Next morning we were scheduled for Gulmarg
but our "new" driver, Shahid said most emphatically "Nahee, aj aap ka Sonmarg hi hai"
(you are to go to Sonmarg today). He
sounded dictatorial adding to my uneasiness.
All attempts to convince him failed miserably as he remained adamant. I got nervous, my mind conjuring the most
horrible chain of events and consequences thereafter. And then started to imagine what if this was
some ploy and what if he takes us hostage by diverting our plans. Finally, we conceded; my husband assured it
was only a slight mix up. So, off we
drove through the city, into the suburbs and away from busy locales towards the
mountains. We drove past the road to the
famous Hazrat Bal Mosque, but it was a detour not allowed in our package. Ranjit, assured "next time" and I
sighed softly. Shahid, who was watching
my expression, grabbed the opportunity to win the heart of this "Alag
Kaulkatta Madamji"
who did not scold her husband with her "khich khich!!” So he looked at me through his mirror and
asked "aap ko jana hai?” I turned to Ranjit for his approval and Shahid
repeated "aap bas bolo, aap ko jana hai?” I muttered "haan, par..". He turned to my hubby and said "Saab
agar time mile toh wapasi ke samay hum jayenge- jo Shahid ke taraf se Madamji
ko tohfa!!!” A faint smile appeared on
my lips and Shahid knew he had succeeded, in easing the tension that had engulfed
me since morning.
While we drove upwards, Shahid
rattled off enough information to embarrass Wikipedia. Noisy and talkative, distinctly contrasting,
with the solitude around us wanting to know every detail of our family. I was suspicious; why must he ask how much
money we made? Where we worked? Was he...??
So each time Ranjit started to give away details, I butted in with
irrelevant questions. Finally, I decided
to concentrate on the place and not think of the dreadful warnings I was
dispatched with.
The road to Sonmarg is rugged and
rough but the snow-capped peaks at a distance made us go click crazy. Shahid smiled and told us to wait till he showed
us the best photo opportunities. Yet to
me every frame was an opportunity and it pained me to see so much poverty. All remote localities are such treat to the
eyes, yet inhabited by people who live in paucity and their lives are bereft of
bare minimum.
At the foot of the mountains, was a
clearer view of the snow capped peaks that we sighted from the villages. We were overjoyed and eager to get to the
top. A swift introduction with the
"ghora wallahs" and Shahid was gone.
We realised the entire journey through the Thajiwas Wildlife Sanctuary
up to the glacier on ponies would take roughly three hours. Three hours? On
Ponies, in a Wildlife Sanctuary that is disconcertingly close to disturbed
borders!! Unable to spot much habitation
I was beginning to speculate but put up a brave front. It was just us, handful tourists and the
Horse Men. Surrounded by a group of
unknown men who were forceful in every act, right from the selection of horses
to the price we would pay the atmosphere suddenly turned claustrophobic. Pushing and demanding their way into our
preferences they resembled the terrains; rugged and ravaged. To add to my misery, Stephie who was seeing
Ponies at close proximity for the first time started bawling loud enough to
raise the dead! Hapless and helpless, I
drowned the wail with my loudest "Shut-up Stephie". The fear that I carried into the hills from
my home in the plains was getting the better of me. It was beginning to show.
An elderly horseman comforted Stephie
"Koi baat nahi..Choti acchi bacchii..ghore acche hai..maza
ayegi..." A quick lesson on horse
riding and we set for the mountains. My
heart beat louder than the horses hooves yet I smiled bravely as though the
whole affair was a piece of cake. This I
assure you was one of my toughest Mommy Moments. We were expected to take control of our
individual horses with minimum assistance.
While Ranjit and Stephie's male horses stayed on track, Sam and I had to
deal with wandering females! Sam felt
adventurous but I panicked whenever my lady decided to gallop away. The incline to me was always a sharp 90
degree and I promise you I will not be able to do this again save under the
influence of Dionysus! Despite all attempts of the horsemen to take
us right up to the glacier, we decided to turn back after Maggi Point. This is where you stop for a bite and get
warm. We were freezing as the weather
turned bad all of a sudden. "Khuda
meherbaan aap bahut takdirwale ho..." that was the verdict of the locals
as we were experiencing the first snow fall for the season. They said the year would bring good fortune
for us. I am waiting... no signs yet; though
time has run out, am hopeful still...!
The human mind is perhaps
the most complicated, fragile and fickle.
In a matter of moments, an angel turns a gorgon, beauty becomes menacing
and pleasure turns punishing. The very
mountains that looked beautiful from down below suddenly turned harsh and
cruel. It was cold and windy added with icy
drops of precipitation that bit into our faces.
My baby girl was just not happy anymore and so we declared it was too
arduous for enjoyment and sacrificed seeing the glacier. One of the horse men got Sam a huge chunk of
ice from the glacier. And then we happily
retreated. Despite the disappointment of
not making it, and amidst promises of coming back and taking the journey again,
on the same ghoras, we did not fail to make the horsemen happy. And they blest us even more generously than
we appeared to them.
I was relieved to
see Shahid waiting at the foot of the hill.
Just one trip with him and already this young lad made me feel very
comfortable and safe. Sonmarg will
remain in my memory for long as the most unsteady terrain that I have
experienced thus far. We made a quick
exit back to Srinagar and gorged on the most delicious local food for
lunch. A brief stop at the promised
Hazrat Bal Masjid erased my distress for the day. We returned to steaming cups of tea that
finally arrived a little before dinner because "Mama" had taken the order and decided to disappear!
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