The Natural Connection !

( A view of Sunni Town)

No doubt there is some connection, whenever I reach in hills, some unknown ecstatic excitement fills deep inside my heart. Nature always attracts me with full force. Exactly after a long spell of fourteen months I got a chance to recharge my spirits in mountains. Though it really was a very small visit, it indeed was a pleasant gift for me.

Occasion was of a friend’s marriage in an interior village near small town of Sunni in Shimla district. Nearly 45 KM from Shimla, Sunni is located on the banks of great river Satluj. We had to climb hilltop village Devarsu for marriage which was around 30 minutes walk from the road. Surrounded by large lush green fields and natural sources of water, this place gave tremendous look from height.

( Green Fields)


(Goshala )

Devarsu is a very small village of merely 25 houses with a centrally built one room Durga temple. Local ‘Band’ was playing classical raag on traditional musical instruments like pair of Nagara, Rannsingha, Karnal & Turhi when we entered marriage place. We were given warm welcome by the groom and his family, after all I was seeing that friend after almost twelve years. We ate traditional ‘Himcahali Dham’ in which all the guest sat down on earth and are served lunch with menu of rice and different dishes of Urad, Rajmah, Poldu, Kurri on ‘Pattal’ (the dishes made of ‘Taunt’ leaves) and in last as dessert Mishthan (sweet rice containing raisins and dry fruits) is served.

(The Band)

(An Old House in Devarsu)

We were compelled to stay there for a night by our host but some urgent business back home forced us to start back just after spending two hours in Devarsu. On the way back, up from village I saw two rafting boating in the far waters of Satluj down there. My heart bounced high to be there in that boat somehow but no, we had no time.

(Waters of Satluj)

(A wooden bridge at Satluj)

Lastly, we went down to the bank of Shatdru (Satluj) for ‘Jal Darshan’ (water view). This small trip was not less than a boon for me and asking for anything else would have been something too much that day.

Punjabi Jutti

Earlier days among my other passions, one was Punjabi Jutti (footwear). Whenever I visited my father’s native village in Punjab, buying atleast one pair of this traditional footwear used to be a compulsory ritual. I was really passionate about these hand made beaded shoes.

Whenever I could not visit the village, I used to send a drawing of my foot for size as this footwear didn’t carry any size numberings. All the work was done manually in the family of these shoemakers. Surprisingly this footwear have no left-right sides, these shoes adopt their positions themselves with the passage of time of usage. Initially, if the wearer is not used to these kinds of shoes, he/she have to bear a little biting too. I too have proudly bore many blisters caused by these jutties. Wearing jutties always produced a sense of proud in me. My cousins in village used to wonder why I gave so much importance to these shoes as they always wanted to wear modern sports shoes. But for me this traditional wear was a reason of ecstasy and a feeling of importance.

I spent a handsome amount of my savings on collection of these shoes. Available in different colors and styles, each pair had a unique statement to present. These shoes have one another great specialty, specialty of producing very dramatic cracking sound while walking. No doubt the wearer feels a sense of style when heads turn around to watch such possessions. Not only for myself, I can’t forget a gorgeous pair of feet wearing such beautiful jutties presented by me.

In these days of globalisation, where everything is available everywhere, such possessions have lost their sparkles. You can’t have that joy nowadays, what I had in those days, while visiting village of such shopping or waiting impatiently for someone to bring those craftsmanship for me.

Happy New Year 2065 !

Though a bad news of Vande's dad expiring came on very morning of very first day of this Hindu new year, I still wish for a happy and prosperous year।

Mostly this event goes away silently without much hip-hop unlikely Christian new year celebrations. A lot about this festival is roaming in my mind right now but as being too tired, may be I would try to write it down in coming posts. Till then may Shri Prabhu bless all on this new year.

These Days !

Something is missing somewhere? Something is lost. Someone needs to solve that riddle. May be a competent Guru is required! But finding a real Guru is again something most difficult job to perform.

What to do, where to go, the question remains unanswered again.