The Rock Solid Plan That Never Took Off

Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.

Nestled in the lush greenery of the Western Ghats, Yana in Karwar has been on my “to-visit” list for years. Yet somehow, it remains as elusive as my morning walks. Blame it on life’s twists, turns, and a knack for procrastination that would make even a seasoned sloth envious.

As a child, I watched the Kannada classic Nammoora Mandara Hoove and was mesmerized by the captivating visuals of Yana’s limestone rock formations. The movie’s serene yet powerful depiction of nature left me in awe, sparking a fascination for this place. I imagined myself trekking through its mysterious caves, humming Mandara Hoove like a protagonist lost in adventure. Fast forward to today, and the dream is still alive, albeit shelved somewhere between work emails and grocery lists.

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer,” they say. But here I am, still saving up for a ticket to Yana, while spending lavishly on Netflix subscriptions.

It’s not just about the place—it’s the promise of standing amidst nature’s grandeur, of marveling at rocks that have stood still for millennia while I’ve been rushing through life. “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page,” said Saint Augustine. Clearly, my copy is still on the prologue.

So, what’s the thought to ponder here? Maybe it’s time to stop waiting for the “perfect moment” and create it instead. Yana will remain majestic whether I visit or not—but the question is, will I remain content with admiring it from a distance?

After all, as Nammoora Mandara Hoove reminds us, the beauty of life is not just in dreaming, but in living those dreams.