Raat takhon pray 2 to, uttarbanga express er upper berth e amar ghum kichhuta patla hoye esechhe. Opposite middle berth er bhadroloker nasika garzan train er matoi gati labh korechhe. Ar tatokkhon e compartment er ekdangol 9/10 er school chhatrir sangeetasor gabhir ghum e taliye gechhe. Train e uthei eto meye eksaathe dekhe ladies compartment mone hochhilo, sunlam era nagpur er kono school theke excursion e jachhe. Puro compartment eder dakhol e, ar amra duekta family sei chenchamechhi hazam kore cholechhi. Raat 11 tar por amar baba ekbar oder teacher ke anurodh korechhilo jeno anyader ghumer disturb na hoi. Jai hok ekhon puro train santo, mone holo baba o gabhir ghum e achhanna. Train e ratri bela uthe bathroom e gele ekta adbhut khela hoi – ferar samay halka night lamp er aloi ar ghumanto chhokhhe nijer coop chinte paro kina. Ar maajh raat e railgarir niralas gati anubhab korteo darun lage. Ami ar amar baba sei gati ke sange korei cholechhi sikkim joi korte. Amader saathe mot 3 te luggage – nijeder jama-kapor er ekta kore bag ar ekta common bag. Amader bag guloi bhalo balish kore niyechhi. Ami ektu paas fire sutei sabda holo ‘kott’.
Amar gala buje elo, buke neme elo nidarun asanka. E ami ki korlam!! Mathar kachhe haat diye dekhi satti ja bhebechhilam tai hoyechhe – bag er uporer dike rakha chosmar khap ta kakhon jeno sarte sarte amar mathar nichhe ese porechhilo. Ami ar bhabte parlam na, taratari khap khule chosmata ber kore dekhi dan diker kanch ta majhkhan diye puro fete gechhe. Eki holo! Kato asha niye chokh bhore prokriti dekhte jachhi, ar ekhon to khali chokhhe jhapsa dekhte hobe. Amar kanna pachhilo, mone holo train theke nemei abar bari fire jai. Ki hobe ar ghurte giye, ami jeno dishahara hoye gelam. Uff, sei baki raat er jantrana sudhu ami jani. Tobe sakal e ami ar fata chasma porlam na. baba ke sahas kore bollam. Ami prostut chhilam baba kichhuta bokbe bole. Kintu eto gulo meyer samne sei ‘brojer kesto’ bhabtai jeno udhao hoye gelo. Janlar dhare chupchap bose roilam bakita path.
Mon jatai kharap thak, sakaal bela newjalpaiguri station er lamba overbridge dhore malpatro niye hantar samay je himel haoar paras laage, ta jeno ek pranoddipak anughatak. Station lagoa chatter e atithi appyaoner chiroporichito sur " Darjeeling na gangtok!". Amra gangtok jaoar ekta garite uthe porlam. November er majhamajhi tourist ektu kom e mone holo. Gangtok pounchholam pray 12:30 tay. Kono jaygay dwitio bar berate ele besh ekta confidence ese jay, kothay thakbo ki khabo sab e jeno jana. Athacha 2 bachhar aage jakhan gangtok prothombar esechhilam, takhon gari theke neme ekta ajana sihoron hoyehhilo, sei ananda alada. Ar ebar gari theke neme sudhu milie neoar chesta – eta change hoyechhe, ota eki rakom aachhe. Jeep stand er ulto dikei amra chena hotel ‘woodlands’ e uthlam. Amader abak kore diye bangali manager baba ke dekhei bole uthlen ‘apnake chena chena laagchhe’. Amra bollam je 2 bachhar aage ekhanei chhilam amra. Asole oi hotel er bangali khabar o amader darun legechhilo. Dotalar ekta chhoto ghor e malpatra namiye, snan kore fresh hoye nilam. Hotel er ektalay khaoar jayga. Dinning hall er janla gulo diye kanchanjangha dekha jay. Kintu ager barer mato ebareo akash meghla dekhe amar monta ektu kharap hoye gelo. Manager bollen gatakal sakaaleo dekha gechhe; ish, amra ki unlucky. Tobe janla diye jakhan dekhlam baire tip tip kore bristi suru hoye gechhe, takhon setai upobhog korte ichhe holo. Besh konkone thanda haoa boichhe. Besh khideo peyechhilo. Tai garam garam saru chaler bhat, ghee, dal, tarkari moner anonde santalam. Besh tripti holo. Kheye deye manager er kaachh theke janlam je m.g. road er morer kaachhe ekta chasmar dokan aachhe. anek asha niye chhollam sedike. Sedin chhilo Sunday. Giye dekhi oi road er sab dokan bandha. Abar mon kharap er pala. Kintu eri sange chhilo tar thekeo besi abak hoar pala. Ektu bhalo kore khunjte giye dekhlam, dotalar ekta chasmar dokan e sudhu khola aachhe ar tar shutter o anektay namano. Mone bharsa elo. Amar bhanga kaanchh dekhe ek abhiggo bridhho jakhan bollen 1 ghantay natun chasma hoye jabe, takhon pran e jol elo. E jeno debduter mato keu. Tar asankha collection theke amar chasmar power miliye lens bar kora suru holo. Seo ek tension er samay. Khonja cholchhe to cholchhei, satti paoa jabe to amar power er lens! Mone mone prarthana korlam. Hain, prokriti ke dekhar sujog amar kaachh theke kere neoa holo na. 2 ghantar chestay amar chasma ready. Dokaner malik ke anek dhanyabad janalam, e jeno pran fire paoa. E abhigatta amar chalar pather ek milestone hoye thakbe.
Dokaner baire beriye astei dekhi besh jore bristi neme gechhe, sange haar kapano thanda haoa. Gangtok er rastay sundor sundor foot bridge aachhe, tar ektar talay dariye ami ar baba barsasnato gangatok er rasta, bari , lokjon parakh korte laaglam. Mone holo ekhon ektu garam chaa pele darun jomto, kintu kono chayer dokan khola pelam na. bristi r modhhyei ektu ghora phera kore hotel e chole elam . Sthanyo loker mukhe sunlam, aj chhangu(tsomgu) te snowfall hochhe. Baraf e atke jaoay nathul teo jaoa jachhe na. Amar besh ananda hochhe, prokritir ei khela dekhtei to asa.
Hotel er manager er saathe katha bole amra 2 days 1 night er yumthang tour book kore nilam. Amader hotel er pasei ekta bhalo khabar dokan aachhe. Bikel e sekhane gelam momo khete. Steamed momo ar chaa khachhi ar baire takhano tip tip hoye cholechhe. Dokane anek tourist bhir kore khachhe ar tara sabai bangali. Jara chhangu theke ghure esechhe tara to snowfall dekhar anonde atmahara, abar keu keu amader matoi pordin sakaal e yumthang jachhe. Aneke bolchhe ei weather e yumthang jaoa ta risky hote pare. Ami lakkha korlam, je jar nijer ghorar plan ba decision ta support kore jachhe. Besh ekta bangali adda jomechhilo. Khaoa sesh kore amra dujon abar hotel e chole elam , khub taratari sandhye neme elo. 8 ta nagad dinner sere ghumiye porlam, baire takhano bristi pore cholechhe.
Pordin sakaal 6 tay uthe porlam. Nijeke besh tartaja laagchhe, moneo ekta anonder dheu. Yumthang samparke anek lekha porechhi, anek katha sunechhi. Amar kalpanar saathe ebar miliye neoar sujog, naki anyao kono rahasya apekkha kore aachhe amar janyao! Satti khub anando hochhilo. Amara to 8:30 er modhye dress kore ready. Sunlam gari chharte chharte pray 10 ta hobe. Paser dokan theke ektu chaa-taa kheye nilam. Baba khub chintito okhane kemon thanda laagbe tai bhebe, amader ja dress tate manbe kina. Ekjon driver bollo je trouser er nichhe kichhu pora thaka dorkar, amader ta chhilo. Baba ke check kore bollo kono chinta nei, asole mon take garam rakha niye katha. Sundor bhabe bollo je jodi mon usno na thake tahole jato kapor e parun thanday kunkre jaben. Amra ati utsaahe commander jeep er front seat e boslam.
Gari te amader saathe aro 4 jon achhe. Tarao bangali – bangali sahajatri jeno sarbatrai bondhur mato hazir. Eder modhey 2 jon bayasko bhadrolok office-colleague ar anyara new couple. Gari chharlo thik 10 tay. Driver gaan chaliye dilo. Sei surer saathe mon ta naach te suru korlo. Ager din rate bristi haoay rasta kharap thakar asanka chhiloi, kintu ta je eto taratari asbe ta amra bhabte parini. Gangtok chhere aadh ghantao hoini, dekhi rastar maajhe ara-ari bhabe ek bishal prastar khanda pore ache. Pathar tar abasthan dekhe mone hoi jeno amader path abaruddha korai tar ekmatra uddesso, eto nikhut bhabe atke aachhe rasta ta. Eke eke aro gari aste laglo, sab line kore dariye porlo ar pathorer ulto dikeo sebhabe garir line porte laglo. Garigulo theke jato tourist namlo tarao sabai bangali, paharer achena banke e ki asthayee jatri sibir! Ager baar chhangu jaoar samay o erom abhiggata hoyechhilo, takhon ekta accident er janyao rasta atke chhilo ar sabai gari theke neme upobhog korechhilam manomugdhakar paharai prabhat.
Ami sei pathrodhak pathor tike camera bondi korlam. Tar santo, sthir rup dekhe ke bhabte pare je raater kono ek muhurte ki bhayankar aloron er sangi chhilo se! Besh kichhu atyutsaahi lok eksange balaprayog korlo pathor take saranor janyao, kintu se ekchulo narlo na. Mone mone bhablam, hey manobjati, prakritir samanyaotamo bekheyal e tumi kato asahay. Pray derr ghanta por hazir holo ekta bulldozer jatyo gari ar tar aklanto chestay dheere dheere pathor take rastar ekpaase sarano gelo. Pathor tike jakhon khader dike fele deoar chesta cholchhe takhon jore whistle bajano hochhilo, eta holo nichhe jodi keu thake take sabdhan kore deoa. Pray 2 ghanta atke thakar por abar gari cholte suru korlo. Amader garir pichhone aro anek gari aschhilo. Amra ek pahar theke ulto diker paharer rastay line kore aste thaka gari guli dekhe moja pelam – jeno kono atikaay prachir er gaaye pinprer sari. Kichhukkhon bade amra ese thamlam ekta soru, lamba falls er samne jar naam seven sisters falls. Amader pore aro pray 10-12 ta gari ese daralo. Kintu amader garir husband-wife firte ektu deri korlen, jar fole amder gari chharlo sabar seshe. Amader driver to kichhuta rege uthhechhe. Se chay sabar aage jete. Ebar se bipadjjanak gati te gari chalate suru korlo. Driver er bayas khub besi noi, 25-26 hobe. Tar ei paglami dekhe dui probin er ekjon bollen ektu sabdhane chalate, kintu ke sone kar katha. Gari urdhoshaas e chute chollo. Abashya satti e amader anekta deri hoye gechhe, gantabyo ekhono anek dur.
Sabkata gari overtake kore amader gari abar jakhon tar pratham sthan fire pelo, tatokkhone driver er dakkha hater upor amader bharsa ese gechhe. Dupur 2 to nagad amra ese thamlam Namok naame jaygar ekta restaurant er samne. Amader lunch ekhanei hobe. Hotel er sabai mahila karmi. Tara ati jatno sahakare amader khabar poribeson korlo. Garam bhat er sei gandha ta samasta klanti bhuliye dilo. Ar tar sange dal, tarkari o murgir jhol. Taratari khaoa sesh kore abar chola suru. Charidike ghana sabuj pahar ar majhe majhe jharna r upor diye hanging bridge. Kothao ba rastar dhare fute royechhe naam na jana bahari ful. Pahari lokgulor modhye keu keu sahassye haat narchhe, keu abar abak dristi te chine nite chay notun atithi ke.
Gari ese thamlo Mangan e. Ekhane yumthang jaoar permit korte hoi. Driver rai ta kore thake. Mangan besh byasto janapad. 20 min porei abar gari chharlo. Bristi hoar fole rasta anek jaygay bhison kardamakto hoye chhilo. Garir chaka pray ardhek debe jachhe. Abar kono jaygay rastar upor diye jharnar jol boye jachhe ar tar srote rasta bhenge gechhe. Amar kintu majhe majhe e dharoner kharap rasta dekhe kono udbeg hochhe na, barang bhalo laagchhe pather ei protikulota. Sahosi abhijatrir anando to sekhanei.
Paharer soru rastay jakhan ekta gari arekta gari ke jaoar janyao side daye, takhon garir horn bajiye dhanyabaad gyaponer reeti lakshya korlam. Amader gari emnitei besh jore cholchhe, tar upor driver er chhilo ekta mobile phone ar phone asle se ek haate mobile niye katha bolchhe ar anyao haate steering ghorachhe. Kibhabe je era pare! Ekta police checkpost paar hoye ektu jetei dekhte pelam kharasrotaa Tista. Samatale jar aanchol bichhano matrisamaa rup, pahare se beni pakano chanchalaa naba joubanaa. Patharer doler saathe sei jubotir khunsuti, ebong dur theke cheye thaka parbat sringer hahutaas, esab e dhora porlo amar chokhe.
Tista nodir paar dhore amra egiye chollam aro uttor e Chungthang er dike. Ekhanei Lachung o Lachen nodi duti mishe Tistar utpotti. Ichha chilo sei sangam ti dekhar, kintu chokhe porlo na. Ebar amader rasta gechhe Lachung nodir dhar barabar. Aste aste sandhye naamte suru korlo, kuasar chadore dhaka porte laaglo charidik. Rasta ekhon besh kharai hoye gechhe, bojhai jachhe kono ek noisorgik soundorjyer haatchhani tene niye cholechhe amader. Itimodhye fog light jaliyeo amader driver jathariti protijogita suru kore diyechhe arekti garir sange. Asambhab dakkhatay nikhut bhabe katye cholechhe eker por ek baank. Andhakare dhaka porechhe paser giribarto, ekhon amader dristi nibaddha sudhu samner abchhaya path tuku te. Bodh kori sakalei takhan nijer manosanjog jure dite chaichhilo driver er ekagrotar saathe.
Eksamay amader gari ese thamlo ekta hotel er samne. Gharite baaje 5:30, kintu charidik andhakar. Gari theke berotei ter pelam ki bhison thanda ekhane. Hotel er ghar e dhukte ek muhurto deri korlam na. Gharer bichhanay lep-kambal gulo jeno amader deher usnotay nijeder praan rakkha korchhe ar jetuku angso tao parchhe na setuku to kendekete bhijhe jaoar upokrom. Raater dinner porjonto gharei sue roilam. Bujhte parlam amar jibone e jabot uchhotamo hotel e thakar abhiggata anyarakom hote cholechhe. E jaygar uchhota 8000 ft er ektu beshi. Dining hall e khete bose amar je kapuni elo ta ekhono mone porchhe. Ekhaneo garam bhat, dal, egg curry – ekdom bangali gharoa ranna. Kapunir chote ami sebhabe upobhog korte parlam na. khabar jol o chilo garam, kintu haat dhute giye thanda jol e haat pray jome jaoar abastha. Tai ebar mon take usno korar pala. Thik kore fellam kal bhore surjyodoi er saathe dekhbo ami thik kothay esechhi. Amader hotel e dinner korte esechhilo 6 jon bangali abhijatri. Era sabai motor cycle kore parbotarohan e beryechhe. Era thakbe anyao ekta hotel e. Oder haasi thattay adamyo pransakti dekhe amio utsahito holam. Ami hotel er baranday ese daralam. Konkone thanda haoa boichhe. Ghana andhakare dhaka rahasya aro gabhir hoye uthechhe. Sei nirjanotay sudhu dur theke bhese asa halka srotodhwani e ekmatra samadhan sutro.
Bhor 5 ta nagad uthe porlam ami. Taratari mukh dhuye, dress kore toiri hoye nilam. Camera tao rakhlam sange. Surjyodoyer sathei ami abiskar korte chai ei jaygar rup-rahasya. Dheer paye baire ese daralam. Raater thanda ar bhorer thanda eki rakom laage na. Bhorer thanda anek satez, anek pranobanto mone hoi. Charidik besh abchha. Kintu amar chokher samne jetuku abhas pachhi take to ashwikar korar upai nei! Ek mayabi jadukar aste aste kalo porda sarye dichhe, ki apurbo ek drishyao unmochito hochhe amar chokher samne! Charidike khub kachhe sari sari parbotsringo. Sei jadukorer jadukathir sporshe kayekta sringer matha theke thikre berochhe agnichhata. Eto ami sarge darye achhi! Amader hotel er pray ga ghese matha tulechhe ek atikay parbotangsho. Athacha raate jakhon ekhane namlam, takhon bujhtei parini ejayga erokom! Pahar ghera ei gramtike ki apurbo laagchhe. Paharer khat diye boye chola Lachung nodir namanusare e gramer naam o Lachung. Ei naamer mistota jeno haoay bhese aschhe amar nake. Ami sthir thakte parlam na. Doure uthe elam hotel er chhate. Pranbhore nishwas nialm ar mukhphoote beriye elo ekti katha - ‘asadharon!’. Ami kono mondir e tumul ghanta dhwoni r modhye debdarshon korchhi na, ami ajasro punyarthir bhire punyaosnan o korchhi na, tobu bhorer snigdho mayabi aloi eka dariye ei darshan amar mon-pran tatodhik pobitro kore tullo. Ek arthe amar bishwarup darshan suru holo.
Dure cheye dekhlam barafer protifolito alo rang poribartan korchhe. Ami kayekta photo tule nilam. Ghare ese baba ke bollam e jayga atuloniyo, taratari baire giye dekhe eso. Asole Lachung ke eto mohomoyi lagar arekta karon holo je, ekhane sab parjatak ese pounchhay sandhye bela jakhan andhakare bojha jai na charpaser ei soundarjyo, ar pordin sakal e ta dekhe abak hoye jete hoi. Ei akashmikata sara sarir jure sihoron tule deoar mato. Amar nijeke dhanyao mone holo.
6 ta nagad amder cha jolkhabar toiri hoye gelo. Yumthang jaoar janyao driver bolechhe 7 tar modhye toiri hoye thakte. Yumthang theke aro upor e zero point er dike jaoar kathao hoyechhe. Gari na asa porjonto ami Lachung er rastay ektu paychari korte laglam. Dekhlam ek dol millitary jogging korte korte chole gelo. Amader group er anyao sadasya rao ready. Ekdom clear weather dekhe sabai bejay khusi. Bhorbela beriye ami akash jure tara dekhte peyechhilam. Eto porishkar akashe ujjol nakshyatra samahar dekhar samay anekkhan chokh ferate parini.
Amader gari elo 7 tar pore. Ektu deri haoay driver lazza prakash korlo. Amra chatpat uthe raona dilam Yumthang er uddeshye. Millitary elaka r modhye diye sundor sarpil path uthe gechhe uporer dike. Ekhon jhakjake rod porechhe paharer ekdike. Jato upore uthchhi chokher samne abirbhuto hochhe ekekti manomugdhokar drishyo. Kakhano aral theke beriye aschhe baraf chhetano parbot, kakhano dekha milchhe ghano sobuj bonani. Majhe majhe paharer dhale chore berachhe chhoto baro yak. Grishhya kale ei rastar dupaase fute thake nana ranger radhodendron ful. Takhon na jani ki aparup shoba labh kore ei path. Baba ke ekhoni bolte sunlam abar asbe ekhane. Amra sabai mugdho hoye bose royechhi garir modhye ar cholechhi sudhu uporer dike. Eksamay rastar dupaase dekha millo chhorye thaka tushar. Pathorer gaye sabuj sheola r saathe sada baraf lege ek asadharon silpo toiri hoyechhe. Mone mone sudhu prosongsha kore cholechhi sei silpir. Amader gari ese porlo Yumthang. Pray 11,300 ft unchute ei manoram valley. Bistirno charonbhumir ekdike boye cholechhe Lachung nodi ar anyao dike matha tule dariye royechhe sanku akritir parboter sari. Porboter padodeshe royechhe ghana bon. Sheet kale puro valley thake barafer chadore mora. Amader gari chhute chollo aro uporer dike. Ebar rasta kichhuta kharap, dhosh pore soru hoyechhe kayak jaigay. Kintu prokritir mayay mone jeno ar kono bhoi nei, sudhui bhalo laga ar sihorito haoar pala. Satti, ei angsher journey tuku amar jibone anyatamo sera muhurto. Yumthang valley r sei parbotgulo ke ekhon chokher sojasuji dekhte pachhi. Ekhane ar kono gaachhpala nei. Chardike barafe dhaka dhusor parbotsreni. Amader gari ese daralo ekti bistirno jaygay. Gari theke neme dekhlam konkone thanday haat mukh sab jome jachhe, ar tar sange sajore haoa boichhe. Haate kichhuta baraf nitei jeno thanda chhenka laglo. Ami doure jatota dur jaoa jai gelam. Baba pichhone aste chaileo besi dom pachhilo na. Asole asambhab thanday haat pa sab abash haoar jogar. Ami camerar shutter thik mato tip te parchhilam na. Amra pray 15,000 ft e darye achhi takhon. Dekhlam rasta aro dure egiye gechhe. Ichhe thakleo upay nei aro upore jaoar, driver bollo ebar firte hobe. Ei janyai bodhoi poribrajok eka berote chay.
Amader gari jakhan firchhe, ek driste chheye chhilam samner sringorajir dike. Ekhono moner aaynay bhese othe se protifalan ar bolte ichhe kore sudhu ei katha –
Tomar nirabatay nei ahankar
Tomar bishalatay nei oudhatya,
Sarbahara keo diyechho tumi
Amulyo darshan tomar;
Porijayir mato fire jabo
Ekdin, janbe na keu;
Tomar dhyanosthole,
Hey mahajogi Himalay,
Akkshyai thak sudhu
Amar padachinho
Amar chalar pathe.
