The trip

                              Me and my brother in Kullu valley

The trip

……………..

We were coming out of gate number of 2 of Vishwanath temple of Varanasi through the narrow lane towards Godhulia when I spotted Pyarelal going up the stairs of the popular Brown bread bakery. Here I must introduce Pyrelal, I met this colorful man on the way to Manali from Kulu in a dhaba. Me ,my brother Chandan and Verma had just visited a hydro plant and were having muli paratha lunch in that dhaba. 

                                  The Israeli in the dhaba

We noticed there were some foreigners in fatigue enjoying the typical Indian cuisine and one smart local fellow was with them. The foreigners left after lunch but that Indian guy stayed back. I was curious about the foreigners so I walked towards that Indian, he gave a welcoming smile and I sat down with him. He said his name was Pyarelal, I introduced myself.

“You people must be visitor here.” He said.

“yes, we came for some work.”

“I stay in Kulu but keep visiting Malana valley.”

“ You mean where there is hydro power plant?” I inquired.

“Yes, pretty near to that there is a valley where foreigners come for camping. I cater to their need of groceries.”

“ Why suddenly foreigners visit such an obscure valley?”

He smiled mysteriously and said,” High quality grass is grown there . Italian were first to arrive in the village in early 70s, in Malana,. In 70s cannabis was solely used for medicinal purpose for humans and as well as goats. Even the fibres of the plant was also used to make ropes and fabric, though Himalayan sadhus were the only one who knew the potential of this plant and smoked the intoxicant power to stimulate their consciousness. Italian when settled in camps near the valley soon discovered the potential of the plant, and the first who taught villagers to rub the plant and churn it into 10 times more potent hashish or charas. The rest of Malana story is legend, now producing the most expensive and powerful charas in the world. –“

It was news for me and beyond my imagination.

I got interested and asked about those foreigners who were with him.

“Oh! Those were Israelis who are actually controlling the drug trade in this area operating from Kasol.By the way Kasol is often called Mini Israel. But then because of cannabis hippies from all over the world come to this valley.You will be surprised to know that currencies of all first world countries are traded here. The trade is done in dollar term.”

I was totally flummoxed by that piece of information. He gave lots of information about the scenic valley with back packers camping there.

Thus I came in contact with Pyarelal.

                                   Brown Bread Bakery in Viswanath temple lane

I asked my wife to go back to hotel and followed Pyarelal to Brown Bread Bakery in that narrow lane. This bar is in the second floor. I spotted Pyarelal in a corner table  with some foreign tourists. Seeing me he gave a big smile and invited me to sit with his group. He spoke to them in some foreign language and introduced me. I said “Hello” to them.

“Which country do you guys belong?”

“We are from Spain.” In halting English one of them replied.

“ How come you are here? Is it do with cannabis or what?” I mischievously asked Pyarelal in Hindi.

“Yes, something like that.” He winked at me.

                                      Assighat

We spent sometimes there ,it was getting dark , he invited me to accompany them to Assighat. I have noticed most of the low end tourists stay in various lodges around Assighat. That place also has many restaurants serving foreign tourists from nations like Spain,Italy, China, Japan etc. We went to one of the lodges along Ganges. I came across so many back packers there. We walked into a big room where already a mix group of male female back packers were there. I could smell hashish or cannabis, hear a very soft raga on sitar in the dim light. All were sitting on the floor. It was dreamy ambience, in my bachelor days I had a few drag of charas with my friend Thampi in Indian Oil,Barauni. I was a bit hesitant but Pyarelal held my hand gave a reassuring squeeze. In typical Indian style we sat down by occupying one of the walls as backrest and waved at the group in general. As Pyrelal was known to them so I was readily accepted. A chillum was getting passed from hand to hand. I was already high after visiting temple and meeting Pyarelal unexpectedly. My turn came and I took a cautious half lungful drag. There was no effect only my throat became dry, i coughed. In the meanwhile Pyarelal was expertly handling the chillum. Another chillum came to me, too many chillums were in circulation. It went on and lost count of drags I took, I was feeling light. Pyrelal in the meantime was busy in talking with a young girl.

I did not know when I got up and walked out.I was standing in the balcony, the freezing wind from Ganges was hitting my face. I was feeling light as though weightless, I was in a very happy mood.  A shadowy figure approached me, the posture looked familiar. I was shocked ,I was looking at younger me. I looked closely , it was me of Barauni when I was weighing less than 65 kg.

“How are you?” younger me asked.

“I am fine .” I stammered.

“What have you done to my body? You added more than 20 kgs  of weight and 10 inches in the waistline. Grey falling hair is understandable. Have you stopped playing games , you have fallen in the trap of change of life style.” My younger self admonished me.

“ Yes I know I have gain weight and struggling to reduce.” I said lamely.

I was happy to see me of 1969 or so, in that drain pipe pant and a woolen jacket of that era. I thought I must be hallucinating, “ You are not real, it is trick of my mind playing with me. How is it possible?”

“Why I am with you always,true it is all in the mind , there is a switch and you have to select the happy moment of your life. Today unknowingly you chose your Barauni  bachelor days as you consider those as your happiest moments in your adult life also you were introduced to charas then. This selection was not in your hand. It was that grass which you inhaled decided for you.”

“True,left to me I would have chosen those happy school days with my parents in Delhi. No responsibility excepting passing exams.”

“Well you will get chance for that too but not tonight. You better leave this place and head for hotel.Come I will leave you to hotel.”

Both of us got down and took an auto for the hotel. I felt sleepy but the younger me was holding me steady. The auto driver was suspiciously looking back when we were talking.

I paid the auto driver, he held me and helped to the elevator. We reached our floor and knocked on the door of my hotel room.

My wife opened the door, she looked baffled at both of us. Younger me said,” Don’t worry he is alright.”

“Yes I am alright but feeling sleepy.”

“Let me help you to change.” Both of us together struggled to change my cloth. I dived to bed and asked him to join me. He joined me without a word and snugly held me in the bed.

 I suddenly woke up and found my wife putting water on my face, it was morning.

“Hey hey what are doing?”

“You were making some strange noise and calling out your own nick name repeatedly. Are you alright?”

“Yes I am.” I said guiltily then started looking for him in the bed.

“What are you searching? Last night you behaved strangely, you were talking in two voices.” Worriedly she said.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes I am fine now, last night i had a few drinks more than my regular quota.”

I did not tell her about my last night’s indulgence with drug and meeting my younger self.

Thank God that I had a good trip after smoking the grass, it could have been worse.
                                                                         

Younger me and now me.