Saluting the sentinels of snow

The beauty of Arunachal is beyond words

To catch a glimpse of the first-ever snowfall is indeed breathtaking. As a South Indian, I was thrilled to experience snowfall and witness the breathtaking beauty of snow-clad landscapes. Fortunately, as the wife of an army officer, I had the opportunity to see snowfall quite frequently.

My husband was commanding a unit at Arunachal Pradesh, and he was
stationed at a place called Klemta. Since families were not allowed to accompany him there, my daughter and I stayed back at a cantonment town called Tenga Valley.

The place where my husband was posted was a staggering 13,000 feet above sea level. To adapt to the extreme altitude, one had to undergo a rigorous acclimatisation drill before resuming their duties. Families were allowed to visit for a brief period, but only after the acclimatisation phase was complete.

We joined my husband during the school break. It was a six-hour drive, and the winding road twisted and turned, leaving us queasy. But when we arrived, we were awestruck by the breathtaking scenery, and we forgot the motion sickness and the torturous road. The snow-covered landscape was unlike anything we had ever seen before. The snow we had seen elsewhere paled in comparison to this majestic ice-land.

As we stepped out into the snow, we quickly realised that our usual energetic antics were not feasible at this altitude. We were warned that even simple movements would leave us breathless, and indeed, every step felt like a conscious effort.

Despite the challenges, we revelled in the pristine snow, our feet sinking into its powdery depths. However, our heavy, warm clothing made even the simplest actions, like bending to make snowballs, a laborious task. We had to be literally pulled out of the snow. I wondered how the soldiers walked and toiled to keep us, our country, safe in those extremities.

The highlight of our day came when the army cook surprised us with an offer of ice cream! It was a delightful treat, made even more enjoyable by the warmth emanating from the ‘bhukari heater’. A bhukari is a traditional wood-burning stove with a metal plate on top, which serves as a heater, providing warmth and comfort in the cold, high-altitude environment.

The phrase ‘as white as snow’ was apt for this place, but it took on a whole new dimension when we saw it at night. An eerie stillness descended under the light of a full moon. The scene was mesmerising but slightly unsettling, as if the snow-covered landscape had transformed into a mystical realm.

We stayed comfortably for four or five days. The memory of those bathroom rituals still sends shivers down my spine. Bathing was a brisk, no-frills affair, devoid of any lingering luxury. The cold was unforgiving, and we had to hasten, lest the water would turn into ice.

Even today, I think of the soldiers stationed in icy cold places who face unimaginable challenges. They trudge through knee-deep snow, navigate treacherous ice paths, and perform their tasks with numb fingers and frozen limbs. Their sacrifices and bravery are a testament to their unwavering commitment to duty, even in the most inhospitable conditions.