Srinagar, July 15 -- Some climbs don't feel like exercise. They feel like a return. And that's what happened the day I walked up Takht-i-Sulaiman -Shankaracharya Hill, as many call it.

I wasn't looking for a view, but for a moment of stillness in a place that carries more than just reverence.

The hill rises just above Srinagar. From the base, it looks unshakable, like it's always been watching.

The city still slept when I began, its noise tucked under the early light. A few stray dogs stretched along the roadside. Dal Lake mirrored the sky.

The steps curved up through pines and rocks, each one carved deeper by time than the last.

They say this hill was once a throne for Solomon. Others say it was a sun temple long before gods had nam...