India - Border Roads Organisation....
You have barely heard of the name Border Roads Organisation as you start off on the highest motorable road* in the world. And as the ascent begins it would not escape your eye how the road has been cleverly carved through the ruggedly masculine and majestic Himalayas, widening when needed and arching into a narrow and lengthy curve where appropriate. The road undoubtedly is treacherous, but you never feel unsafe even for a moment.
The scene that flanks you beside is a textbook fairly tale image which would never fail to marvel or move any heart. You climb along the misty trails and through the progressively dropping temperature to find your lungs pumping the freshest of fresh airs. There is no civilization in near sight, only the pure white sky and the near bit of road ahead. The far distant peaks promise panorama and peace.
The drivers communicate in their own language, dippers, honks, unfathomable gestures etc all through the demanding drive. It is then you begin to realise, how hard it could be to manage and maintain the road throughout such harsh weather and uninhabitable terrain and as you continue wondering about it you start to notice heavily clothed men and bulldozers working to clear off the fresh snow from the road, often holding traffic. As you drive further higher up, the signboards marked Border Roads Organisation become more frequent guiding you through to safer futures.
Somehow as you manage through a bumpy ride on one unhealthy segment of a longish curve with its metalling worn out off the road, you are greeted to a better maintained segment with a board which reads Inconvenience is Regretted, BRO.
In a nation that is India, to find such a courteous signboard here, in this desolate corner, at an altitude of 15000 feet or so above the sea level under such rough conditions melts your heart away. As they say great deeds go into history books but its the smaller gestures that find their place in the heart.
And as I think of that road and Border Roads Organisation now, I can only infer how it is a rare symbol of what a spoonful of will and discipline can do to India. On their site Shramena sarvam sadhyam reads the sanskrit motto of Border Roads Organisation, i.e With hard work every thing is possible.
Indeed.
*Highest motorable road- Connects Manali to Leh through several passes inc, the famous Rohtang and Khardung La.
7 comments:
inspiring..breathtaking...humbling...border road organization, and the himalayas
very good pictures ...im very envious of you for this experience :)
Great post, thanks for taking us there :-)
Reminds me of a place here called Sagada. There are only dirt roads leading to that place, and you have to ride a big bus or a mean 4x4 because of all the mud and huge craters. You have to endure this ride for hours, but the place will be worth it when you get there, so I can relate to your sense of awe in that place you went to. There is nothing like being away from it all to appreciate it all.
Hey adhoc
Thank you, its nice to see you being so generously positive in appreciation.
And thanks for the words on the pics, you very well could imagine i havent done justice to whatever i was a part of in there. I guess no camera would be able to do justice anyway.So soon make your way there, definitely also helps that cute lil feeling called envy:)
luna,
My Pleasure.my appreciation for your sevilla:)
belle
nice to find you back after a long time, there were quite a few who very seriously concerned about you.
Its amazing isnt it? How our experiences are mired together in unusual personal associations.Im sure one of these days, in one of those moments, most unexpectedly, i would recieve an image of sagada..and how you have described it here.!
for that i thank you now in advance.
Have to say I am a big fan of BRO.
Great BRO!!!!
Post a Comment