A ride to Kargil

After watching the Bollywood film, ‘LOC Kargil’, a few years ago. Sreejith K S arrived at a decision to visit the place where the brave sons of the Indian army had etched a gallant tale of victory in 1999.

Along with his friends, Arun Eapen, and Sreejith P, he set out on a journey on July 13, last year. Travelling till Chandigarh by train, their journey to Kargil was on Yezdi bikes. On the  return trip, Sreejith drove from Srinagar to Kanyakumari.

“We initially planned the trip three years ago with a ten-member team,” he says. “At the time of the journey, only three were left as others backed off. Though all of us thought of travelling in a car, the idea of riding a bike  fascinated us.”

The memories of the expedition still brings in a set of nightmarish images to his mind: the toughest ride through Manali-Leh route, catching altitude sickness because of low oxygen levels and an unexpected accident, in which a friend broke his leg.  Yet, he says, it was a time for understanding many things. “The visit really made me proud of our soldiers,” says Sreejith.

“One of them came to lift my bike from the swampy road and gave me water to drink. He did not even wait for my thanks. An old Muslim woman served us food at her home and rubbed my friend’s leg with balm. They are the best moments to cherish.”

All three arrived at the war memorial at Dras on July 26, the Kargil Vijay Diwas. They had to wait there for a while as  only those who took prior consent were granted permission to attend the ceremonies. Still, the authorities allowed them in following their pleas. “Instead of the pompous celebrations we anticipated, we saw the faces awash with sorrow and tearful eyes of those who lost their dear ones. It was a poignant moment,” he says. Since their friend had a broken leg, he returned on a flight. Sreejith rode his bike all the way to Kanyakumari through the Konkan route.

Sreejith, who works as an area manager of Stedman Pharmaceuticals and manages the Yezdi club, ‘Smoking Barrels’, is gearing up for another drive to Kargil next year. His choice of vehicle: none other than a Yezdi.