Words of a wandering mind
....from trivial shallowness to profound depth, featuring comic relief interspersed by sketchy representations
Monday, September 2, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
DOCC Diaries: Turtuk, where nature came alive!
We had crossed the white sands of Hunder, driving along the
river Shyok, on the endless roads of the vast and mountainous Nubra Valley. It
was Kapuria, Raj, Smoky, Rahul, Thakral and me in our Xylo. And we were
starting to wonder where in the world this Turtuk was. The terrain in front of
us was at odds with the serene picture people had painted in our minds.
The endless roads of Nubra Valley along the river Shyok |
The Xyloterians (sans Smoky and Kapuria) |
Nonetheless, we stayed true to the course, and after crossing a couple of water bridges and army checkpoints, we started feeling that we were, in fact, getting somewhere. Shyok also suddenly seemed more lively and blue. And we finally reached Turtuk. But I was still waiting to be impressed. It was just an uphill road. But then we came across a wooden footbridge and slowly the little place began to unfold.
The Village! |
The unparalleled rustic beauty |
The inhabitants are Muslim, unlike other parts of Ladakh
where people are mostly Buddhist. The people are very helpful and industrious. The women, well, are beautiful.
And the kids are just adorable. Their innocent weather beaten faces wondered at
the new people in their village. They were camera-shy but some kids did follow
us, curious as to what we were up to in the first place. We did eventually get
a few pictures.
The Turtuki Kids! |
The Polo match! |
Our historian guide there was an old man whose ancestors had once been
kings of that region. As our homestay rooms was being prepared (we were the
first tourists that season), he briefed us on the entire history of Turtuk and the
Baltistan region.
The future stars... |
It was about 2:00 PM then, when he invited to a seasonal
game of Polo! Yes, Polo! And we actually witnessed a match. Horses, helmets,
sticks and all. We even placed bets on which team would win but they were subsequently
dissolved since we could not make out who scored what. We then roamed around
the place posing and clicking. Rahul and I wandered to the Shyok river nearby,
throwing flat stones in the running stream. Others went to check out the
natural refrigerators made of stone. Actually, if you search, you should be
able to buy some utensils and carvings made of stone there!
By the time we returned, our rooms were made cozy and comfortable.
The kids nearby were playing their usual evenings games. Some played a dumbed
down version of Polo followed by some Cricket (even here!). Smoky and Kapuria
tried their hand at Cricket but upon failing miserably were content to posing with
bat in hand!
Failing and subsequent posing |
Bhayya, ye phool kab ugega? #neverendingQs |
Our guide, the ‘raja’, then showed us some of his ancestral
belongings at his house. And after some more loitering around, we assembled for
dinner. Our host served us basic but tasty food with rice, egg, potatoes and
curd. We followed it with a good night’s rest.
Morning views are always great and Turtuk was only better.
It was sparkling, serene and full of nature. A place you would wish to
seclude yourself away from the interminable urban buzz. But sadly, we had to
leave, retracing our way along the banks of Shyok.
If you get a chance to visit Ladakh, do make sure that
Turtuk is on the list. It is a visit you will surely cherish. That serenity still
lingers in my mind today.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Phoenix Aspire!
So I started this new voyage
Always with that cheerful visage,
All those dreams in my sack
With anticipations on my back
All I expected was a merry sail through
those waters wide and blue,
Least did I know that the simplest gale
would put me decisively off my trail
Dejected and dispirited I trudged back,
bringing back the empty sack,
to the days dry and bare,
stacked only with regular fare
But time filled me with better dreams,
and told me I am more than what seems
That failures renew your vigour,
Elevate your spirit and rigour
So, fully armed, again, I burst
with a renewed and unquenched thirst
Sun on the horizon, I raise the sail
This time I will be there, without fail!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Guess the legendary legend...
Chalo, picture recognition....for bitsians only, preferably gults.....he recently turned 23......every right answer gets a chocolate*
*chocolate to be bought by answerer for self
PS: mildly inaccurate representation, but the effort counts doesn't it! Picture smudged due to bad storage......
*chocolate to be bought by answerer for self
PS: mildly inaccurate representation, but the effort counts doesn't it! Picture smudged due to bad storage......
Sunday, August 8, 2010
the (sorry)state of affairs....
just like life and peace,
death and danger are always around,
but what affects me is
the rate at which they now abound.
the world has seen a lot,
so have its members,
but damage in the new millennium,
insolently defies numbers.
lets dwell on the new decade, with
hope anew and optimism of a new age
but what it also ushered are
human loss and nature's rage.
though we will always grow
with belief in human ability,
once a while we look helpless
against powers that expose its futility.
earth shaking with almighty fury
left an already poor people bare,
so did the aircraft and railroad accidents,
even the angry floods didn't spare.
we spilt oil all over
with seriously negligent fare,
factor in dubious wars and terror
to give yourself a real scare.
a timely anniversary of a nuclear disaster
shows man's excellence at a dangerous art,
why? our mother herself is in strife
unrest at the head and insurgency at heart.
So i wonder if all this is
a signal to humanity, a source,
to realise the outcomes of selfishness,
of the existence of a greater force.
but hard though it may seem
if we relegate our bitterness
and as an earth's inhabitants,
strive to protect its liveliness,
we can prosper gay and guilt-free.
and though an end will still come your way
you'll have strode a noble path
doing the right thing come what may.
death and danger are always around,
but what affects me is
the rate at which they now abound.
the world has seen a lot,
so have its members,
but damage in the new millennium,
insolently defies numbers.
lets dwell on the new decade, with
hope anew and optimism of a new age
but what it also ushered are
human loss and nature's rage.
though we will always grow
with belief in human ability,
once a while we look helpless
against powers that expose its futility.
earth shaking with almighty fury
left an already poor people bare,
so did the aircraft and railroad accidents,
even the angry floods didn't spare.
we spilt oil all over
with seriously negligent fare,
factor in dubious wars and terror
to give yourself a real scare.
a timely anniversary of a nuclear disaster
shows man's excellence at a dangerous art,
why? our mother herself is in strife
unrest at the head and insurgency at heart.
So i wonder if all this is
a signal to humanity, a source,
to realise the outcomes of selfishness,
of the existence of a greater force.
but hard though it may seem
if we relegate our bitterness
and as an earth's inhabitants,
strive to protect its liveliness,
we can prosper gay and guilt-free.
and though an end will still come your way
you'll have strode a noble path
doing the right thing come what may.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
For those smiles, a thousand times over....
my favourite photo's sketch....
supposed to be my dad and sis....but somewhat close....original pic by mom....
.
supposed to be my dad and sis....but somewhat close....original pic by mom....
.
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