Help came from unexpcted quarters

Reflecting upon that fateful day in June 2012,I have flashes of colored valleys,intimidating boulders over narrow roads through mountains,vast stretches of empty creamy land by deep waters snaking over rocks.Here the landscape dissolves into the clearest blue sky.Sometimes green pastures with tiny desert flowers &grazing yaks,sometimes desert land adorned with Tibetan flags.We were on our way back to Leh from Tsomuriri,the largest high altitude lake in India.The sedan circled the lake as we watched cranes skimming the surface low in flight & ducks leaving long trails on the glassy lake surface.Suddenly,the car wouldn’t budge.The wheels were getting sucked into sand.We were at the base of a mountain with a clearing area leading to the lake. We looked around for help,to no avail.An hour had passed & the sun was merciless,we had our sleeves rolled up trying to get the wheels out.Our limbs were giving way & we were out of supplies.The path back to the base camp was long, convoluted,we decided against walking back.Out of nowhere a trailer appeared.A truck full of tiny monks identical in robes & sports shoes, reaching till my shoulders with shaved heads.We tried explaining the situation to them in English & Hindi but we looked senselessly animated when they only spoke Tibetan.Immeidately,the trailer was tied to the rear of our car with a flimsy rope but the trailer was running on gas instead of petrol & didn’t give the engine enough power.Few of them stared at the three of us & giggled.They were all girls! I tried speaking to one of them;from what I interpreted,they were 15-16 year old girls traveling with a head monk,18 yrs.old who drove the trailer.The head monk called them & they stood huddled discussing.Next,10 tiny girls stood behind the car with hands firmly at the wheels while 3 were in front.The head monk screamed something & all of them started chanting.At the end of the chant,they applied full force & lifted the vehicle.My jaw dropped open.Another two rounds& they practically lifted the car in air few inched ahead on solid ground.We were 2men& 2women traveling together & I could tell from their faces the men were filled with gratitude & shame at the same time.We saw them till their trailer when two of them came running to us with juice & snacks.We thanked them profusely & took a bottle while refusing the rest of their personal supply.Ladakh left me with many such stories of beauty,wonder & gratitude & that it isn't about the destination but the journey