From Blueprints to Peaks: Ashutosh’s Kedarkantha Trek Review with Thrillophilia
He sat in his office, a blueprint spread out on the table in front of him. Ashutosh traced the lines with his fingers- walls, windows, and roofs, all neat and perfect.
Order, symmetry, logic.
But there was something missing. His mind wandered, drifting away from the lines and angles, drawn instead to the rugged peaks he’d seen only in photos. Kedarkantha- the name had a certain pull, as if the mountains were calling him away from the structures he so carefully created.
And then there was his best friend, who knew everything.
The Invitation
Arushi: “Guess what, Mr. Architect?” Her voice crackled through the phone, excitement spilling over. “We’re going on our next trip”. C’mon guess the destination.
Ashutosh (ignorantly): “Are we planning for a New Year party at one of the beach clubs? I guess we’re going to Goa!”
Arushi: “No yaar, we are going trekking. Kedarkantha it is!”
Ashutosh: “You’re insane, how do you get to know everything all the time?” he sighed. “I have deadlines, presentations- structures to build, Arushi. Can’t you drag someone else into your madness?"
But Arushi wasn’t the kind of person you can “no” to and escape. She didn’t believe in waiting for things to happen; she made them happen. The idea of trekking wasn’t unfamiliar, but Kedarkantha? What a lovely coincidence it was!
As usual, Arushi had everything planned out with Thrillophilia and finally it was ‘THE DAY’!
The Architect Meets Nature
Day 1: Sankri to Juda Ka Talab
They were in the heart of Uttarakhand now, far from the city's bustling streets, the crisp air biting at their skin. The trees loomed tall around them, the mountains whispering secrets only the brave could hear.
Arushi, bursting with energy said, “Come on! You don’t want to miss this.”
Ashutosh thought that this wasn't a drawing board and adjusting his backpack. This is real. No straight lines here- just rocks, boulders, ice, and a lot of unpredictability. He could feel the city slipping away with every step, replaced by the rawness of the wild.
The path to Juda Ka Talab was like a conversation between Ashutosh and the mountains.
At first, they were strangers- quite distant. But as the hours passed, he began to understand their language: the crunch of the snow under his boots, the sway of the trees, the gentle gurgle of streams. It was different from the hum of the city but even more alive.
By the time they reached their campsite near the frozen lake, Ashutosh was more exhausted than he’d ever been. But there was something exhilarating about it too. He stood by the edge of the half-frozen lake, the moonlight bouncing off the water’s surface.
Arushi: “Beautiful, isn’t it?” She sat down next to him, throwing a rock into the lake.
Ashutosh: “Yeah…,” he said, almost in disbelief.
He had drawn countless sketches of parks and urban complexes, but this was the real deal- a serene, untouched beauty.
No architect could plan this.
He wondered if the mountains knew something about creation that he didn’t.
The Struggle
Day 3: Trekking Upwards
The mountains weren't gentle now and were testing him. The air grew thinner, and the climb – all the more steeper. Every step felt like it was dragging him away from everything he knew.
Flashback: Three months ago, he had been at a conference, giving a talk about "The Future of Urban Landscapes." His words had been polished, his suit crisp. He had talked about sustainability, efficiency, and perfect geometries.
But there, in the snow, none of those polished words mattered. The mountains didn’t care about his degrees, his fancy titles. They demanded something different- resilience, nerves, grit.
Arushi (smiling smugly): “Told you this would be fun.”
Ashutosh: “Define fun.” He gasped breaths in between. His legs felt like concrete, his lungs struggling to adapt to the thin air.
And then it happened- he slipped, tumbling into the snow. For a moment, everything was silent except for the sound of his own breathing.
“Oh no! Are you okay?” Their guide rushed back to help him up.
Ashutosh (laughing, to his own surprise): “I’m fine... Just enjoying the view from down here.” He looked up at him and smiled. They both started laughing, their breath turning into clouds of mist.
At that moment Ashutosh realized that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t need to control everything.
Maybe letting go- letting the mountain shape him instead of the other way around- was the real lesson here.
The Summit and the Epiphany
Day 4: Reaching the Summit
The final ascent was brutal. His fingers were numb despite the gloves, his body aching from the exertion. But the summit was so close now, he could almost taste it. Arushi was already a few paces ahead, her usual excitement tempered by the altitude.
Ashutosh pushed himself harder, feeling the weight of the entire journey in his legs but also the pull of something bigger- the kind of pull that architects feel when they stare at a blank page, the possibilities endless.
As they reached the summit, Ashutosh looked out at the expanse of mountains that stretched out in every direction. For a moment, he forgot about everything- his work, his life back in the city, even his aching legs.
Arushi shouted, “We made it!” . She raised her arms in victory, the wind whipping her hair around her face.
“We did.” Ashutosh whispered to himself.
Standing there, on top of the world, Ashutosh realized that sometimes, you have to let yourself be humbled. You have to allow the world to be bigger than you. You have to step outside the neat lines you’ve drawn for yourself and let the chaos in.
In architecture, he had always strived for perfection. But the mountains weren’t perfect. They were jagged, unpredictable, wild. And yet, they were perfect in their own way. There was a lesson in that.
Read more: Trillophilia Trek Reviews