Inari: Home on the edge of a frozen lake

One of Finland’s largest municipalities but ironically the most sparsely populated, Inari boasts of being located right under the aurora oval, therefore making it one of the best places on Earth to watch the magnificent green lights.

A red cabin on wheels with glass on all sides, the euphoric whispers of the crystalline snowflakes dripping on the moisture-laden walls and not a speck of light. As you lay curled up in the orange and red comforter enjoying the vibe inside, the sky suddenly lights up. The greens, purples, and indigos of the Aurora start dancing up above you in the rhythm of the song that is playing in the background. You scout for your lens and by the time you are ready, they are gone. Only to be back an hour later, brighter and stronger than before, showcasing a pageant of blissful brilliance and joyous skies against the background of this little idyllic Sami village of Finland, lovingly called Inari. A memory well captured and a moment well lived. Blessed, if nothing else.

Strategically distanced at about 265 kms north of the Arctic Circle, the settlement attracts much fewer tourists than the neighbouring locale of Rovaniemi, which is home for the more popular Santa Claus Village and the Santa Park. It is also meticulously camouflaged within the rugged conifers of the pines and spruces, well-engineered to retain its position as one of the most well-kept secrets that Finland has to offer. This status of which, in turn, catalyses its position as a magnetic hotspot for those few who trot the world vastly in search of ultimate peace and tranquillity.

How to reach?
The nearest airport to Inari is Ivalo, less than 50 kms away. Flights are available from Helsinki to Ivalo at spaced intervals. From here, there are private transfers, buses and airport shuttles that can take you to the village

Not just obsessed with its regular display of nocturnal colours, this tiny hamlet is also a beautiful juxtaposition of indigenous Sami tradition and modern Finnish lifestyle. The houses dotting the shores with their state-of-the-art infrastructure is a fine reflection of urban contemporary architecture fused in with reflections from the surrounding landscape.

The other side of the village road seems to keep the Finnish tradition alive, where one can see some tour-de-divergences on the street corners signalling the presence of wood-burning classic saunas. Some of them are DIY just like ours. We stacked up the wood in the closed-door cabin, heated the rocks and kept pouring cold water on them. As the temperature started rising, we could see the rising vapours provide for a stark contrast to the misty snowflakes on the outside.

Wrapped up in towels with champagne on our sides, we sat watching the premature moon overwhelm the hazy horizon, brooding over life as tickling sweat lines ran down our spines. After a while when the heat felt too much, we ran out, rolled ourselves in the snow and hurried back in, the conflicting degrees injecting instant adrenaline to both our bodies and minds. A feeling best described as voraciously thrilling, and at the same time heartwarmingly indulgent & rewarding.

Bordered by the icy coastline of the third largest lake in Finland, Inari also finds itself settled by the shores of Lake Inari or Inarijärvi in Finnish. Packed with ice from November to early June, the lake becomes a frozen home for adventure enthusiasts who come looking for revelry in the Scandinavian winter. To get a taste of the same, there are these portable cabins where you can choose to stay, each of them bright red and hand-crafted by the host himself. Comfortable on the inside with a cute bed, warm linen and charging outlets, he carries each one of them at night on his snowmobile to the heart of the frigid surface.

Here, in isolation, away from the humdrum of all urban interference, you can gaze at the dazzling auroras all night long, while lying in the comfort of your well-heated berths. In the wee hours of the morning, if fortunate, you can also witness the sky changing colours, cyans and ambers crumbling into multiple shades of golds and tangerines. The transformation is so spectacular and so philosophical that you almost feel like you have entered the next phase, a spectacle of supreme transcendence, where nothing else matters, except some marvellous divine intervention.

They say every place must have a narrative and Inari has its own. Fairly simple, yet deeply spiritual. Drunk in shy, solitude and silence. So impossible, yet so real. So foreign, yet so home.

Editors note:

Where to stay?
Lake Inari Mobile Cabins is one of the most beautiful ways to watch the Northern Lights from a hand-made glass cabin. Modern upscale hotels like Wilderness Hotel Inari which have luxury chalets, log huts and aurora cabins also make for a great stay.

What to do?
Aurora chasing, ice fishing, reindeer farm visits are must when in Inari. To indulge in the Sami culture you can take a tour of the Siida - Sami Museum and Nature Center. If you have enough time, you can also plan a visit to the Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church, one of the oldest buildings in Northern Lapland.

About the author:
"Enchanted by the fragility and the unpredictability of the Arctic, the author is forever in awe of places having unusual histories and unknown futures. When not globe stalking, she helps people discover places through her stories. You can find here here"

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