A Visit To The Project Site In The Himalayas

There was this time when Ayesha was working as the HR Manager of an NGO in Gurgaon. Just like any NGOs that work on projects, this one also had project offices in the Himalayas. She, along with team members, was asked to prepare for a visit to Keylong and Leh.

They started off with five of them, four female and one male colleague, by bus, a Volvo bus quite comfortable one in the evening. Reached Manali the next morning. Stayed there for some time. The other colleagues left Ayesha behind in the hotel and went to visit Hidamba temple. And she couldn't visit. Felt bad though and told them on their return.

Then they took a vehicle from Manali to Keylong.

Keylong is a small town located in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, and the administrative center of the Lahaul and Spiti district.

They reached Keylong, visited the Office there. Then they went over to the hotel where they stayed, shared rooms. Next morning they started off to the Office and then went on to visit the project site.

The site wasn't along the valley but along the hilltop where they had to trek, pass along the narrow streams.

Keylong lies on the bank of Bhaga River where Chandra Valley, Bhaga Valley, and Chenab Valley intersect.

It has a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and adventure.

However, they climbed up along the valley, the hilltop. But somehow, Ayesha could not climb up as she faced problems climbing up. So she stayed back at one point all alone, while the rest of them carried on. She started observing the beauty of the valley, splendid mountains, pristine valleys. The scenic beauty well captured. Though she was a little worried and panicked being alone, "Gosh! What if anything happened here there's no one to listen to me. Way down the valley, down the mountain, the people are there, but who will listen to me..." She started feeling upset in her stomach, chewed down a couple of Digene tablets. It was nothing but a little anxiety, and the moment she viewed nature she was alright. Took some couple of photographs on her mobile phone. The people looked so minute down there. And there were none seen up along the mountain, just the green lush.

She had to wait for almost two hours just watching, the grasslands and the cultivators whose sight was so minute that they could not be reached.

Finally, the colleagues came back from the site and they reached the ground. They all had tea by the locals who engaged in cultivation.

The following day they visited the Kardang village and monastery and met the locals around. Watched the streams running through the Chandra Bhaga valley.

And at one time they were waiting for the bus at the stop after going through the apple orchard. Ayesha had just learned that a film actor was about to cross the route. Suddenly, a Mercedes car passed by slowly and stopped for a while. Ayesha thought the driver of the car was indeed very handsome. Though the car was at a distance, not really able to make who sat and drove, until minutes later she got to know that the film actor himself was driving the car.

However, Ayesha did not continue the tour due to health grounds to Leh and she came back. But on the way back they found that one of the bridges had collapsed and a large number of buses and trucks plying the route had been halted.

Ayesha and two other colleagues who came back all got down from the bus, vacated it. People were trying all alternatives since the river passed below the collapsed bridge. And finally, carriages of iron metal strong enough were pulled with ropes tied both ways and the carriage was pulled. The passengers were fitted into the carriages along with their belongings and pulled across. Ayesha's fear knew no bounds, she just prayed and prayed. As she looked down, it was water flowing down the river. It must be a moment of frightening for all of them but they all were bold enough to cross this situation and reach safely to the other side of the river. And they finally landed safely. There was a bus waiting for the passengers that took them back to their destination, that is, Delhi.

Ayesha was relieved back at home. Although she quit the job then because she had done half of the project. However, it wasn't difficult for Ayesha to find another in just a couple of days and joined. This time a much better one to her satisfaction.