Pengong Tso

For no particular reasonI am reminded of my days in Laddakh today

I am reminded of 'PengongTso'

Lake 'Pengong Tso'

I have spent some of my most memorable days,most creative days on the shores of 'Pengong Tso'

In Laddakhi language, lake is called 'Tso'

Lake 'Pengong',     -     'Pengong Tso'

As a newly commissioned 2^nd Lieutenant I found my self in Leh on my way to my unit further up on the Line of Control. The first experience of Leh was humbling to say the least. Rising barren mountains , not a speck of grass other than on the shores of rivers and streams and freezing temperatures. I was simply awe struck. I went berserk with my 35mm SLR Camera.

After a few days of acclimatization I was loaded on a 'Shaktiman'  and I  was off  to my unit. The introduction to unit , was some thing I will talk about some other time. To day it is 'Pengong Tso' calling. A few days in the unit and I was off again further up, bang on the border, where India ends.In the most hostile environment I had ever experienced in life, in actual battle like conditions, I found my self parked next to the  most beautiful lake that I have ever seen till date. She was  'Pengong Tso'

'Pengong Tso'does not end where India ends.

As if to say, these boundaries are your boundaries.

They don,t apply to me.

I am  the daughter of Laddakh.

She goes right into China,   -    miles into China

She, I was told is 140 sqare km in size, half in India, half in China.

Like a link of love  between two estranged brothers

What hit me was the vast expanse of the lake and complete lack of visitors or habitation around the lake.  I refer to her as a person because she has entertained me, soothed me, calmed my anxieties given me great creative insight, some thing I didn't know I was capable of and in general made me delve deep into my soul, explore within and become a more complete person.

'Pengong Tso' I remain eternally indebted to you and in love with you.

 I have experienced many emotions in company of her and one of them goes as under,

"Aaj jab mein yahaan is post par baitha hoon mere theek aage ye khoobsoorat Jheel 'Pengong Tso'  hai, Lake 'Pengong Tso'. Ye kaisi vidambanaa hai ki kudrat kaa ye khoobsoorat  karishama  kewal ek  Battlefield   ban kar reh gaya hai. Pataa nahin kyon mujhe aisa lagta hai ki 'PengongTso' hum se kuch kehti hai ,  hum insaanon se, jinhone is ke do tukre kar daaale hain. Mere dil mein jo khayaal uth rahein hain kuch is tarhaa se hain,"  ------

 

KHUDAA  NE  BANAAYAA  THA  JAB  YE  NAZAARA

YE  DUNIYAN  MEIN  SAARE  JAHAAN  SE  THA  NYAARA

THAA  KITNAA  YE  DILKASH,  THA  JAANAT  SE PYAARA

AE  'PENGONG  TSO'  TERAA  SUNDAR  KINAARAA

 

KUDRAT  YAHAAN  CHAEN  SE  REH  RAHI  THI

KHUSHBAAS  THANDI  HAWA  BEH  RAHI  THI

YAHAAN  AASMAAN  THAA  JAMAANE  SE  BEHTAR

YAHAAN   KITNA  CHAMKEELAA  THA  HAR  EK  SITAARA

AE  PENGONG TSO  TERAA  SUNDAR  KINAARA

 

MAGAR  EK  DIN  EK  INSAAN  AAYA

USE  YE  AMAN  CHAEN  BILKUL  NAA  BHAAYA

KHARE  HOKE  PARVAT  PE  USNE  PUKAARA

YAHAAN  MAEN  RAHOONGA  YE  MERA  HAI  SAARA

NAHIN  USKE  SAATHI  KO  THAA  YE   GAVAARA

YAHAAN   PHOOT  NIKLAA  LAHOO KAA PHUHAARA

AE   PENGONG  TSO  TERAA  SUNDAR  KINAARA

 

TARAKKI   PASAND  DUNIYAN   KI  SAUGAAT  YE  HAI

VAHI   KHOOBSOORAT   SI   PENGONG  TSO   HAI

AMAN   CHEN  JAJBAAT  SAB  KHO  GAYE  HAIN

TUKRE  BHI  AB  ISKE  DO  HO  GAYE  HAIN

YE  ITNAA  HAI  MERA  VO   UTNA  TUMHAARA

 AE  PENGONG TSO  TERAA  SUNDAR  KINAARA

 

KISI  NE  NAA  TUJH  SE  KABHI  KUCH  BHI  POOCHA

TERE  DARD  KAA  NAA  KABHI  KUCH  BHI  SOCHA

TERAA  JISM  BAANTAA  GAYA  JIS  GHARI  TAB

ROYAA  THA  CHUPKE  SE  SAARA  NAZAARA

AE  PENGONGTSO  TERA  SUNDAR  KINAARA

Kabhi kabhi sochta tha, ki yehi Pengong Tso agar kahin aurhoti  to iske paas bhi log hote, mehfil lagti.Jo khushi mujhe mili hai vo kitne aur logon ko milti.

Pengong , tere paas khoobsoorti hai par kadradaan nahin hain, aur agar kadradaan jyaada ho gaye aur Lakes ki tareh to ye khoobsoorti nahin reh paayegi jyadaa din.   Sach hi to hai,

KABHI  KISI  KO  MUQAMMAL  JAHAAN  NAHIN  MILTA