My Birthday In Salli

We had a really fruitful season in the very first year of business. While we were busy hosting backpackers from all over the world, the word of mouth publicity was driving even more people to Salli. The day would start by cleaning the entire house especially kitchen which would be completely messed up. I and Madhu would take all the dirty dishes and pots to the stream next to our garden to wash. Washing clothes and dishes in the open stream was followed by all the villagers. That would remind me of my childhood days spent in my grandmom's village. The constant flow of water would keep the stream always clean. By the time we would wash all our dishes Noor would fill the water bottles from the pipe which was connected to one deep mountain stream uphill. Around 100 meters up from our house there was a place where a small stream had come out from the mountain rock. That was the purest drinking water full of minerals which all villagers would use. The taste of that water was magical as if it had come directly from heaven. Initially, everyone had to visit that stream carrying water pots for their daily use. That would get extremely difficult in monsoon and winters to fetch water. Looking at the situation Madhu had done water pipeline from that stream to our house. And kept the pipe open with joints for all the houses along the way. So no villager had to go to the stream. They would just open the joint, fill the water and rejoin back the pipe. Madhu would think for everyone and not just for her.

 

The day would go in cleaning, arranging the house and cooking three times for 10-15 people every day. Usually, our evenings would be relaxed and spent either in the balcony or sitting under the open sky in our porch. Making masala chai would be my responsibility and speciality. That was the only thing which I was doing good among all the business activities. Masala Chai and Good Day biscuits treat was something for which everyone would wait. I would see the sparkle in their eyes when I would walk carrying the treat tray towards them. I guess we all were kids deep in our heart. The time would just fly and the day would end. As much as it would be fun to be with all the traveller, someday it would just exhaust us. We would dream of having no guests on someday so that we three could just relax by ourselves and do nothing whole day. We would rarely get lucky to relax when nobody would be in the guesthouse. The season was about to end so we thought of not taking any break. As the coming months of monsoon would bring fewer travellers anyways.

On my birthday which would be in the last week of June, Madhu decided to not have any travellers so we could celebrate in a more relaxed way. That was my first birthday in Salli. As that was a special day for me, I was spared from letting me know what all mistakes I do in a whole day. Noor would get excited on such occasions of birthdays and festivals. She would go all her way to make such events grand by decorating the house, drawing paintings and writing cards. In the morning I was not asked to wake up early unlike every day. As I was not a morning person it would take efforts to wake me up. By the time I got up the whole house was clean and breakfast was ready. I was impressed by the ladies. I wished to have my birthday every day. Noor had filled the living room with balloons which she secretly had bought from the market previous evening. They wished me a happy birthday with a surprise shout as I entered the living room. Noor had written a beautiful birthday card along with a drawing in her own innocent way. That was the most heart touching wish I could have ever received. Madhu had cooked my favourite kheer puri for lunch. They reminded me of my mother and my younger sister. Madhu had given me more than I could have ever dreamt of. A beautiful home, lovely family, majestic mountains and a great life.

What Else One Can Wish For.