A Traveler's Memoir

Chander Verma is a father of 3, a local resident of Munsyari. Having done various jobs in the past and now running the Mayank Homestay by himself, on lease at 3.5 lakh a year. The day I reached, I told him that he was paying way too much but he already made an agreement for 3 years. He did magic with his hands when it came to cooking though. No bad habits, would smoke a cigarette rarely if someone offers, humble and a neat gentleman. Lovely kids and a beautiful family, living life on what they could afford. He knew his expenses would gradually increase so I asked him to think wisely before he did anything. I had long conversations with him, numerous times during my stay. When I called him to discuss my bill he was kind enough to offer the room at 500 and dinner at 150, even suggested that I extend my stay till the roads ahead were open. I wasn't moving around much but had to be paying rent for my stay and took only 1 meal. Dinner. Survived the rest of the day with biscuits and tea ...

After lunch, I sat talking to an old lady who came to wash vessels. She said, both she and her sister married the same man and lived together. I wondered how this could happen! It seems she was just 13 when she got married and somebody asked him why he did not marry someone more beautiful making him feel guilty. He then asked for her sister's hand and married her to compensate. I questioned how did she agree? She said they didn't know what was happening at that age, even fought against it but couldn't help.  She now has two sons while her sister has two sons and a daughter. She said he kept them all happy. In today's world, people prefer nuclear families and are forced to live lone lives but here, imagine so many people in a small house and the money was so less. A family from Bangalore checked in yesterday. They looked neat but the lady was a pain. While I was on a break, she troubled Navneet asking him to serve dishes that were not part of complimentary lunch. She was...