Journey From.................

Journey From Heaven To Humanity

Expedia gives me a chance to dive into my past and pick some precious moments of my journeys. Traveling means journey, it is marvelous to have traveling experiences within the journey of life. I love to traverse around nature or visit to some historical monuments and most likely to travel by train in a three tier compartment. Journey by train in the II class three tire compartments has a great excitement to meet different type of people and it can happen only in India.

I moved down through the memory lane and found the most exciting and memorable journey of my life, I surly say that -that travel experience changed my way of thinking towards the common people.

Whenever I remember this journey- A complete film rolls down in front of my eyes.

It was almost two decades gone better to say that was my dim and distant past, but it seems to be happened yesterday. I traversed to the Heaven of India- yes……..everyone can understand; I am talking about Kashmir. I was on my educational trip to Kashmir for 8-10 days. I heard a lot about the unimaginative beauty and splendor of Kashmir- that was really beyond words. The writer of “Shahnama” –Firdausi; wrote about the melodious beauty of Kashmir- “Gar firdaus bar-rue jami ast; hami asto-hami asto hami ast.” (This is in farasi) means – ‘If there is heaven on the Earth; It is here, it is only here’. Only the person who visited Kashmir can agree with this truth. That I witnessed, as I entered into the Kashmir Valley, when I left Jammu-Tavi train; the onward journey was by bus. And the bus had been passing through the Nehru Tunnel (about 1.75 Km. long tunnel). After the 11 hours tiresome journey of road; we entered into Shrinanar- the capital of Jammu Kashmir State. It was the dusk, when we were in Shrinagar.

The spectacular, enchanting and magnificent beauty was in front of me, when I woke up in the morning. I stayed in a boat on dull-lake. That was the month of April and the beauty of Shrinagar was at its peak. Every hotel and boat even dormitory was full with tourists. I visited the Nehru Park, Char-Chinar (A very small island on dull lake surrounded by 4 deodar trees- this tree is said to be the chinar tree in Kashmir), Mughal garden- where I saw plenty of varieties of roses and the famous Black-Beauty (black rose).

I visited Shiva- temple –where famous bollywood song ‘jai-jai Shiv Shankar ‘was shot...  If somebody wants to visit Shrinagar- stay on boat; it would be a memorable experience.

After seeing Shrinagar, we visited Gulmarg. The landscape of this place was very-very charming and adorable. Here I enjoyed horse riding. We saw the famous hut- where the popular hit song of ‘Bobby’ film “ham-tum aik kamre men band ho...” was picturised.

From Gulmarg we moved to Tenmarg and then Chandanwari. Our last halt was Pahalgam. All the places were worth-seeing without any description. Last day we visited the Kashmir handicraft emporium, from where I bought ‘Firan’ (A woolen ladies knee length caftan that mostly Kashmiri women wear over their daily or casual wear to avoid cold).

One thing that I never ever forget was the hospitality and behavior of Kashmiri people. And it was no it is par excellence.

Now the day had come to return back to home. We had our advance booking of the ticket but my other batch mates planned to stay at Jammu for a day. So I was returning alone. I still remember my co-passenger. They were Joshi couple and they had 3-4 year very cute daughter. Mr. Joshi was Captain in Indian Army and they were got down at Jhansi. I didn’t know- how the time was passed with Joshi couple. Their daughter Sakshi with her innocent chat entertained me a lot. About 7 PM our train arrived to New Delhi Station. Captain Joshi ordered the food and he also asked me for the same, I had no choice excepting that. Because I mostly like to carry home made food or edible things with me but that time I was away from home for 8-10 days. This is still my habit to take my own food while traveling considering health and hygiene.

I knew that Joshi couple would get down at Jhansi in late mid night, so I told them to good bye and went to sleep. I took my food unwillingly because I had no choice. Soon I realized that I was not feeling well. I had vomiting sensation and that was due to that unhealthy food. I had some home medicine with me, so I tried that to get some relief. But that was for the time being. I felt uneasiness in late night hours and I woke up. I felt touch of some human body at my feet side. I was half asleep so I couldn’t recognize the person but I shouted at him or her to get up from my birth. I didn’t know- I slept how long. Due to the uneasiness I woke very early, it was near to dawn. I clearly saw I beggar type of old aged person sitting at my feet side. His appearance was ugly, so I looked him with hate and anger, and told him to leave my birth. As I was telling him, I was felling as if everything is spinning around me and vomiting sensation is abruptly appeared. The old aged person was leaving my birth, hold me in his hands. I vomited at him. He embraced me in his hands. He neither hesitate to take care of me and nor care about what I had done to him. He solaced me with his soft voice,” don’t worry child. You are not alone .I would take care of you. Be comfortable”. He was speaking in English. I was in great surprise.  His clothes were dirty due to my vomiting and my clothes too. That day I understood – how painful and troublesome to travel alone. And I thanked him deeply from the bottom of my heart. I put a glance over him, he seemed to an uneducated, filthy villagers. He gave me some ayurvedic medicine and I had some relief. I slept for3-4 hours and as I woke up, I was completely well.

I said sorry to him for my misbehavior and thanked him for his help. He forgave me with a cheerful smile. He had changed his clothes. He arranged some fresh milk for me. I also changed my clothes and I was feeling fresh.

We introduced each other and I came to know that he was the landlord and educated from Lahore University as an Ayurvedic Doctor. He was of my grand father’s age.

From that day I learnt the lesson from the school of life,’ don’t judge the people through their external experience. Behave kindly and help others unconditionally.”

When would he got down and at which station, I couldn’t know. But he left the sign better to say –footprint of his behavior in my mind so deeply that I will follow him for the rest of my life.

So that was my memorable journey from heaven to humanity.