Hospitality by the roadside. And just a sliceee of the amazingness of Himachali people and food.
From Aunty's quick-fix chai and pakoras with ketchup, to a nearby gurdwara who invited us to join prayers and langar with roti and dal after traffic jam chaos (families sleeping peacefully on blankets in the temple listening to the rainnn), a Tibetan fast food shop selling THEE best mutton thukpa (had so many since here aha), and just the night before - a complimentary bedtime delivery chicken whacked straight out the tandoor, thank you Abhay.
The kindness in this lady's eyes, the way she (Vinitia) squeezed my hands so warmly. The feeling I got when watching her & uncle making alu parathas together in harmony - peaceful older wise rhythms that made me realise; I want that one day. How they put us on the phone proudly to chat to their son and family who had a house in Kullu - come stay! They could have lived with their son and not worked but liked the independence this cafe brought them.
Manish, who sat next to me on the bus in joy on hearing I spoke English (I thought you were a local girl!), and helped me translate & guide.
“No hurries, no worries, no chicken curries” he chuckled when the bus wouldn't move. None of these moments would have happened if not for the landslide. Reminded me there's always a good thing to find, to do. And I love that it takes oscillation from two.
There's always a feeling I get of safety of being looked after by an aunty, a family, of being invited into someone’s home. Sometimes it makes me want to cry - that connection and whilst I'm in India I'm trying to embrace that emotional side of me, more. I’m no wise old owl but perhaps if a moment makes you tingle, that’s a gift for helping you get to your truth.
It takes so much time to put these posts together, edit photos, write, talk to ppl, draw stories and often I do wonder when entering the madddness of insta - what’s the point? But when I’ve finished, I always feel better. As I sit there twisting the pieces together it does something and from the process I learn. Write for yourself, if it’s not easy, maybe that’s good.