Saturday, June 26, 2010

Vacation Part II - Aizawl

One of my friends had asked me to write this part when it was still fresh in my memory. Unfortunately I delayed it. I’ll try my best to reproduce as much of it as I remember.

What happened next- well, maybe I would call it a combination of the famous saying “Man proposes, God disposes” and the famous Murphy’s Law! I did take the road trip to Aizawl, and thanks to our driver, it took us 19 hours instead of 22, sometimes 24 or more. But this didn't happen because my flight got cancelled.

This wasn't the first time I was taking the risk of traveling from Guwahati to Aizawl by air during monsoons. Somehow I always trusted my luck. But I don’t know what happen to me this time. Flights had been getting cancelled for the past few days. So I took the “wise” decision of calling off my visit. Yes, I cancelled my flight. And guess what turned out. What do you think? Of course, it was Murphy’s Law in action! The flight I cancelled was one of the few that week which flew to Aizawl.

How could I waste these holidays by not setting foot in the place I grew up, in the place my mother was waiting for me? I decided to go to Aizawl by road, though people advised me against it. Landslides are quite common in the hilly Guwahati-Aizawl route during rains. Also, there is a long patch of poorly constructed road which gets so muddy that vehicles get stranded for hours together. Following this is an area where dacoits prowl and cars always travel in convoy, sometimes with a police jeep for security. But I do not regret having travelled those roads again. It was one of the most wonderful journeys I've ever had!

Shillong was the usual abode of clouds among green mountains. I remember how excited I used to get whenever our bus crossed Barapani Lake. I felt the same hint of excitement when I crossed the lake. We were lucky enough to have avoided the landslides. Fortunately it hadn't rained the previous day, so the bumpy ride through the muddy patch didn't delay us as much as we thought it would. We were stopped by a police vehicle and advised not to stop for anyone except men in khaki uniforms.

All safe, we entered Mizoram at around midnight. Dad was worried that the driver would doze off. He had requested for two drivers, but we got only one. He tried to keep him awake with trivial conversation. At one point he dozed off and later woke up to find that our driver was about to snooze.

I will not forget the moment I entered Aizawl. I remember the days when we used to return after our winter vacation. We’d be so sad that we were coming back to the usual routine of books and studies, but the first sight of Aizawl would change our mood in a jiffy. It had been 3 years since I entered Aizawl through this route. Sometimes, the effect of a tiny moment is so huge that you don’t know how to describe it in words. All I can say is- I was home!

It was a 20 degrees drop in temperature, and I was draped in two sweaters and socks even in the warmth of our house. There’s nothing much I did in the remaining 6 days, or rather nothing which people don’t do when they visit home. Mom cooked my favourite cuisine and I was either sleeping, eating or watching TV. I went for shopping with mom, who, till today is the best shopping partner I've had. I visited few family friends. This was the first time I was in Aizawl without my brother, thanks to his internship. I missed him. This was the first time I didn't go to visit my teachers in school. I didn't want to go there alone.

At times when the clouds took a break from their downpours, I’d just stand in our courtyard and look around, remembering the old days. My school on the Montfort Hills is visible from our house. 5 days a week for 14 years, I climbed almost a kilometer on the uphill road to reach that place.

I never realized the worth of Aizawl when I stayed here. Today, I feel lucky to have been brought up in such a place. Yes, it is cut off from the rest of the country. It is a place where we receive 2-3 days old newspapers in bulk. We sometimes have to survive without power for a couple of days. Water supply is infrequent and only about 50-60% of the people get running water at home. It delights me to see progress in every sphere when I compare it to the times I stayed. It is a believed fact that progress sometimes brings out some negative side-effects. But here, innocence and free spirit is intact. I wished I’d never have to leave.

My flight got delayed by almost 5 hours. I was ready with the alternative to take the return journey by road again, but this time I didn't have to. Here I am now, miles away from the Lushai Hills, away from the comfort of being with those closest to my heart, in whose presence I could be the tiniest of all kids. Even though I have brought with me an extra bag of memories, I can feel the transition. I really wish I hadn't left.