An adventure of a lifetime

Everyone is aware of the troubles faced by Kashmir. A place so beautiful deserves a lot better. After hearing and reading all that there is about the tension in the city I would really like to share a first hand experience about my trip to the place. Although it was seven years back, it is still a memory fresh in my mind notorious for being a one in a lifetime experience.

At that time I was about 10 or 11 years old and me, my parents n my sis were on a trip to the famous Vaishnodevi temple. Everything went without a hitch but suddenly my dad was overcome by a fetish for adventure. On the spot we decided to visit Kashmir, the paradise of India. We were apprehensive because of the tension and the bombings there, but decided to take a chance. Next minute without telling our family back home we were on our way to the city.

We got in contact with a driver Chain Singh who was an ex-army officer. He agreed to take us to Srinagar. In the end he turned out to be a blessing in disguise for us. He filled us in on our dangerous journey and warned us that if we heard any sound of mayhem or gunshots we had to put our heads under our car seats immediately. That was enough to make us pack our bags and leave but we still decided to continue. On the way we saw that the road was eerily empty. Not a single vehicle was on the road. A few scattered jawans at every metre kept staring at our car as we whizzed by. Chain Singh then explained that these were "sensitive" areas. He already told us of the possible questions that could be asked by the jawans and the replies that should be given. All this was enough to silence us. Thus came the check points. Chain Singh had already told us of it but my parents were definitely scared to death when they had to leave their two small daughters in the car alone and walk away from the car for some distance. Me and my sister were still kids, oblivious to the harsh surroundings. Fortunately it went smoothly.

We soon got hungry as it was past our lunchtime. Chain Singh stopped the car near an unusual dhaba at the corner of the road. A rather pink Kashmiri welcomed us and told us to be seated. A stiffening silence enveloped us. Me and my sis strolled around outside where there were a few ducks and hens around pecking grains. My sis began chasing them. Soon the dhaba owner and a few men struck a conversation with my parents. Their kind and friendly tone surely provided some solace to my parents. Chain Singh sat in a corner making some signs but my father did not think much about it and continued talking. The men even played with the birds along with us and we ended up calling them 'chacha'. Later when we finished our meals and were washing our hands, Chain Singh came behind us and whispered to my father that those men were militants and we should be careful about what we tell them. My father was too shocked for words. Then he saw the same man talking kindly to my sister some time back now cleaning the barrel of a gun. After whispering in my mom's ears, my parents almost dragged us to the car as we were not ready to go willingly. Once we continued our trip, my parents were really confused as to how the same militants known for bombing and killing innocent people could be such masters of hospitality and kindness, a confusion that even I share today.

Our next stop was the houseboat on Dal lake where we had to stay for three days. The houseboat we got was owned by a Mr.Basheera and was named Golden Lily. Basheera was very kind and told us to be comfortable. As we made our way around the houseboat we noticed the rooms were very spacious and beautiful. Basheera had three kids, a wife in a burkha and old parents. Their living depended on the income generated by tourists which was meagre due to the trying times. As evening settled we realised there was no electricity. Basheera told us that the electric powerhouse had been bombed a few days back and we should remain indoors as no one should know about tourists staying there. Later at night we dozed away fitfully clutching the hot water bags given to us with the temperature dropping to -5 degrees.
The next morning Chain Singh and Basheera had an argument about going to Gulmarg, the next trip in our itinery. Basheera said it was a very sensitive place with the recent firing and killing of many Sikh men. Such inflamed words had become almost a habit to our ears and we decided to go along with the plan. On the way there were the usual jawans on guard. Indeed I will always salute their spirit for standing there in the most severe of winters without a fear in their souls. Gulmarg turned out to be a place straight out of a picture postcard!! It was a most enchanting and beautiful place. The guides took us to a store where we found warm clothes on hire. At the same time a bus with some Bangladeshi tourists arrived and then left just as unexpectedly. No one knew the reason. As we sledged through the vast snow, we were introduced to Raj Kapoor's bungalow along with a few others belonging to Kashmiri pandits who had fled long ago in fear of their lives after a massacre. The guides were very kind and were pleased to play with us. They even made us a snowman and took us to a warm cabin with a furnace when we developed frostbite. Exhausted after four hours we left quite pink in the face. The jawan in a chowkie outside asked us if we had faced any problem or if we liked the place and would wish to come again. The next two days we frequented Shikara to shop for some Kashmiri goods and the Shiva temple.
The next place we had to go was Amritsar. To reach there we had to stop at Jammu. But news arrived that due to elections Jammu would be closed for six days!! However we had to reach Amritsar in two days or we would miss the train that would take us back home. The curfew would leave us stranded in a hostile place for God knows how long!! Then Chain Singh said he would take us to Amritsar in a day by car and we would leave early in the morning. Quickly agreeing, we set out at dawn. Chain Singh was surely sent to us by the heavens above as he drove throughout the day like a mad man and finally brought us to Amritsar. Once there we could not thank him enough for all his help and support and tipped him heavily. He responded humbly and fulfilling his duty waved goodbye. Thus we returned to Mumbai safe and sound.
Although I have had many journeys all these years all have faded from memory except this one. Thanks to the fact that we returned home unscathed from a place filled with beauty and terror. Hence I thought of sharing the experience with all my friends. Kashmir, the paradise of India, the most beautiful place in the world with all its kind and friendly people surely deserves much better!!