The Yellow Butterfly

'E' of #AtoZChallenge I never figured whether I started loving elephants because Ganpati was (and has been) my favourite or whether I loved Ganpati because he is Elephant-headed.  OR  Whether I started loving elephants because I had my own little elephant since I was a year old.  His name is Appu, he is around thirty-one years old now. He is from Dubai and was given to me by my Surekha maushi on my first birthday. He is soft and grey and has black beady eyes and he has a tiny, cute, flat tail. Over the years he has had multiple surgeries because I would always tuck him in my arms and take him around everywhere I went be to the doctors, to the dairy, while visiting the relatives; and also because I always hugged him and slept every night for the longest time! He has sock-made-tusks stuffed with cotton (which have been stitched over and over by my mum through all these years).  Appu was not just my playmate and a companion, but he was my brother!...

*Crump*  *Crip* *Kudum*  The leaves and the twigs broke under my shoes. I was panting and puffing and sweating. Ashu dada called out, “We are almost there!”  I put my head down and kept climbing until there was no more to climb.   “Guys, you got to see this!”  I raised my head and lost my breath.  We were standing atop a hill overlooking the the magnificent snow mountains. The Dhauladhar range covered in white swept across our eyes. The sky was a true ‘sky blue’ and the sun shone on the tallest of the peaks.  I was in heaven!  And to prove that the cities lay on the other side cramped up like little ants.  At Triund  and Photograph by me :)  Once I had gotten my bag in my yellow tent I sat outside and lay on my back  watching the soft fluffy white clouds breeze by, taking in every bit of the snow wonder. The snow mountains looked no less than a bowl of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with choco chips...