After spending two years in a concrete jungle I wake up to a view that I had imagined a million times in my head. A flowing river and green-blue hills in the background. While drawing the curtains I pulled the red chair to get enough of the scene outside the window. The baby came closer, looking at me with eyes full of morning love and also a little curious to find out what took my breath away. He sniffed up the window and stood there on his hind legs. I wondered what he was staring at, he looked pensive. There were cows grazing on the other side of Jhelum. He lays down and sits by my chair. The carpet kept him warm and I could feel a nip in the air.
Both the clock and the weather made my body aware of the caffeine that I have grown so used to. I open my bag to look for the grounded coffee and the filter press. The four legged decides to pull out his jiggly toy from the corner of the bag. He is delighted to see his favourite toy after one and a half day, it was the last thing that I had put in the bag. Now I had to find out a way to arrange for some piping hot water without disturbing the people working around. I see a tiny little kitchenette in the corner of the hall, grey walls and a green slab with a little sink in the end. An induction plate was placed on the other end. A pan and a sieve were hanging on a wooden plate nailed to the grey walls. It had everything that I needed at the moment. As I poured some water to boil, the baby came along wagging his tail. It was breakfast time for him as well. The canine clock never failed. The empty bowl laid in the same spot, that we both decided the previous night, would be his dining space in the new house. As I tore upon his breakfast packet, he looked at me longingly, like he hadn’t eaten in days, I poured a handful into his bowl. The water started simmering and I went back to the pan of water. With a mug full of coffee I find my way back to the room and my faithful companion was there already, waiting for me.
The cows changed positions as I moved uncomfortably in the chair. It looked like I could not get enough of the blue hills. The river kept changing colours with the constantly altering sky. Grey, blue, green and the colours that I didn’t know yet. I could still feel the bitterness of the coffee as my stomach started demanding for some food. The human body works beautifully, the brain signalled my gut that it was time to eat as soon as it could smell food coming from the next room. Afterall it was not just the canine clock that worked well. The dining table had intricate carvings of Chinar leaves and dangling tendrils. It was walnut wood, the man with the thick moustache had announced it with pride the previous day when he brought me dinner. Now my breakfast laid there, a large tray with two covered bowls, a plate with some toasted slices of bread and butter and a glass of milk. Food can make many people happy and I was definitely one of them. After filling my hungry stomach, I get back to the room, the cows were all scattered now and the baby was asleep yet again, I look for my diary. I clearly remember putting it in my handbag as I had made myself a small promise, that I would make a note of things that happened to me in the valley every day. This time, for once, I wanted to keep my promise. I see the diary placed neatly on the bedside table, I had taken it out the previous night to write but had chosen to ignore it. As I begin to pen down my thoughts, my eyes start to wander and I found myself looking out of the window. Two little boys were playing on the bank on the other side of the river. Some men came and the little boys go inside one of the colourful houses. The men go in, following the kids. Then I ask myself how would it be for a local Kashmiri to live here in the middle of so much unpredictability and unrest. Coming from the state of Assam, I have a little experience of the unexpectedness that comes from living in a place like this. I lived there for 18years and I don’t remember celebrating Independence day or Republic day, the local insurgent groups would call for a bandh and one could anticipate a blast or two in the state. But thankfully things have changed now and this year people were out on the main streets in the capital celebrating their freedom. I hope the beautiful valley can celebrate their freedom once again without any fear. I realise the little things that we take for granted are actually not very little. I am not supposed to leave the compound of the area where I am living in, for security reasons. I do not have the luxury to walk freely in my own country, the heaven on earth, Kashmir.
Author: girlbythejhelum
