“It was during our bike trip to Leh-Ladakh on the world’s toughest and dangerous roads, we had halted at a point called Chang La. It was freezing cold there and after a journey of more than 3 hours we reached this place and halted. We were desperately looking for some tea and couldn’t find anything. We tried asking the local soldiers but of no luck.
When we were about to start back, a couple of soldiers called us and to our surprise they heard us discussing about non availability of tea and further more they noticed us talking in Telugu and couple of them belong to the same region. We requested them for tea as we were driving in temperatures of 3 or 4 degrees and they arranged it for us. They were happy in sharing their feelings with us and when they told their experience of duty at that point, we were dumb struck. Sometimes during the night in winters they need to take the guard.
The temperatures at Chang La go down to -10 degrees, also sometimes with no vehicle movement at all. They have been away from their families from a long time and protect our country at that horrible weather sacrificing everything for us. We visited that place in summer and we couldn’t stand by to that cold.
Really salute to all those who work in these areas protecting our motherland. We had no words except to thank them for the tea and their memories.
“When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today”- this statement truly applies to them.”
Submitted By – Sainath PV
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