After a round of discussions about where to visit, to relax from daily hassles generally followed by skirmishes, Jaya, my better half and I closeted for nearly ten minutes without any utterance. The atmosphere of the room was tense, as if, dark clouds hovered over her face. I stood up and broke the pin drop silence.

“Now, where do you want to visit?”

“Who am I to dictate?”

I kept quiet. A phone call came and I overheard Jaya’s voice. Nearly, after fifteen minutes, she came to my room.”

“Let us go to mountain.”

“Mountain?”

”Why not?”

“Ok, Ok.”

Finally, the place we decided to visit was known as the Switzerland of India, that is Manali some 500 kms away. Initially, we decided to go by car enjoying the hilly roads, but dropped the plan to avoid 12hrs of journey. So we flew to Manali from Delhi. We were ushered into the car at Kulumanali airport, or Bhuntur airport as it is known locally, on 20^th April 2008 morning at 10.00am. The car sped through the mountainous road, flanked by greeneries. The temperature was very pleasant at 15 degree centigrade; of course, a little chilled wind was blowing but manageable without any woollen clothes and my goodness, what a scenic beauty? By enjoying greeneries, the picturesque mountain pass, we reached the Manali heights resort at a level of 6000 ft after two hours and dumped our luggage. Jaya was not in a mood to waste any time and we were out to see one of the beautiful valleys in the mountain at 14000 ft by the name “Sohang Valley.” When we neared the destination of Sohang, a road closed sign was displayed by Para-military forces, because a sudden snow fall covered the road and our journey was disrupted. We came back to the hotel with a gloomy face.

: 2 :

On 21^st April 2008, we visited the Rohtang Pass, 52 kms from our hotel. Galloping through scenic beauties of the places called Nehru Kund, Kothi, Gulaba Camp, Rayla falls, Beas Nala, Marhi we reached Rohtang. Nehru Kund was in a dilapidated condition because of the wreckage of surrounding mountain rocks due to strong snow falls, nearly 6 months ago. At Kothi, we stopped the car to have a look to the mountain pass.

I cried, “Do not look at the bottom.”

Jaya retorted, “I am not coward like you.”

“Cowards die many times before their death but I don’t want to make friendship with Mrs. Death immediately.”

”Why?”

“Simple, very simple. Where will you get Mr. Live?”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

We enjoyed the classic beauty of Kothi resort and proceeded for Gulaba Camp and then Rayla Falls. We saw a strip of white affixed to the mountain in zigzag fashion like a snake was kissing the mountain. We were focused on the dazzling beauty of the static snow on the mountain. In the meantime, our car driver brought two cups of real good coffee and also broke the unpalatable news of another road blocked further upto Rohtang Pass. He advised a bit with smiling face to content our journey up to Marhi.

Jaya as usual got violent. “What are all these happenings?”

“You should have consulted an astrologer before leaving.”

“I would not consult an astrologer but insult not giving you company, henceforth.”

“Why?”

“You are the most unlucky fellow may be under this sun, in this world.”

: 3 :

Somehow we managed to reach Beas Nala from Rayla falls 16000 ft on the top, of course by a hand cart driven by roller arrangement pushed by two persons. It was a narrow road with an uneven path on one side, surrounded by hard rock snow and the other side straight down to ditches. I started chanting, Jaya got vivacious. After sometime we got down from the two seater typical two roller wooden handcart. Jaya jumped to the little higher level to the white ground full of snow. People were skating, driven by sledge car like in Eskimo. Photos were flashed endlessly. Young couples were hugging, kissing what not they were doing. I was in another world of dream.

“What happened, why you are looking to those young couples, let them do whatever they like to do.”

“I am enjoying.”

“What?”

“Snow and snow ball.”

“At your age of mid 50, you must concentrate on snow and think for white means cleanliness.”

Driver Vijay was damn good. Again he brought two cups of coffee which we finished and glanced the beauty of surroundings with enlivenment. We were nearly two hours at this Beas Nala , 4kms down side to Marhi. From here, within another 20kms, the highest mountain of Himalaya mountain near Manali, is the Rohtang Pass. Some say, it is identical from beauty, scenic point of view to Jungfru of Interlaken, Switzerland.

We started descending by the wooden wheel car to our parked vehicle down to Beas Nala. We reached the hotel within another two hours around 8.30 p.m. Next day, 22^nd April was our departure day, Jaya was very morose as she could not see the Sohang Valley, Rohatang Pass only to get a promise from me for visit in the future and that is the way, I pacified her and buy peace for momentarily.

THE END