Old Monk in New Bottle

 Living Alternatively: A Blog Series with Those Exploring a Different Way of Life

Caught in the midst of meeting professional deadlines, family and social commitments, and securing our future emotionally and financially, most of us seem to have embraced stress and the rising insecurities of modern-day life as the new normal. However, we try to walk that thin line; balance eludes most of us as life slips through our hands.

While catastrophes like limited resources, climate change, conflicts, and the sword of war hanging between countries can strike us unheralded, a minimalist life or an alternative way of living seems like a myth. This new blog series seeks to interact with those who have been 'leading a different way of life.'

Natural Rhythm of Life: Chitra Nandan

Let's start with Chitra Nandan, a humble, unassuming person who loves to explore places, nature, and people. Self-proclaimed friend of nature, we would often mistake her simplicity and introvertedness for being 'just another lady' or a 'solo traveler.' However, there is much more to Chitra than what meets the eye.

I met her at the Krishnamurti Himalayan Retreat Centre in Jalana, and I also considered her a long-time associate of the Krishnamurti Foundation (KFI). But as the conversation unfolded, you gradually understand that Chitra is exploring an alternative way of life, as she cannot provide answers to stereotypical questions we pose, 'Where do you live?' or 'What do you do for your profession?'

"I am a friend of nature," she says. "While I may have a lot of extended family and friends, I have lived most of my life in the Himalayas, shuttling between cities like Bangalore and Kolkata. I used to conduct workshops for kids on reading, art, drawing, nature, and miscellaneous topics; now I take life one day at a time." That's Chitra for you.

While everyone in the small town of Jalana, nestled in the Almora district of Uttarakhand in the Himalayas, knew Chitra, I understood that she had spent a considerable amount of time in this town. While I love to explore unknown places unlike tourist spots, it was nice to explore this town, small hillocks, and visiting all the houses she lived in. She took us to the old house, which, like many houses in the town, is now in a semi-dilapidated state and has no one to look after it. While her kitchen overlooked the Himalayan peaks, she said, "It's wonderful cooking with the Himalayas."

While she always stayed on rent, her conversations made us familiar with her different way of living, walking long distances for groceries, managing without a vehicle, and adapting to extreme weather conditions. For Chitra, it was just part of being close to nature. In passing, she would say she can walk any distance with ease. Nobody would say she was nearing 70 as she climbed the hillocks with ease.

While walking back, I spotted a terrace of a nice church and felt I should walk into that terrace to get a glimpse of the Himalayan peaks. I just asked Chitra, and she straight away walked in and made a way for us. We chatted with the caretaker there for nearly half an hour. Otherwise preferring silence, Chitra would almost speak to every person en route, which made me understand how closely she was in sync with the life villagers lived and what new developments were happening in the village.

Nature is close to Chitra's heart, and she feels we are destroying it by all means in the name of development. "We can be silent with trees; they talk to us. I can look at a tree for hours, and it's so serene. Preserving nature is great; that takes us a step closer to understanding what it means to be alive and also the damage we do to the environment at the cost of natural resources." Conservation, relaxation, and simplicity are often the topics Chitra takes up in her workshops.

While we speak of a minimalist life, Chitra is living it to the fullest. She agrees that nowadays we have a problem of plenty – plenty of clothes, things, objects, commitments, plans, relationships, and plenty is complicating our lives. "I have minimal clothes; most of them are gifted by friends and family. I cook, eat whatever I get, and still, that's more than enough. The fabrication industry is one of the most polluting on earth, and we never stop accumulating things," she asserts.

Refusing to be merely labeled as a solo traveler, she has crisscrossed most of India and a few places abroad. "I don't go on hopping tours to places. But I don't want to live and settle in one place either. When we are moving, we not only understand the diversity and the way of life in different parts but really live with minimal, can pack bags anytime, and are best prepared for uncertainties."

Isn't there a problem in being a 'single woman' solo traveler? "As a woman, I don't face any problems. But we need to be cautious and believe in the inherent goodness of humanity. I love long walks, I always travel by train, depend on public transport, and do everything economically."

Chitra loves poetry and painting and has her art books filled with sketches of nature. "It's just with a pen, pencil, and paper. We don't need all that paraphernalia of colors, different types of pens, and expensive things." Most of her mandala art and concept of life, Chitra can draw a tree from as many free angles.

Aren't you worried about tomorrow, when you grow older? "I don't worry about tomorrow. Age is just a number if you live minimally and naturally. Aging is as natural as living is..." she smiles, leaving an indelible impression of grace and wisdom.