I was taking the flight from Bangalore to Bagdogra. Our first destination was Pedong, a charming little village near the town of Kalimpong. We had chosen a stay far away from the busy town for some peace and quiet.
I love travelling. My most favourite part about it is taking different modes of transportation. Time flows differently when you're travelling by each. I first took a train from Madurai to Bangalore. Since I had booked my tickets just the day before, my seats weren't confirmed and I had to share a berth with another passenger; an older woman who spent the night listening to her daughter complain about her husband while she complained about her daughter-in-law. A few hours later, I managed to find an unoccupied berth that belonged to a kid who was unwilling to sleep; I finally rested my eyes for a moment, before I was woken up because of a theft in my compartment. I travelled the rest of the journey clutching my bag and suitcase, falling asleep only when the commotion had ceased.
I reached Bangalore early the next day, and went to my friend Meenakshi's hostel to spend the night. My flight was scheduled for the next morning, and I got to catch up with her after a long time. She is a researcher and Ayurveda doctor, doing her Master's at the Transdisciplinary Sciences Institute. The college was housed within the Avalahalli forest area, and was a beautiful stone structure with it's own Ayurveda herb garden. She had a well lit room with a cosy balcony that looked into the forest, with pet squirrels, two puppies and even a duck pond in the campus. She drove me to and fro on her electric bike, on winding roads, and it felt like the forest had already welcomed me before reaching the Himalayas.
I travelled by Akasa Air, on a flight from Bangalore to Bagdogra the next morning. I had packed some fruits and snacks for breakfast. It was my first 'Akasa Air experience' and the orange branding of the airlines stood out. The staff wore orange unisex uniforms with flat shoes that I was impressed by. The interiors of the cabin were lit up with reddish orange lights which were slightly frightening, given my fear of flying after a long time. Fit for the occasion, once the flight was in air, I took my two oranges that I had packed, lay them on the tray table, peeled them neatly and ate them. I smiled at the staff who came for waste clearance, and I threw the discarded orange peels in the bag. It was so fulfilling.
Bagdogra was a familiar airport, because I had travelled to Sikkim the previous year. The drive from the airport to Kalimpong takes about 3 hours and Gangtok takes about 6 hours. The roads wind along the Teesta river, as the mountains unfurl in sight. The roads to Gangtok were closed that day due to construction and we had to take the longer route through Lava; a hillstation at a higher altitude than Kalimpong.
Kriti's and my flights were supposed to reach around the same time. I de-boarded first and her flight landed just then. 'Deplaning' she texted. Classic Kriti. I stood waiting for her at the arrival, and spotted her in a few minutes. Dressed in a mickey and minnie mouse printed crop top, with matching periwinkle nails, and an electric blue handcase slung across her shoulder. Classic Kriti, again. 'Swarnesh!' she exclaimed. We hugged. Our trip had begun!
We found our driver Sukraj ji who had come to pick us up from Pedong. We boarded the humble Alto, and started 'yapping' soon after. For lunch, we stopped by a dingy but touristy restaurant in Siliguri. Kriti finished eating, and sat waiting for me,(as most of my friends do) while I slowly munched on my fried rice. 'You're the same Swarnesh. It doesn't feel like we're meeting after one year.' I smiled and continued eating slowly. Classic Swarna.
We drove into Pedong at sunset hour. The landscape changed dramatically as we rose in altitude. From the narrow dusty streets of Siliguri, to the wide roads lined with flowering jacarandas, led by army encampments with large green patches of land that gave way to gradually inclined mountain roads that wound along with the Teesta river. Pines and birches covered in mist appeared as we reached Lava, the highest point. Down at Pedong, the weather cleared up again, opening up to a splendid sight of an ocean of mountains flowing along with clouds as its waves.
We climbed up a steep stone staircase pathway painted in red to reach our homestay. Tibetan coloured flags hung by the metal gate at the entrance and the building stood majestically at the top. Our host Prajjwal, looked out of the small window in the building when he heard us. 'Hi guys! Wait a min, I'm coming'.
With a warm smile, he welcomed us with Tibetan salted tea. I found the tea a bit alien for my tastebuds, but Kriti enjoyed it. It was one of those dishes you might acquire a taste for. We introduced ourselves. The minute he heard that I was from Madurai, his face gleamed with excitement. He asked me if I had ever visited Isha Foundation, an ashram and temple near the Velliangiri mountains also called the Southern Kailash. His excitement doubled up in level when I told him that I studied in a school within the Foundation and the foothills feel like home. He was happy to know and asked me many questions as someone who was eager to visit.
Once we were shown our rooms, our heads hit our beds and we fell flat. Sound asleep, we woke up to a message from Prajjwal asking for our dinner request. Tiredness overtook hunger, and we struggled to come up with one. We finally chose to have the classic thukpa, sprinkled with spices and chilli, mine chicken and Kriti's vegetarian. The sight of the steaming bowl of noodles, warmed my heart and I felt grateful for the meal in front of me. We slurped down every last bit of the dish, and it became my favourite for the days to come.
The next morning was a rainy one. We decided to stay in, chatting with our host, and took a short walk nearby, acclimatising ourselves to the cold weather. The view from our homestay was enough to satiate our yearning for being in the mountains that it would've been good enough to stay there for the whole week. Yet, our adventurous selves sought more. Over the next few days, we would be whisked away into the deep forests, silent and empty monasteries and alleyways in villages. Excited for what was to come, we planned out our days before going to sleep, comforted by a plate of tingmo with a bowl of soup.
---- to be continued
-Swarna
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