A Visit to Hill Station :

Our school was closed for summer vacations on 15th May. It was very hot in
Delhi. My parents decided to go to Niligiris. I too accompanied them.

We packed our luggage and got ready for the journey. We went to Coimbatore
by train. The railway journey was rather tiresome. From Coimbatore we went to
Ooty by bus. We reached there in the afternoon and put up at a hotel.

Ooty is one of the best hill-station of India. It may be called the queen of hillstation. It has many beauty spots. Next day, after breakfast, we were crowded
with tourists form different parts of the country. People were making all sorts of
purchases.

After lunch we went to botanical gardens. We enjoyed the expense of

horticultural beauty around our hearts content.

Niligiris has a healthy climate. It is a beautiful summer resort. The mountain

slopes are covered with tall, green trees which present a caring sight at sunset
and look very grand. The morning and evening hours are very pleasant. A cool
breeze sets up and refreshes the mind. It makes one forget the oppressive heat
of the plains.

I felt happy in the company of nature. The bright hued flowers, the clouds sailing
across the sky and the snow covered peaks of the high mountains in the
distance filled my heart with joy.

We stayed there for fortnight. I returned to Chennai reluctantly. The memory of

my visit to Niligiris is still fresh in my mind.

A Summer Holiday in Himachal

"We are off, going on a summer holiday to make our dream come true..." the famous
quote from Cliff Richard's song. This summer we went to Simla. We were a mixed group
of seventeen directed by two teachers and of course the tour guide.
We boarded the up-Kalka-Mail at Howrah station. All arrangements were made in a
meticulous way. We occupied our appointed seats. The train started a little late.
Gradually we were introduced to each other by the tour operator. Our co-passengers
seemed to be very pleasant. We became friendly very soon. One lady who worked with
Geological Survey of India drew our attention. She was a national champion in Carom of
all games! I had never met anyone of her stature before.
We reached Chandigarh on time. The journey was pretty smooth. A chartered bus was
waiting and we occupied our allotted seats. Then we advanced towards Simla - the hill
station in Himachal Pradesh. The journey was more or less pleasant barring some
hiccups due to bad condition of the mountainous roads at some places. The weather
was pleasantly nice and moderately cold. We checked into a standard hotel.
In the evening, we went to a nearby Kali temple and watched the arati amid much
fanfare and then strolled towards the Mall. Some function was being held by the army.
Some men were playing the drum and bugle and the sound filled the air enthusing a
patriotic feeling in all and sundry. A very nice evening spent in Simla.
Next day we were on the road to Sarhan. Window seats were allotted by rotation and I
got one this time to stare into the spiralling roads and slopes of the mountain. I felt very
excited and enthralled. I was enjoying the breathtaking beauty of the snow-capped
peaks in the Kunnur district of Himachal Pradesh. Since it was end of May, apple
orchards, cherry trees were in view almost all over the mountain slopes. I noticed one
new thing. Most of the trees were covered with a certain net resembling the mosquito
net. We learnt that these were meant to prevent intrusion of birds and monkeys since the
trees had just started to blossom. Not much flower was seen around except some violet
ones which resembled Krishnachura. A few unknown trees were covered with bright red
flowers. The blue sky, huge mountainous slopes with motif of different hues, snowcapped peaks appearing at places - made me feel like I was in the ninth heaven.
We reached Sarhan after 4-5 hours' journey. We were accommodated in a rest house
adjacent to the Vimakali temple. Of the two temples in the same area, one was built in
the 17th century. Lots of legends were there about this temple which the local people
narrated with much enthusiasm. Both of those were built in pagoda style and offered
architectural grandeur. Intricate designs in wood carving were observed too.
The following day we proceeded to Sangla valley. Sangla looked striking at the backdrop
of the Kumaon range with almost 360 degree view. We stayed there for two nights
because we visited Chitkul for a full day. We loved Chitkul too, mainly because of the
river Bapsa flowing along the valley. One could relax on the huge boulders scattered all

along the river, wade in the nice cool water and watch the breathtaking beauty of the
mountains at the same time. We saw farmers ploughing in the primitive way with the
help of two bullocks. In a newly built school the children were sitting outside in the
natural surrounding with their books. It was an enviable way of studying no doubt about
that! We left the place before it got dark because driving in the night along those
treacherous roads is always best avoided.
Next day we were a little tensed because of the strenuous journey ahead. From Sangla
to Kalpa - the roads were not at all good; rather it was very appalling due to the frequent
landslides. News reached that we might have to take a different road to the top of the
mountain and then go down via another route to Kalpa. Naturally it would take more time
than usual and the journey would be tiresome. In between we stretched our legs and
had some refreshments. We were served appetizing packed lunch. Although the journey
was not smooth we felt like we were into some adventure and buckled up our spirit.
Then suddenly our bus stopped altogether. There was a sharp bend ahead and because
it rained the night before the road was muddy, slippery and dangerous as well.
We all climbed down in case the bus turned turtle. There was a dam under construction
and some dredgers were operational. We took their help to mend the road somehow.
We waited for almost an hour before it was repaired. They deployed two dredgers for the
job. It was a mixed and rare experience for us to watch them repair and witness how
things work. Anyway once it was over we were relieved and after that everything went
smoothly again.
We reached Kalpa very exhausted. But the next morning we were invigorated by the
picturesque glory of the sunrise. In front of us, in the first rays of the sun, Kinnaur
Kailash was glistening while gradually the sun was revealing its full brightness. Due to
the floating clouds it was playing hide and seek for a little while. It was a very bright
sunny day and our rest day too. So we enjoyed everything at a leisurely pace - ate good
food, strolled in the mountainous alleys, watched ravens on the apple trees...
Then the day came for us to leave the beautiful place and go to Kalka to board the train
for our return journey.

So many poets have expressed a wish to have wings. A poet says that if
he had wings, he would fly with the skylark and visit those parts of the
glove where there is Spring throughout the year. Even the primitive man
had a desire to have wings. The credit of the invention of the aeroplane
goes to those persons who desired to have wings that they might fly in
the air. A Greek once fixed wings to his shoulders with wax, flew high,
the wax melted and he fell down. Attempts were made again and again
to fly in the air. At last the Wright Brothers were successful in making an
aero plane to fly in the air. We envy the lot of the birds, because they are
capable of flying to places where we only yearn to reach.
I also wish to have wings. It I had wings, I would fly and sit on the
branches of high trees, laden with fruits, I would fly to the peaks of the
mountains covered with now and enjoy the beauty of fine, white natural
scenes, I would fly to the innermost parts of the dense forests. On
having wings, I would like to make flight to historical cities such as at the
end of the month I would fly to the Taj the marble temple of love and
enjoy the sight of the dream that Shah Jahan saw in stone and mortar. I
would also like to visit the capitals of the great countries of the world. I
would have a very great desire to fly and sit on the white house in which
the American President lives. On the Republic Day the 26 th of Jan, I feel
very much disappointed since I am not able to reach the place from
where I may see the procession coach of the Rashtrapati and see the
Republic Day procession,.
Although It has been said that man is the cream of certain hearts that
the life of the birds is happier than mans life. I have two reasons for
feeling so. First the birds have wings and they can enjoy sights and
scenes that are inaccessible to man. Secondly, man has to hear the sad
music of humanity from which birds are comparatively free.
The supposition, if I had wings, creates two thoughts in the mind. Shall I
have wings with my human body as it is? No that seems to me to be a
very awkward proposition. If I had wings, I would like to have much
smaller body as much s that of birds. Moreover, I would not like to
remain a bird forever. I would like to become a bird and human being at
wish. Among the birds also there are several species. There are hawks,

eagles and other birds of prey. There are sparrows, parrots, thrushes
and pigeons. There are cocks and peacocks, swans and cranes whose
flying capacity is less than that of others. I would like to belong to the
second category that is that of partridge and parrots.