We visited Deomali, the highest mountain in Odisha, during my Dussehra vacation last year. After a long drive from Nabarangpur, we reached the Deomali hills at around 3 PM. The roads were very narrow, and we travelled through winding serpentine hill roads to reach there.

Even though it was a sunny day, it became quite cold when we reached the base of the mountain. I quickly put on my earmuffs because we were going to climb the mountain. We saw many tourists coming down from the top. They all looked very tired, but at the same time very happy.My father packed a few water bottles into his backpack and said, “Let’s start immediately, otherwise it will get late.” My mother looked at the mountain with some fear and astonishment. Maybe she was not feeling very confident about the trek. But I pulled my mother along and encouraged her for this exciting mountain adventure.

My father was shocked to see how eagerly I was climbing the mountain. I was much faster than my parents. My father had injured his leg one year earlier, but he was still very determined to climb the mountain.

We met many visitors on the way. Some people were climbing up while others were coming down. Many were taking pictures, some were enjoying snacks, and some were sitting and talking while taking a break.

The mountain had many uneven rocks and stones, so it was not easy to climb straight up. Sometimes we had to change our path to make the climb easier, but we also had to make sure we were not going the wrong way. At times, I walked so fast that my parents became far behind me, and I could not see anyone ahead of me. So I had to slow down or go back to join them.

We came across many huge rocks, and some of the small stones rolled down whenever we stepped on them. So we had to be very careful to avoid accidents. I could imagine how dangerous it would become during the rainy season. It might even become impossible to climb.

Sometimes I felt scared when I looked down and realized how high we had climbed.

When we reached the middle of the mountain, my mother became very tired and frightened. Her legs were hurting badly, and she slowly lost confidence about reaching the top. She said, “I cannot walk anymore.” By that time, we had already completed almost 80% of the climb. We could see a red flag at the top of the mountain, and people reaching there were shouting loudly with excitement.

My father and I were also very excited to reach the top. But after seeing my mother’s condition, we decided to stop and take some rest. My father gently massaged her legs, but she was still in pain.My mother told both of us to continue climbing while she waited there. But we did not feel safe leaving her alone. So after resting for some time, we finally decided to return down the mountain together.

Climbing down was also not easy because the tiny pebbles and stones rolled down whenever we stepped on them. My father held my hand because I was moving too fast. He warned me that I might lose control and fall if I did not slow down.

While climbing up, we were slow. But while climbing down, we were much faster — maybe because of Earth’s gravity!

Finally, we safely reached the base of the mountain, where our cab driver was waiting for us. The driver asked whether we had reached the top. My father jokingly replied, “We were the only people who reached the top!” We all laughed loudly.

Even though we could not actually reach the top, we still enjoyed the trek very much. We loved the greenery, the magnificent hills, the floating clouds, and the beautiful blue sky. Visiting Deomali became an unforgettable memory for our family. If I ever get another chance, I will surely visit again — and next time, I will definitely reach the top of the mountain.