Stress-On The Way To
Atal Tunnel
A Skip To Rohtang Pass-13058 Feet
“If all difficulties
were known at the outset of a long journey most of us would never start out at
all.” – Dan Rather
Morning mist was
still there on the hills, even at 12.00 O’ noon, Beas water nearby was making
much noise perhaps in a hurry to reach its destination the Pong Dam also called
Beas Dam: air had much more chill than expected: Sun was still in infancy: Breakfast
although coming piping hot from the Hotel kitchen, somewhere in between Kullu
and Manali, became cold before we could finish. Children had just completed
their online coaching and assignments necessitated by Corona-Covid19-Chinese
virus and we thickly dressed with at least five layers each started for a visit
to 9.02 KM long, 33 Feet wide, 10,000
feet altitude world’s first at this height, Atal Tunnel- a national pride and a
defence necessity to tackle both China and Pak misadventures, built under the Rohtang
Pass on the Leh-Manali Highway: longing to fulfil our dream to enjoy the white
blanket the nature had thrown all around in the area. Our XUV 500 was ready,
full with three blankets we had not removed after reaching our Hotel Room and
had lots of dry snacks and some water bottles, cold drinks and the modern paraphernalia.
We were about 56 kilometre away from the
tunnel. The path appeared to be clear and it was actually upto Manali - a gem
of hill stations sandwiched between the Dhauladhar Ranges and the Pir-Punjal
Ranges of Himalayas. Previous night the area had 15 cm snowfall.
Reached the narrow city
bridge that connects two sides of Manali across river Beas that has its source
top the Rohtang Pass itself in Beas Kund now with a Temple also. Soon we
crossed this bridge, journey started opening up itself. Traffic had increased
slowly, speed reduced, it became a traffic jam but still moving inch by inch:
BRO sign Boards with inconvenience caused is regretted could be seen and there
were many road hawker selling potato chips and other dry snacks and water
bottles at a high price. Everybody was hoping to reach the Tunnel, perhaps hoping
against hope: many were happy with the jam-playing with snow, hitting each
other will snow balls and clicking the scenes created by nature or themselves.
A BRO vehicle staff
guided us for some time towards the
tunnel and there after it disappeared by crossing the traffic from the wrong
side which we did not dare: I could hear the voices inside and outside the
vehicle whispering : ‘it would have been better had we returned to Manali’. It
was becoming difficult to move forward; in fact it was stand still: it was
getting dark and cold was increasing every minute. In the meantime all our
snacks had been consumed and the cold was making us to shiver. Some local
extended a helping hand in getting something to eat and my son went with him to
fetch some snacks etc. He did not return for almost an hour we were slightly
worried: soon he came back shivering, half his clothes wet and mud sticking
here and there: brought a bundle of glucose biscuits, a white bread and butter.
There was nothing more to survive: we were eating hard butter and white bread:
we had not taken in life like that: shops had been closed: traffic was not
moving at all: it was pitch dark: road hawker had also gone: no local Police or
BRO staff to help. We had earlier heard Border Roads Organization (BRO) people
saying that they would not undertake rescue operation on that day as the
tourists did not heed to their advice not to move towards the tunnel: and they
really did not help where we were, they were perhaps making arrangements in the
tunnel itself: this was against the administrative instructions: in fact a
failure of Administration that they could not stop the traffic appropriately
rather they mishandled the situation: thank God there were no causalities as we
know: the Lord helped: nobody perhaps needed medical help.
My son slowly opened
up and he told that he had to go up for more than a kilometer or so to fetch
snacks; all the shops were closed: he saw only one shop open and got whatever
was available with the Shop. He had slipped thrice but there was nothing to
worry. I could understand that had slightly hit his confidence. It was pitch
dark: totally stuck: cold at its top: everybody was feeling depressed and
feeling pinch of the extreme weather.
It was only at about
02.00 O’ Clock at night we were able to see a slight movement of the vehicles
in direction back to Manali. Our XUV500
had to be given a U turn: it was very difficult despite the fact that the air
pressure in the tyres had already been reduced to increase grip on the road: it
was too slippery on snow and slush: it was two steps forward one step backward
and sometimes it was two steps forward and three steps backward that was most
dangerous: space was too little: we were reciting Human Chalisa to invoke His
blessings and help and many others were doing the same: it was really bone
breaking experience. Being an experienced driver having done on my vehicle up
to Badrinath, Rekang-Peo-Kalpa and Delhi-Chandigarh-Manali–Leh-Kargil-Srinagar-Jammu-Chandigarh,
so I was little more confident that I would succeed, after a few attempts and
slips at the steering vehicle was finally Manali bound.
On way-back from
Manali there was a landslide: it was all mud, road was not visible it was only
the way and one car was seen having been hit by the boulder and laying in
damaged condition: you would shiver from feet to head to imagine as to what
would have happened to the occupants on that cold night in the Hills at that
hour of the night. It was pitch dark, with mud on the road: stopping on the
road was impossible and too risky: we had to continue to move: we were moving
at a very slow speed with having faith on the Almighty that we would survive
this ordeal. Every inch forward was a big gain: ultimately I was able to see
the road: thanked the Lord and drove only seeing the dividing glittering
reflecting colours on the road.
Suddenly noticed
that XUV500 was giving warning that it had fuel only for 5 KM whereas our hotel
was 8 KM. It was a big surprise how I forget to check fuel in the vehicle: in
fact fuel was enough to go and comeback from the Tunnel but that had been
consumed by idle running of the engine and clutch brake movement of the XUV500.
What to do: no petrol pump nearby: did not want to stop on the road on that
dark pitch night: somebody might hit from back: my skills guided me: increased
the speed where it could be done to increase fuel efficiency: every foot
covered was a gain: as soon as Hotel became faintly visible we had a sigh of
relief: felt we have reached safe without any damaged and soon we were in Hotel
Compound.
Reached our hotel
back by about 05.00 hrs. in the morning next day: spending almost 17 hours on
the road without reaching Atal Tunnel: I was back in the Hotel with my family:
Hotel Staff continuously remained in touch with us and that provided a lot of
confidence and belief. Thanked the Lord. Fact is:
“Man cannot discover
new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”― Andre Gide
We went straight to
our room: the room blower had kept it cozy: Hotel staff had kept food in our
room. It was cold but heat of the hunger made it so tasty for all of us: we
enjoyed dinner before
bed tea time, to our fill despite shivering, what a time, hunger, food and
taste: suddenly the smile, laugh and laughter became noisy everybody laughed to
his pitch perhaps it was a satisfaction of having done the impossible and
reached our Hotel safe from such a horrifying experience on the road or it was
acknowledgement of my driving skills or disapproval of the same I do not know:
perhaps everybody was having his own reason: it was enjoyable to see everybody
laughing. All of us slept right up to 11.00 hrs in the morning that recharged
us all to enjoy the winter hilly weather snowfall. In fact sometimes:
“Travelling — it leaves you speechless, then turns you
into a storyteller.”
– Ibn
Battuta
In the afternoon we
went up to Manali enjoyed walking up and down the short but clean The Mall
enjoying street food and hot tea in between and also got the tattoos engraved. In
the evening we spent quality time for dinner at Johnson’s café, one of the best
in Manali, a few steps above the Mall: enjoyed local Trout fish a delicacy in
non-veg dishes with Band in attendance: yesterday’s stress was flying away and
so the negative feelings generated by the night jam ordeal. The night next gave
us a good sleep and we felt:
“To awaken quite
alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.”
― Freya Stark
In fact, travel has
its own charm, information, knowledge, adventure, known, unknown, new, old,
cuisine-local and routine and what not. In addition it has weather-that can
change anytime from good to bad and worse and it make a known destination an
unknown one.
“All journeys have secret destinations of
which the traveller is unaware.” ― Martin Buber
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