Hadimba Mela- A surprise birthday party in Manali!

Where did Rabet Ram used to go every afternoon? The entire day he would greet the guests with a pure warm smile on his face, show them around the guesthouse, chat with them while serving breakfast and entertain them with amusing folk stories of his village. Right after lunch, when most of the guests are either gone for a nap or out and the whole guesthouse is sleepy and silent- that’s when Rabet Ram disappears mysteriously and is not seen until late evening. On the third day, after a delicious breakfast we stealthily asked Ranjo, his beautiful daughter in law about Rabet Ram’s secret disappearances. While playing with her three months old baby Hrishita on the front lawn she replied without interrupting her game, “why, to the Dungri Mela! All the Gods and Goddesses come there. Today is the last day. You should go!” Should we go? Wow, we got our answer alright but it came with quite a few more questions! Our curiosity now reached to a point where we couldn’t think of anything but to find out what this is all about. Waiting till afternoon looked like hell of a task.

We spent the day asking the locals about the Dungri mela Ranjo mentioned and how to get there. They all described the ‘mela’ in their own possible ways. A few common words almost everyone used were, “Hadimba Devi’s birthday”, “Gods and Goddeses come”, “all the neighbourhood villages”. We now had some basic knowledge and decided to find out the rest ourselves. Apparently the “Dungri mela” goes on for three days- May 14-May 16. We started our venture at about 3.30 pm and trekked towards the Hadimba Temple.

The 1.5 kilometres trek amidst the pine forests with occasional views of the Himalayan peaks was a delight. Every now and then there were groups of young girls and boys dressed in their best outfits were passing us by with a visible excitement and cheer on their faces. Following their route we finally reached the historic temple which looked quite different from what we’ve seen in the past. There were musical instruments around being polished and clearly prepared for the event. Past the temple there were shops on both sides of the entrance of a huge ground or more like an open amphitheatre. People of all age groups were shopping, eating, cheering around. All of a sudden we had entered a completely different world filled with a festive ambience.

Just at the end of the ground there was the real “Mela” or the fair which had all sorts of food stalls, games, toy stalls and most interestingly a huge giant wheel. We all have seen and ridden giant wheels in our lives, so what makes this one so special? Well we wouldn’t know unless we actually rode it and saw the entire Himalayan range sitting at the top! One side of the wheel was almost on the edge of the cliff and no other ride anywhere could give the thrill we felt sitting on that. It was spine-chilling and beautiful beyond words from up there! 

After all the fair- feasts and fun, it was about time for the real event. We followed the people (that’s the best way to know more about whatever was going on!) and picked a seat on the amphitheatre. The announcements were fading out and the music started gradually. A group of men and boys all dressed up in typical Himachali attire were singing and dancing to the tunes of the pipes forming a big circle. Another group entered the ground holding a huge palanquin with large idols of Gods and Goddesses. The dancing, singing and playing of instruments continued until the idols were taken outside the ground. This whole procession was full of music, life and vibrancy. Just when we thought this was over, there came another group of people holding another palanquin, singing a different tune and dressed in different colours of clothes with different head bands. 
 
And they followed the same pattern of procession. At the end of the procession, they joined the circle for dancing and singing. This continued for a couple of hours and the circle became bigger and bigger. Every time there were more colours added and the level of zeal enhanced. Each group of men signified a village that brought their Gods and Goddesses at one ground and together they all celebrated the festival. By the end of it, the entire ground was like an ocean of colours bouncing with spirit and passion. And somewhere in between the crowd we suddenly found a familiar face smiling warmly at us. And there stood the hero of our suspense story who also is the president of this society! Rabet Ram was behind all the arrangements and a smooth implementation of the entire event. We thanked him a ton for helping us getting great photographs and videos.

We had started this journey as a mere getaway from the metropolitan hustle-bustle and enjoy the serenity of the hills...few quiet and peaceful days in Old Manali. Now our diary is filled with exciting stories. The tranquillity of the Himalayas splashed with the sparkling colours of the Hadimba Devi’s birthday celebrations. The unbelievable fusion of calmness, life, traditions and spirit gave us a fresh perspective to look at the same old things in life.

VARANASI- SIMPLY MYSTICAL

In the seven years of my travel life, I have traversed into numerous geographical and cultural boundaries. But none could match the kaleidoscope of experiences that Benaras puts on plate. The mystical Ganges, the cinematic Ghats, the tempting street food, the historic architecture, the mysterious alleys, the spiritual vibes – Varanasi titillates your senses in more ways than one.

Good morning Ganges

An early morning boat ride over the Ganges unfolds exciting glimpses of life in Benaras. As you sail through the sleepy Ghats, each comes alive with a different story.

This was a must do on our list, so we headed straight towards Assi Ghat, the only place you could hire a boat from, during wee hours.  We walked past the ash smeared monks on the Ghat, meditating in its serenity of silence; the only sound coming from the people taking dips in the holy river at dawn.

By the time we reached Lali Ghat, the sun had already peeped up and painted the river in golden.  Line of washermen, working in an amazingly synchronized rhythm, created the perfect background score to this picturesque view. Not all the Ghats had the action happening, but our boatman kept us entertained with his bagful of live feed. He told us how poet Tulsi Das wrote the famous Indian epic Ramcharitmanas on the Tulsi Ghat, how the Mansarovar Ghat was named after the famous lake in Mount Kailash, Tibet and how the Pashupateshwara Temple on the Lalita Ghat exhibits beautiful wooden architecture in a typical Kathmandu style.

The Dasashwamedh Ghat is the most revered and busiest of all. Being closest to the Vishwanath temple, it bustles with the sound of temple bells, devotional songs and endless calls of the pundits. Little shops sell flowers and other items for puja offerings. Rows of barbers sit on the stairs of the Ghat, cutting hair, shaving and massaging oil at an unbelievable pace.

Our ride ended at the Manikarnika Ghat. With its huge assembly of burning pyres and piles of logs, this blessed cremation ground is believed to be the “Gateway to Heaven” among the Hindus.

Salvation through Stomach

It is said that nobody sleeps with an empty stomach in Varanasi. The wide platter of sumptuous delicacies stands testimony to it. Our mornings started with the crispy Khasta Kachori (stuffed with hing & daal), complemented with the soft and spicy aloo-sabji and dahi vade at the Kachori Gali near Vishwanath Temple. I could never have enough of this godliness!

The evenings got better with the voluptuous jalebis and nimis (popularly known as malaiyyo). Close to it was the famous Baba Thandai shop at Godowalia. We used to visit there for a tall glass of cool thandai to charge us up after a weary day. On the other end of the lane, there was an Government approved bhang (marijuana) shop, selling bhang based sweets and digestive powders.

No tour in Varanasi is complete without the ubiquitous Banarasi paan. This betel leaf chew is artistically prepared with neatly cut areca nuts, sweet aromatic jams, fennel seeds and a number of secret ingredients. The taste explosion in the mouth is overwhelming.

Nine yards of Fashion

Once here, you just cannot escape the charisma of a delicately woven Benarasi sari. The intricate play of golden silk threads on this objet d’art, marked by elegant colours and flawless designs, left me dumbstruck. Among many other shops was the Ganga Emporium near Shivala Ghat that took us on the gorgeous silk route.

                                                                                                                                                   

In search of nectar

Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan once said in his famous witty style: Tum ras dhundte phirtey ho, Ras to yehi bana hua hai- Bana-Ras (You roam around in search of nectar, but it is made here – Bana (Made) Ras (Nectar). The best way to get soaked in the city’s ras is by surrendering yourself completely to the city. Picking a random street from the Dashashwamedh Ghat, I strolled among the galis. At almost every other corner, there was a temple. Every house seemed to have an intense history. Hundred year old buildings stood tall with poise and elegance; waiting to tell stories that were long forgotten.

  

The world’s oldest living city

Varanasi is among the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities, with a history spanning over 3000 years. The name possibly originates from Varuna and Asi, the two minor tributaries of the Ganges that confluence here. The city has been the seat of spiritualism, mysticism, Sanskrit and yoga since ages. Besides, Varanasi has also been the home of several luminaries including novelist Prem Chand, poet Tulsi Das, Mirza Ghalib and shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan among others.

When the sun goes down, the city lights up

Every day after sunset, the Dasashwamedh Ghat is decked up like a bride, with huge lamps and vibrant lighting. Around ten pundits perform the evening arati amidst melodious chants and the sound of conches playing in the background. The play of lights, the dreamy dance of the waves – and watching all of this from a boat floating over the Ganges was a soul-stirring experience. It took me to a world of ecstasy which is beyond description.

It is hard to pen down Varanasi in words. It is a magical city that’s intoxicating yet calming; exhilarating yet silent; tells a lot about life and yet it remains mysterious. The entire circle of life and things beyond, a rendezvous with one’s self, a clearer insight to the world and a few steps closer to Nirvana - Varanasi reveals itself to the seeker in endless ways.

Chandra Taal: A Glimpse of Heaven

There are few experiences in every human’s life which are called “the game-changers!” For me, my rendezvous with the surreal Chandra Taal was one of those. I had been to the hills before, I had seen snowfall, the majestic Himalayas and its pristine lakes before, but nothing could be compared to the feeling I had witnessing the Chandra Taal at dawn. When the golden rays blanketed the valley and I stood by the crystal clear water of this divine lake, my heart stopped for a while. The royal presence of the Himalayas, and the breathtaking beauty of the lake makes the place look like another planet...a completely different world altogether. And that moment right there was a “game-changer!”

The 12 kilometres trek (which took almost 7 hours) from the Batal Dhaba was rather rough, yet all the exertion, breathlessness and fatigue were mysteriously forgotten at the very instant we reached our destination. Camping under the numerous constellations or feeding the wild dogs right outside out tents, visiting the remotest village or simply lying beside the “Moon Lake”- every second reminded me of being alive and fed my heart and soul with exhilaration and sanctity.

Enter the Mangroves- The Sundarbans

When you travel more on the waters than on the roads; when you hear more chirping and cooing than chatting or gossiping; when you see more greens and blues than browns or grays; and when you haven’t had any human-made substances for addiction but still feel intoxicated all the time…you know you are at the Sundarbans. The mysticism and the deepness of the place is such, that it doesn’t let you think of anything else or feel anybody else- it does cast a spell!

It was the intention to escape from the hustle bustle of the city and rest on the nature’s lap for some time, which steered my journey towards Sundarbans. All my trips have been memorable and refreshing so far, but I knew this one was going to be very different from all of them on the very first day itself. My journey started with the travel from Delhi to the Sundarbans using all possible modes of transportation on a single day:

Flight from Delhi - Dumdum Airport (Kolkata)

Taxi to Shealdah Railway Station

Local train to Canning station

500mts walk till Gosaba auto stand

Auto (not to forget the tremendously bumpy ride) to Godkhali

Two hours Boat ride from Godkhali till Shajnekhali.

Sounds as a tiresome and exhausting venture, doesn’t it? Well it was till Godkhali especially the auto ride really drained all our energies out. But, just when we stepped into the boat and it sailed through the vivacious river constantly dancing in a soft and gentle rhythm, it seems we have entered into some different planet on a different time zone. Our boat sailed between the thick massive nimbus and the youthful stream, which kept flaunting her fresh monsoon attire. Our boatman Moinuddin, a very sweet and energetic chap kept us entertained with the folk tales as well as the real incidents of Sundarbans. Most of their stories (and factual events) were about their encounters with the man-eater Royal Bengal tigers. There is hardly anyone there who doesn’t have a story to tell.

Before dusk, we reached the Shajnekhali Tourist Lodge. It’s a Government lodge and the tariff is Rs. 1200/- per head per night which includes breakfast and dinner. Apart from the comfortable beds, room facilities, delicious food and pleasant service there was another factor of the resort, which justifies its tariff. It stood amidst deep black forest far from any human abode, noise or distractions. After the sun sets, all you can hear is the sound of wind, crickets and an unknown mysterious loud silence.

Mornings start with the dawn and you get ample food for your cameras. Kingfishers, sparrows, purple sunbirds, kites, sandpipers are among just the ones we knew names of. They all get busy after a fresh sunbath and start posing for our photography! After the typical Bengali breakfast Luchi (maida pooris) and Aloo, we set off for our boat safari. Our guide Tarun Baidya who is a postgraduate in Geography, amused us with his enormous knowledge of the entire flora, fauna, history and culture of Sunderbans. During our ferry cruise, we visited two points:

Dobanki Canopy Walk- a well-maintained long walk, which is also a watchtower especially made for the tourists to get a glimpse of the wilds. You get to see beautiful spotted deer, mudskippers, crabs, snails and numerous species of mangrove trees. The canopy walks are mostly built over fresh water lakes where the animals (especially tigers) come to drink.

· Sudhanyakhali watch tower- another watchtower with the similar objectives but this one had its own special charm. The quietness and the scenic beauty from the watchtower were simply breathtaking. Wild egrets, sandpipers, woodpeckers, cranes, white Ibis, green pigeons, gray herons- we didn’t even remember the names of all the birds we saw there. The sereneness just makes you immovable from that place. Enchanting and soul refreshing experience.

Besides these points, the entire ferry trip was full of exciting events and happenings. The meandering broad stream gave time-to-time hints of her existence by creating wavy ripples. We had lunch on the rolling boat, marvelously cooked by Moinuddin himself. And the most adventurous and tingling part was sighting two full grown about 15 feet and one kid 12 feet long crocodiles on the river banks. Never before did I experience such real close rendezvous with wild crocodiles. Scary, yet exorbitantly thrilling!

There is a common feature we noticed wherever we stepped out of the boat. Where there was human habitation, be it a village or a resort, everywhere there is a temple of Banabibi (the Forest Goddess). Our guide Mr. Baidya enlightened us on this front. Banabibi is the only deity the people of Sundarbans worship. No other God of any religion is this important to them. The Hindus and the Muslims equally believe in and worship Banabibi to protect them from the tigers, especially “Dakshin Rai” who’s said to be the strongest of all tigers. This has been ever since the people started experiencing the Man Eating Tigers’ menaces. Even today, the significant of Banabibi is intact.

It’s not an easy job to spot a tiger in the Sundarbans and that too, on a two days trip with just an hour wait at a point. It’s even tougher when you are on the boat. So, if you are planning to visit the Sundarbans only for the tiger sight, then you seriously have to plan it exclusively. Have to spend hours or even a day not moving or making any sound at one single point. However, if just the tiger view is not your criterion, then you might just explore a new sphere of the globe, altogether. The nature’s mood, apparel, gestures are all very different. The people are simple and sincere with so much of visible love for their place. You are bound to be moved and spell bound…yes, the Sundarbans do cast a spell on you!

THE HIGHWAY SURVIVORS

“Wow! WHAT a plan! Absolutely thrilling, exciting and so very adventurous!!”

These words blurted out when Dev confided our 3^rd Anniversary plan to me. So far, we celebrated our anniversaries in the sweet elegant yet a bit obvious manner. Like candlelit dinners, wines, great music…little pampering to ourselves. Romantic! Well, that’s how anniversaries were supposed to be, we thought, being beginners. We felt quite satisfied by the “perfect” way to celebrate that special day.

Just a week before our third one, while planning on “what to do’s or where to go’s”, we started retrospections on the previous years’ memories. After a good ponder we looked at each other and came up with exactly the same reaction, “Naaaaaah!!!!! Not again this year!” We were bored. Bored and almost terrified of repeating the same procedure in the alibi of “celebration”! We were very sure that we didn’t want to do something, which was obvious. And that is when Dev came up with this brilliant idea, which forced me to pat his back. This was the plan:

A road trip from Delhi-Bhangarh-Delhi! The reason why this plan raised my eyebrows in excitement apart from the bike ride was, Bhangarh is known to be the most haunted place in India! Now, this was something I would call spine-tickling thrill! Although most of our friends who heard about the plan told us to expect the least, as we might rather scare ‘them’ away, but we were happy. About the l-o-n-g bike trip and visit haunted ruins! We couldn’t wait for the night to get over on 25^th as we were more than convinced to have the best plan one can ever think of for a “perfect anniversary celebration!”

It was just a day’s program so we didn’t have to pack bags or toothbrush or any extra clothes. Just water, wallet, maps, shades…and we were all set to go! Our bike cruised through the NH8 and the city looked all the more pretty in the winter dawn. I kept thanking Dev for such a desirable and wonderful gift! Feeding our stomachs with egg-cheese-sausage-burgers & coffee and eyes with soft glimpse of sunrise from the large windowpanes, we left MacDonalds at Manesar heading towards Bhiwadi. Just as we entered Bhiwadi (i.e. about 65kms. From Delhi), the events started taking place one after another. Never before did we experience such a brim of twists and turns in one store. While penning them down, I’m laughing and having goose bumps at the same time! Here it goes in chronological order:

Twist #1- The first little indication: we found a noise coming from the engine and some fluid dripping on Dev’s shoes. The mechanic at Bhiwadi discovered that fluid to be the petrol, which was leaking, as the knob wasn’t set right. He checked them all, and assured there isn’t any big trouble to drive it for another 200 kilometers. We too became relieved telling each other this is too petty a problem to be worried about and carried on with our venture.

Twist #2- The great fall: the roads were mostly smooth and Dev never tried to over-speed, as he is extremely careful while highway driving. So, we were kind of enjoying the ride. I kept clicking pictures of roads, farms, trees and clouds. The only problem was with the trucks, which drove madly. Since it was a two-way highway, more caution was required. After crossing Alwar, at the mouth of entering Burja, we faced a small narrow wooden bridge. As we were almost at the midway of the bridge, something happened and before we could realize what, Dev was lying on the ground and I, above him! Within a few seconds, bike passers were there to help us get up and they too nodded to the fact, it all happened because of the speeding truck. Also, they repeatedly kept telling us how lucky we were to be saved. Lucky indeed! The bridge was so narrow that we hardly had any space to move away when the truck coming ahead, almost pushed us aside. It undoubtedly was a narrow escape. A few wounds on the knee and a little turmoil in mind, we thought of taking a few minutes rest and…moved ahead again!

Twist #3- Gone with the wind: on our way to Abhaneri, a biker came close to us and constantly tried to communicate. We understood only when there was nothing to do about it. He was trying to tell us, something flew away from our bike, and we later realized it was one of our route maps! Going back to collect it was a bad idea-hence, we started depending on the direction boards mostly.

Twist #4- Off-track: our first destination was Abhaneri to visit a 9^th century old temple and “Chand Bowli”. For that, we had to ride through a place called Bandi Kui. Keeping track of the directions and the milestones, finally we came to a fork junction. We obviously followed the one, which ‘promised’ us to lead to Bandi Kui. Little did we know how misguiding those directions were. Of course, it led us to Bandi Kui, but the way to reach there added another feather in the cap! Instead of the smooth highway road, we had chosen the route, which went through a cramped village where there was more traffic than the streets could hold; more markets than people actually needed; more people on streets than they should be at that time! And, just when we thought it was over, we found ourselves riding through dry, rocky muddy undulating tracks surrounded by hills and forests giving the entire place a look of Chambal Ghats where you can expect robbers on horses coming any time! Travelers passing by gave us suspicious gazes (or so we thought). However, we moved on so confidently as if it was our own village!

Twist #5- Enter the Haunted: fine carvings and beautiful architecture were the vital features of Abhaneri Temple of Harshat Mata. Chand Bowli on the other hand, was 100 feet deep, which meant 3500 steps! Amazed by the ancient monuments we decided to delay our lunch and head towards Bhangarh, as entry after sunset in Bhangarh was strictly restricted. It was a 58 kilometers ride from Abhaneri and would take at least one and a half hours, as we never sped beyond 40-45kmph. Until Dausa (i.e. 31kms.), the roads were not bad but, turned nasty after that. This meant 27 kms of difficult ride. However, the picturesque views around always kept us distracted. While crossing places like Sainthal, Bapi, Nabhawala it was getting darker and sun was getting ready to set. The bike and the roads did not support speeding up. After a good stressful ride when we reached Bhangarh ruins, the guard wouldn’t allow us in. It was sunset already, and they simply could not risk our lives by letting us enter the ‘most haunted place in the country!’ So much of hassles, such adverse experiences all for coming to this place and now they don’t allow us? We remembered the coffee shop owner’s words at Tijara, who mentioned to us, “sirf kismet waale hi pahuch paate hain wahaan, saab!” (only those who are lucky can reach there, Sir). That time he appeared just like any spooky watchman or old beggar who always create a warm-up mood in horror films. We had laughed our hearts out that time but, never thought it could mean something really! Did it? Well, we summarized our tough, full of hassles journey even displaying Dev’s knee wound and finally convinced the guard to let us in! But, those few moments were truly tensed and we almost freaked out when it seemed all our efforts so far had gone in vain!

Twist #6- Change of plan (by choice): after all those tumbling down and off road expeditions and frequent feeding of the bike with engine oil because of that fall- all these ate up the whole day. So, by the time we were about to reach Bhangarh we already decided not to go back to Delhi on the same day. Instead, another 50kms and we would reach Jaipur. Rent a room in a decent hotel, have a drink or two, eat and get some good sleep. Start the next morning for Delhi. This plan sounded just perfect to us and the “kebabs and curries” and the comfortable cushiony bed, warm quilts, hot water-all of these motivated us all the way to Jaipur. This was the first positive twist in the journey and brought smiles of relief on our faces.

Twist #7- Man proposes, God disposes: throughout our way to Jaipur, we kept discussing on two topics. First, the amazing beauty of silence that blanketed the ruins of Bhangarh. The golden beams of dusk hitting the clouds, the greens, the majestic Aravalli and the scattered ruins of Bhangarh over a huge area- all of these exhibited a fascinating blend of colors and we took away an enduring memory with us. The second topic we discussed was however imaginary. That was about the hotel we would check in to and the food we would order (14 hours of starvation helped us to imagine food even better and faster)! When we reached Jaipur, suddenly we realized we didn’t have any spare clothes to wear. Hence, two new pairs of t-shirts and pajamas! Now the only job left was to find a nice hotel with good food (all those kebabs and curries that we fantasized now weren’t too far!) and a comfortable warm room…our perfect anniversary would be complete that way. But, alas! Our fortunes had pre-decided to give us a tough time. We hunted almost every hotel and came out with a frown reading those “alcohol and non vegetarian food is strictly prohibited in this hotel premises” boards! Wish they had some smarter business policies. By then, few agents had already started to nag us with their offers. “deluxe hotel sir! Very good! Madam, very nice hotel” etc. We kept going in and out of hotels with disappointment and more frowns. At last, surrendering to one of those agents we followed him to a hotel expecting the least and worst. However, even our fortunes got tired of playing tricks by that time and surprised us with our “dream hotel!” We thanked the agent our luck for the first time that day, raised toasts to the adventurous anniversary we’ve had, ate like monsters, watched TV and dozed off like never before.

Twist #8- The Big Break: we wholeheartedly kept appreciating the Hotel Nirbana Palace, which actually was a savior for us. Recollecting the previous day’s experiences, we thought it might have been a dream perhaps! We started for Delhi afresh. It was a bright Saturday morning, people rustled bustled on roads making us feel proud that we were not a part of those “poor office goers!” After about one and a half more hours, we took a tea break. Our timing was perfect, and we calculated roughly to hit Delhi by 5 or 6pm. How could we realize the upcoming twist awaiting our life? Just about after 20 minutes, our baby finally refused to move anymore. Dev checked the oil, clutch, brakes etc. but could not get hold of the real culprit. It was in the middle of a highway and no mechanic was visible. We did not know whom to curse- our fates or our extremely adventure-hungry-urges? Anyway, we still were “lucky” to have found some mechanic shops nearby- which literally meant dragging the machine for 1.5kms. After a detailed observation of all the possible parts, trying out some jugaads, the mechanic declared, there was a serious problem in the engine, piston and timing chain. This required overall servicing, replacement of some parts to be bought from Jaipur and not less than 24hours, if we want the bike to get started! We meant to cry, but we laughed out looking at each other.

Twist #9- Change of plan (by force): after spending almost 3 hours at the mechanic shop, it was time to decide about spending the coming 24 hours. And going back to Jaipur seemed to be the only option left with us. In spite of all the odds, we cannot deny the fact that relaxing another evening in that hotel was quite inviting. Although this almost emptied both our bank accounts, but guess we hardly had any choice. Since this was another day for us sans lunch, we again started dreaming of the great food at the hotel! A two hours bus ride to Jaipur, checking in Hotel Nirbana Palace, again eating like monsters and raising a toast on our fates that brought so many spices to our lives, we slept off to put an end to the day!

The next day appeared to be the easiest, giving signs right from the beginning. Like getting a bus readily to Manoharpur (where our baby was waiting for us- all set!), getting the opportunity to eat lunch for the first time in three days, taking planned breaks, smooth traffic-free roads, clean loos at petrol pumps…well, we started believing in signs by then! We saw sun setting behind the Aravallis, rode through the NH8 and gradually kept feeling happy on seeing the kilometers to Delhi decreasing on the direction boards. It was 10.30 pm when we reached HOME! We can bet, our home never looked so beautiful before. In fact, the mere sight of “Mehrauli- 10kms” made us almost jump in triumph! Having dinner with tomato soup and Maggie we exchanged our opinions on the experience. Just then, a friend called up to make sure we were safe home. Listening to the stories and events of our journey he said, “You guys should take it as a lesson ok! So, now tell me, will you ever dare go on a bike venture like this again?” We both laughed out and said on the phone-speaker, “Of course we will…next destination- Himachal!!!!”