Above the Clouds — A Morning at Surkanda Devi

The road to Surkanda Devi was still wrapped in morning mist when I began the climb. The air was cold, the path was quiet, and every few steps revealed another glimpse of the mountains through the trees.

As I climbed higher, the sounds of the road slowly disappeared.

There were only footsteps, rustling leaves and the occasional temple bell carried by the wind.

The climb was tiring, but the mountains had their own way of making you forget the distance. Small tea stalls appeared along the path, prayer flags fluttered above the trail, and pilgrims moved ahead with quiet determination.

Then, suddenly, the temple appeared.

Standing high above the valleys, Surkanda Devi seemed to rise directly from the clouds. The wind was stronger at the top, carrying the fragrance of incense and the sound of bells across the ridge.

I stood near the temple courtyard and looked around.

Clouds floated below the hill, while distant mountain ranges appeared and disappeared behind the mist. For a few moments, it felt as though the world had been left somewhere far below.

Inside the temple, people folded their hands in prayer. Some had climbed with families, some carried offerings, and others simply stood silently before the goddess.

I did not ask for anything.

I only closed my eyes and listened.

The bells, the wind and the distant voices seemed to become one sound. The tiredness of the climb disappeared, replaced by a calm that was difficult to explain.

Perhaps that is what the mountains do.

They make you climb with a thousand thoughts and allow you to return with only a few.

When I began walking down, the mist had started to clear. The path looked familiar, yet something inside me felt different.

Surkanda Devi was not only a temple at the top of a hill.

It was a reminder that sometimes, peace waits above the clouds—and we must climb a little to find it.