Lansdowne - Small town with big dreams

Set in the garhwal region, Lansdowne is a small town with a population of about 10,000. It's so beautiful that it would be a criminal offense to try and explain in words. So, I leave you with a few pictures to plan your next holiday destination. 

As you enter the town, the army makes its presence felt. It's the home to the headquarters of the Garhwal Rifles. 

As I walked past the only market in the city, I met this man making paper bags. Plastic bags are banned in Lansdowne and the army makes sure that it's enforced. He has been living in Lansdowne all his life and proudly informed me that it was founded by the Viceroy, Lord Lansdowne in the late 19th century which is quite evident from  lovely British style bungalows and churches. Most of the bungalows serve as residence of the Army personnel, judges and other high ranking officers. When I asked if he likes staying in this obscure place, he said, there isn't much to do but if you are from ETV, please write that they should make some factories around so that the young people don't have to go to the cities to earn a living. Even if they pay less, we will be happy.

It is nothing like the other himalayan hill stations. This is the first hill station I visited which has no Mall Road hence, no irritating souvenir shops. People are so sweet that you might melt in their sweetness. These jeeps are the lifeline of the town. They line up early in the morning to take people to the nearby cities to get supplies. There's a huge water shortage in the region which makes farming almost impractical. So, food and other supplies needs to be replenished regularly. 

If you don't have a BSNL connection, you are in for a treat.  You need to trek/ drive to Tip-n-Top to make calls or use the phone booths. It was wonderful to leave my phone for a couple of days. The serenity is overwhelming.

Tip-n-top is 2-3 km from the main town. We visited the place twice but we took four different trekking routes to and fro. It's worth the pain. The views are absolutely stunning. Nanda Devi, Chaukhamba, Trishul and other high flying peaks are clearly visible. If you are trekking late after nightfall and lucky, you might even encounter a Cheetah. Don't worry, it won't eat you. 

Sunset

Lansdowne is a small town with a huge potential of becoming a busy hill station. Thanks to the Army, nature can be still be witness in its pure and undamaged form. Hopefully, unsustainable development won't happen anytime soon and we will keep enjoying the beauty! 

Sai - My friend from Indo-Pak border

Sai

It was one of those perfect days. I was strolling in Nehru Park, thinking most of the time and talking to my friend, occasionally. It's early winter and the Sun is a blessing. Thankfully, it was shining bright and we were bathing in it with our bag serving as a pillow.

An old Kashmiri man came a lied down beside us. I looked at him and he gave me a big smile. The smile's what caught my attention. He had just one tooth left in his upper jaw!

I tried diverting my mind away from him but just couldn't. So, I went and sat beside him and started talking. This blog is dedicated to him, Sai.

Sai, his five brothers and their mother lived in a small village in Kashmir called Rajouri. No, you won't find it in Google Maps because it just doesn't exit in the diplomatic world! In August 1947, their life changed for ever. They were driven out of their village because it lied on the other side of the border (in India) and were taken to Pakistan as they were Muslims. In Pakistan, Jinnah promised that they will be sent back as soon as possible but like many of his promises, it was never fulfilled. After 5 years of waiting, they fled and crossed the border, illegally. All 6 of them survived! 


But in 1965, terror struck them again. During the 1965 Indo-Pak war, all his four brothers fled to Pakistan. Sai went to live with his wife's family, who was hindu, and survived the war. 

Today, he came seeking Pakistani visa so that he can go visit two of his brothers. The other two have already passed away. He has seen them only four times since 1965 during his previous visits to Pakistan in 1985, '86, '95 and 2005.

When I asked him if he wishes to go live in Pakistan, he got offended and said - 'Hindustaan hi hamaara mulk hai (India is my own country). This country is very liberal. Everyone has the right to follow his own religion. In Pakistan, the Hindus were forced to convert their religion, so were the Sikhs.'

We talked about America, Afghanistan, Allah (God), Delhi, Islamabad. My friend had also visited Islamabad twice. Their descriptions were so vivid that I felt as if I were already in Pakistan.

I had so many questions- what did he do for a living, how was life during Kargil war but it was time for lunch and our stomachs roared for mercy.

And did I mention that it was my friend's birthday. It's a wonderful way to celebrate. Don't you think so?

Sai smiling at me as I turned towards his side. It was such a welcoming smile that I couldn't help but talk to him. 

Sai with his friend, Farooq. He says, "No matter what a person does in this life, he has to die one day and has to pay the price in front of Allah"

Love is all we want to spread! Nehru Park boasts of several such sights.
Just see one as India and the other, Pakistan.