MY TRIP TO JALANDHAR

 


It all started with sudden execution of the plans made by my parents. I remember how I woke up from my nap and found myself alone in the room. Being left confused I decided to check in another room where I found everyone being excited and contented over something and that’s when I got to know that we are heading to Punjab for celebrating Rakshabandhan on such a short notice as it was just after two days. The two days went pretty quickly in buying gifts, packing the stuff and booking tickets. It felt like time went in a jiffy. 

On the night of tenth August we boarded the Dhauladhar Express and after six hour journey we reached Jalandhar Cantt railway station from where we got picked up in the car. In the train, I enjoyed the cold and fresh breeze, calm environment and in the car, I was able to witness the scenic beauty of Punjab. We were heading Jalandhar which wasn’t a village so all I enjoyed was long, wide, clean and grey roads with cool breezes but this alone was enough, being in Punjab was enough for my euphoria.

After an hour long drive we were at my aunt’s house. Upon reaching there we spent some time talking, sharing our train stories and experience and resting. But soon the havoc started when we all got to know about the time. We all got ready in about fifteen minutes and together celebrated the festival. It was a beautiful family moment. Being with my favourite peeps aka my cousins was the best thing.

We spent rest of the day resting and planning about the places we would visit. I had a long conversation with my cousins about life, college, future plans and some advices and suggestions.

The very next day we left for the societal flats where my other aunt was staying as we have to help her unpack her luggage, distribute the gifts we bought and most importantly to share all the love and stories we had kept with ourselves.


At night, we all got ready and went to ‘Haveli’, a restaurant famous for serving it’s delicacies with Punjab’s culture as my cousin’s friend was visiting us and she was keen to know the culture and taste the food. In Haveli, you can sit with your family and enjoy the delicacies in desi style. They have placed all the traditional and cultural things on the wall and inside it such as tractor, chakki or millstone etc. We all ordered some mouthwatering dishes shahi paneer, naan, saag, daal, tawa roti, lassi, bharva bhindi the star of the show, rasgulla and kheer for the dessert. The drive back to home was quiet as eachone of us was exhausted and upon reaching home we all tossed ourselves on the bed.

 

Chandigarh

The next day I got up, did my morning routine and all. The day was passing by like any other normal day until I got to know it wasn’t. My aunt had to visit a doctor in Chandigarh for her physiotherapy. So once again a trip was planned at the very last moment. She decided that we would drop her off at the doctor and rest of us can visit Sukhna lake and Rock Garden. We all agreed, got ready and got in the car. After two and a half hour long drive I could clearly make out that it was Chandigarh. The busy, chaotic roads, sounds of horns and jams. We dropped aunt at the clinic and went ahead.


Rock Garden

The first place we visited in Chandigarh was Rock Garden. A beautiful place made from waste such as broken bangles, rocks etc. Fountains and sculptures carved out from rocks. It really reflected the highly creative and innovative mind of its makers. The overall experience was good but we went there in the noontime and the place was burning hot. So next time if we are going to visit it again it will surely be either in the morning or in the eve.


Sukhna Lake

The second and last place of the day to visit was Sukhna lake. It is basically a reservoir. So we were seven members in all so we decided to go with boating rather than kayaking. My father said he would wait at the shore for us and we can enjoy boating. The tickets were bought and now we had two boats one which was four seater and one which was two seater for thirty minutes. Dad wasn’t coming so only guardian we had was my mother who decide to share the boat with my cousin brother as he was really young. Now we four girls had a boat all by ourselves without any guardian even this thought made all four of us squeal in happiness. The time came we wore our safety jackets and boarded the boat. It was the best experience of my life being there with my cousins enjoying and living a single single bit of that moment. Dad was so worried that he called us three to four times in those thirty minutes to remind us not to go too far.

We had some evening snacks, fritters, pizza and momos to satiate our hunger. We picked our aunt and went back to home. The ride back home wasn’t quiet atall as we all sisters had so much fun that we didn’t stop telling how much we enjoyed it. Upon reaching home we all tossed ourselves on the bed except for our parents as they had to pack the bags again. It was our last day in Jalandhar and next morning we got ready to leave, exchanged our goodbyes and sat in the car. Bidding the byes wasn’t easy we didn’t want to leave nor they wanted us to.

We sat in the car. The ride back home was quiet as we were little sad. All the way back home I recollected the memories we made there. It was honestly the best trip I could have asked for. The trip that I will never forget.


BY CHETNA BHARDWAJ



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