3rd of June, 2023.
Hitchhiking in India: Pangong Tso
Before I finally go to sleep, the lovely family who brought me here, come to tell me that, they have found another accommodation near where they went to eat. They say that here they don’t really have any food which their daughter eats, so it is easier if they simply stay there. She asks me if I would like to join them, proposal which I kindly refuse, being now so close to the lake and all. We say our goodbyes and they carry one their journey.
I am so thankful for the nice manager who arranged this staff room for me. I would’ve certainly frozen if it wasn’t for him. In order to be warm and able to sleep, I used my sleeping bag, all the blankets available, and one of the cotton mattresses which was in the next bed. Yeah, it was cold!
In the morning, I finally feel a bit hungry. I check with the workers in the kitchen, and they are making a big pot of poha, so I ask if I can have some, to what they promptly say yes. Before leaving, in order to not freeze or get sick, I fold my small blanket and put on my chest, under my rain cover. You can even see it in some photos.
I take only my camera and some water, and finally go to explore Pangong Tso. After some shots and time spent nearby here, I now must go to the other end of the lake, where 3 Idiots was shot, and where nowadays are some souvenirs of the film. The lake is immense so you can actually explore many parts of it. Just not the part which is in China though.
It is not a short walk, but the way is beautiful. The lake has a gorgeous dark turquoise colour, and near the rocks it gets lighter and shinny turquoise. I whish I could stand and admire this beauty for hours. I would gladly walk all the way if it wasn’t for my lack of time and the bad weather. For some time, the sun is shining and it seems like it will be a nice day. But all of sudden, it changes completely, and I can see that a storm is coming. I hitchhike with a group of 4 friends. They are on an expedition with some other friends. In a few minutes we arrive to the spot.
It is more crowded than I expected. It is also so different from the movie. I am sure that the right weather conditions make a lot of difference. And perhaps back then, the influence of human presence was also way smaller and noticeable. But of course, I am happy to be here, 3 Idiots being such an incredible film and so important in Aamir’s life too. It is definitely a mark in India cinema. It is a film that everybody should watch.
But truth must be said: Pangong Tso is stunning! The mountains surrounding the lake look so clear, as you can almost touch it; the colour of the water so vivid; the long length of sand, dragging into the lake; the vastness of nothing but nature. Well, at least when you turn your back to the parking lot where some small shops are located.
The “souvenirs” of 3 Idiots, as I mentioned before, are the three colourful seats, in the shape of big and round butts, as the guys use in a photo while performing All is well. The three drums which they sink into during the same performance are also there, followed finally by the yellow scooter which Karina Kappor’s character uses to arrive to the beach where she finds Rancho (Aamir’s character) in the final scene. Another film, starring Shah Rukh Khan, was also shot here, so there’s a similar model of the motorcycle SRK used in this film, called Jab Tak Hai Jaan, by the lake too.
I wish I could spend more time here, just sitting by the lake and thinking about life and the film, remembering the scenes and how Aamir Khan entered my life through this and other films. 3 Idiots was the second film I ever watched with Aamir, preceded by PK. But the storm is here, and the tiny snowflakes, more like hail actually, can be seeing already, and now everybody is leaving. I get a lift back to the lodges, and soon after reaching the place, I am on the road again, making sure I can get a lift to Karu still today.
10 Years Around the World 