Journey to Delhi- the gateway to my Next….

The Autumn sun soaks itself along the shore of the horizon and in dusk’s breast the day retires into the darkness. Not knowing when the dawn would strike, the serene night sings above the rooftops, sneaking through the dreams of many people beneath and lulling them deeper into the slumber. In the olden days, the day breaks to the call of rooster…coco-rico… and it was upon that soothing tone to which one would wake up from the bed and embark onto the daily chores.

However, around this time, as the old fading midnight retreats away from the sunrise which grows so near, people are too techno savvy and depend on the varying alarm tunes that rattles one’s eardrum to cast off the sleep and emerge from the cocoon of bed. It was a similar case I experienced at the crack of dawn on 24 October 2022 to pursue the journey towards Delhi via Siliguri when my phone alarm kept hasting me to set off my journey. Of late, Bhutanese people have begun to realize that the greener pasture on the other side has been the arbiter of their destiny. Thus, many who are capable of deciphering their future have moved in droves to countries like Australia, the USA and Canada.

Concerning the same note, my journey too has commenced and I arrived at Thimphu bus terminal in time but the frigid weather has got my face nearly stripped off its warmth. After I took my seat in the bus (Meto Transport), the distance gradually progressed and the more we descended the further we immersed into the heat; the larger the expanse of space we covered the busier the city became and the longer the duration we traveled the denser was the population. We crossed the border securely around noon, and as we traveled farther into the city, we were swarmed by cars and it became noisier, which I found repulsive. Almost after a round of clock, we have reached Siliguri, at the bosom of a kind and welcoming host- Ana Chimmi and Ata Tshering.

I scratched my head in inhibition and prayed our encounter would one day favor a way in which I would reciprocate their generosity. Along with this current of gratitude flowed another stream that charged the ambience to take deeper roots of synergy amongst all of us. There the host Ana Chimmi and Ata Tshering remained- bright and full of radiance, their interaction with us are genuine paste and comfortable, their service draped in the caring hand and their heart brimmed with happiness that I could clearly figure it out. It sparked my imagination as they appeared like a flowering creeper and a tree, sharing each other, all the vernal blossoms and strength. With each other's trust and an unwavering bond stretched into infinity, they decided to ascend and transcend together.

The day after, by autumn trees alongside, the busy Siliguri Train station came to life with the approaching Sikkim Mahadananda Express. Ana Chimmi accompanied and escorted four of us while Ata Tshering seen us off at the station. Life is but a journey, we say it evermore, passing under the moon’s cold sheet, the train wheeled around the bends producing noise from squeals, horn blasts and clickety-clack. In an endeavor to enter our much sought after future, the five of us will move up to Delhi's door and peer through a future window. The two days and a night’s journey was a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Amid the frenetic ebb of time, the journey seemed to have perched on the path of openness and our chemistry blossomed into a beautiful flower, undeterred by waves of hesitation as the train moved to the rhythm of an iron drum.

At Delhi, all five of us eventually resigned to the bed in Hotel Raj Villa around the midnight of 26 October 2022 after a tiring journey. We were able to successfully attend our appointments and accomplish the mission without too many difficulties the next day. The fear of Auto driver’s deception and looting loomed large over my cranium but their habits did not match Ana Chimmi’s dauntless calibre and bravery in managing the situation. The final day in Delhi was quite young as we boarded the plane to Bagdora but it has shed off a harsh strain of busy Delhi from all of us. Rather the Bagdora airport presented us with the fresher air and gentler ambience.

Finally, we completed the circle of journey and once again all of us were embraced with excellent hospitality at Ana Chimmi’s residence in Siliguri. It is difficult to articulate in words the support and blessings we received from them. I have no concept of where to begin or where to conclude when conveying my gratitude for Ana and Ata. Weaving words after words together to make phrases doesn't appear to be adequate to accurately express our gratitude. This is how the narrative should have ended, but it did not. Let me state that our story will continue from this point on and that it will never stop….

P.S. 

Another reason for making this journey special is that it was the first long distance trip with my wife. Every moment was special and entombed in my memory trove.