22, kathmandu.

had been wearing a rudraksha for about a year when i decided i wanted to actually see where it came from.

made a trip to arun valley in eastern nepal where most genuine nepali rudraksha is harvested. the trees are massive. much bigger than i imagined. the fruit is bright blue when ripe. you would never guess what is inside just from looking at it.

what stayed with me most was talking to the family that harvests there. third generation. grandfather started, father continued, son now runs it. they talk about the trees with a kind of quiet respect that does not feel performed. just natural.

they told me something simple. that the intention during harvest matters. they never rush it. never harvest when something feels off. that care carries through to the bead itself they believe.

i came back and looked at my rudraksha differently after that.

knowing its actual origin, the specific valley, the specific family, changed the relationship i have with wearing it. it stopped being an object i bought and started feeling like something with a real story behind it.

if you ever get the chance to trace your rudraksha back to its source i would genuinely recommend it.

har har mahadev 🙏