Himalay entered our lives in 1956, and never left! I do not know when and how pappa got hooked on Himalay treks, but 1956 was a milestone year. He had spoken to a couple of experienced Himalay trekkers in Bombay, and they had scared him by saying he would need about 10,000 rupees to travel in Himalayas. He saved and scrounged, and finally built up the courage to book tickets to Kashmir!

• We travelled first class! I can only guess that either the baggage allowance for first class was sufficiently high, or there were no sleeper coaches back then for reservation. Harshadmama and family had joined us, as had the newly wed Shashimama and Ki (Kishori) mami. Took us 3 days to reach Srinagar. We went around the Mughal gardens, the lakes of Srinagar, the Shankaracharya temple, and the bigger lakes of the valley – Wular and Manasbal. Headed to Gulmarg and got snow at Khilanmarg, did some crude sledge rides, spent a week on the slopes of Gulmarg and headed to Pahelgaam. Lived in tents, the kids lost their toothbrushes in the swift Lidar river visited Kolohoi glacier. Harshad mama and Shashi mama had returned to Bombay some time, and the three of us went to Amarnath and Chauras lake and met Rajab Ali who became our lifelong friend. We had a mobile kitchen with us – no sleeping bags, fat cotton duvets only, and hand knitted sweaters. Not a single person was ill for even a day! We reached Bombay 68 days after leaving, and spent only 1268.00 rupees! Pappa and mummy were now convinced that Himalay treks are most certainly affordable!

• 1983 saw us introducing the 3 year old Janaki to Kashmir and the Himalay’s. We reached Srinagar in a day from Jammu, and stayed in a small hotel who let us cook, and had a lovely lawn in front of our room. We did the normal tourist thing in Srinagar, but I don’t remember if we went up to Shankaracharya or not. We did go to Manasbal, and Aharbal and onto Gulmarg. We started climbing to Khilanmarg, but it was too much for mummy. Anju and I – Janaki in a baby carrier on my back – went up a little more, but soon returned. We headed for Pahelgaam, and went hunting for accommodation while pappa and mummy sat at the bus terminus. But imagine, that Rajab Ali finds them there – recognises them instantly after 27 years, and pulls out a photo that he had in his wallet (which we had sent him in ’56).  We did day trips – Anju and I – towards Amarnath and again towards Kolohoi and Arughat Bazar. We were fixing up a horseback ride to Chauras lake the next morning, and Anju said “we saw everything, but no snow!” Rajab Ali was there and he said “Inshallah, God willing you will get that too!” Indeed, the wind had picked up that evening, and the sky was overcast. It started snowing at night,  and saw that it was still going when I woke up a 4:30 am. Shouts and excitement! We rolled up Janaki in her sleeping bag, carried her outside to experience her first snow! Indeed Khuda had willed it so!

• I went off to IIT, but pappa and mummy carried on their treks. They did Margan and Sinthan with Malatiben, but I have no stories from them, only some photos.

• Pappa mummy did traverse the Lahoul valley and come out at Kishtwar, which is Kashmir, but that was just a transit back to Bombay.

• Kashmir has been on a backburner since then.