‘Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.‘- Roald Dahl
In life, there are some valuable lessons that you can learn only from children. Or, their books!
I consider myself one of the first few alumni from Hogwarts, simply because I’ve traversed life’s paths with a mystical aura shrouding me. It’s a feeling I can’t explain, yet so palpable that I can’t shake off either!
So when the Hinatuan Enchanted River gushed mesmerizingly on my FB feed, I was simply lost for words. Have a look.
A barrage of questions assaulted my hypnotized brain. How on earth is this deep spring river so crystal clear, though it bursts forth from an underground cave system that might obviously have some dirt and grit stuck to it, and then traverses a muddy jungle for a short 600 m, before melding with the Philippine Sea?
How do you explain no one’s ever been able to scour the depths of the enchanted river, for close to quarter of a century, thereby earning it the moniker of a bottomless river?
To be fair, one explorer did make some headway by descending further into the inky darkness of the submerged caves, but he never did live to tell its tale. What mysterious force triggered that heart attack in him, so as not to spill the secrets of his watery grave?
How is the water such an indescribable shade of azure? Locals are adamant the fairies stirred the waters with their magical wands, until their handiwork sparkled like an amalgamation of jade and sapphires! This is an unachievable hue, a shade impossible to replicate, and so many seasoned artists look like bumbling amateurs whilst trying to bring the Hinatuan to life!
This mystical river empties into saline entities only at its southern end. Why then is it brackish in its upper reaches, when rivers are generally fresh-water bodies?
Another enigma is why are the fish in this river so elusive? ‘They can be sighted, never caught!!!’ is the eternal grouse of the local fisherfolk.
How do these fish simply apparate for their meal, when the mournful ‘Hymn of Hinatuan‘ is blared from loudspeakers at 12 p.m.?
Well, I might be able to demystify this phenomenon, since the Filipino culture can’t be all that diverse from the Indian one. I suppose most Asian cultures concur noon is when the souls come out to feed. It is a common practice for cemeteries to be locked up right before mid-day!
Legend has it that the engkantos (a broad, sweeping term for mythical friendly creatures like mermaids, fairies, elves and spirits) that dwell in the depths of the enchanted river are to be credited for stoically preserving its magic. These beautiful lines at the beginning of the biographical religious classic, ‘The Song of Bernadette‘ have stuck with me till date, and make so much sense in the current context.
‘To those who believe, no explanation is necessary. To those who don’t, no explanation is possible.‘🤷♀️
All the skeptics who denounce the very idea of enchanted life-forms co-existing in nature, you have been warned!😅
Steer clear of Mindanao Isle, lest your pre-conceived notions take a deep dive into the Enchanted River😂
On the flip side, if that happens, we’ll at least be able to gauge the depths of the river for free! 🤣🤣🤣
Free one-way trips to exotic corners of the world! 