Page 70 - Love Story of a Commando

10. Kashmir, the Paradise

I was truly smitten by the panoramic view of the snowy Himalayan
mountains and splendour of nature when I looked out from the window of
my business class seat, sipping a fruit juice. Mr Durrani was seated next to
me and was watching some old Hindi Dharmendra flick on his smartphone.
For him, I did not exist, and frankly, I liked it.
Our flight landed at Srinagar International Airport or Sheikh ul-Alam
Airport. It was very scenic. The airport terminal was designed to look like
the mighty Himalayas which was the very identity of Kashmir. The sloping
roof was winking in the pleasant sunshine, awaiting the seasonal snowfall to
slip off. There was a single asphalt runway and the airport was filled with
modern amenities.
It felt very welcoming.
We headed directly to Tral, which was around forty-two kilometers
away from Srinagar by road. It took us around an hour or so to get there.
That was the most scenic road drive I had ever been on. No words can
describe Kashmir’s natural beauty, scattered around at every nook and
corner. One might need to borrow the voices of the angels themselves to
describe what it’s like to be in Kashmir.
The snowcapped mountains, the pristine streams, the stunning
landscapes and the carpet of wildflowers across the valley seemed like a
serene painting. The dense forests and clean fresh air filled me with new
energy and an enthusiasm I had never felt before.
It was a good start. I smiled!
‘ If there is heaven on earth! It is here! It is here! ’ These lines of the
poet Firdausi floated into my mind.
When our vehicle screeched to a stop outside the huge iron gates of
the school, I could see a few kids come running towards us but stopping
midway. They were all staring at me intently and I felt nervous in spite of
shooting friendly smiles to everyone around. Some of them looked amused
and some giggled openly. After taking all the clues I could gather from the
current scenario I realized that it was my Selfie Queen printed UCB t-shirt
and distressed Calvin Klein jeans that were the culprits causing this undue
attention. All the while Mr Durrani looked unaware and unworried about my
existence as he completed my paperwork and talked to the officials.