I don’t know where to start as I hardly write any article.
If I were to speak, I would have been much easier and better for me even though
it will be in broken language. Yet I want to write because writing is beautiful
art where one can express once inner feelings which will remain when you are
long gone.
It is much easier to start with narrative story. Therefore,
I have chose to write about my journey from Pemagatshel, my home to Shimla my
university, where I am pursuing my master degree.
On morning of 4th March, 2016 as usual my
children are so soundly sleeping just beside me and I was asked by my elder
daughter that night to wake her up before I start my journey. As she said I
wake her up, I could sense she was not happy and her expression told me that if
she had power she could have not let me go. She knew that she had no other
option than to let me go. I let her kiss on both the cheeks and on lips. I also
gently and repetitively bit her both cheeks. Then I also kissed other two
children.
At 5.30 I moved towards road point where Tashi sir was
waiting for me. We had made the point that I will be going till Narphung with
him as he was going to Gomdar to oversee his construction site. As planed I
also met Pema sir on road point who is teacher at Pemagatshel MSS , he is also
pursuing master at same University and we started our journey towards Samdrup
Jongkhar together.
Inside the car we were talking on various of topics, we
never knew how we reached Narphung. On reaching Narphung, we went one of the
shops and had hot cup of tea by sitting near the fire. Unfortunately, that day was Friday and it was
zero tolerance day for traffic violation so, not a single trucks was moving
towards Samdrup Jongkhar as all the truck had overload in order to escape from
the fine.
Finally, we got single cabin FCB bolero who had gone to
Dungmin one of the remote geog of Pemagatshel and he was returning to his
station. Comfortable we reached Samdrup Jongkhar. We had lunch and did
necessary shopping. My father-in-law had also came down to meet me so, by
evening we stayed in brother-in-laws house where I and father prepared our
dinner. After that we had some local wine, arra and had dinner.
Early morning, we move towards main gate carrying our luggage.
It took fifteen minutes to reach main gate. Both of us were tired with carrying
our heavy languages. We look for auto but of no avail. So, we continue our
journey towards Indian bus stand. As soon as we got into the bus it started its
engine and we move toward Guwahati our destination by that bus. Within little
more than three hours we were in Guwahati. We could have taken city bus to get
to airport yet we took auto to reach us to airport as we have heavy baggage.
We had four hours for departure yet got into the airport and
waiting for security check in the waiting room. However, within an hour we were
informed that flight will be delayed by three hours. Preferring flight was no
better than train services in India. Waiting for delayed fight and train is a
big time torture.
Once you are inside the airport you are not allow to go
outside again except you take one airline staff. We went outside for a lunch as it was not
available what we want inside the airport more over its very expensive, most probably price
would be three hundred percent above the normal rate. Therefore, we preferred
to go outside.
We took one auto rickshaw and went to nearest market,
entered into one of the hotels in that market. Ordered lunch for us which were
totally Indian dish, however, I like Indian dish. After lunch we still had
enough time for the flight, we explored the market for some time. After
returning back to airport we did not enter into the airport instate we roamed
side of the airport. After spending some time it was time to enter inside.
Inside got boarding pass, did our security check then enter
into waiting room. After waiting for some time they announced of boarding. We
board in, plane took off smoothly. Plane was in the air for nearly two and half
hour, by then it was time of descending and plane was descending smoothly for
some time but after some time pilot announced with raw voice “fasten our seat
belt” usually it was normal call but it was different this time. Plane started
vibrating as if car is travelling in rough road in remote part of the country.
Suddenly, plane start making unusual sound and decent the plane suddenly for
about a minute. It was not normal decent, cabin crew screamed and everyone started
looking at each other and I could make out that they have no other option than
to pray. On such situation thousand of questions and confusion came into your
head. What pilot might be doing and thinking? Is he trained enough to handle
such situation? Is plane is in good condition? Shall I trust plane engineer who
inspect the plane before takeoff? I felt as if I was watching National
Geographic Channel on investigation of plane crash. I could clearly see how
plane crash news will reach to my home, will my wife could be the first person
to know that but she seldom watch the news or she must get news from other
source about my departure from the earth. I thought I shall never travel by air
if I have other option.
Spontaneously the vision of Guru Rinpoche came in front of
me with Baza guru on my lips. Before I could realize I have chanted numbers of
times. I have been travelling by air for many times and I had developed
confidence on air plane unlike first time on board. At first, I had to really hold my breath while
take off and until the plane is landed, had mixed feeling of fear and joy as
you are flying but if anything goes wrong you are gone forever.
This time I spent my longest one minute on air in my life.
Finally, pilot could stabilize the plane. Finally, sky was clear and I could
see the Delhi city with sparking light through the window. I was relief yet I
was holding my breath until I could see the airport touching the plane’s wheels
on the ground. I was much relief, other co-passengers had the same feeling I
could make out from there facial expression. You feel much safe on land. Then I knew why plane was late it’s because of
bad weather which made my longest one minute in my life.
We got into city bus and traveled for an hour to bus stand
from airport. It was much safer to travel in bus than in air despite reckless
travelling nature of the city bus; at lest you could console by saying there is
possibility of survival from bus accident unlike plane crash.
As per plan we could move out form Delhi bus stand by 10 PM
towards Shimla. Half of the seat was empty and we had the luxury of sleeping
flat on three seater seat. I stayed in the last seat as I can sleep as if I am
in the bed as there was no one on last seat. I took out two jacket I used one
as pillow and one as blanket. In half sleep when bus bumps in bumpers, I felt as
if I was in the same plane which I was travelling in that after noon. I was haunted
throughout my journey. After four hours of journey we reach to Chandigarh bus
stop. Good numbers of passenger got into the bus yet I had the luxury of
sleeping in last seat as they had enough seats in front.
I had gone into sleep and when I wake up it was bright and
time was 6.45 AM and I could see the Shimla town. My sleep was all over and I
was fresh. I combed my hair with hand and adjust my coat and pants fully prepared
to debark form the bus on station. We took one taxi to get to our home from bus
stand.
Finally, we reach Shimla safely.
