Please go slowly! We will get killed! You do not have any families. I have a wife and a child to look after. We looked back and saw Sinha gesticulating at us. Why did I have to accompany you on this wretched trip?

Sinha was our friend from another civil service and we were on an adventurous trekking trip, literally sliding down the steep mountain slope, rushing on the way from Rohtang Pass to Madhi, 3000 feet below, Sinha in tow! The trekking was part of an official excursion trip to the Himalayas during the Civil Services Foundation course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie. And we were rushing because we did not want to miss the last bus from Rohtang Pass to Manali again (we had missed it once at Rohtang Pass and were told by locals that we could board the same bus at Madhi by going down the kaccha route which meant literally sliding down the mountain!). The penalty for missing the the bus again at Madhi? Sleeping on the snow overnight!

While finally we (Sinha included!) were able to board the bus at Madhi, and reached Manali and our hotel safely, this incident highlights the adventurous nature of that trekking trip in the Himalayas.

Before we completed the Foundation course at Mussoorie, another adventure was in store for us. It was during the village visit, which used to be part of the Foundation course at the Academy.

All-India and Civil Services probationers were divided into 5 or 6 groups for the village visit. My group was allotted the area of Paonta Sahib in Himachal for the trip.

The outward trip from Mussoorie to Paonta Sahib was interesting but uneventful. We went through the normal route via Nahan. There was rain most of the way, heavier as we entered Himachal. However, we reached Paonta Sahib safely and were comfortably ensconced in the State Guest House. On the day we reached there, it did not look as if we were in a village!

It continued to rain throughout the night. Early in the morning, the electricity conked out! We awoke and looked out of the window to see the beautiful sight of the raging Yamuna just in front of the Guest House. At about 10 in the morning, immediately after breakfast, we were told to get ready for the first of the many trips that we would be making to the nearby villages, for a socio-economic survey that we had to carry out.

During the next three days, we made several trips to these villages from the Guest House. Most of the time it was raining and we had to occasionally wade through knee-deep water to reach the villages and interview the inhabitants. It was the first time some of us had visited real villages and it was also the first time that we experienced the famed rural Indian hospitality. Almost all the rural folk insisted on first sharing a hot cup of tea with us before parting with their social and economic secrets! Some of them even treated us to hot home-cooked meals, always welcome during such outings!

The real adventure of the village visit was still to come, however. On the eve of our departure for Mussoorie, we were informed that the bridge across the Yamuna over which we had come to Paonta Sahib had been severely damaged due to the heavy rains and had become unusable. Since the repairs would take several days, there was no way we could reach Mussoorie!

The organizers huddled together in whispered consultation. Finally, they announced that the officers would cross the Yamuna River one by one in a makeshift jhoola which would be pulled by a rope from the other side of the river! We were also told that provided we reached the other side (and not the other world, hopefully!), our luggage would follow later on the same jhoola.

We went outside the Guest House, took one look at the menacing river, another look at the jhoola and panicked! We did not trust the flimsy jhoola and pleaded with the organizers for extending the village visit till the bridge was repaired. We promised to carry out surveys in all the villages within walking and running distance and even beyond! However, our requests fell on deaf ears.

The next morning those of us who were of a religious bent of mind got up early and prayed to the Almighty for a safe journey across the river. Those not-so-religious prayed to the religious to include them in their prayers! Ultimately, the not-so-awaited moment came and the first murga reluctantly boarded the jhoola with his eyes tightly closed. The crossing took less time than we had thought. As he reached safely on the other side, our spirits lifted. When my turn came, I was apprehensive but hopeful (of reaching the other side!). As the jhoola rushed on its journey and the river rushed by below, I closed my eyes. I opened them to hear people shouting at me to get down. I had reached!

On returning to the Academy at Mussoorie, we excitedly recounted our stories to our colleagues in other groups, assuming that ours would be the most adventurous trip. What little did we know! There was another group in which one of the lady officers fell down a hidden Himalayan crevice. She was promptly rescued by another officer (yes, you are right; the rescuer was a male officer!). Before the group boarded the bus for the return journey, the two adventurers were engaged to be married! The adventure of a lifetime!

It was of such adventures that our outdoor trips from Mussoorie were representative of. Truly a Himalayan Odyssey!