I'm getting nostalgic
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
"tere saath gayi sab raunak, ab is sheher main rakha kya hai"
I'm missing home; I’m missing ‘The Valley’.
Dehradun is a valley with Himalayas on the east and Shiwaliks on the west. Mussouri is a popular hill station complementing Dehradun.
Shimla has witnessed highest snowfall in 100 years. As a result Mussouri and Dhanaulti (nearby place to Mussouri) have also witnessed snowfall this winter; it is not often that Dhanaulti receives snowfalls.
Now Dehradun will face gusts of cold winds blowing from Mussouri until snow melts in the hills.
This is the ideal time to fly kites, there will be constant flow of winds from the hills and anyone can learn to fly kite in this season. I remember I learnt it in this season, the winds blow at pretty good speed, so you have to put minimum effort to fly a kite.
Dehradun is witnessing rains since last week; here in Bangalore I have forgotten how the earth smells in rains. It’s occasional here to rain, neither monsoons nor retreating monsoons.
Winter rains in Dehradun are a nuisance. It showers the whole day, it’s not a stormy heavy rain, just a drizzle but will continue for hours. The clouds get stuck between the hills and give showers to the valley, this is the reason for long showers in the valley. The longest duration I have witnessed the rains is 72 hours non stop.
My uncle says he has witnessed it for five days non stop in his times.
Winters in the valley are much different from that of NCR region. Unlike winters of NCR region, Sun does shines in the valley, in fact it is impossible to sit in the Sun outside at noon, sky is too clear and sparkling blue and Sun burns in its full glory. It’s hot during day and cold during the nights and mornings. Temperature in the nights goes as low as one degree Celsius.
But at least your clothes dry in winters unlike NCR where you don’t see the Sun for days. Effectively winter in the valley reduces to 15 hours/day.
I remember the period of my pre board vacations from school. My parents use to go to school and I and my sister use to stay at home and study, what a study it was. I use to go up on the terrace and study until I use to go to sleep [time span was anywhere between 15 min to 30 min]; climate was perfect to induce sleep, not my fault.
Then use to wake up after two hours only to find my parents have arrived.
I use to shuttle inside and outside in winters, rooms were very cold and I was very lazy to pull a blanket or a quilt while watching TV during the day, could not remain inside for more than 30 minutes, then use to rush to terrace for warmth, couldn’t stay in Sun for more than 30 minutes, again use to rush down to cool myself, I use to feel like a cold blooded animal in those times.
It was one such winter morning when I was responsible for a mass killing of six lives and frankly my conscience did not prick me too much for it. My father had bought two rum bottles having six fishes in them, from an outsider seller claiming these are exotic species. He brought them home; I was amazed to see how these fishes swim in such a small area. The plan was to get a bigger fish bowl and transfer the fishes in it. The next morning my mother told me to put the bottles in sunlight so that fishes can feel good [but mind you, not in direct sunlight]. So I happily put the bottles on my terrace in direct sunlight and went to sleep (as usual), when I woke up, the fishes had died due to the heating up of water, yes all six of them.
I kept wandering what to do next, I immediately put the bottles in the shade, hoping this might revoke the effect on fishes, but they were dead. After that day I vowed not to buy fishes/aquarium for myself.
These are my memories of winters in the valley.
Yes I’m missing my morning tea mom use to give me while I use to sit inside my cozy quilt.
I’m going home in March, but winters by then will be gone, just an impression will be left.
And have I told you about the summers in the valley.
Next time … :-)
Posted by :ubuntu at 6:15:00 AM
Labels: DehraDun, Doon, valley
Am feeling the pridicament of living in the foothills bro..
Nature pisses and piss you off quite often here.
Hey Priyanshu!
Arguably your best blog till date! I have been to Dehradun for Passing Out Parade of my brother from IMA. I can remember the litchi orchards along the roads.
Your description of winters matches perfectly with my memory of the season in Allahabad. Yes the room is cold and sun is too hot and you can't decide where to sit, and what a nice sleep it induces. And what's more, even I had witnessed my fish dieing due to bottle being left out! But it was fault of my mother, not mine!
Great writeup man!