"घरको बाटो" | The road that's taken ?

लामो बाटो, चोर बाटो, उकालो बाटो, ओरालो बाटो, 

घरको बाटो  र धुलो बाटो, इत्यादि ।

Roads lead us to journeys, some beyond the comfort zone and some to our home* (subjective synonym to comfort zone). 

While we think of roads across the mountainside, we think of roads piercing the woods against the dense fog and roads that travel parallel to the railway tracks as it navigates you to spectacular views of the snow-clad peaks with a tinge of green and blue mountain ranges happily forming the curve countryside. The view of half-hidden tea garden workers behind the bushes leading one to somewhere tranquil, yet these roads, like every other element touched by humans, convey memories and narratives of a tiny hamlet nestled away in one of those misty mountain ranges.

It's a beautiful day in December noons, which, to my surprise, had to be gloomy as most winter noons were spent on the hills. I don't enjoy gloomy days, but the nostalgia of those dreary winter days when my friends and I used to spend our winter break playing hide & seek amid the tea bushes feels quite a distant memory.

As I walk to my paternal home on a bumpy road with my stingy boots, I realise that bumpy, rugged roads are nothing new in Darjeeling hills. Except for local rides where grumpy oldies complain about back pain from the wibbly wobbly ride, "Bistari chalana hw kancha", while middle-aged adults blame local leaders, "Vote awne bela ma banla yo bato", there's a plausible silience among the others; they are hesitant to discuss the concern and raise the question; it makes one wonder if this silience is hopeful or an impending doom. 

Is this the road that's taken?

 Is this the road of concern?

P.C. Yashika Subba. Copyright Bichar-dhara 2024