Kashmir-Delhi-Agra trip - Day 1

Sigh! So it’s been three days (when I wrote this :) ) since I returned to my immediate society. During the last 4-5 days of the trip I longed to be back home. I yearned to be around my mother and talk to her. I wanted to feel at home (what ever paradise you may be in, I suppose home is still where you want to go back to). Remember, this was my longest period away from parents (nine days :) ).
But the very first day of my return I wanted to go back to Kashmir! The distinct light-headedness that I felt till then, I could sense it getting slowly replaced. My personal and professional lives are largely not strenuous or stressful at all. So why was the light-headedness disappearing slowly? Maybe it was because I had nothing to think about at Kashmir, no list to tick off and here even though nothing is stressful work, it still involves thought.
But still I wanted to go back. To nature, away from all the technology surrounding me here. To the simple people, who look at me, who smile at me, who lead leisurely lives. Away from the people here with masks. Away from western sophistication. Away from the sickening jeans to the refreshing firans. I began having serious thoughts if I’m meant for the rural life rather than this meaningless game!
Today, I think I’ve gotten adjusted to my regular surroundings. But these thoughts still do hover in my head.
So I’ll do a flashback write-up of each day of the trip. In detail, because I’m a detail person. And these articles are largely for my sake, I do not want to lose my experiences to a human mind that easily gets caught up in the overwhelming present, thereby slowly losing the past. Of course what I experienced then cannot be exactly experienced ever again! These articles are also for my close friends with whom I would like to share the whole holiday. And if it helps any stranger on the Net to plan his travel, well and good.
Day 1 – 30th Jan 2010
I woke up at 4 am with a clearly felt tinge in my heart. I didn’t want to leave home. Probably also because this was a little jump away from my comfort zone – a frog-in-the-well status. Anyway, I got ready and my friends (2 girls – S and L, a guy – V) came in the taxi to pick me up. Appa wasn’t in station so only mummy was there to bid me bye.
The flight route was – Bangalore -> Delhi -> Srinagar.
I’m quite new to airplane travel (before this trip I had flown on a plane only twice). The whole check-in process confuses me. So during the four flights of this trip I’ve tried to understand it (I still have many questions :D). But for sure, BIAL needs to change the design of their trolleys. Why would anyone make it necessary to hold the ‘brakes’ constantly for moving the trolley?!
We met Sri. Kadri Gopalnath at the airport. He conversed with us kindly and gave us an autograph.
Then off we went to Delhi. Flight take-off excites me, gives me a high, makes me want to be a pilot. Now that excitement too is getting replaced by getting-used-to-it-ness.
Then the flight from Delhi to Srinagar. Initially the views were all like Google Maps images. And then they began appearing. Snow capped peaks rising above the clouds – parts of the Himalayas (erm any mountain in the northern most part of my country will be termed so by me). They were below the plane and so were medium sized. You’re ‘supposed’ to be awe-struck, and your heart is ‘supposed’ to skip a beat, and you’re ‘supposed’ to gasp at such a sight, right? Nothing of that sort happened to me! Why? Any answers?

But they absorbed all my attention. Then at a distance we could see a very wide circle of cottony fluffy clouds. The plane actually descended into that white cotton candy, to arrive at Srinagar.
But we weren’t allowed to de-plane! “Please remain seated. Please remain calm. We will keep you updated about the situation” announced our pilot. Many army and other security personnel arrived near the plane. Wow! We hadn’t even set foot on land and the security issues had already begun, we wondered. After a few minutes we de-planed. A fellow passenger supposedly appeared suspicious, as he was using some device on the plane, and hence the crew had issued a warning. He was whisked away by the cops before we de-planed.
Srinagar was largely brown and green. Alighting from the plane, the temperature was fine. Yes, chill, with vapour from every open mouth. “Huh! People had warned me for THIS cold!” I smirked. And then it slowly began. I first put on my gloves. Later a scarf. Then a huge coat which L’s mom had sent for us luckily. Within the next 2-3 hours I was shivering, my teeth were chattering, in spite of the clothing.
The next couple of hours we spent at Srinagar before we proceeded to Anantnag. L’s dad had come to pick us up at the airport. We drove to some shops, Lal Chowk (where the recent attack had taken place) and round the Dal Lake. By then my struggle with my travel sickness began. Vomited twice. I saw nothing on the way to Anantnag as I was rolled up trying to sleep, regretting the trip, worried as to how I would survive the next 8 days!

At the shops one finds the usual stuff, shawls, Ari work on salwars or kurtas, dry fruits, saffron, firans (it’s like a large kurta made of some warmth infusing fabric, full-sleeved and a little above the ankle, men and women (kids too!) wear them above their regular clothes, the arms can be within the sleeves or withdrawn inside to keep warm). Here we also got acquainted with the kaangdi, a small basket with a pot in it that contains mildly burning charcoal, again to keep warm. People carry the kaangdi wherever they go and even hold it within their firan!

So then we reached Anantnag. L’s mom is a gynecologist at a century-old hospital in Anantnag and so we could stay at their guest-house. Throughout the trip I’ve received a lot of kindness and help from many people – the first being L’s parents. They have been uncommonly kind to us throughout our stay. We had a “Welcome to Kashmir” board awaiting us at their home. Uncle used to bring us tea on time, regularly, at the guest-house and ensure every minute comfort was provided. They cooked every meal for us during those 5 days. Even packed lunch for us whenever we were away traveling. And this was no ordinary cooking. Onions and garlic were avoided totally because S prefers such food. Non-veg dishes for V and L. Custards, sweets, fried gobi etc. I’ve put on 1 kg during the travel period... so I bet you get a nice idea. And all this hospitality with a genuine smile on the face and not a single scorned look. This comes easily only to rare people and I’m sure I’m not one of them.
The rest of the day was spent huddling near the gas heater, chatting and eating.