We reached Kathgodam from Delhi. Kathgodam is a charming little station. The kind we see only on long journeys. While the waiting rooms and the adjoining bathrooms are surprisingly clean, the main entrance has a faux-colonial feel to it. Beyond the tracks lay the hills.
We bargained a taxi to take us to Saung for 3500. It was almost 9 by the time we broker for breakfast.We gorged on parathas and maggi. The ride was laborious. The day got hotter and dryer. The ride seemed to go on forever.
We finally reached Saung at around 3pm. To our horror there were no vacant rooms at the Loharkhet KMVN. The dormitory was booked by a private shcool and the rest of the place for some IAS trainees.
The watchman, lets call him Mr Chowki, was frenetic. While dusting bed-sheets and cleaning room, he would take breaks to yell at us, "There are no rooms. As it is I-yes offisuers are coming”. We waited, encouraged by our local guides to do so. There was a section of rooms vacant but they were under-construction. No power, no bathrooms, but a roof and the promise of warm bedding. We sat in the lawn infront of the KMVN enjoying the view.
A family of Israeli Tourists walked in. They were staying in a single room. By now Mr Chowki was increasingly nervous. The divine gods (read IAS trainees) could descend any moment. He yelled at the Israelis too, “I-yes offisuers coming. You shift. Bees laug group coming. I shift you.” The Israelis were tired and in need of some rest. Mr Chowki’s rant got on their nerves, but the fact remained simple. They had no choice but to make room for the arriving gods.
By now our frustration boiled over and we were tired of the I-yes offisuers affair. We did what people in helpless situations do, make jokes. “We should go and tell the Israelis. In India first come the bureaucrats, the God, then the firangs, then bloody Indians.” Navin added, “Bloody Indians dont come into the picture at all.”
We were deep in our debates when a bunch of young, noisy boys began trickling in. Now as far as 15 year old brats go, these guys were the worst. They were yelling, passing unsubtle comments about the Israeli girl, getting into fights with each other. They started flashing their torch lights over everyone. For once we felt like escaping into some quiet.
We walked downhill and found a forest department office. We scoured some meager food at a small kitchen in there. We were finally alloted a room in the under-construction building. It was cleaned up a bit and we were given some bedding. But since there was no electricity, we found a solar lamp which would last a couple of hours at best.
Just as we settled in, Mr Chowki appeared in our room and said he wanted the lamp. By now the gods had arrived in full force and they wanted to eat in the open. Clearly they could not do so in the dark. Inspite of our pleadings, he took the lamp away and left us in pitch darkness. A few minutes later Mr Chowki re-appeared with a lamp, only this one was going on and off every 5 secs, thereby creating a disco like effect. We begged him not to pamper us with a disco, we only wanted a room to sleep in. But he’d run away promising to be back. I walked out for a bit with a friend of mine. We saw one of the IAS guys trying to make conversation with the Israelis. Was there a government service in Israel, ....... etc?
When we had our fill of the disco jokes, it was switched off. Finally Mr Chowki brought a kerosene lamp. We refused dinner and went to bed.
(To read a Short Itinerary of the trip: click here)
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