A Journey To The Lama's Land, Part - 8

 A Journey To The Lama's Land,  Part - 8

Today we are going to see Sumoriri Lake.  As a result of the prolonged uses by the pedestrians, just as a light line appeared in a field, our today’s road was just like that. To be honest, there was no such thing to be called a road. 

Leaving Pangong Lake on the left, we proceeded. After going a little further I found the small village named “Mehrak”. This Village surrounded by rocks and thorn bushes. Very few people live here. Just a little ahead of  Mehrak village, there was another village named “Maan”. “Maan” was Quite a large village.  At "maan", I saw many beautiful white colored round tents on the shores of the lake. The place was also very beautiful. In this remote village, one has to wonder how the basic necessities of life for the common man can be procured.

After crossing the “Maan” village, we stopped at the bank of the lake. The place was very familiar. I must have seen this place in a movie scene. Lots of pictures were taken. Nazir was very happy after clicking many selfie from his mobile. 

The journey started again. After leaving Pangong, Pangong Lake remained with us for a long time on the side of this non-existent road with its extraordinarily beautiful landscape.

With a total length of around 134 km, nearly 80 kms of this salt water lake existing inside the China. In winter, the whole lake freezes. There are no fish in this large lake, but lots of birds and ducks can be seen here. 

While driving Nazir was introducing me with the birds. I saw a bird called “Penguin bird” on the shore of the lake. Then I saw a bird with a black neck and a long stork. Nazir said the name of the bird; it was “Cha Tung Tung”. I was surprised to hear such a strange name, just like a musical sound.

  

The car was moving forward. I saw no other vehicles on this road except a couple of Indian Army trucks.

After proceeding some distance, a small dining place was found in “Shusul” village. Nazir whispered in my ear and taught me to tell to the shop owner, "nga tok sa rak". What is the meaning of such strange words? After hearing his mother tongue in my strange accente the shopkeeper was restless with laughter. These words mean I am very hungry. He quickly made hot Maggie and tea for us. 

There was a hot water tank next to this shop. The villagers were crowding around the tank to wash clothes in hot water.

A little further on, the Rejang La Memorial, a memorial erected by the army to commemorate the Sino-Indian war of 1962, was just beside our road to Sumoriri. The brave soldiers of the Kumaon Regiment sacrificed themselves here in the great urge to defend their motherland. We paid our hommage upon their cause. 

Shortly after the memorial, there was an army check post. The road was blocked by bamboo. A soldier with perfect army outfit came out of their hut and asked Nazir to show the permit papers. The names of all of us are written on the paper. The boy raised his face from the paper in his hand and inserting his face in the car, asked me in clear Bengali “Where you all are living in Calcutta?" I was surprised and said, “are you Bengali?” After listening that I am from Barrackpore, he was very happy. His name is Raju Das. He is from Krishnanagar. After joining in ITBP, Raju is doing his duty to protect our motherland for a long time in this remote place on the Chinese border. I came out of the car and hugged this brave boy who was from our own area and we were proud of him. He ran for us and went inside the hut and brought a big packet of fruit juice. He said while we will be on our way, we will drink this juice and will remember him. My eyes got wet. I was unable to refuse this gift from Raju. My heart was full of pride for this child of Bengal. Wherever I will be, I will always pray for you, let you be alright.  

We proceeded again. Flocks of Yak are grazing at the barren field. They are rushing at the sounds of car. After a while we crossed a village named Noma. It was a small village. Very few people live in this village. After Noma, another small village called Loma was there. There was again a Army check point at Loma. The female soldiers of Indo-Tibetan Border Police are guarding this check post. We bowed our head in reverence to these unique brave heroines who were just like our goddess Durga. 

After crossing a bridge at left side from this Loma village, a centre for Indian Institute of Astro physics are there at a village named Halle or Hanle. We didn't have opportunity  to go to halle this time , so we headed for Sumoriri.

We reached Sumoriri in the evening. It goes without saying that there were absolutely no plants in this region. A Huge lake was there at Sumoriri.  It was a very small township on the bank of the lake. Tents were also available here, but we will spend the night in a hotel. There were several shops in the village, quite crowded village it was. I saw a sign board at the corner of a shop. It is a notice written with the name of a youth organization in the village. It has been said that entry of any kind of alcohol or drugs in the village is completely prohibited. If alcohol is found with someone or in a family, they should be punished in appropriate amount. It was good to see this initiative. We ate rice, bread, vegetables and pulses and took shelter in a warm embrace of blanket.

The night passed quite uncomfortably. I woke up again and again. What a suffocating discomfort. Sitting on the bed in the dark, I were blowing my nose, inhaling through the nostrils and slowly exhaling through my mouth, but the discomfort was not going away. I don't know when I fell asleep again in the dawn. 

I woke up at 6 in the morning. At that time the bright shine of sun rays entered in my room through windows after soaking his yellowish sparkling light in the water of the lake. The whole lake was glistening with sunlight. It was as if a beautiful and well-dressed college girl had just entered in our room saying hello. I went to get ready in hurry. I was upset to think that I have missed the morning sunrise over Sumoriri Lake. The discomfort of the night was no more. This is quite common in Sumoriri. The level of Oxygen is quite low here. There are no plants at all. Those who live here are accustomed to it; I heard that almost everyone of our group felt a little bit discomfort like me on yesterday night. The dining room was on the ground floor. We ate bread-butter, omelette, puri-vegetables and tea and then we left the hotel.

To be continued.............................................................................................