Himalayan Times (1953)

Six

ihiinithtiiKtl (limm

July 12, 1953

A TKEK TO MAT HU 1LA VIA CIIAWGU

DAWA FONING, S U. M. College, Kalimpong.

Changu and Nathula, situated far,
far away from madding crowds’ tumul-
tuous malice and mockery, far from the
chaotic human-huddled world of hatred
and 'tresspass, in the quiet region of
peace and serenity, are two places of
exquisite beauty indeed. The joukery-
pawkery of mean men, the humbuggery
and snobbery of society have not sha-
ttered the peace of the two places.

People from far and near often
go there and once they excursionise
there they will never forget them as
long as they live. The beauties of the
places impress one's heart so deeply that
it will ever remain green and vivid in
one’s memory. Early this -month some
of my college mates and myself visited
Changu and Nathula. We had a really
delightful time there.

We left Gangtok on tho 14th of
June for Changu on foot, We had two
porters to carry our luggages but still
four of us had American knapsacks on
Our backs. Weather was favourable from
the very start. :We look the shorl-cut
track which has branched from the main
road &bov'o Sir T. N. High School. The
road,- wc : wero told at Gangtok, was
jebpable only in winter upto the 15th
inile.

We started late at noon and so were
compelled to quicken our pace. Ont'he
way we mot/Tnany Nepalese, Tiletans
and Bhutia majddors carrying 1 eavy
loads of Chinese goods. No sooner had
we reached the 8th mile than a heavy
torrent of rain overtook us. Due to the
muddv track' and ceaseless shower wo
were awfully tired and exhausted. Wo,
therefore, rested at a shop at th^lOth

mile. Tho mistress of the shop was a
polite woman. The rooms and utensils
inside were kept clean, and after having
a good refreshment we resumed cur
journey in the heavy shower which
caused us to trudge as quickly as we
could.

The rain ceased to fall. The beauti-
ful scenery had onchanted us before
long and Changu tbouah distant away
was now tantalising us. Thousands of
steps ahead we came across a decent
State bungalow which is situated ifbovo
a State-licensed liquor shop. From this
place tho track runs through perilous
precipices. At many places tne undoub-
tedly feels giddy to look down tho
thousand of feet perpendicular drop. And
we gaped in wonder thinking how could
people have worked there while construc-
ting the path.

Near the 15th mile where the dizzy
|path ends, the track bends slightly to
the North and goes a little higher.
There, just by tho side of the turning
of the track, we, for the first time in
our high venture, witnessed a gleaming
lake-let encircled and embellished by
pretty daffodils in full bloom. Ah! How
divinely beautjful! How undeniably lovely!
Wo could, only then, by observing the
scene, appreciate properly the deep-felt
emotion of Wordsworth which he expressed,
by writing.

“I wandero’d lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodills ;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees. ^
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

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