From initial Disinterest to the Sheer Joviality: A Trip worth Remembering.
It was my first university expedition. Initially, I was not interested because of the reason that my close acquaintances or the jocund mates around me were not coming due to their personal reasons. The main cause of my disinterest was coordinating and managing the jaunt, which in our class is always a difficult task. We are a class of diverse ideologies and multifaceted opinions accompanied by an outlandish attitude, always ready to dissent, whatever the issue may be. Sometimes, the dissension is positive for our class and sometimes badly counterproductive.
When I woke up in the morning of 22 October 2011, it was 7.25 AM and I was still wondering whether to go or not. But, when I got the call from my classmate and that call was immediately followed by a call from the faculty member, enquiring about the number of candidates coming and from which place. Then I thought it would be grossly unjustifiable to defy the directives of honourable director and other accompanying faculty members. When I reached the pick-up location, it was appalling to learn that only five or seven classmates were present out of thirty, who have already assented to the idea of picnic by forwarding their names in writing. That signifies the level of responsibility, we all share.
Finally, we left the pick-up location amidst inclemency. It was raining terribly; heightening the enthusiasm as well as disinterest. Our bus finally departed with a large number of faculty members on board. Classmates were very enthusiastic and their cheerful alacrity was providing me a kind of impetus, which made me euphoric. I think if people around you are happy, you are also happy and if people around you are unhappy, you are unhappy as well. My classmates were ceaselessly singing and shouting the songs that I have rarely heard. I was confounded by the song selection and as a result of that I switched on my headphone and started watching a movie ‘Up’ (animated). But, I was enjoying the happenings around me; it was an ultimate playfulness, where everyone was trying to enjoy the moments.
When we reached Pahalgam, the climatic conditions were totally gelid. It (Pahalgam) was outrageously frigid with fast-moving breeze and enshrouded with impenetrable clouds. The initial panoramas made me reminiscent of harry potter fighting the dark lord amid volatile natural surroundings. When I came out of the bus, faculty members invited me and the class for a cup of tea, as it was shivery cold. Then we planned a trip to betaab valley which was later on countermanded due to non-availability of transportation. We had a hearty lunch accompanied by the beautiful lot of jokes and continuous laughs, which made it unique in a positive way. Now, we all were ready to encounter the climatic severity, fast-moving breeze and the haunted clouds. I and my classmates were enjoying the moment: Chatting, Singing, joking, jesting and shooting snaps of everything around. Some were very enthusiastic about photographs; group snaps and individual clicks as well. Photographs generally capture the lovely moments with the help of which it becomes easy for every individual to reminisce and cherish. But, I don’t know why I took only scenic shots - obviously, owing to the reason that nature intrigues me more than anything else.
Camp fire (sic) and the events surrounding that beautiful place (picket), from where we took the entire panoramic view of Pahalgam was staggeringly awesome. A cup of tea which we all had there, proved to be very lucky for our class because at the same time, we got a call from the university about some of our classmates winning awards, for their splendid performance in Sonzal (Event). Everybody was enjoying, and enjoying to the fullest - “The Delightful moments.”
The aforementioned enjoyment was followed by a handsome horse ride which we decided to go for, after the insisting efforts of my classmates and my personal desire. It was raining enormously, but I found the coalescence of rain and ride very idyllic.
After completing the joyous ride, our prescribed time of pleasurable roaming came to an end. I with my classmates rushed to the location of buses, where we bussed ourselves, and took off amidst the torrential rain and cheerful screaming. I was highly ebullient; the feeling was totally antithetical to what I perceived in the morning, when I came out of my quilt/ duvet. I also shouted with my classmates even if I scantily know the songs or most of the time I could only recollect the first line, because of my close propinquity with English songs/ celluloid. It was a moment of high-pitched excitation and zestfulness for all of us.
En route to Srinagar, we took a brief hiatus and went to the local Akad Park. In Akad Park, we played different games and most of them (games) were providing me with the nostalgic vibe of puerility. It was the absolute pinnacle of playfulness and enjoyment, which I was part of and witnessed. Once again, bus engine revved up and we all went aboard! The enjoyment continued till we reached Srinagar.
Songs of all sorts were whistled out and dedicated to all the faculty members in general and the teachers present in our bus in particular. First I thought the faculty members present in our bus will accompany us in various enchanting acts but, they restrained themselves from all sorts of jocund activities and were just mute spectators/ onlookers, keeping that teacher-student line intact. Nonetheless, teachers present in our bus were young, yet outdated. Sometimes, “we have to be undisciplined, to know and contrast it from the discipline.”
Till the end, I was charged and continuously attempting to make every person around me happy. Irony of the whole trip is that, the classmates who put forward the picnic application didn’t turn up. Out of 30 written committals, only 19 surfaced. Responsibility is the word that struck my mind when I saw my classmates flouting their own written commitments.
The Pahalgam trip is one of the best jaunts I have ever had and will always remember. The ones who came are satiated with the gratifying remembrances, and the classmates who turned down or simply didn’t come have missed a great deal.
