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Duckback Boots shops were packed with a lot of wooden home decorating pieces.

A small drizzle started. Umbrellas and rain jackets made the road more
colourful. A couple of school kids were wearing long boots of black colour,
1978. I was eight years old and visiting my cousins in Shimla on a school made of some kind of rubber material and they were very new and attractive to
summer vacation. I was always excited to go to Shimla as there was a lot to do Jasmin.
which was not possible in my hometown Mandi. Beautiful memories! Don't
“I like these boots, they will be good for rainy days and they are tall enough to
we all have little stories to share? Maybe not from 1978 but maybe in 2000….
cover the pants till the knee. I like them a lot,” she held her grandfather's hand
Isn't it?
and pointed out to school kids who were splashing in the puddle near the lift.
Summer vacation had just started. Jasmin packed her Bata sandals in her “Duckback boots,” her grandfather said and told Jasmin, “You don't want to
backpack and kept it next to her small suitcase. The suitcase was placed next to buy those as there is not that much rain in Mandi and it will be a waste of
her bed. Early in the morning, she was supposed to get ready around 6 AM and money as they will not be that much of use there.” Jasmin forgot all about it
rush to the bus-stand with her grandparents to catch a bus to Shimla. Every and enjoyed the trip to Shimla.
year her parents and grandparents used to go for a vacation to their house in
February 1, 2003. Jasmin came to New Jersey with her husband and her three-
Shimla where her cousins were staying. It was always a pleasure to see the hill
year-old son regarding her husband's work. It started snowing and she went to
station along with her family and meet her cousins.
the supermarket to find a boot for her son and for herself.
They got the 7 AM Himachal Roadways white bus with a blue print. The bus
“Duckback boots,” Jasmin exclaimed with cheer. We both will buy these.
had a lot of passengers on it and was pretty full. It was the summer days of July.
Perfect!” she said with joyful tears in her eyes and gave a high five to her son.
Every window was open and there were so many vendors selling bananas,
coconuts, and chai at the bus-stand. The bus started exactly at 7:15 from
Mandi town.
“It will easily take six hours for us to reach Shimla with two stops which usually
every bus driver takes during this route,” grandfather told Jasmine who was
sitting next to him. For the entire journey, Jasmin enjoyed seeing beautiful
peaks, flowers, sheep, tea stalls, temples, and a delicious food shop at ~ Jyoti Sahni ~
Bhararighat which is 56 kilometres from Shimla. Roads were narrow and
sometimes there were traffic jams at many places. But finally, they reached
Shimla bus stop.
'Kulli, o Kulli ! How much will you charge to take our luggage near the lift?”
the grandfather asked a tall man who was wearing a long thin brown coat.
Jasmine's father negotiated the price with the kulli and they all started
following him towards the lift. He took the family through the mall road and
Jasmine found a lot of shops there selling handcrafted wooden toys. All these

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