After the risky trip, we finally arrived at the hotel. We exchanged a comforting smile, showing both our bravery and nervousness simultaneously. Completely soaked and dripping, our jackets and shoes felt like sponges. The friendly room attendant gave us extra towels, and we patted ourselves dry. We fell sleep instantly.

A New Day Dawns

The following day, I woke up at 9 AM and stepped outside the hotel room. The rain had vanished, and the Mall road was bustling with a crowd. It was hard to imagine that this was the same place where we barely saw a human being the last night. As I gazed at the sky, heavy grey clouds hung around, hinting at another rainy day. Then, a miraculous moment occurred—the sun’s beam touched the peak of a nearby hill. It felt like a glimmer of hope lighting up the horizon of my anxious thoughts. Then I went inside my room & woke my friends.

“Hey, sleepyheads, rise and shine! We didn’t come here to snooze all day. Look, the sun’s out, and I’ve got high hopes for an incredible day ahead,” I exclaimed with excitement to my friends.

Rohit poked his head under his blanket, his eyes half-closed with sleepiness. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s get up. Last night was a bit of a wild ride. I’m crossing my fingers for a smoother day today.”

“Shut up, you troublemaker. We’re in this mess partly because of your ill-omened birthday. My clothes and shoes are soaked, and now I’ll need to buy new ones, and my wallet isn’t feeling too generous,” I joked playfully.

After he sprang out of bed, we all kicked into action, getting ourselves ready to explore the hill station often dubbed the mini Switzerland of India.

I headed to a nearby store and bought a new pair of shoes and a shirt. Meanwhile, Shubham took his bike to a nearby garage to sort out its issues.

With the day feeling quite chilly, we decided to warm up by ordering tea and some buttery parathas and sandwiches.

Exploring the Wonders

Once we were done with breakfast, we checked Google Maps to figure out where to go. Our first stop was an incredible theme park named Kalatop. You could see the towering Himalayan mountains from there, but unfortunately, the clouds covered the view.

Next, we headed to Khajjiar Lake, a stunning spot with a little lake in the middle of a forest of cedar trees. The green fields and cattle grazing around made it a sight to remember. After a day spent amid hilly forests, we returned to the hotel. The following morning, we started our journey towards Punjab. On our way back, we stopped by the Shiva temple, where we had found the rope. We placed the rope in the cowshed and paid our respects to the Shiva Linga. I couldn’t help but smile as I saw both Rohit and Shubham, who had often questioned the existence of God, now bowing down with reverence. I overheard Shubham quietly saying, “Thank you, God, for keeping us safe.” With that, we continued our journey back to Punjab. After driving for around 4 hours, we finally reached our home and fell asleep due to exhaustion.

This trip left an indelible mark on all of us. It was truly unforgettable. However, we gained valuable insights from this experience. We realized that our planning needed to be improved, and we needed to account for worst-case scenarios like our bikes breaking down. We should have been better prepared. From the following day, we slipped back into our usual routines.

A Retreat to Remember

Two months passed, and my third-semester exams came to an end. I took advantage of a 20-day break and headed back home in December. During this time, I visited Sumay-uncle’s house to join a year-end retreat. The retreat spanned five days and was a delightful experience. We explored parks, strolled along river banks, and visited temples to recharge our spirits. With Sumay-uncle’s friends and brothers also present, it turned out to be a truly relaxing time for me.

One of the highlights was Sumay-uncle’s talk about the pastimes of Lord Krishna and how to cultivate a stronger connection to spiritual life. It was the first time I truly focused on his words. He emphasized the significance of regularly chanting the Holy Names, listening to bonafide Acharyas’ teachings and applying them.

A Desire for Change

After listening to him, I pondered, “I should try to follow these practices. If I feel so much peace just by listening to these teachings, why shouldn’t I put them into practice?” Once the retreat concluded, I approached Sumay-uncle and asked him for some books to read. I had always been fond of reading stories about the pastimes of Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva, and Krishna’s triumph over demons.

As I prepared to leave his home, he kindly gifted me some books. They were pristine and neatly wrapped. I had the intention of reading them every day to immerse myself in spirituality. However, when I returned to Punjab, I didn’t follow through as planned. I opened just one book and read a mere 2-3 pages before placing it on my shelf. Soon, I slipped back into my familiar college routine – waking up, heading to classes, not paying much attention to the lectures, coming back home, and spending my nights engrossed in LAN games with my roommates.

Once more, life settled into a monotonous rhythm, and I longed for excitement and joy. Strangely, despite my friends’ constant presence, a sense of loneliness lingered within me. I found myself navigating a path devoid of purpose or clear direction or goal. This confusion left me in a state of uncertainty.

The vision I had cherished involved attaining a high-paying job and indulging in a life of luxury. Yet, I came to a swift realization that if I continued my current way of life, that dream would remain unfulfilled.

A Serious Conversation

One day, after college, the rest of us gathered in a room, excluding Shubham. We began discussing our future aspirations, but the mood was so low that positivity seemed hard to find. It dawned on us that Shubham hadn’t returned home yet, which was unusual. Our attempts to reach him were in vain, as his phone was off. We contacted his classmates, only to learn that he had gone to Chandigarh and had even skipped class that day. Our worry deepened. He was expected home by 5 PM, but it was now 9:30. Finally, after another half hour, he arrived.

Typically, Shubham was known for his playful expressions and jokes, but that day, he was unusually serious. After changing his clothes, he joined us and turned to me, asking, “Chirag, what are your life goals? What do you want to achieve?”

His question took me aback, as I had always seen him as a carefree and lighthearted individual. I smiled and replied, “I’d like to start a business, though I’m not sure what kind yet.”

“Alright, I get it,” he responded.

He posed the same question to each of us, and to our surprise, we were still waiting for a solid answer. Eventually, one of us burst into laughter, realizing we had never delved into such deep discussions about life.

Shubham continued, “I used to have no clear direction in life until I met someone who completely changed my perspective. He’s truly remarkable. Despite being just 21 years old, he’s self-sufficient, supporting himself without relying on his parents for money. At the age of 20, he purchased a brand new KTM Duke bike and embarks on journeys across India, all while carrying an irresistible charm.”

His words sparked something in me, and I found myself picturing what it would be like to lead such an exciting and independent lifestyle. I immediately asked him, “How?”.

He then began jotting down notes in a notebook and proceeded to share a presentation detailing an organizational strategy designed to help individuals generate income by recruiting others into the company. He was introducing us to a network marketing company. I was familiar with network marketing because my parents were consumers of products from a network marketing company. But I had never seen any person living such a lifestyle in his twenties. So, that compelled me to know more about the company.

“I want to know more about this. After that, I will join you,” I declared, my curiosity piqued.

“Okay! Meet me at the college mall after class hours. I will introduce you to a person who can provide you with all the intricate details,” Shubham responded, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

A Promise of More to Come

The night stretched endlessly as I tossed and turned, restless with anticipation. The next day, Class ended at 5 PM, and I dialed Shubham’s number immediately. “Where are you?” I asked with excitement.

“I’m already here at the mall. Come on over,” said Shubham.

Navigating through the mall’s vibrant bustle, I finally spotted Shubham. He led me to a quiet corner furnished with empty tables and chairs.

“Just wait a few minutes, he’s almost here,” Shubham advised before disappearing into the crowd.

I was feeling a bit nervous and also excited. After some time, a guy wearing formals came up to me and prostrated his hand with confidence to greet me.

With a confident smile, he extended his hand in greeting, his aura radiating assurance. “Hello, my name is Harshvardhan” he said, his voice resonating with authority.

Our conversation began, unravelling a world I had never known. I listened, astonished and a bit puzzled, as he painted a picture of a different reality.

Stay tuned to know what did he say and what happened to my decision to join the company…