A quaint old village tucked up in one corner of the world, Baragram .I had never thought that a 20 minutes drive from Barot (Himachal) can take us to what I would consider as paradise.The world of hearts which were still full of life and not ruined by technology
Frankly to be really honest at first when I entered the village I was kinda skeptical and thought how tough life was for the people of that village but after spending some time with them I realised that their lives were far better than the ones we live, trust me what we consider life is is just a rut that we have created and given it a name"LIFE".
Now, it was time for us to get back and leave the beautiful village, but what happened next was something we never imagined. All this while we were accompanied by this cute looking dog who we met at the outset of our journey, that little canine unknowingly played the role of a protector as well as a guide for us in that village. He was so friendly and playful that in a matter of minutes he gelled in and became a part of our expedition. While leaving we cuddled him and said our last goodbye's, but for him, this separation was just too hard to accept, surprisingly he ran after our car for good 15-20 minutes while we were descending downhill hoping that the car would turn and we would come back.It was hard for us as well to see him in such a state, but as they say, it's sometimes better to leave than to give false hopes in life.It was difficult for the locals as well as our driver to digest the fact that the dog got so attached to us in such a short span of time that he was running after our car with all the strength he had, but sometimes love and affection is all you need to create that everlasting bond
Location: Baragram(Himachal;District Kangra )
Our first encounter was with a family, who unknowingly taught us the true meaning of the phrase it is not about the things you have in life, it is about the things you can give; without expecting anything in return. The whole experience became so overwhelming when one of them desired to hitch one of our friend with her own son. The warmth with which they welcomed us to their village, it gave us the impression that as if we were coming back home.
For a city lad like me, all this was a distant dream, the serene ambiance of the village, and a world without all the hustle and bustle. For the people of that village life had a bigger meaning than just earning money and buying that luxurious car or a big bungalow. For them, life was a peaceful experience, and surely they had no intentions to waste it on any of the materialistic things that man had to offer
While descending back from the village a small little child caught our eye who was so overwhelmed to see us that he just couldn't stop smiling, and his little waving gestures made us fall for him and within minutes we started descending toward his house. There we were welcomed by his family into their house for a little chat up session. Uncle offered us hookah, while we were trying to greet the small little fellow. We sat there in their front yard and explained to them why four people from Delhi were so keen to understand their culture and gain some insights about their everyday life. What made our day all the more memorable was how the kid enthusiastically waved at us while we were leaving. That wide smile and the little waving gesture assured that the greatest privilege in life is to know, help and enjoy the company of others. This little rendezvous with him gave me assurance of the fact that a child's smile has the power to bury one's tension and fill it up with joy.
Finally, we reached back to Barot, but now we had a box full of memories with us, which we will cherish for the rest of our lives. I still can't figure out, what was it their simplicity or the pure love and care with which they treated us because surely the people of that village had something to offer as when we were leaving from that town it felt like we were leaving with our feet but not with our hearts.
Location: Baragram(Himachal;District Kangra )
