With Kitty on the steering wheel, maneuvering the sharp and
quick turns on the thin and treacherous road in the remote mountains of Himachal
Pradesh, the sun was getting hot. We saw an old couple walking. Kitty offered
them a lift which they readily accepted. I saw an exotic bird perched on top of
a tree. I got down telling Kitty to continue while I decided to walk after
taking some pictures. Kitty moved on
with the couple. I took some pictures and walked for a couple of miles. Neither
Kitty nor the car was in sight. My mobile was in the glove compartment of the car
and there was no way to contact Kitty. A young man came and to my relief said
that Kitty was in his home with his family and he had come to fetch me. We reached his small village, Suki Johri that
had just three four houses surrounded by small terrace fields and there was
Kitty enjoying a cup of tea, chatting merrily with a bunch of womenfolk while kids were playing around. I too was
offered a cup of tea and trust me it tasted so good.
The family shared with us their way of life. Theirs was a joint family comprising of
parents, two brothers and their spouses and the kids besides a daughter whose husband
sacrificed his life for the nation being a soldier. The men
walk for miles together for work every day while the womenfolk looked after the
household chores, farming and take their cows and goats for grazing. . Their fields yielded enough wheat and vegetables
to meet their requirements. The butter and
milk came from their cows and goats. Crystal
clear water rich with minerals came from the “Chasma“nearby. Earlier, they lived in temporary hutments but
now their house was of concrete with proper sanitation and electricity with
certain basic facilities like TV and Radio. Their pets included a healthy fowl,
a white rabbit and a dog that is not only protective of the family but also of
the fowl and the rabbit.
They lead a simple yet tough life but they felt contented. To
us , their life was a real bliss. They lived in unison with nature in a pollution
free environment, unaffected by the stress and strains of the urban life. The radiance
of innocence was writ on their faces.
It was time to depart. They took a promise from us that we
will visit again. Surely we will do because it was a blessing to meet such a
lovely family. We had a feeling that we
knew the family for ages. While we were leaving, the lady brought from her house
a beautifully crafted basket made out of dry twigs by her own hands . Surely, the family has heart made
of gold. Kitty says this is the best
gift she has ever received.
The journey continues………….
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