ESL Blogs

It was one of the finest summer seasons; of course we planned fully, packed and embarked to amazing Northern areas of Pakistan. One of our family guides, my cousin who already visited these areas, tried to impress us by telling that he has got a very good village house for a week-stay. We all were so happy to hear it. So time machine took us from an industrial-smoky-busy city, Karachi to a mountain-valley covered with lush green trees, sweet songs of variety of different birds, being in such serene environment was quite incredible  for our group.

When our van stopped to the point where we had to stay, we were welcome by number of people. Many people greeted us; I asked to my cousin, ’wow!!! you are very popular here , everybody is greeting you’. His reply surprised me that he did not know them; it was just their local tradition to greet everyone. It was an strange thing for us.

We pretended to be great hikers but soon I realized that a sheep in lion’s disguise could not keep it with at all; I was about to retire on my eighth circle round that mountain, our host’s rest house mounted on, got the chill news it was the last round. So I kept silence and continued to pretending to my group, got impressed by my strength covering such a big mountain walk in one go.

At last we reached at the mountain-house; unpacked and took little rest. Then she appeared on the threshold of that ill furnished room. She greeted us and placed a lunch tray on a wooden table. I was so hungry and started my meal without waiting for others to join. She was sitting by the window. She was middle aged woman in her late fifties, simply dressed. My father asked for a glass of cold water; she stood and went out quietly. After five or seven minutes later she entered again holding a jug of water and quickly poured me water. I drank it and said: ‘this is so cold pure sweet water I ever drank’. I noticed smile on her face for first time. She surprised me again by telling that she brought that jug of water from drinking-fountain down in the valley exactly the same point from where we started our walk to climb the mountain; it took almost forty five minutes to reach the house. She said to me it was her daily routine; she fetched drinking water for meals three times a day.

We enjoyed a lot during our stay there, all those days she kept doing her households daily works without making complaints, criticizing others for that discomforts; she used to carry a big water bucket on her head for the washrooms, putting her face near to a  smoky stove to blow fire for cooking, washing our clothes, ironed and hanged them in our washroom. She  was doing hard work from dawn till night; she had noble graces, a perfect mountain-lady didn’t care to listen a word of thanks from us.

I learned many lessons from her; she showed a motherly care for us; I never forget her. We wished to stay longer but we needed to go out of the comforts of a desirable paradise-point. We rushed to the time machine; it took us back to my smoky industrial hometown, full of hundreds of strange phantoms be seen on busy roads every day. It’s a big daydreaming to have a character like her in my daily routine.

Last day I got the news she has been passed away; may her kind soul now long rest in peace and comforts forever!!!!!!!!!