दान की बछिया के दांत गिनने की कला, उत्कृष्ट तकनीक के रूप में

स्कूल और कालेज की कुछ किताबें बहुत समय से मेरे पास रखी थीं | पर मैंने उन्हें न तो किसी पुरानी किताबों की अदला - बदली करने वाली दुकान पर और न ही किसी कबाड़ी वाले को बेचना उचित समझा | काफी समय से, इनके घर में रखे होने के कारण माँ से बहुत डांट भी पड़ती रही हैं, की घर में रहने की जगह कम पड़ रही हैं और यह की मेरा बिस्तर तक पुरानी किताबों से भर गया था | बहुत सोंच - विचार और दिमागी उठा - पटक के बाद मैंने ये निर्णय लिया की इन्हें किसी पुस्तकालय को दान दे दिया जाए तो कुछ लोगों का भला हो जाएगा |

लखनऊ में अशोक मार्ग पर चन्द्र भानु गुप्त भवन में आचार्य नरेन्द्र देव पुस्तकालय है | यह यहाँ का एक बड़ा पुस्तकालय है जिसमे किताबों का विशाल संग्रह है | कुछ वर्षों पहले तक मैं इस पुस्तकालय का सदस्य भी था | लगभग 10 वर्षों पूर्व, लखनऊ शहर से जब ब्रिटिश लाइब्रेरी की विदाई हुई तो वो भी अपनी किताबों का जखीरा इसी पुस्तकालय के हवाले कर गए थे | शायद लखनऊ शहर में ये सबसे सुपात्र संस्थान भी होगा |

मैंने भी अपनी पुरानी किताबें इसी पुस्तकालय को दान देने का मन बनाया | बड़े श्रद्धा भाव से किताबों का बंडल बना के और बाकायदा चिठ्ठी टाइप कर मैं पुस्तकालय पहुँच गया | दिन के करीब बारह बजे थे और उनके आगन्तुक रजिस्टर पर बमुश्किल मुठ्ठीभर नाम ही दर्ज थे | खैर, आगन्तुक रजिस्टर में अपनी एंट्री कर मैंने लाइब्रेरीयन से सम्पर्क साधा और अपनी मंशा बतायी | उन्होंने प्रसन्नता जताते ह्युए बाकायदा मेरी चिठ्ठी पर एक कर्मचारी को 'मार्क' कर दिया कि ये पुस्तकें दान में स्वीकार कर ली जाएँ | देख कर कुछ अटपटा लगा ! पर क्या कहता | दिल में जन - सेवा के 'महान' भाव उमड़ - घुमड़ रहे थे | पुस्तकें उस कर्मचारी को रिसीव करा के मैंने लाइब्रेरी का एक नजारा लिया तो पाया कि वह लगभग पूर्णतया: खाली ही पड़ी थी | इक्का - दुक्का लोग भी नहीं दिखे | शायाद लोगों को ज्ञान ज्यादा हो चुका था और अब उन्हें लाइब्रेरी की जरूरत नहीं रही | तुरंत ही, ब्रिटिश लाइब्रेरी के बंदी के समय ब्रिटिश कौंसिल का दिया तर्क याद गया कि वे लाइब्रेरी इसलिए बंद कर रहे थे कि उनके यहाँ पर्याप्त संख्या में लोग नहीं आते थे | मैंने उस कर्मचारी को बताया की मेरे पास और भी किताबें हैं जिसे मैं दान में देना चाहता हूँ पर स्कूटर पर कम जगह होने के कारण उन्हें नहीं ला सका और उन्हें फिर कभी लाउंगा |

कुछ दिनों बाद दुबारा उसी 'महान' कार्य के लिए पुस्तकालय जाने का सौभाग्य प्राप्त हुआ | पर इस बार के अनुभव पिछले बार से ज्यादा स्मरणीय हैं | पहले तो मैंने सीधे उसी कर्मचारी से सम्पर्क साधने की सोंची जिसने पहले मेरी लायी किताबों को रिसीव किया था | पर वह उस दिन नहीं आया था | एक अन्य व्यक्ति को उसकी सीट पर बैठे देख मैंने उसे ही अपने आने का कारण बताया | वह तो कुछ बोला नहीं अलबत्ता एक अन्य महिला बोली की पहले 'आर्डर' करा लाइए | आर्डर भी इस बात का कि दान में किताबें स्वीकार कर ली जाए | आर्डर लाइब्रेरियन करते हैं जो उस समय आफिस में नहीं थे | मुझसे पहली अपेक्षा यही थी कि मैं उस समय आऊं जब लाइब्रेरियन आफिस में हों | खुदा कसम, उन 28 किताबों को पुस्तकालय की छठी मंजिल से नीचे लाकर वापस घर लाने और फिर किसी मुफीद समय दुबारा पुस्तकालय ले जाने के ख्याल से ही मेरी रूह फना हो गयी |

थोड़ी मान - मनव्वल के बाद एक कर्मचारी को शायाद मेरे ऊपर दया आ गयी और वह मेरी चिठ्ठी को किसी को 'दिखा' लाया | उस 'देखने वाले' देवता को तो मैंने नहीं देखा पर मेरा मन उसके प्रति अनन्त श्रद्धा से भर गया की एक बहुत बड़ी तात्कालिक समस्या से बचा लिया | तभी एक महिला कर्मचारी ने टिप्पणी करी की ये किताबें तो पुरानी हैं और अब 'कोर्स' से बाहर हो चुकीं हैं | इस प्रश्न के लिए में बिलकुल भी तैयार नहीं था | पर फिर भी मैंने खुद को संभालते हुए कहा की अधिकतम किताबें अकाउंट्स, कामर्स और इकोनामिक्स की हैं जो की मूल रूप से वैसी ही रहती हैं |

तब तक एक भला माणूस मेरी लायी किताबों को गिनने लगा | उसने घोषणा की, कि एक किताब कम है | मैंने पूरी इमानदारी के साथ दान देने का निर्णय लिया था सो तर्क दे दिया की साहब मैं तो दान दे रहा हूँ | वो भी स्वयम आकार | मैं कम क्यों दूंगा ? खैर, मैंने भी गिना तो वाकई एक किताब कम थी | अब डर गया की कहीं मुझसे दुबारा चिठ्ठी टाइप करवाने को न कह दें | पर रास्ता भी उन लोगों ने खुद ही सुझाया, की जो किताब नहीं हो, लिस्ट में उसके नामे पर क्रास मारकर साइन कर दें |

अंत में मैंने अपनी चिठ्ठी पर किताबें रिसीव करके वाले सज्जन से पुस्तकालय की मोहर लगाने को कहा तो उन्होंने बाहर, इश्यु काउन्टर पर बैठीं एक महिला के पास भेज दिया | उनसे भी एक मोहर लगवाना आसान कैसे होता और क्यों ? पहला जवाब आया की जिसने रिसीव लिया है मोहर भी वही लगाएगा | पर फिर न जाने क्या सोंच कर वो मेरे ऊपर मेहरबान हो गयीं और फाइनली इस सवाल के साथ मोहर लगा ही दी की क्या किताबें रिसीव करने वालों ने मुझे धन्यवाद पत्र नहीं दिया ? मन से आवाज आई की धन्यवाद तो मुझे आप सभी को देना चाहिए की आप लोगों ने मेरी द्वारा दान में दी गयी किताबों को ले लिया और मुझे कृतज्ञ किया |

सारी जद्दोजहद के बाद जब मैं बाहर आ रहा था तो दिल के किसी कोने में एक ख़याल आ ही गया की जब दान की बछिया के दांत गिनने की कला, इतनी उत्कृष्ट तकनीक के रूप में विकसित कर ली गयी हो तो क्या इन किताबों के बदले मैटनी शो के दो टिकट बुरे थे ? और मां की डांट भी बहुत समय पहले पड़ना बंद हो जाती !

जौनपुर ' राजुओं ' का शहर है !

बुधवार, 16 दिसंबर को विश्वविद्यालय से जौनपुर शहर आते समय मेरे साथ आये ड़ा. उमेश पाठक से मुलाक़ात हुई | वे विश्वविद्यालय के जन संचार विभाग में अतिथि प्रवक्ता के रूप में आये हुए थे और शाम को जन संचार विभाग के प्रध्यापक दिग्विजय सिंह के साथ शहर वापस जाने के लिए किसी वाहन - साधन का इन्तजार कर रहे थे | दिग्विजय ने उमेश को मेरे साथ मोटरसाइकिल पर शहर भेज दिया | रास्ता लंबा था, सो बातों का दौर शुरू हुआ तो मालूम हुया की वे पूर्व में इसी विभाग के छात्र भी रह चके हैं | अलबत्ता काफी कम समय के लिए | उन्होंने अपना कोर्स बीच में ही छोड़ दिया था | कारण, उन्होंने महसूस किया की यहाँ पर प्रगति के साधन नहीं हैं और पिछड़ेपन के कारण उनका समय एवं प्रतिभा का छयन हो रहा था | फिर वे बनारस हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय के छात्र हुए और वर्तमान में दिल्ली के इन्द्रप्रस्थ विश्वविद्यालय से सम्बद्ध एक कालेज में प्रध्यापक हैं |

बातों की चाशनी कुछ गहरी होती जा रही थी और क्षेत्र के पिछड़ेपन से होते हुए अब बात सामाजिक जीवन पर मुड़ चुकी थी | दोनों ही जाने - अन्जाने बेबाक टिप्पणियाँ कर रहे थे | तभी जौनपुर से सम्बंधित किसी प्रसंग पर उमेश ने जो बोला, वो एक यादगार टिप्पणी बनकर अब मेरे जहन में गहरे तक पैठ बना चुका है | और हमेशा याद रहेगा | वे बोले " ये राजुओं का शहर है " | एक बारगी तो मैं इस दिलचस्प टिप्पणी को समझ ही नहीं पाया की वो क्या कहना चाह रहे हैं | पर जब उन्होंने ' का हो राजू ' पर जोर देकर कहा तो मुझे भी कुछ ' बुझा' गया | दरअसल उन्होंने इस इलाके में बहुतायत से बोले जाने वाले एक पापुलर जुमले को इस अंदाज में पेश किया की वह यादगार बन गया | यह जुमला वास्तव में एक क्षेत्रीय पहचान का बोध कराता है | यहाँ के लोग शायद न माने, पर मुम्बई में यह जुमला उनकी पहचान एक ख़ास क्षेत्र से आने वालों के रूप में कराता है | आज के, क्षेत्रीयता से प्रभावित राजनैतिक वातावरण में इस पहचान के ख़ास मायने भी हो सकते हैं |

खैर, विश्वविद्यालय से शहर तक के रास्ते में उन्होंने मुझे कई भाषाओं में बोलने की अपनी अनूठी कला से वाकिफ़ कराया तो मैं प्रभावित हुए बिना न रह सका | मैं सबसे ज्यादा उनका शुक्रगुजार हूँ की उन्होंने मुझे मुनव्वर राणा की कविता मां से परिचित कराया |

और इसी प्रकार 'अपनी बातों' के बीच अपनी मंजिल आने पर उमेश ने फिर मिलने के वादे के साथ मुझसे विदा ली और जीवन में एक यादगार प्रसंग जुड़ गया |

Realising the importance of studio apartments

Living single has its challenges in terms of managing time. There are a host of things that one would like to do at the same time. Say, cooking food while watching the news on television. Conventional apartments, like the one made available by my employer have their limits in offering their convenience to 'self-dooers' like me. Studio apartments can be good solution. With lesser walls things can be arranged in the way one wants. Flexibility is the name of the game. One may even sleep in the kitchen or attend guests while cooking or instruct children at the same time. The concept also saves a lot of space in this era of ever squeezing land resource.

Learnings in democracy

I am returning to this space after a big time lag. Many developments have taken place ever since. One of them being that my professional colleagues have entrusted me with an important responsibility in our teachers' association.

Although this association which I inherited as its General Secretary is existing since last ten years something, but it has hardly to present its credit. Not even a agreed upon Constitution, upon which the association is supposed to function. Moreover, no one could tell who were its members or how many were there in number. So, what to talk about the official records and accounts of the association.

It was a start from scratch. From designing and creating of stationery to mobilizing finances for its functioning. Some members were kind enough to offer their co-operation while some even evaded. Reasons for such cold shoulders may be their low or even non existing confidence in the association. But then, that's the beauty of it. People don't complain to whom complains should have been addressed. I realized that I am a successor to a daunting task ahead, a task never done. The task of kindling a ray of hope and building a confidence in my constituency that should drive them out of shells.

The creating of the Constitution of the association was a learning in itself. As a member of the drafting group, I had the opportunity to further my learning in democracy. It was a feast to watch how different interest groups would like to pull a common association in different directions. Some would like to add, for furthering personal interests, but I would say that its a natural human tendency to establish ones supremacy in groups to which one belongs. Did they not follow Maslow? Yes. They did.

Once through with the draft, the intricacies of actually putting the whole thing in words and finally putting it for the consideration of the members at a General Body meeting. Each phase offered a new platform to enhance my paradigms of operating in a group which is also my constituency. Now I am through with the initial and basic technical work that are required to call an informal group a formal association. I am not only feeling relaxed but also happy that I have done my bit for the challenge, I had accepted on August 27, 2009.

I believe that even bigger tasks are now ahead. The task of managing people's ego. Infact, bloated egos. The egos which keep us divided and prevent from moving ahead towards a unified goal. During the ground work done so for, I have discovered that there are divergent views of people, not on how the affairs of the association should be conducted but on how his / her personal well being is not being catered to. Hardly, did I find people coming forward on how the association should function or what programmes should it take up. Each one of us is an intellectual and has a head above shoulder.

Even when some did voice their hearts out, they were hardly willing to say the same on a proper platform i.e. a general body meeting or over the internet group & mailing list that is just being hosted to facilitate people voice out amongst their own fellow members, from the comforts of their personal PCs. Some even expect the Office Bearers to be having some Jinie who would wash away all the issues in one go. Experiences are innumerable and possibly one post may even be a bad idea to put them all.

I return with more on my Learnigs in Democracy.

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क्या कंप्यूटर लैब सिर्फ़ प्रैक्टिकल करने के लिए होता है?

शायद हाँ ! ख़ास कर जब डाकटर टी अफसर भाषा खडें हो

अकादमिक स्टाफ कालेज, शिमला में रेफ्रेषर कोर्स के दौरान खीचें कुछ फोटो बहुत दिनों बाद ब्लॉग पर होस्ट कर पाया हूँ। देरी के लिए क्षमा। यह उन दिनों की खट्टी - मीठी यादों को संजोने का प्रयास है। किसी के लिए भी फिर से विद्यार्थी बनना एक अभूतपूर्व उनुभव होगा!

आशा करता हूँ आप लोगों की प्रतिक्रिया जरुर मिलेगी।

शिमला डायरी: जैसा दिगन्ता दत्ता के कैमरे ने देखा

गेस्ट हाउस के कमरे में अपने लैपटॉप के साथ

हमारा दोपहर का खाना यहीं होता था

हमारा आशियाना : 'सिटी इन' जहाँ हम 21 दिन तक रुके

हिमाचल प्रदेश विश्वाविद्यालय का मुख्य द्वार

अकादमिक स्टाफ कालेज शिमला का भवन | (इसी भवन में पुस्तकालय भी है )

Shimla Diary: The Mystical Co-incidences at Tara Devi

Tara Devi Railway Station

Sunday the 14^th December, the first holiday in the 21 day long course was eagerly awaited. The ardent traveler in me did awake early to catch the 8:15 toy train from Summer Hill station. This journey on toy train may not have been possible due to the packed schedule. The ASC was also reported to be in a practice of organising official tours of the course on Sundays. That made it all the more mandatory to experience this ride at the first available opportunity. Thanks to Joginder Singh, the Station Master at Summer Hill station for advising a workable plan. Recommendations of colleagues back at workplace, who had been attending courses at Shimla also, had their share in motivation for this solitary sojourn. With an investment of two rupee on ticket, Indian Railways did allow the pleasure of this legendry ride for half an hour to Tara Devi railway station. Final leg of this would be memorable trip was completed by bus that leaves right at the temple.

Tara Devi Temple Notice Board

Tara Devi Monkey Sanctuary

Located around 12 Km from Shimla is Tara Devi Temple a famous religious attraction. Sitting at atop is this deity whose temple is constructed in graceful ambience. Shyam Lal Sharma, an ardent devotee of the deity enlightened the seeker in me on the history of this temple. The temple was made by Bhependra Sen, the King of Kuanthal Estate, Junga here. Sen had to move his empire from Calcutta to Shimla and was asked by Tara his ‘Kul Devi’ – family deity, to establish her temple. Later, a saint Taradhi Nath visited this place and collectively the name Tara Devi was coined. The sanctum sanctorum here is also the place of Maha Kaali, Maha Laxmi and Maha Saraswati. Sharma is quick to add that this is a rare sight in entire India . Other temples of Tara Devi as Neel Tara being in Calcutta and Ugra Tara in Maharashtra .

Scenic View from Tara Devi Temple

Warm winter sun accentuated this experience and made it more memorable. Pollution free clear warm air energized not only the physical body but also touched upon invisible mystical cords hard to express in words. In the temple a rare scene occurred. An elderly person sat before the deity, made his prayers and suddenly started making noises some of which were uncomprehendable. Seated next to him was another person who asked some questions to him. The first man answers them and offers some rice grains to the second man. As the questioner moves away after getting answers to his questions the security guard there takes his place and takes his turn in questioning. The guard was cautioned that he had not done what he had promised to do as some religious duty which he should have done. The guard apologised for his fault and promised to obey soon. Then the man answering questions distributes rice grains to all present in the sanctum sanctorum. Even the Chief Priest at the temple receives his share of this distribution with due respect to the deity. The exercise comes to an end.

For a temple of Shakti – The power as it is referred to in the Hindu mythology this may have been a common sight. Shyam Lal Sharma was the man answering questions. In fact he was the ‘medium’ – the person who connects human beings to the deity. When the ‘medium’ answers the questions, it is as if the deity herself is answering. It was a co-incidence that I became witness to this sight and moreover, as a recipient of share of the holy rice grains, like any believer feel blessed.

In another such coincidence it was found that Sundays are the days of ‘Langar’ – the community kitchen. Being recipient of the Prasad that day was another mystical coincidence added to the long standing series. Had it been for any other day of the week, Langar would not have been there, or like fellow participants in the course had I made it to some other place? Such thoughts flooded within and obviously with no certain answers. A distinct feature of the Langar was the protocol followed in serving. Small quantities of rice was being served with different dishes – sweet, kadhi, chana – paneer and rajmah – masoor dal, taking their turns in that order. The staff in service confirmed that this protocol is never breached.

Road to Shiv Temple down hill Tara Devi

Road to Shiv Temple down hill Tara Devi

Downhill Tara Devi in the Tarab Forest , an old Shiva Temple is situated. The path to which is cast in concrete. Small videos shot on Nokia 3110c are hosted with this post which should help facilitating the situation there. Localities informed that a short cut existed from Shiv Temple to Tara Devi railway station. It would be an hour’s walk through the forest on a pedestrian strip spread on the hill. After understanding the broad roadmap on this unexplored hill terrain I ventured out on a lonely, but one of the most memorable walks ever. Sure it shall be a walk down the memory lane for years after.

Notice Board outside Shiv Temple

Shiv Temple Gate

History of Shiv Temple

The ringing bells of Shiv Temple lost their audibility within no time. The pedestrian strip got thinner. Each passing minute brought a new thought that also flew away in no time. What started as a possible award winning Discovery Traveller kind of walk had threads of uncertainty emerging soon. All alone in the forest with steep valley of hundreds of feet on one side and high rise hills on other, I continued to move ahead. Eerie silence of the forest made my own swift breathing sound more resounding. Sound of own lonely footsteps added to the first thoughts of reconsidering the decision within five minutes of the start. It was around 12:45 PM when I discovered that the Atoot Bandhan of Airtel was no more binding me to the rest of the world. Another mobile phone of BSNL was known for its unique feature: Bhagwaan Se Bhi Nahi Lagega, even in normal conditions.

View of Tarab forest

Discovery Traveller was now thinking of the BST (Basic Survival Training) of the armed forces and even worse what if, if I am not able to come out from this forest. I wondered how could have I ventured on such an expedition of treading an unknown path.

View of Tarab forest

I continued my walk on the pedestrian strip assuming that atleast it is a path used by human beings and would to lead to somewhere, if not the railway station. Empty cold drink bottles, torn packets of Kurkure, chips, cigarette packs and even heaps of dung lying on the path offered the reassurance to this thought. It was a realization in itself that even the ability to associate animal dung with the right animal could keep survival instincts alive. And so the walk down the road less travelled continued. It was by now becoming a battle of thoughts within. The reprieve came in form of group of humans coming from the opposite direction. One of the members in that group reassured that I was moving on the right path. Soon after the group became inaudible a water pipe line emerged to add to reassurance. It was later that I realised that there was no other way that could have been followed in that jungle.

View of Tarab forest

Almost halfway the way stood a Hawa Ghar (Rain Shelter), a human construct, as the final reassurance. It is here at this rain shelter a group of boys in late teens or early twenties were enjoying. They asked me the way to Tara Devi temple. From here there were two paths visible and I was in doubt on which path to take. I sought their help in selecting the path but they referred me to a ‘local’ couple which was seated behind the rain shelter. The couple, deeply engrossed in themselves took my question as an intrusion in their privacy, possibly in whose search they had chose to come to this dense forest and spent time in solitude.

View of Tarab forest

Brief examination of the place revealed that there was a highway running on one side of the hill. The other path went down in the jungle. I moved towards the highway assuming that it is the highway leading towards Shimla. Sounds of vehicles moving on the highway were now clearly audible. As I rested on an iron bench the person who explained the broad route map at the Shiv Temple emerged. The rest of the walk to the railway station was completed with this HP Public Works Department employee by my side to chat with. Numerous thanks due to Tara Devi were being offered over a tea, this guy bought at a highway shop outside Tara Devi railway station.

(Photos shot on my Nokia 3110C)

शिमला में मौसम..

यह मेरा पहला हिन्दी पोस्ट है। अभी अभी हम सब चाय के बाद कंप्यूटर लैब में आयें हैं। बाहर का मौसम बहुत अच्छा है। बादल छाये हुए हैं। हलकी सी बरसात भी हो रही है। ऐसे में अब सिर्फ बर्फ गिरने का इंतजार है। शिमला का मौसम देखकर मन में बैठी हुए हिन्दी की भावनाओं ने जोर मारा। इसमें कुछ हिन्दी के ब्लोग्स पर बेबाक कमेंट्स ने भी मदद करी और यह एक्सपेरिमेंट कर बैठा।

उम्मीद करता हूँ की आगे भी यह मौका मिलता रहेगा। अब लोग खाने के लिए जाने वालें हैं और में भी लंच मिस नहीं करना चाहता इसलिए अब कलम को विराम।

Shimla Diary: Arriving at Shimla

Summer Hill railway station

The foothills started after an hour’s journey from Chandigarh and the first thing noticed upon entering the hill terrain is that it is in the process of being converted into a hub of concrete. A feature one commonly attributes with the hazards of urbanization especially in the plains. All thanks are due to Brahspati Tripathi, a former student, for his efforts in making things smooth during the short stay at Chandigarh. Meeting Tripathi was somewhat due and apart from reminiscences we were quick to grab the opportunity to discuss future too.

I woke up to find that the HP State Road Transport Corporation bus had stopped for a tea break at Parwanoo, the foothills. As I disembarked the bus I realized that the tea joint was of HP Tourism Development Corporation and not a private venture. So, the government is atleast working in this part of the nation. A talk over the cup of tea, with the staff at this joint revealed that all the staff was on government roles and that they were completely HP government run outlets. Although the incharge was quick to voice the shortage of staff but also did not forget to emphasize that their good service was due to being a government owned outlet. The franchise mode has not caught up here.

Soon after recommencing the journey and getting engrossed with the scenic environment of the place, a phone call from an old University class mate Amber Raj, now a Major with the Indian Army, breaks my awakened slumber as he required me to attend to some of his personal financial work. The remaining journey to Shimla was also not free from disturbances in the form of phone calls being attended on and off.

As I arrived at Shimla’s Victory Tunnel and searched for some transport to take me to Summer Hill, the destination where the HP University is located, the sun was signing off its daily routine and dusk settled with cold rapidly engulfing the environment. The first unforgettable sight at Shimla was that of an old man carrying a plastic water tank of 5000 liter on his back. I would never stop cursing myself for not being able to click a photo of this spectacular sight.

Perhaps, years of association with the academic community has made Narendra Narwal apt at handling this clientele. This Manger of City Inn acted as my route guide over the phone ever since I started from Jaunpur to attend this Refresher Course at the Academic Staff College at Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. He did send Yashpal to receive me at Summer Hill bus stand. It was almost half past six and the hilly cold was drifting down soon and certain, as I reached the reception of this preferred dwelling of participants. An hour’s wait also introduced me to Dr. Diganta Dutta a statistician from DDR College, Chabua, Dibrugarh, Assam. Starting 10th December, we were lodged by Narendra to spend three nights at the retiring rooms at the Summer Hill railway station.

Retiring Room at Summer Hill

Staff at Summer Hill station

Railway tracks at Summer Hill

The first sight of the railway station did bring faint memories of some bollywood movie where this station was featured. As night sets in and I ventured out of the retiring room, the hill terrain made it evidently clear that the romance of the wintry hills would not be the same for me as for the characters in the movie, whose name I have not been able to recall till now. The sensation of something dripping down the right ear was haunting at regular intervals, and the next toll of cold was felt in the morning when a molar reported pain.

(Photos credit Dr. Diganta Dutta, on his Nokia 6060. Photo of Retiring Room, Summer Hill credit my Nokia 3110C)