Friday, November 20, 2009

short trip home

Once more I fly home, fly home to my home. Upon reaching the Srinagar airport the first thing that struck me was that I needed to get into the airport building as quickly as I can, I was shivering with cold even when it was 11:30 and the sun was shining. The next thing that struck me was the gauge on freedom of communication enforced by the Govt. My cell phone was not working nor could I find any public phone in the so called international airport. Somehow I managed to make the necessary call requesting a co-passenger.
After leaving the airport when I was passing through the city, I felt that something was missing, the city which is usually full of hustle bustle seemed to be dead ..... something had changed. The winter made its presence felt; be it through the shivering of my body or the people around me fully clad in woollens especially the pherans, the pink cheeks, the kangris, red noses ......
After reaching home the first thing I asked for was a kangri and pheran. Later in the evening the lack of freedom of communication haunted me again, the land line phone in my home has not been working for past 4-5 months but still we pay the Govt. owned telephone company (BSNL). I needed to make a call so came out of my home and started to scan the market for a S.T.D booth, after scanning the whole market could find just one. The booth was full of people, finally when I got the chance to make the call , people behind me told me to make it quick. The next whole day did not venture out , only in the evening did I visit one of my uncles and a close friend of mine. While returning it was dark and with no street lights it was pitch black, the result I slipped in the open drain about which I had no idea. I think these freak accidents have become part and parcel of my every trip to home.
As I finished typing the above lines message came that an elderly lady in our neighbourhood had passed away, so I left everything and went to offer the last prayers (Jinazah). Once more the death made it overwhelming presence felt. No matter what ever we do, whatever we achieve at last we leave this world empty handed on others shoulders. As we moved in the form of a procession towards the graveyard , every incoming vehicle stopped on the side of the road to let the jinazah pass, this made me realise no doubt a lot had been lost but still something remains intact here ....

1 comment:

  1. loss of physical connection might be there but the emotional connect between people never dies..hope u had a wonderful trip!!!

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