jaunsar-bawar
about a girl Unlike the India we know, the birth of a baby girl is greeted with joy in Jaunsar-Bawar. When she grows up and is deemed fit by the village elders to marry, there is no burdensome dowry to be given to the bridegroom or his family. Instead, it is the boy’s family, which pays an agreed for, tenaciously negotiated ‘bride price’ to the girl’s family. The bride is carried to her new village on the shoulders of the bridegroom! The ‘bride price’ can range anywhere between ten thousand to a lakh of rupees – depending on the economic status of the families concerned. The logic behind this custom, as explained by the Jaunsaris, is simple! From the moment a girl is born, till the time she gets married, it is the girl’s family that bears the expenses of feeding and clothing her, paying for her schooling and upbringing. For the groom, the girl is an asset to help him with in the kitchen and fields, look after younger siblings, tend to the cattle and look after his household. Therefore, when a boy wants to marry and take away an ‘asset’, he and his family must pay and compensate the family which has invested in her.
The Yamuna and Tons were taking turns to greet us at every other road bend. But it was at Nagthat, where the Yamuna wound around a hill just like a snake coils around its prey that made for the most spectacular sight we came across on this trip. It is these rewarding moments that make taking the road less travelled, worthwhile. Mesmerizing birds flitting around on treetops, graceful mountain horses, sheep and tenacious Gaddi dogs were just some of the other wonders we chanced upon on this trip.
We came across the mother of all waterfalls, which had literally turned the road into a riverbed Late in the morning, we entered an army base at Chakrata and stopped for a treat of hot, stuffed aloo paranthas. Chakrata is the permanent garrison of the secretive and elite Special Frontier Force, also known as Establishment 22, the only ethnic Tibetan unit of the Indian Army that was raised after the
Indo-China War of 1962. A couple of army jawans came up to us to find out who we were and what we were up to. But that’s regulation in Chakrata, where no foreigners are allowed. As we strolled around the marketplace to enquire about a decent place to stay for the night, Rahul pulled me aside and said, “Listen, let’s go ahead of Chakrata to a remote locale and explore the wild!”. This was all the encouragement I needed. So off we went to pick up supplies and travel further into the enigma that is Jaunsar-Bawar. But that’s another story for another time.
JULY-AUGUST 2012 | EXPLORE THE UNEXPLORED |
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