Sitting at Quila

30 December 2010

Quila, a new theme cafe in Shimla.

Its around 7:30pm.

The dim light of two candles lighting us all, as we talk about few ghost stories from around Shimla.

Its been a week, and without a fail, we all have been spending our evening here. Its feels like our living room now.

We here include, Ankur, Harsh, Aasheesh, Maggot, Aaditya and me.

Ankur Khachi or Khachi, as we know him, has a different genre of humor, that is still to be explored and named by english scholars.

Harsh Kalta is busy with his camera that will always show a Battery Low sign flashing in red but will never run out of batteries.

Aasheesh has long hair. Longer then you just thought.

Maggot loves animals. Even snakes.

Aaditya once trekked up to Kinnar Kailash alone.

( Thunder, Lighting and Rain. )

I ran towards the window. Its all white outside, but its not snow. It was a minor hailstorm  that covered Shimla with a white layer. We call it fake. Still we go out to experience it.

Its been more then 7 years without snowfall in December and more then 4 years of proper snowfall in Shimla City.

We went home. We slept.

Its midnight.

Kalta sends me a text, ” Look Outside !”.

I went outside and saw huge snowflakes merging with the white sheet of snow on the roof next to my house.

Day Two

I wake up . Everything has melted but its still cloudy.

I get ready . I take my camera rain cover with me and reach Tripti ( a nice restaurant ) , Kalta and Aasheesh are already sitting their.

We meet Aaditya and we all made our way through the crowd. Its New Year.

Friends in Snow

We decided to climb up to Jakhu.

It was a good decision

We came back to tripti where Kalta (Harsh) tries to dry his socks in front the heater.

Happy New Year !

THE END

Shimla in Snow 2010 – Images by Himanshu Khagta