Culture, heritage and tourism! They are a different breed of adventurers!

By: M S. Nazki

They have christened themselves as the ‘Valley Wanderers’ and their aim is to explore the Kashmir valley, embrace life, love the people of the interiors and spread a message of humanity!

-‘In Machhal their spirit was supported by the Indian Army’!

-‘Some of us are drawn to mountains the way the moon draws the tide. Both the great forests and the mountains live in our bones. They have taught us, humbled us, purified me and changed us….Welcome to the world of valley wandrers’!

-‘A few days back they were in Machhal, a beautiful yet not fully explored but still a place that God’s of nature perhaps created when they were at their artistic best using all possible colors in their repertoire!’

-‘From the picture and their demeanor I could that they were different than most of us in most of the aspects as far as our attitude towards life goes and I thought that they were something of this genre, ‘we are free souls, singing our heart out by ourselves no matter where we go and we call strangers pur friends because we learn things and find ways to fit them into our own world. We hear what people say, rearrange it, take away and tear apart until it finds value in our reality and there we make it work. We find spaces in between the cracks and cuts where it feels empty and there we make it work. Maybe I’m slightly wrong in my perception but backing myself to the hilt I would say that it’s bulls eye!’

-‘ They are called the gentlemen of the road because they have realized that at a certain point in life you need to go wandering but with a purpose and the sole one should be to look and have a deeper gaze into the humanity in the places that have note been visited very often and interact with people, share their joys and sorrows and spend as much time as possible that is available with the children in the areas which have seen the worst of the last three decades. It can be done and this band of brothers, the valley wanderers are doing so in a spectacular manner. The motto is simple, our feet need to hit earth, again and again, that bone-filling drumbeat. WE need the sky’s colored threads to tangle inside us, pull us somewhere new in this beautiful place known as Kashmir, the one and the only heavenly paradise on earth.

-‘From the little piece of news item which I got about them, I could make out that these young men in their SUV’s have decided that to wander far from the familiar is an interesting adventure. Perhaps they would be saying to each other while travelling to places such as Machhal and jotting down notes, that we look around us and we find ourselves confused as to why the world has fallen into such deep darkness. And standing in this descending darkness, what we need to realize is that the farther we move from God, the darker everything gets. And no light of man can illuminate that kind of darkness. That is why I said earlier in the piece that God’ created Machhal when they were at their artistic best’!

 

Walking on a path of uncertainties, shuffling on the probabilities of uncertainties, waging on the possibilities of uncertainties, waiting for the occurrences of uncertainties, solving the mysteries of wandering uncertainties, We move, lead and live is part of perhaps a lyric by Pushpa Rana from her own ‘Just the Way I Feel’, fits perfectly for this crew but more befitting would be Amit Sahna’s (Runner up First Indian Idol) ‘Anjani manzil, Aanjani rahein hai, Anjani manzil, Jaane kahan kal ko le jaye ye dil, Kis mod par, Kismat mile. Chehre pe chahat liye, Chal diye, Chal diye. Zindagi ko gale se lagane. Chal diye, Chal diye. Na socha na samjha na pucha, Bas Chal diye.’ Roughly translated it would be an unknown destination, unknown roads, unknown destination, who knows where this heart will take us tomorrow, not knowing on which turn the destiny meets us with a smiling and loving face. We just are on the move to embrace the life… we are just moving on and moving on, without thinking, understanding or asking yet moving to hug life and the distressed people’!

A couple of days back they were in Machhal and this was what happened:

* Machhal Sector is unique and mesmerising in its own way with abundance of sparkling streams, snow capped mountains, sprawling meadows and happy go lucky locals.

* On 31 Oct 21 in partnership with the local Army formation, in order to explore the tranquil serene scenic beauty of Macchal Sector, ‘The Valley Wanderers Group’ led by its President Irfan Shah with 28 members in seven SUVs arrived at Macchal.’

*The Group previously known as ‘North Kashmir Off Roaders’ came into existence on Feb 21 and has since carried out numerous expeditions to various locales in North Kashmir to include Tangdhar & Pharkiyan Gali. A total of 150 individuals have since associated themselves with this Group and its influence and membership is increasing with every passing day.

* The Valley Wanderers Group apart from engaging in adventure also work towards promoting tourism in remote unexplored areas. They also connect with the local youths and endeavour to channelise their energies constructively.

* At Machhal, the group rode through the rugged roads of Machhal, Dudi, Chuntwari, Chakki and Ringbala. They interacted with the youth and children of Ringbala, located in close proximity to the Line of Control and spent the night at the picturesque Maidan Bhaik.

* Such the first ever expedition was highly appreciated and liked by the local populace. The youths were motivated and received fruitful guidance to contribute towards Nation building.

Finally I would say that these adventurers should keep singing the lyrics for the people with words like, ‘dekha to nahi magar, khwabon mein uski parchai hai, wo hai khushboo ke jo Mehki hawayein le aayi hai, nikle hain aaj kadam ye jahaan bhar ke armaan liye jahaan bhar ke armaan liye, chal diye, Chal diye’ roughly translated as ‘could not see it but in the dreams we always saw shadows of the place, that fragrance which the free flowing breeze brought with it and we could smell, today we are putting the first stride ahead with a lot of purpose and feelings and we keep moving on and wandering with purpose to spray all along for the brotherhood of man in the exquisite valley of Machhal!!