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Old 14th June 2010, 12:49   #61
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awaiting chapter nine
(Impatiently tapping feet on floor and fingers drumming on desk!!!)
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Old 14th June 2010, 15:19   #62
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Joining in the chorus of drumming fingers - but by this time Deky would be in Ladakh if I remember correctly.
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Old 14th June 2010, 17:27   #63
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Hi Deky,

Really awesome stuff man. I can absolutely relate with you as even I am a son of an Army man. Thanks for sharing this with us, the old memories which I have from my childhood having visited Rajasthan, Assam etc have rushed back like a huge wave. Thanks again and waiting for more stuff.
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Old 15th June 2010, 10:40   #64
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Is this thread finished ?
Please keep this thread going, its a great one !
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Old 15th June 2010, 12:19   #65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mallumowgli View Post
awaiting chapter nine
(Impatiently tapping feet on floor and fingers drumming on desk!!!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by sudev View Post
Joining in the chorus of drumming fingers - but by this time Deky would be in Ladakh if I remember correctly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sami316 View Post
Hi Deky,

Really awesome stuff man. I can absolutely relate with you as even I am a son of an Army man. Thanks for sharing this with us, the old memories which I have from my childhood having visited Rajasthan, Assam etc have rushed back like a huge wave. Thanks again and waiting for more stuff.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WDM007 View Post
Is this thread finished ?
Please keep this thread going, its a great one !
Sorry guys, I am very much in Jaipur ( will be going to Ladhak in the end of July) But have been pretty busy with work hence havnt got the time to sit down and write the last chapter. It will be uploaded soon

Thanks
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Old 15th June 2010, 13:19   #66
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Chapter Nine: Hungroo Loops, The Accident And The Lesson Learnt For Life

Our one month holiday in Kargil was coming to an end. That day we were driving back to Leh to take our flight back home. There were two Jongas in the convoy, the front one had Dad, Mom and Sister and I was sitting in the one behind with our luggage and the guards.

The drive was pretty uneventful till a pretty big truck came behind us and started honking to give him way. The truck was not an Army truck; it was a paramilitary truck and was coming down pretty fast. We were driving on a constant speed. I am sure we were neither going too slow nor too fast. And yet I was surprised to see a big truck coming down the curvy and the bumpy road at such a speed. The driver of my Jonga immediately went on the side and gave him way to overtake us. The truck went ahead and now started honking to ask way from the Jonga ahead in which my dad was traveling.

My Dad’s Jonga stopped and the truck stopped behind him. From my vehicle I could see my Dad coming out of his vehicle and going towards the truck driver. The truck driver also came down the vehicle and saluted my Dad who was in uniform. From the hand gestures I could make out that my Dad would have been telling him about the risks of over speeding etc etc.

The conversation finished and I thought now that my Dad has given him some sense about not driving fast, the big truck would go slow and not try to overtake smaller vehicles. But then something really strange happened, my Dad’s vehicle went on the side and gave the truck way and it soon disappeared ahead. Maybe they were in some serious hurry!!

Soon we reached the Hungroo Loops. From one point on the top you can actually see all the 22 loops below (I think there are 22 loops), and from there we could see the truck somewhere in the middle. As we slowly came down after the 12th or the 13th loop I saw my Dad from his vehicle pointing out down to the loop below. It was a horrific sight; the same truck had fallen off the cliff about 100 feet down on the next loop.

Slowly after completing the loop we reached the fallen truck. My Dad had already reached the place and was giving directions to a few people who had collected there. Everyone from my Jonga also rushed to the site, I followed them. The truck was now lying upside down. It must be too fast at one of the curves and hence fallen off the cliff. The slide marks were perfectly visible on the cliff face too.

Two of them in the truck must have been thrown off while the truck fell. They seemed to be totally shaken but seemed unhurt. Rest of them in the truck perhaps was not that lucky. I could see one of them lying in a pool of blood. Half of his body was still beneath the overturned truck and half of it was outside. He was staring at me with his eyes wide open expecting some help. I smiled back at him, hoping to give him some support. But he didn’t smile back, he just kept staring. I realized he would never smile, he was dead.

I had never seen death till yet, I could not stand this scene anymore. I remember I was trembling, shaking and sweating. I rushed back to my Dad’s Jonga and hid myself in its confines hoping that this scene would just pass away as a bad dream. But it did not!!

My Dad realizing that there was no need of us to be present at the site told one of the Jonga’s to take us and leave for Nimmu. Message had already been sent regarding the accident. Few helicopters were deployed to ferry the injured to the Leh hospital. Later we were told that only 2 out of the 9 traveling in the truck survived.

Till today when I drive on hills I recollect the sequence that how the truck came honking, how my dad gave him some advice, how we saw it on the loops, how we saw the fallen truck and finally how I smiled at a man already dead. This horrific accident has given me a lesson for life and i.e WHATEVER THE HURRY MAYBE, IT IS NOT WORTH RISKING YOUR AND YOUR CO-PASSENGERS LIFE FOR IT.
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Old 15th June 2010, 13:57   #67
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Its been a pleasure recollecting all my memories and jotting them down here. I hope you guys also enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Now for some more scanned pics from Leh-Kargil from 1990. Some pics are from our visit and some pics are from Dad's camera taken over a few months while he was posted there

SAUNA AT CHUMATHANG
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-chumathangsauna.jpg

KARGIL DURING WINTERS
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-dadwinterkargil.jpg

SOME GOMPA (any idea which one is it?)
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-gompa.jpg

AT THE HUNGROO LOOPS
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-hungrooloops.jpg

AT THE LOC
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-loc.jpg

A LOCAL LADY
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-local.jpg

AT PANGONG TSO
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-pangong.jpg
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-pangong1.jpg
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-pangong2.jpg

AT MOON CRATERS
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-mooncraters.jpg

ARMY BONDING WITH THE LOCALS
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-armybonding.jpg

There are some pics which are from Ladhakh region but I do not remember now where were they clicked. Maybe you guys would like to help me here!!

PIC 1
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-leh.jpg

PIC 2
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-leh1.jpg

PIC 3
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-leh2.jpg

PIC 4
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-leh3.jpg

PIC 5
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-leh4.jpg

PIC 6
Memoirs Of Kargil, Year 1990-leh5.jpg
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Old 15th June 2010, 14:12   #68
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deky, Absolutely wonderful travelogue. Loved every moment reading it. Your description about how you smiled at the dead man was good, even though felt bad for the poor soul. The way you had penned the words pulled us into a different dimension and gave the feeling of we experiencing it. Hats off to you buddy for this excellent travelogue and your patience in penning this down for us. My daughter loved the pictures that you have posted
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Old 15th June 2010, 15:38   #69
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Yes a pretty sensible message there.
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Old 15th June 2010, 17:28   #70
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deky: No words for your writings. Its more than excellent for many of us.A Thing that is called "satisfaction" is provided in your thread whether its mansarovar yatra with mom OR kargil OR ship in SOS.
There are many guys like me who posses DREAM & have resources also to fulfill but blame the circumstances for not doing. Threads like your/ADC & some others etc. help us to keep DREAMING our DREAMS.
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Old 15th June 2010, 18:06   #71
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It has been a wonderful experience reading the travelogue, Deky.
You have made us all travel back in time along with you to Kargil through your memoirs.
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Old 15th June 2010, 21:08   #72
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Thanks for sharing Deky. Your travelogue surely reminded me of all the lovely places which J&K has and I really did relive my childhood memories. Hats off to a great narration.
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Old 15th June 2010, 21:29   #73
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Hi deky

i wish all of us were as fortunate as you were to get such an opportunity in our lives.

that is indeed a great travelogue and rememberance.

i salute soldiers like your father and thousands of others who protect our borders so that all of us can sleep well, drive well, travel well, own better cars and enjoy our lives.

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Old 16th June 2010, 11:54   #74
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gopikb View Post
deky, Absolutely wonderful travelogue. Loved every moment reading it. Your description about how you smiled at the dead man was good, even though felt bad for the poor soul. The way you had penned the words pulled us into a different dimension and gave the feeling of we experiencing it. Hats off to you buddy for this excellent travelogue and your patience in penning this down for us. My daughter loved the pictures that you have posted
Thank you. The accident is a very clear memory. Actually the scene was a lot more horrific than I have described. But whenever I think of it I start to tremble hence did not go into the details. May the dead RIP

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Originally Posted by sudev View Post
Yes a pretty sensible message there.
Absolutely, no point in rushing.

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Originally Posted by Rohit26 View Post
deky: No words for your writings. Its more than excellent for many of us.A Thing that is called "satisfaction" is provided in your thread whether its mansarovar yatra with mom OR kargil OR ship in SOS.
There are many guys like me who posses DREAM & have resources also to fulfill but blame the circumstances for not doing. Threads like your/ADC & some others etc. help us to keep DREAMING our DREAMS.
I am sure one day you will be able to live your dreams too. All the best

Quote:
Originally Posted by pulsar56 View Post
It has been a wonderful experience reading the travelogue, Deky.
You have made us all travel back in time along with you to Kargil through your memoirs.
Thank you

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonov View Post
Thanks for sharing Deky. Your travelogue surely reminded me of all the lovely places which J&K has and I really did relive my childhood memories. Hats off to a great narration.
Its nice to relive the old memories from time to time.

Quote:
Originally Posted by StarVegabond View Post
Hi deky

i wish all of us were as fortunate as you were to get such an opportunity in our lives.

that is indeed a great travelogue and rememberance.

i salute soldiers like your father and thousands of others who protect our borders so that all of us can sleep well, drive well, travel well, own better cars and enjoy our lives.

Yeah, kudos to the Indian Armed Forces.
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Old 16th June 2010, 15:16   #75
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[quote=deky;1937205]
KARGIL DURING WINTERS


This is a fantastic photo, one rarely seen.


[quote]SOME GOMPA (any idea which one is it?)


I think this is Thikshey.

Quote:
There are some pics which are from Ladhakh region but I do not remember now where were they clicked. Maybe you guys would like to help me here!!
I think PIC 1 and 2 are from the road between Nurula and Saspul where the road goes alomngside the River Indus and in man places comes down to the water's edge.

PIC 1


PIC 2


This may be Basgo town while approaching Nimmu from Kargil side

PIC 4


That is Lamayuru from the Kargil side with the moonscape in the background.

PIC 5



And this is definitely Chang la, facing the Sakti/Leh side

PIC 6

Last edited by hvkumar : 16th June 2010 at 15:20.
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