The Himachal Pradesh People-- Pure and simple like their surroundings
4:37 AM
I remember one incident from my visit to Himachal Pradesh during my childhood days. People living there are simple and pure hearted. People in Himachal are very sweet, innocent and helping. They live in nature and far away from pretentions. One day, we were going to some temple for worshipping.
“Mumma, I am feeling thirsty.” I said to Mumma showing her the empty Bisleri bottle.
“Oh! its finished, first visit the temple then we will buy another one for you. Whom will we ask for water.”
“No, I am feeling thirsty. I cannot walk anymore.” I was not in a habit of walking long distances at least at high altitude. In mountains, shops are not in large number as we see in plain areas. Mumma did not have any option but to ask pandit in temple.
He pointed to a home and asked us to fetch water from there. I was shy asking some unknown people for water but my thirst took away my shyness and I stepped towards that house.
“Yes, coming.” Some lady answered in her local language.
“Namaste, Please come.” She invited me and Mumma to her home realizing that we are new to the place.
She was wearing normal suit like us but wearing dhatu on head instead of dupatta. Dhatu is the local name of this small piece of cloth that only married ladies wear in this area of Himachal. This is like Sindoor here that differentiates married ladies from the unmarried. Unmarried ladies keep their heads naked while married ladies wear these dhatu all the time.
“Thanks, we shall be thankful if you can give one glass of water. My daughter is feeling thirsty and we could not find any shop nearby else we could have purchased a Bisleri.” Mumma explained her as in Haryana we hardly find any well off person asking for water to some strangers. Only beggars and robbers do so. So, Mumma was explaining her but she was treating us like V.I.P. as if is she was following the slogan Atithi Devo Bhavah!!
“Please come, No need to remove shoes.” She requested again and tried to make us feel at home when she noticed that I was removing shoes.
We entered the house; neat and clean wooden floor was making it different from compacted room with marble floor of our house. The house was filled with a pure fragrance and all the things were placed in a tidy way.
Her daughter brought the water, I gulped three glasses. The water was so good that it had no match. No need to purify the purest form of water coming from springs.
As I was about to put the glass on table, an old lady came from inside with a plate full of various fruits in her hand. Number of wrinkles on her face were more than crumples on bed sheet after my fight with Subodh. I was stunned to know that she was 104. People living in mountains do ample physical work and hence stay fit even in centuries.
“Can I take a photo with you?” I asked her ebulliently.
She smiled and said something in the local language which was translated by her daughter in law.
I took a photo with her, thanked her and we were about to leave.
“Please finish these fruits.” The lady insists.
“No, No thanks. We are getting late for our worship. Thank you for the water.” Mumma said to her giving explanation.
The old lady said something which means we should sit for some more time and she entered an igloo like room with her bent back. It reminded me of Vaishno Mata Cave even that is wider than this igloo. She came out in minutes with a bag carrying plum, raw almonds, Cashew and other local fruits.
Her daughter-in-law translated whatever she wanted to say to us. I was overwhelmed with the treatment these people give to even strangers.
“Mumma, we never pack remaining biscuits or sweets to the guests coming to our home. Why they gave us this packet?” I asked Mumma pulling the bag up as it was carrying my favorite fruits.
Even she was unanswerable.
0 comments