Malvika's Ramblings

Sitting North

 

Found this written in a notebook from long ago -

 

Do you remember that oily uttapam and syrupy sweet coffee high up in Auli... We sat on the ice-cream tip – the real north – high up on snow mountains; the plains with rolling rivers and the south with banana plantations below. This was the top; where we sat and relished Mr Iyer’s cuisine.

 

Here the rivers did not roll or meander, they shot down arrow straight, tripping n skipping, hurtling over stones and obstacles like a savage army of guerilla warriors with war cries and bloodshot eyes. They only knew how to proceed on the offensive, never on the defensive. The rivers and jagged mountains contrasted with the soft, milky, rosy, petite people of the area. It was a reversal of things as they were where I came from, where rivers went around, the terrain was mild, yellow and malleable; but the people were aggressive and determined not to be cheated, not buckle down, not end up signing a clause in small type.

 

So, sitting up there with the world turned upside down, we were frozen by snow, blinded by the sun and intimidated by the utterly fit ski instructor. Like tourists we complained about consumerism, globalization, homogeneity and pollution as we drank in nature and silence. And then we cut short our 3 day trip to 1 and returned to Delhi with a painful knee. To parties, continental sizzlers, PVRs, wide roads and shops with trademark signs!