Like all of them I was filling my flask
with snow!

I was the chotu from Karnataka & Goa NCC Battalion
who was fortunate to attend a trekking expedition
to Pindari and Kafni glaciers way back when I
was in school and life was simpler.

We hurriedly finished our oily pooris with channa
and gulped hot watery tea in our own special flask
lid that served as a cup.

I got my rucksack up and joined the file.
We had to walk several kilometers from the base
camp to reach the ‘zero-point’.

I had no worries - the experience of walking through
the hills on the narrow path was pure happiness.

With every step, I caught the scent of the wind and the sight of Pine trees.

We stopped and sipped some real good tea in a brass cup.
The brass cup burned my lips and I was not complaining.

The houses here are built with layers of stone
and it blended well with the surrounding.

We started climbing up slowly –exactly the way
it feels when the plane takes off.

It was bright and sunny, and we were amidst
huge Mountains covered in white!

I forgot about Hawaldars or rules and I ran into
a football field sized area covered with snow.
I remember a blue flower.

Next, we were all posing next to the zero-point board,
behind that was the glacier -where huge rocks of snow
were cascading down.

There was no reason for the photographer to say cheese!

Darkness fell and after a quick dinner I joined my Arunachal
friends. Out of the lot I remember Kokiel.

Kokiel and I lied down on the durrie against the rucksack pillow.

“uppar dekh ”.

The sky was covered with millions of stars!
It was such a wonderful sight!

I had never seen so many stars –they looked like diamonds
on purple-black velvet!

Traveling can open our eyes and teach us to experience
simple things and derive maximum happiness by doing that.

Today it makes me think!