Shernaz Wadia
Pune, Maharashtra, India

Rock Stars of the Outback

The aquamarine Indian Ocean glitters to our left along the drive up north from Perth. Spiky, stunted vegetation, interspersed with flowering trees, graces the right side en route to the Pinnacles Desert with its pillars formed of lime-rich sand and ancient seashells. It is nature—raw and unrefined—a gateway into the unknown.

This millennia-old site, about 60 meters above sea level, evokes reverence. Thousands of the mystifying columns rise above a yellow sand bed. Many of them daunt at 3.5 to 5 meters in height, some with jagged points and others mushroom-like with rounded, hard, calcrete caps that protect the frail formations.

Wandering among these ancient sage-like structures is to expand the margins of oneself and slide into a meditative trance; into a strange beyond. The ego slinks away; only deep awe fills the mind and spirit.

on one foot
palms joined overhead
in salutation
a yogi blends
into the environment

Author's Note: The Pinnacles Desert lies deep within the Nambung National Park in Western Australia. The "pinnacles" were first spotted in 1699 by explorer William Dampier's sailors, who at first thought they formed an ancient city. The best time to visit this area is during Australia's late winter to early spring.