Sahasradhara

Deharadun

According to the road map, I had followed the route exactly. Still, it was better to get it confirmed before moving ahead. There was still enough fog before dawn. There was not even a dog on the road. I placed the baggage, carried by me at my back, on a bench of the park by the side of the road and started spending time doing some light exercise. After a long time, a figure wearing a pant and shirt was seen coming towards the park jogging. In a short time, she came very close.

She was a girl from the hills. Watching me doing exercise in the park she got surprised but apparently entered the park and kept jogging.

“Excuse me.”I interrupted her when she passed by the side of me after the second round.

She stopped.

“I want to go to Sahasradhara,” I said.

“You are waiting in the right place.” She said.”The first bus will pass from here exactly at six”.

“If it gets late?”I expressed my doubt

“For the last five years it has never happened”, she said emphatically.

 

“That means you have been jogging here regularly for the last five years?" I asked, ignoring her attitude.

"So what?" Her face became red hearing my statement.

"Don't be angry ... I just asked." I said, "You simply tell me the way ... I shall go on foot."

"On foot!" Her mouth was wide open in surprise. "You don't look like a stroller?"

"Then?" I asked.       

“Should I tell you the truth?”

“Yes”

“No “

"I am not finicky like you."

She smiled a little as soon as she heard me.

"Only a stroller can do this work, ma'am!" I said with a smile.

"Enough is enough." She started jumping left-right at the same place and said, "The rest of the gossip at Sahasradhara. Get along.           

"On Sahasradhara! ... Meaning?"

“We have our own small shop of fancy items there.” She said, “Every day I open the shop going by the six O'clock bus. Daddy arrives at nine o'clock, and then I return. "

She had shown her second face before me. I wanted to talk more with her. The light of dawn began to dispel the darkness. Staying there meant giving up my aspiration to travel on foot. I did not think it proper.

"I would have urged you to walk with me today if you were a boy," I said after thinking.

"Boy! Are you very proud of being a 'boy'!" She got reacted to my words sharply.”I am the daughter of Tibet. I can walk faster and longer distance than you. Don't underestimate us like this from now on."

Oh My God! What a dangerous girl!! Seeing her attitude, I thought she was not able to tolerate even simple jokes.

"OK!", I thought it better to say goodbye changing the topic.

"See you at your shop ...Good day." I said.

"Sure!"  She told in her normal voice. Provided you reach there by nine O ‘clock.”   

"Oh yes!" Picking up the baggage I turned back walking and said, "I didn’t ask your name.”

" A very holy name." She smiled and said, "Ask me after taking a bath." With this she jogged forward.

I turned towards Sahasradhara. This was my first experience of walking on a hilly track. There was some relief till sunrise; after that, the sun was scorching. People who came out of the house for a walk were also seen returning back to the city. I kept walking and went beyond the limit even when the people of the city were returning home. People did not appear on the road. The birds were found with their shrill voice on trees. The birds were leaving their shelters and flying away in search of food and relief for the day. The trees and peaks of mountains started appearing pink in some places. The body had to labor hard to walk on the hilly track as a result even on that cold morning, my forehead was sweating. But I kept walking. I felt that my vest had started getting wet with the sweat and if this was the case, I would have to take my jerkin and sweater on to my shoulder shortly after.

Meanwhile, two buses had crossed me and gone ahead. If I keep the same pace, I will not be able to reach Sahasradhara even by ten O'clock I thought anxiously and placed my baggage by the side of the road. After waiting for a while I stopped the third bus coming from behind and took my seat in it.

"Listen; drop me half a kilometer before the last stop." I pleaded with the conductor. But he dropped me about a kilometer before Sahasradhara. From there, I went walking and reached Dhara at around seven thirty or quarter to eight. Obviously my footsteps turned towards the shops first and my eager eyes easily found her shop

"How far did you walk before sitting in the bus?" She asked as soon as she saw me.

"Can't you see the sweat flowing from head to heel?"

"It happens ... This is what happens on the hilly terrains." Ignoring my condition, she said, "It doesn't matter ... there is a desire to climb the mountain only till you climb.”

"Awesome."

"Yes, I am." She said, "Go there and take a bath first." The dirt, both outside and inside, will be washed away, by this holy stream. "

"What do you mean by outside and inside?”

"Sweat and fatigue, what else?" She said.

"Now tell me your name," I said modestly.

“Take your baggage off your back and put it down." Sit comfortably and allow the sweat flowing down up to the heel to dry. ”Recollecting her earlier visits she said,“ Then do you see those stones lying in the middle of the stream, my name is written on one of them. On the pretext of finding my name, you will also have a good bath. Is it not? "

That girl was amazing. Either she showed her anger or ridiculed me. I would often get puzzled by her ridiculous talks, yet could not say anything because I was overwhelmed by the charm of her gentleness and simplicity.

"Leave it." Being at ease I said again, "How many brothers and sisters are you?"

"Hum! ... I am my brother and my sister too." This time she said softly.

"Sorry."

"Don’t mind, how about you?"

"We are many, seven! I am the youngest. "

"How many sisters?" She asked abruptly.

"Only one”.

"She will be like you... I mean, naughty and beautiful."

"More than me ... and brave too."

"Good!" She asked in a cheerful voice, "The name may be lovely too." What's that? "

"That's what I've been asking since morning." Holding her nose and shaking right-left, I said in a relatively emphatic tone, "Are you going to tell me or not?"

"Sonam ... Sonam Namgyal!" Getting her nose released in one stroke she held my hand and touched her eyes several times.

Every time I felt the warm touch of affection flowing from her on to my skin, my heart and my mind.

That holy stream of touch is flowing through me still, it seems.

THE END

सहस्रधारा 

★★★★★ 

© Balram Agarwal

https://storymirror.com/read/story/hindi/egdbbu7h/shsrdhaaraa/detail

 

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