dream come true
In my dreams i was at my home. Some of my classmates were also there, I can’t recall who were they. The scene was like after Darbari’s brother’s marriage we all went to Shimla, and I was planning to meet her. There was a heavy snowfall, and we all were enjoying it. I could see some 1 feet of snow all around.
And then I was disturbed by a phone bell. It was about 8am, and that was a call from home. I called back. Mom was there on the phone. She told me that she’s been trying from night. ( I slept early, at 7pm. Went to take rest for 1 hr, but work up only after this bell ). She told me that it’s been snowing for last one da, and there is about one feet of snow on land. great. I have missed such a heavy snowfall for years. After 2000 I have never been at home for winter. I mean for Jan and Feb when the snowfall is at its peak. I didnot see someting more than 4 inch for these 5 years. This year it was only a inch or two. I remember the year 1995 when it was around 3 and half feet. Best snowfall of my life. It was like covering me upto chest. It is a fun to be the first person to walk on a way. Its called “kho lagana” means work of the first person to walk on a way after snowfall. You must have heard in physics that its difficult to walk on snow. It really is too tiring. You can not take 20 steps in a snowfall of 1 feet. We gathered lots of snow at a place and made a skating like slope of about 20 meters. Rolling snow and making a ball of height bigger than ours. Biggest fun ever. Start with a small ball of ice and keep it on ground and start rolling. It collects ice and becomes a big ball. It stands for weeks after snowfall. Also carving the ball like an artist is fun. After every 5 minutes we use to run to kitchen for heating our hands at fireplace. Parents use to scold ” wear golves, socks, etc etc”. Removing the snow from roof. It was too dangerous, going to the edge of a slanting and slippery roof to remove the snow with belcha. Its important in case of a heavy snowfall. A 3 feet layer of snow is too heavy for the house to bear. There is no danger i guess but its like playing safe. The only thing i hated about snow is absence of electricity. After a hevay snow the older light poles use to fall and hence causing the electricity supply to fail for atleast 3-4 days. Life gets boring without tv/tape etc. But then it was nice for one reason. We use to call some aged person of village and use to listen stories from him. He use to tell us stories about their hunt of tigers/lions (most demanded), of how they used to walk miles to reach schools, to walk to Shimla city on feet (its 100km) etc. Most important about the snowfall was everyone use to be at home, everyone together. The competition to sit at “khulla” - a small place at kitchen near fireplace, it was first come first serve for us, but we have to leave it if anyone elder enters the kitchen. Preparing lots of dishes, trying some new dishes etc, and mom serving us while we are playing cards. But mom always hated our playing cards. It irritates her like anything. She always insisted to play chess. But for me cardgames were much more fun then chess. For more then half of my winter vaccations I use to be at my mamaji’s home. Where my mamaji was my best partner for card games. And I and nanaji use to watch upto 3 movies everyday. I miss him and those days. I miss that first sunny day after snowfall, when just can’t open our eyes ‘coz of glare. I miss that watching up towards the sky seeing the snow fall and feeling like we are moving upward. And that ice cold bed, to lie down you have to gather enough of courage and shiver for atleast 5 minutes in the bed.
…Those were the best days of my life. That was the winter of 95….
