There is a feeling of exuberance as I share this note with you today; remember Bholu & Chatur, how they aspire to have what most of us ( the big city guys) dream of. Well they surely studied us keenly and realised how our lives revolve around Cedia right now; not only us but of all of our friends n folks too. Guess what....Bholu and Chatur have bought their very own Cedia!!! ...... the urban dream car (am little sad too as they sold a part of their land for an industrial area coming up around their village). They have gone back....happy, satisfied & elated.
We had planned to take them along with us on the drive, if we get through the grilling auditions ; and now when these guys have a Cedia..... we already have an offer from them (but i guess we won't fit into their car.... so we'd rather wait for ours)
We surely wouldn't get to see them through the auditions, but hope even our dream comes true. Amen! We'll share their perspective of modern developed India along with ours of unadulterated India.....till then.....Sayonara
TRAVEL FROM THE PAST
Pin Valley - 'eXODUS to the dESOLATE Lands'
'a wALK with the sHADOWS' - an early morning walk with the goats in Teling
‘the land of Ibex and snow leapords’….that’s what Pin Valley is known as. Though we had to make-do only with red fox and mountain goats….nonetheless their sight was equally fascinating (see the video).
Meandering its way off the Tabo-Kaza highway, crossing over river spiti, the dusty road rolled into a new world- an exodus from already afar lands to the desolate ones. Saw edged mountains covered with fresh snow, stood tall, seemingly threatening for the tiny white-washed villages of Pin valley.
.....a wind eroded mountain line near Lidang
bridge near Sagnam Village - Pin Valley
The dream run to our destination, Mud village, was halted abruptly by road block, due to landslides after heavy snowfall for 3 continuous days….’yeah that crazy after-snowfall ride from kibber to kaza still glistens like fresh snow in my mind’. We took a detour from Sagnam village to Teling, a small village with just a few lucky (if I may say so!!) families. Surrounded by chain-sawed mountains from one side, big boulder like hills on the other and a river slithering silently along, Teling is like a meditation haven….and no need to close your eyes for this one. Though it doesn’t need a mention but yeah there was no guest house or any commercial place to stay….but the wanderers do manage a night stay with local families for a small sum….like we did. This was another experience added to the list of night halts in tent, tent dormitory, monastry, army cants and dingy guest houses ( even the PWD ones).
Teling Village shadowed by a saw-edged mountain
Few steps in a narrow alley of a mud and stone house led us to a small room packed with 3 beds and an old wooden coffee table. A wooden pillar in the center appeared to be holding up the roof…washed out paint…a small boat painting and and an old calendar with a vintage photograph pasted on it…added up for a complete new wonderous experience…craziest was the loo with just a hole dug in the centre, in front of a haystack…and a rope hanging from the roof (god knows for what)…everything was so alien (it was our introduction to the cess pool) ….so we all resorted to a leak in the nearby fields. That night was bone-chilling cold and sky completely star studded….glitzier than the covers of ‘STARDUST’….and density more than the population of Mumbai.
....the room we stayed in
.....and view from it's window
Jace sewing up my torn denim
An early morning walk with the family out to graze a herd of goats n sheep was purifying… .a nice custom where-in everyday a family takes the complete herd of the entire village out for grazing.
'fAMILY of the dAY'
'tWIN - tROUBLE'
'HOrrrrrNY'
'sMILES and mORE'
Why so sERIOUS !!
'sPINNING dREAMS'
....the family we stayed with
Hop on to our side car and feel the journey from Kaza to Teling (pin valley).....an exodus to the desolate lands.
FEATURED FOLLOWER (read: companion)
Name: Manoj
Check out some gr8 pics by Manoj at;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40230852@N02/
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About us
Amit Singh ( read: the tranquility of the Himalayas) Jasleen Chopra (read: the effervescence of the Ganges) In the little journey of knowing us better that we are about to take you through, we hope to give you a reason to hook on to us.
This Dehradun guy has a keen interest in photography & observations he always seems to have a new muse. Travel albeit has remained a constant. Jasleen, a chatterbox, is happy with whatever comes her way.
