A nightmare of every photographer - Part III

       

Pahari Hospitality 

...continued from "A nightmare of every photographer - Part II" 

24-12-2012

@ Chitkul, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

It was 8:00pm where I left in my last post and there was still a view of snow capped mountains lit by the night light. 

Taken at 8:00pm

On my way back to the bungalow in charge house I met some of the military guys who were staying there to look after the stocks which was suppose to be sent to the Tibet border. As I was interacting with them, I realized I am in an off season trip and people who come at this time usually are either crazy by mind or crazy by heart. They were living in a small room shared by two and they were cooking dinner. They offered me to eat with them but I told them I have my dinner arranged in the bungalow. But they just didn't stop insisting. I had no choice. I said I will eat little bit there and come back and eat with them. After promising them, I went with a confidence that I can keep my word because I was hungry like a starving dog. I went to place where my dinner was arranger. They had made rotis and some kind of chatni with mixed vegetable sabji. That was the most delicious food for me at that moment and the chatni was made of one of the wild variety of leaves which has toxic thorns. It was called "Bichchoo Bhutti". I ate 8 rotis and I was kind of full. 

I got a chance to go to their house which was peculiar. The cooking stove was at the center of the house and for them it was holy place. No outsider was allowed cook in that stove. The only thought which came to my mind was my promise to the other guys from military camp. 

Holy place for a Pahari woman

I left from there to their room and that was the most difficult decision to make. After looking at what they had prepared I couldn't say no nor yes. 

Roti and Brinjal sabji

My calculation was 8+7= I can't walk. I distracted myself by watching tv at their house but I couldn't hold it for long. I felt I had eaten enough food for the rest of my life. It was amazing and I couldn't walk back properly to the bungalow. After all the struggle I got to the room and without much thought I decided to fall asleep. I put the camera battery and phone on charge. Recollecting all that I did since morning and looking through some of the pictures I felt somebody pulled me down to my deepest sense to just sleep it off. That's how the a day before xmas ended and I shall write my concluding post soon. 

End of 24-12-2012

Prasanna Hegde 

Next post - of 25-12-2012 "Journey back to Reckong Peo from Chitkul" - A nightmare of every photographer - Part IV