above sea level. The district is bordered by the state of Sikkim to the north, Bihar state to the south, Jalpaiguri district to

Harsil Valley, is a true paradise in the heart of Uttarakhand which is still undiscovered to many travelers. If you dreamed of a place to be lost yourself where calm nature and thrilling adventures blend? There can be no better option than this charming valley of the Himalayas. Imagine waking up with the sight of

Recently I had a reader write in to me about not being good at finishing things. A few examples of things they haven’t finished: I can relate! It can be hard to finish things — we get excited about something at the start, but when we get busy or things get hard or boring, our

Parents often see their kids as an extension of themselves — my kid reflects how good of a parent I am, my children validate me, my children are a part of me. You can see this when a parent is always telling their kids what to do, controlling their lives, or wanting the kid to

Developing a strong sense of self is one of the most under-appreciated ways to be happy. To have healthy relationships, with others and with yourself. It’s not often understood, and as a result, problems in this area cause problems in all areas of our lives. Let me point out just some of the common symptoms