Unplanned trip to Leh

        Leh is a great place, in fact an awesome place. If you are reading this to know how good Leh is or how to reach there, jump to the last paragraph of the post or go to wikipedia or google images. If you are reading this to know how good or bad my unplanned trip to Leh was or how not to reach there, please go ahead. I would be really glad. 
        First I will tell you, why I planned this trip. I was switching companies from Cvent Gurgaon to Housing Mumbai. My time in Cvent was too hectic. I desperately needed a break. My last day in Cvent was 10th April. I requested Housing to give me joining date as 20th April, so that I can relocate easily. Also as I was moving to Mumbai, I would not be able to travel to Himalayas so easily. So I wanted to travel in probably last time and that too to Leh. Also as I had sufficient time of 8-9 days, I wanted to go by road, and not fly there. As my going to Leh pre decided, I did not research anything, just packed and left.
        It was Saturday and I sent my luggage by Movers and Packers first, then I booked a bus ticket to Manali and took a cab to Kashmiri gate bus stop. I reached there 2 hours early and also the bus was an hour late. So had to wait at the bus stop for 3 hours. I was walking in the bus stop continuously, just to keep myself from thoughts. I had many things that were coming in mind. Like leaving the previous company Cvent and all my friends there. I liked a girl in Cvent but did not let her know at all; she did not come to office on my last day and I want to see her desperately. One of my old best friend Aarti, who was also my friend Raj’s ex-girlfriend and who ditched Raj and married someone else, was having divorce signing on Monday. I was walking trying to eat something or drink something to keep myself busy.
        My phone rang. It was Raj. He and I did not meet since 3-4 months and he did not made any efforts to do so. Since his engagement was fixed around 8 months ago, we only met once. Picked up the call and told him I was in bus stop, leaving Delhi for good. He told me that he wanted to talk to me but he was hesitating to do so. He told me his engagement broke. The girl cheated on him after engagement and he came to know about it. I told him he was lucky that he came to know about this before marriage. He felt so relieved because he thought I will say other way, as I have a habit of defending everyone. Though I tried to defend her too for some time, which made him angry as well, so I changed my statement.
        Bus arrived and I got in. My phone got switched off as well. At night, bus stopped for food and then drove continuously all night. In the morning when I woke up, bus was still on the side of the road. Came out of the bus, saw a truck carrying match box was fallen leaving behind a narrow part of road for others. All others vehicles could go one by one but my bus and a long truck were not able to. Very long traffic jam both sides with trucks and cars moving slowing from the narrow lane turn by turn. People started cutting the hill so that all vehicles can easily pass. I wasted 2 hours waiting and knew this will take minimum 2 more hours. I took my bag and started walking. 
        Got a lift from a bike. The guy’s name was Tameshwar. As we rode, trucks were jammed for 5 kms minimum. He stopped after sometime and told me he drinks whisky on a small elevated places on a turn beside road. I waited for him when he was drinking. We smoked cigarettes. He offered me to drink but I refused. He told me about his bike accidents after drinking. After he finished a quarter we continued on the bike. He was riding rash now. He realised in some time, so he slowed down. We stopped in a shop and had breakfast. In a village on a road, there was a fair. He stopped to buy anything. We got in the fair. We were searching for winter wear for his year old daughter, in the month of April. First he bought shoes and by the time he was buying shoes I searched for a shop selling winter wear. After buying shoes, I bought a jacket for his daughter as a gift. I couldn’t offer him money for helping me because it might be insulting for him. I wanted to repay him by gifting his daughter. We came outside the fair near the bike. The shoes and jackets couldn’t go in the bag. So I asked him to hang in the handle of the bike. When we were doing it, we noticed that there was only one shoe. We walked all the way looking for the fallen shoe. We went to the shoe shop. The shopkeeper guy had left and his mom came in place. She called him. We told him that there was only one shoe. And we could easily locate the second shoe as well in the shop. Its wasn’t difficult to convince them that the shopkeeper packed only one. We took and left. He dropped me in Sundarnagar bus stand.
        From Sundernagar bus stand, got bus to Mandi. From Mandi bus stand, got bus to Kullu. From Kullu got bus to Manali. I reach Manali around 4:30PM. I enquired in the bus stop about my Volvo bus. It hadn’t yet reach. I went outside the bus stop to Mall road. In the end of the Mall road, there was a Hotel Yak. Got in it and took a room for 1200 per night. I wouldn’t have taken a room for 1200 if I hadn’t needed a loo. I got fresh and went for a walk.
        I went in the direction from where I could see snow mountains. I enquired it was the route to Leh as well Skiing. Leh route was closed because of snow in Rohtang pass. I had to find another route to Leh now, but by road and not air. I went to taxi service counter for enquiry. A driver told me Leh route is closed and I might go via Srinagar. Bus to Jammu goes at 4PM from the bus stop and I can Ski in the morning. 1500 for vehicle and 2000 for Skiing. Fair enough. I did not knew this was too costly but I accepted. I went to hotel, took the house keeper and bought 3 beers and cigarettes. He and I drank 1-1 beer and talk for 2 hours at night. He told me his salary is just 3000 per month. Then he left and I slept.
        The driver woke me up in the morning, I took a bath and I checked out of the hotel. He took me to the Ski shop. I got dressed and a trainer joined us. We went to the Solang valley. The trainer and I walked from the parking and near a Maggi shop and he started training me. Skiing for an hour, I wasn’t even able to Ski straight. Either he was a bad trainer or I was a bad learner. We had Maggi and tea. We left the Ski at the Maggi shop and we walked to a temple on the snow over hills and rocks little far from where we were Skiing. Also the place got crowded in some time. We went to the temple, then I saw a small waterfall over a hills. Guide easily climbed the hill but I took time because it was too slippery. On the hill, there was a circular boundary, in the middle there was shivling-yoni and waterfall on it from 50-100 meters height. I asked to click a picture when I am below the waterfall. I removed shoes, jumped in the boundary, got from one side of waterfall and came out from the other side, avoiding stepping on the shivling. He couldn’t click instantly, so had to stand in the cold water still for sometime. Then we came out and got down the hill. He went walking, I went sliding because my shoe was slipping. Then we walked to the Maggi shop, took the Ski and came back to the parking. Next we went to some camp, I don’t remember the name because it wasn’t worth remembering. There I sat near the road and drank the 3rd beer. I played cricket with the kids. We came back to the Ski shop. Trainer got down. Driver dropped me to some Forest park near bus stop.
        In the forest I walked and talked to few people about Leh plans. Then I jumped of the park wall and went to the Bias river. There were already many people. Not sure from where they came from. Sat there for an hour. Then back to the park. Again talked to few college kids regarding Leh plans. They told the same thing, road closed. Went to bus stop and bought a ticket to Jammu. It was a long journey from Manali to Jammu. Reached Jammu morning 6-7. Had tea in a stall. Enquired how to go to Srinagar or Leh. They said for Srinagar, go to Banihal railway station and take a train to Srinagar. There were direct bus to Srinagar but he did not tell me about that to fill the bus to Banihal. Banihal bus did not had even a single passenger who was Kashmiri, in fact all were Biharis. Reach Banihal by night. All trains were left. Many buses like mine arrived and the gate of the railway station was crowded with around 500 people sleeping in the station. I went for tea in a restaurant which is opened all night for the people sleeping outside railway station.
        From there I started meeting Muslim people. I had tea there several times. Cigarettes were finished. They offered me Bidi and for the first time in my life I had Bidi. There were 3 workers in restaurant. 2 slept on mattresses and 1 was looking out of guests. Vehicles kept arriving all night. At 4AM, I felt sleepy. I left the bag containing laptop with the restaurant guy who was awake and I slept between the 2 sleeping on mattresses. At 6, I woke up and went to ticket counter. Queue was pretty huge and mismanaged. Train was at 7. When train arrived, people left the counter and ran for catching train without ticket. Counter guy closed the counter for people who won’t go without ticket. If they get the ticket, they might attempt to catch a running train, so. As soon as the train left, counter opened and I was alone in queue. I took ticket for next train, which was at 8.
        At 8, got the train. After few minutes train went inside a very large Banihal tunnel, which took around 5-10 minutes to come out. The mountain in which the tunnel was dug was huge and snow clad. It was an awesome scenery to see the huge snow mountain from so close. Then the Kashmir started and it was so green and beautiful that there can’t be words to describe the beauty. Area around Anantnag station was very beautiful and few smaller station passed. Then came Srinagar. Got down and took a bus to somewhere. Someone told me for Leh I must enquire in TRC. So I got down from bus with him somewhere and took another bus to Lal Chowk. TRC was near Lal Chowk. At Lal Chowk I enquired about Leh and they told the same thing that road from Srinagar to Leh is closed as well. I was badly disheartened. If I would have been sure that the road is closed, I would have gone to Delhi and took flight to Leh in such case. But the options isn’t ruled out yet. I came outside the TRC and went to ATM because I had 0 money, 0 charge in my phone and 0 charge in my laptop. When I came outside the ATM, an old guide caught me.
        He was talking some shit but something came out of his mouth which caught my attention and that was there are trucks going to Leh in morning. I started listening to him and walking with him to his house boat. After that he told me you can go here in Srinagar or there in Srinagar, today you can do this and that. Then go to Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonmarg, etc in minimum price and make the base as his house boat, very far from TRC. He said he knows in and out of Kashmir. But nothing about trucks. After listening to his shit, I interrupted him about trucks. Now his statement changed. There are trucks going from Sonmarg. I can go to Sonmarg and find trucks myself. That would be my luck and he was not sure as well. Then took me to his shop. There guy told me Sonmarg is closed, which itself contradicted his own old man’s statement. When I pointed that out, the old man said he was talking about different thing though he was not even listening to him. Then when I was disappointed, I asked him to show me internet cafe. He took me to internet cafe from a very long distance (left-left-left-left). Internet cafe did not had internet. I just asked him to show me way to TRC. On the way, I enquired about Leh on a taxi stand. Same again. I decided to use internet cafe and book flight tickets from Srinagar to Delhi and Delhi to Leh. I walked till Lal Chowk, had some tea on the way, enquiring and searching for internet cafe. For some reason, I had no hesitation in talking to strangers and I was feeling very safe.
        While I was walking on the street looking for internet cafe, someone from behind greeted me “Hi”. I turned back and looked at him to confirm whether he was greeting me or someone else. He was an old man near about age of 70, who looked like Jesus Christ but his name was Abdullah. He began talking to me, asking me about me, telling me things about Kashmir. He told me he was a historian. He loves talking to new people and helping them get to where they want. He asked how can he help me. I told him to help me get to an internet cafe. He and I walked to the cafe. It took around 10 minutes. On the way he asked me if I don’t mind him showing me places around Srinagar. Looking at the fondness of the man for the tourists and the dedication he showed to help me, I decided to give this man some of my time just to not dishearten him, though I was very much short of time. We reached the internet cafe and both of us took 2 machines and began doing our work. To give the man a chance, I cancelled my flight from Leh to Mumbai and booked from Srinagar to Mumbai. We came out of the cafe and started talking again. He said he will show me temples, mosques, churches, cultures, monuments, etc and provide me the details of each, which actually did not interest me at all and I admitted that to him. He then himself told me that it will be better for me to go from here on my own. I felt relieved but what the fuck, I cancelled my ticket from Leh. I would have gone to Delhi and from Delhi to Leh. Damn.
        Then I walked to TRC and enquired about how to reach Gulmarg. I took a bus to somewhere where I got Sumo to Tangmarg and there I got Sumo to Gulmarg. On the way to Gulmarg, as we got higher, the surrounding got greener. There were trees on slants on both sides of the road. Then we reached even more higher, those trees were covered in snow. Then even more snow. When we reached Gulmarg bus stop, there was a long trail of snow and nothing else on one side of the road. I got down and my Sumo mates showed me a restaurant. 
        I went inside the restaurant and asked the restaurant guy Rameez myself does he have any room. He had above the restaurant a single room. I took the room immediately after some bargaining at 2000 for 3 nights because I wanted to use the loo. Then comes the hard part. When I stood up from the pot, roof hit my head, it was slant and low. After one flush, the flush did not filled again. Then no hand wash. I used my shampoo. Then no towel and then no water in room. I went down asked for water and tea. He just brought the tea but no water. For dinner, I ordered for Chicken Biryani. Then I switched on the TV but no network, I presumed because of cloudy whether. I switched on my laptop and start watching Sugandha Mishra’s singing performances. Then Rameez informed me that the biryani is made. I went to the restaurant, had my dinner there and came to the room. Biryani was awesome. I got over-stuffed and slept peacefully.
        The next day I got up and Rameez asked for advance. I went to the ATM and gave him 2000 for 3 days. Rameez asked me if I wanted to Ski, I refused as I did it in Manali. I thought I couldn’t do it. So I started walking on long sheet of snow. It was too foggy. After walking few minutes I saw groups of people in far far places. I had to walk carefully to avoid water bodies. There was a lake in the middle. There was a small slope which end up to a church. I stood below and was looking at the church, wanting to climb it. A Ski trainer came to me to ask whether I want to Ski. At first I refused but he told me to try for once because we tourist are their bread and butter. I got emotional :) and ask for cost. He said 350 for equipments and 300 for trainer.
        I was not confident I could even stand in this much snow. But this Ski shoes were so comfortable that I could balance very easily. He made me walk, Ski down small slopes with his support and without his support. He made me go down the church with him holding from behind. Then he made me fall from a steep slope and asked me to make a V-shape of leg to brake, same that Manali trainer told as well. I did it but my legs got split and I fell down backwards. Then he told me reverse-V-shape :) . Logically it made sense. From then I skied very well, without a fall. He and I smoked and I bought a Kahwa. Only tourist were allowed to smoke in public but not locals. But when I insisted he did. He made a seat of the Ski. Then I skied again from good slope and we ended the session with another cigarette.
        The place where I was Skiing turned out to be a golf course. I got out of the golf course and took left thinking I was going away from the hotel. But I was wrong. I reached the hotel and had bread omlet. I left hotel for another walk. I was just looking at something, another guide came to me. He made me emotional again by saying that he will earn 4 paise out of it. I went to a temple behind my hotel first. He followed me but stayed outside as he was Muslim. Then he took me to a view point. Then he told me to take a ride of Gondola, the cable car, but I had something else in mind.
        I wanted to trek the hill on foot, where Gondola goes. He thought for some time, then agreed. When we started climbing, there was only snow. Few water stream of melting snow. Then came house hidden in snow. Then trees in snow. Then only snow. These were like stages of trekking. We smoked several times while trekking. I used to get tired and hold my knees to balance and rest. When I got tired, the guide said that it will get dark while returning to get me faster. He used to pull me some time as well. Somehow we reach the top. There were small restaurants. I had Maggi and Kahwa in one of them. And Gondola, the cable car ride closed while we were having Maggi. When we started descending it was light, but when we reach the road it was dark. On the way, we used to hold each other shoulder to shoulder and run down the snow, even in steep slopes. He used to say, “I won’t let you fall. The first person to fall will be me.” And really he fell once while descending and I did not. We took pictures on the way up and down both. When we reached the restaurant, there was no power. I ordered for 2 teas and went to the room. I gave him 1200 for the trip and 100 tip. 
        That night Rameez gave me Kashmiri Pulao, but he could it in absolute no power. So it was not so good. In the morning, he asked me my plans. I told I want to go inside villages. And for breakfast he made Rees. Again I got over-stuffed. Guide came to my room. He first took me to Tangmarg in bus and from there the driver brought the car. 
        3 of us began the trip to village. We stopped at a hill road for pics first and climb the hill to the side of the road. Then we went to the village, parked the car and went on foot. We crossed houses, then farms, then river, then gardens. We took several pictures there. Then we came back to where we parked. It was driver’s house. They asked for food and I refused. The driver and the guide went inside to eat. I sat in hall-like room with hukka. An old woman of the house came with 2 kids from neighbourhood. One was 5 years old boy and one was 1 year old girl. The girl was very cute with red chubby cheeks. I went inside the room, where the others were eating. I sat beside them and ate with them, because I came to Kashmir for this and am not doing it. From there we went towards Baba Rishi. On the way, I took few snaps with goats. There I saw a man taking just born goat wrapped in a cloth and mother goat following him, requesting him to get to her baby, but the man took the baby away to wash it. This sight of motherly love was very emotional. We continued and reached Baba Rishi. The guide went inside the Mosque and came out. I asked even I want to go till where I can. He took me from second stairs and brought me out from third, means from where he went in earlier , I was not allowed. Then we started again and stopped at some point to take pictures. From there we went straight to the hotel. I gave them 2500.
        Rameez told me tomorrow is my checkout. He and I walked till ATM. I saw the bill of food I had. The chicken biryani and rees were too costly. I should have asked the cost before eating anything. I paid the bill, went to the room. Power had just come. I switched the TV on. I saw no signal again. I went to Rameez and told him TV is not working. He told me TV never worked. Damn. Got cheated. And power went again. Before sleeping I planned that I will go to Wular lake the next day after checkout and will stay in Srinagar near Dal lake.
        The next morning I got up, packed and came out to the restaurant with the bag. There were many people in the restaurant. They told me there are riots going on in the road to Srinagar. There was a peaceful protest and an army office shot 2 protestants. One is dead and one is injured. So because of this there are riots in various parts of Kashmir. And specially the city Sopora near Wular is affected by riots every time. I had to stay in Gulmarg and in the same hotel for another day. Rameez and his friends and I discussed about the Kashmir issues and the riots for around an hour. I came to the room and wrote the discussions I had with them in my laptop. Rameez also told me he went to Australia for Skiing competition. He was 19 and was hoping to get into the rescue force. He pays his men 6000 per month. I took Rameez’s phone for camera and went walking around in Gulmarg. 
        Complete Gulmarg was around the golf course. There was a road Outer Gulmarg Link linking all places in Gulmarg. Can’t describe the scenic beauty in words but it was simple awesome. There was a golf course restaurant. I went inside. A guy escorted me inside for my safety because there was some Islam Pravachan going on in a hall an the way to restaurant. Had rice and Chicken curry in it. Talked to the waiter. He told celebrities had come in the restaurant. But he doesn’t like Shah Rukh Khan because he doesn’t talk. SRK being my favourite actor was a topic or debate of my interest. But I stayed silent enjoying the food. Waiter escorted me outside the restaurant. There were National Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering on the way inside the road boundary. Then came army quarters and then Gondola. It was a walk to remember.
        I reached the hotel and ordered chai pakora. I watched videos continuously without break forgetting food and water and slept at 3AM. I left the hotel in the morning. Rameez asked for 900 and I gave him. When I was in the bus stop, the trekking guy came to meet me. He and I had tea in a stall, which was on him. Got a sumo to Tangmarg. From Tangmarg got a Sumo going to Srinagar.
        Sumo guy told that the rate will be 100 instead of 75. I said ok. Many of the roads were blocked due riots. Few roads were on fire. Needed to take U-turn from there and choose different ways. We entered a narrow road and came out again due to jam ahead. Then again the similar jam on another village mud road. The driver was scared as he had responsibility of 9-10 people with him. If I did not had flight to miss, he would have returned to Tangmarg. A passenger suggested a route and though narrow and jammed to some extent, he took the chances. Vehicles including trucks were moving both sides in narrow lane. To both sides of the road were small rivers. We finally reached Srinagar, covering thrice the distance and 4 times the time. He dropped and took just 100. I would have given him even 400, if he would have asked for it. He dropped me somewhere very far from airport but safe.
        I got lift to auto stand. Took auto to airport gate. He asked for 170 and I agreed. I discussed the situation on the way with the auto guy. Then I entered the airport. Airport process was very painful overall. 
        First had to do x-ray security check at the airport gate. Then took taxi to the airport and paid him 50. Then main x-ray luggage check at the entrance. I had 2 bottles of perfume in my bag. He asked me what were those and I told him. Then I went to ticket counter and took the tickets with no check-in baggage. Then security check again. Then manual security check. The office told me I can’t take the perfume bottles in flight and I need to check-in them. He kept the laptop and asked the rest of the bag to check-in. I went back to the ticket counter. He sent me to the main x-ray check to get it tied. Then had to stay in the ticket line again and get them checked-in. In ticket line, there was a marathi army guy in same Mumbai flight 6E-448 line. He asked me he needed to check-in his 9kgs of luggage, else he has to pay for it. I was fine with that. Then took my laptop from the officer and carried it in hand. Then there was passenger luggage check manually. The army guy and I did that. Then he told me let’s go to the gate 5. I was surprised because mine was gate 3. I checked his ticket and Damn, the flights were different and that too in difference of an hour. We went back to passenger luggage check people. They scolded the army guy for luggage polling. They asked me what if there is bomb in the luggage and he doesn't want to die with it so gave it to you that your flight is bombed and he is safe or what if there is drugs. I told him it came out of x-ray machine it must be safe, he is in army as well. They said nothing can be done, it will be difficult to find the luggage now, i have to wait in Mumbai airport for an hour. I was fine with that as well but how will I identify the luggage.
there is 1 luggage which is his on my ticket and 3 luggage one of which is mine on his ticket He wrote down to me his number and luggage identifications.
        I got the flight thinking so many problems in reaching airport, so many not useless but redundant security procedures. Why didn't x-ray lady told me about the perfumes bottle check-in, why didn't ticket guy told me and army guy that the flights are not same.
        I got down in Mumbai airport. I checked the belt for half an hour till when no bags were left. When no bags were left I went to air hostess for help. She told its mentioned you both are travelling together and all bags are in his flight. Nice at least its well mentioned but how can we be travelling together when we are in different flight. If I would have known that if his bag on my ticket is still coming in his flight I would have asked them to bring my bag in my flight. 
        I am waiting in the Mumbai airport for his flight and writing my whole trip.
        Basically my unplanned trip to Leh never happened. I could never go to Leh. It was an unplanned trip to Gulmarg. Basically it was lot of travelling, meeting people both good and greedy. Kashmir was a lovely place. No doubt its called a paradise in India.

Kashmir Discussions with Kashmiris

        I had discussions with many Kashmiri people regarding India Pakistan armies, in my unplanned trip to Leh. May be talking to me was painful for most of them but they did out of hope. They might be talking to tourists in same way to keep them happy or for hope. After 1947 independence, there were no army in Gulmarg or Kashmir inside LOC. Everything seemed happy to them, after all it was independence. Then came Afghanistan troops with swords. Indian army entered Kashmir in name of protection and they never left.
        Countries occupying Kashmir get lot of resources, so they never want to leave Kashmir. India and Pakistan all fight for Kashmir. The civilians get affected very badly. The armies get affected as well. The lands in Kashmir got occupied by army for their infrastructure. Kashmiri get just 100 rupees per something yearly for that lands. Government gave these Kashmiris no facilities and these people suffer even more.
        These people may be muslims but not bad people at all. They are suffering and protesting and dying in process. If people even protest peacefully, there are no tear gas or lathi charge like in Delhi, direct firing and killing. And it becomes a riot. The fights for rights become riots. The news spread and riots starts everywhere. Kashmiri are then blamed to be creating riots all the time and specially because they are Muslims.
        I stayed with these people for a week or less but I never felt unsafe with these people, not even when there were riots going on on the road to Srinagar. I never felt so safe even in Delhi or Gurgaon. Even the hotel guy offered me to stay in the hotel for free because going to Srinagar was not safe, though I rejected staying for free.
        These people have no problems with India or Pakistan or China. They just want army to stop bugging civilians. They want army to stay at the borders and leave their lands. Army don't leave cities to have complete control of resources. All electric power generated in the state is taken by Centre and then sold to state at higher rate. At these one of my friend in debate told me that when infrastructure is made by the Centre why won’t they take the power generated by it. Fair enough. But rest of his arguments were racist, so not putting it here.
        Civilians say if army is so huge in the borders how are terrorists entering in. Army themselves pay terrorists to enter and get arrested so that Kashmir remains in the control of the countries in name of protection. Naxals or protestants are not bad people or terrorists, they are just simple people who retaliate to have a peaceful life in future. These protestants when not heard might get aggressive or who suffer firing or killing in protests, become terrorists. These terrorists, specially in Kashmir, do not harm civilians much, but only army. There had not been any man older than 25 in Kashmir who had not been kidnapped by army for interrogation. Most of them had lost someone in family in Kashmir, who never returned. In 2010, 100 men went missing and never returned. Their families still hope their return.
        Countries don't leave Kashmir because they lost many soldiers protecting it, but civilians die even more; and also the resources. Its all politics and game of money.
        They showed me the photo of the boy who died today in protest, another got injured (who died eventually next day). They also showed me the photo of a 16-17 year old boy who was kidnapped, interrogated and encountered by the army being called a terrorist because his brother was a terrorist and he met him some day before that.
        Civilians don't need army in their cities or villages, they have police for these things. Armies can return their lands.
        They don't hate India or Pakistan or China but they get messed up in the wars. They want independent country of Kashmir to stay safe. They prefer India to guard them but at the borders of complete Kashmir (India occupied Pakistan occupied China occupied all inclusive) till the time they don't make their own army. In turn they can pay the armies or India for protection in terms of money or protection or electric power or water. But it this can’t happen. WHY? Politics.
        An older man did not vote because he thinks nothing will change. The younger one voted for BJP in hope. Others say by bringing Modi or BJP in power they hoped something good, so many voted for him. But nothing changed because Centre will keep over-powering state and anyway it had not been too long.
        Politicians or army could never understand problems of these people. We often say army people have hard life, we say army people lose life. No second thoughts on this. But these people have worse. These Kashmiri people live in constant terror and they used to it now; yet they are called terrorists.
        Kashmir has lot of colleges and schools but no employment scope. Tourism is only way they feed themselves. Apple farming earns them some more to villagers. They go to cities like Delhi and Mumbai for employment they are seen as naxals or terrorists.
        These people have to challenge the climate, government and military throughout their life.

 Disclaimer: These are just the talks the Kashmiris had with me. None of them are my interpretation or views, just talks. Also I made no manipulations to what they said.

Passed out in dreams

        I saw a dream. I was with all the people (around 6-8 people) I met in Gulmarg in the room I stayed in Gulmarg. The hotel guy Rameez brought some drink in a barrel and poured down in glasses. He handed me one of the glasses. I was skeptical about my glass, whether he put anything in it. Rameez told me if I am doubting him, then I can directly drink from the barrel. He poured from the barrel directly into my hand and I drank.
        Within 2-3 sips, I felt the kick and in the next sip, I passed out. After regaining some consciousness, I tried to talk and ask Rameez what was in it, but I couldn't. Then a minute or two, I somehow asked, "You put something in it, right?". He said, "Yes, but all of us too had the same thing. You are not used to it, so it kicked you more than us. Don't worry. This feeling will go in sometime. Just enjoy it till then."
        After than I just enjoyed the feeling.
        Few moments later the caretaker of the hotel I was sleeping in knocked. I woke up and checked it was 1:30PM. I began to think. How can anyone get so high and pass out in a dream? Dreams are supposed to be in the person's control, at least his mind. Even after getting up I felt a small hangover for a few seconds, but that vanished when I realised it.