Onboard a live-aboard, perched upon a dream. KOMODO, 2025
My attempt at holding on -
Eleven of us, some known, some unknown, now attached to one another by a force of nature.
We sailed through a dream for seven days and our hearts sank a little as we neared the end.
Blankets of blue stretched across the surface of the ocean, dotted with lush green islands at uneven intervals - moments often dawned upon us where we collectively wondered - “No one in our external lives knows where we currently are ...”
Onboard a traditional phinisi boat with it’s creaking wooden planks and cosy corners - there remained a buzz throughout the day. Echoes of our laughter, the stomping of our dancing feet, the sighs of our sheer disbelief and a collective silence drenched in a loud scream for gratitude.
Each of us had left our regular lives behind and entered a bubble of innocent joy, of childlike amusement, of unending curiosity and complete transparency.
These days gone by make me realise how underrated simplicity is in today’s times. Complexity sells as if finding solutions to tangled up situations makes us somewhat superior - I beg to differ.
Simple living is a solution in itself, a luxury most of us don’t allow ourselves to appreciate.
No amount of frilly language or nuanced metaphors could describe the perpetual banter, the ever increasing guffaws, the never ending flow of energy to dance atop the boat deck - these emotions are what bring the soul closer.
Unabashed and unapologetic joy that lingers much after the cause of it seems to have faded.
Each time I return to open skies, fresh air, lofty mountains or the vast ocean, I am able to rekindle a special romance that gets cut off in an urban set up. This intimacy is often like standing in front of a mirror, or looking down at a still pond - the reflection brings out truth, revelation, moments of stillness and a moment to ponder.
This, amidst our hustling-bustling lives often gets neglected.
As we all would descend into the lap of the ocean, our eyes reflecting eachother’s disbelief and our hearts dancing outside of our body - we could never wrap our heads around nature’s art. Her creativity is at it’s best underwater.
Every critter with unique intricate patterns, each coral housing a family of frolicking fish, patterns of changing currents left on white sandy patches and gardens of diverse coral running down the reef for miles. We noticed interactions between different creatures and wondered what they thought about us as we remained awestruck by them.
Whoever created this magic must have had a palette of unimagined colours.
On some particularly special days we had the privilege of basking under levitating manta rays, we were blessed through the gentle eyes and distinctive spots of whale sharks, we stepped foot on the land of Komodo dragons and bathed in the milky way.
With life bubbling above, below and between the surface, it always felt like there was plenty to fill our individual cups.
We sailed from East to West (across the waters of Indonesia), covering a distance of approximately 865 nautical miles (400 kms) and during this journey, which began with us as acquaintances, we emerged a family. We experienced vulnerability together, and shared softness with one another. We didn’t hold back tears nor did we silence our laughter.
The silence that was beneath the surface of the ocean, penetrated so deep into each of our beings, we allowed it to consume us whole.
The human mind is conditioned to generate thoughts, questions, solutions, hypotheses and dialogue throughout the day. Within our highly stimulated lives and our attempt at keeping up, we are slowly beginning to forget the potential that exists in silence. ‘Nothingness’ is a state of being we are unable to handle and we end up scrambling for topics and subjects to keep the thoughts perpetually brewing.
This journey brought us back to our very core - a warm space that exists deep within each of us, remaining content despite external fluctuations. The intimacy with nature’s being made us realise how little is in our control and the delusion we live in as we are convinced otherwise.
The changing tide due to the waxing and waining moon, the rise of the sun and it’s timely departure (leaving the sky looking like a canvas of splashed pinks, oranges and fire), an aggressively approaching storm and crossing paths with an eagerly awaited underwater creature - none of these occurrences were in our control and there was a humble acceptance of it.
As we returned with full cups, soaring hearts and freshly carved memories; within each of us, sprouted a subtle realisation that none of it really mattered.
The words we use, the stories we tell and the past that we desperately try to hold onto - none of it matters. What matters is to keep the feeling of it alive within us. One that will hold us through the overwhelming chaos of our city lives and one that will remind us of our capability to live the most enthralling romance even when everything around us seems superficial.
The feeling of souls connecting through sparkling eyes and collective sighs. The feeling of realising how inconsequential we are against the grandeur that surrounds us, yet celebrating it!
Because, indeed, every lil’ thing is gonna be alright!
Bewater, Depths of SCUBA and Yoga is a new, dream venture of Myra Khanna and Rahul Mitra.
Through SCUBA trainings, outbound trips and retreats they hope to bring like minded people together who are interested in exploring the universe underwater, educating themselves about changes coming about in this ecosystem and simultaneously leaning into their inner being.
Education, awareness and respect are of utmost priority, along with a whole lot of celebration!!
Written by : Myra Khanna
All the underwater images have been shot by Rahul Mitra
The images on land are stolen from the memory box of various people who were on the recent trip to Komodo National Park.
omg serious FOMO!!
What a beautiful experience 🤍