Hunt for the Treasure-1

While sitting under the thatched roof, lightened up by a solar lamp, we are listening to this old feeble but yet a strong voice, about how he lived here for last 35 years with his family. As the story goes on, there is a background score added to it, courtesy to the cicadas and crickets who are tuning up for the grand symphony.

Currently, I am sitting “almost” on the border of India and Bhutan, accompanied by two field assistants Sitaram and Kejang and we are out for the hunt for a “treasure“. Tonight we are going to stay in the house of Moile, the man who is living here for past 35 years with his wife, two sons, and few cattle’s. To reach his house, we started early this morning from our base camp in Jainty village, which is 18km downstream to the river which is flowing just adjacent to Moile’s house where currently we are sitting. The river tends to be the geographical boundary between these two countries. Today it took almost 8 hours for us to reach here, as we had to climb up and down two mountain cliffs, cross the river thrice to reach here. The water level being knee deep was still a problem to cross as due to the massive force, water was hitting up to the waist. As we trekked for so long it was evident that we were really having a good time! We had horrendously exciting encounters with two Dholes (Asiatic wild dogs) and a Pope’s pit viper, who were also extremely delighted to see us! But the real fun started when we ended up meeting our oldest friends, the blood-sucking leeches while walking on the embankment. As we arrived at this beautiful “jungle mansion” (as my assistant, kejang says) in the evening, our trousers had turned a bit red, and I counted 27 of them happily stuck to my body!  By then we were exhausted, but Moile and his wife’s charming welcome to their mansion made us feel better mentally.

Currently, as I am writing about our journey to this place, all of us are diving deep into the pool of thoughts while the night deepens with heavy rain outside. The sound of water hitting the boulders on the river bed and rolling them downstream has taken over the grand symphony now. Sipping on milk tea, looking into the darkness through the shredded window, makes me feel how far am I currently from the 21st civilization, who is a having a mug of beer on a Saturday night to get high, while I am already high on thoughts; and as of now our closest neighbor stays 12km away from here which is in Bhutan.

It is already too late now as Moile bids me goodnight, I hope tomorrow all of us will get to see the silver lining amidst the cloud because as per Moile’s word, the “treasure” is nearby!