The day dawned rather early today, or did it? Me waking up earlier than usual is perhaps closer to reality, but one has every right to live in a fantasy of one’s own making, as long as it doesn’t affect the reality or fantsay of one’s neighbor…ok, I came up with that myself! Don’t google to check if I plagiarized.
Since the day dawned early, after much deliberation, I dragged myself out of the bed and decided to go for a walk. Actually, the park isn’t as far as the distance between one’s decision and the actual implementaion of the decision! Now you know the perils of me waking up early; I turn into a philosopher, theorizing the most inane and silly things!
Cut. Next scene at the park.
It’s a fairly green, quiet park, where I do have some friends among the security guards and drivers, especially because all of them speak my mother tongue. So, after some pleasantries, I started my sprint in the park. This is one time when I try to indulge in walking mediation; basically, try and concentrate on your footsteps, breath, thoughts, and everything else, except daydreaming! But, not today, there were better things happening at the park. There was this group of middle-aged and slightly old men sitting in a circle and trying these impossible postures and groaning and moaning in the process. On close examination, from a distance of course, I realized that they were performing a kind of yoga that it is accompanied by some chants! Chiding myself about the irreverential and mischievous thoughts, I walked on, stifling a guffaw.
The second time round, these men jolted me out of my reverie! Everyone started squealing and laughing loudly that would even put our Amjad Khan (in Sholay) to shame! I actually looked around to see if something’s really funny, but no; it was another yoga practice to bust stress! Now, this was too much, I just held my stomach and ran to safety under a tree to deal with my laughter pangs! Who comes up with these ridiculous ways of stress busting? Regaining my composure, I restarted my walking and tried to have as serious a face as possible. Now, again, they went into some impossible postures and started burping loudly! This was getting serious! The burping sounds were accompanied by a rhythmic thumping of the chest. I decided that I am enrolling my dad in one of these male-bonding sessions so that pop looses some of his extra flab and we could have a good, legitimate laugh in the bargain, but no, my decision was to be reevaluated in my next round!
The next time round, a box full of sweets dripping in ghee was doing the rounds! Now that explained the number of tyres all these men had and the long burps! I just put my head down, smiled to myself, resolved to take three more rounds before ending this rather amusing walk in the park!
Cut. Next scene at the tea shop.
This is Lakshmi’s (my help at home) tea shop, which she runs with the help of a cousin, who has some disabilities. She’s told a lot of stories about this cousin who helps her so much, but nothing caught my fancy as much as his sudden disappearance during the elections! What is it about me that I always wind up with these ‘political’ people! Anyway, I stop at the tea shop to chat up about the outcome of the elections in Tamil Nadu, especially because he was campaigning for amma’s party, which faced a bad, bad defeat, despite incumbency and thereby creating history! He’s was quite an amma fan and went on and on about how the ballot machines were rigged! But, it was good talking to someone who really laughed and smiled and got angry, unlike the men in the park!
When I returned home, it was only then time for the day to have dawned! It just seemed like somebody gave me a bonus of about 2 hours today! It was an enriching, beautiful morning, and am already in office, doing the usual things: jotting down things to do, checking mail, planning training sessions, chatting with friends, making plans for coffee, etc. Only that I feel like I have won a lottery of 2 extra hours! Now, isn’t that a happy thought?
Ps: This was written to gladden the heart of a friend, who’s been accusing me of writing only sad stuff! So, JSP, are you happy now?
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3 comments:
A lovely way to start the day! Why didnt you start the laughter club? The yoga club could groan while the laughter club didnt have to look for jokes? :P
Moushumi
Parks are interesting. One could go on and on about the various aspects of 'park' life, but here, some of the observations on a usual morning. There are various types of park goers (I have used my nomenclature): a) The ancient: you will find these very, very old, doddering old men/women who will be undertaking great strain to take some exercise. They look very sad, usually come alone, crawl slowly and it is anguishing to watch them; but they finish their trip with great dedication, all the time seeming as if they will fall down any moment; b.) the housewife gang: bunch of usually fat and extremely noisy and gossipy bunch of ladies, who will walk one round, and then sit and chat/undertake exercises of the joints (usually wrists/knee/hip)/gossip/clap/rub nails (Ramdev exercise); c) the noveau retirees: largish gangs of old men mostly out of shape, will do some laps of walking, talking of various things (usually politics and children), and then spend time sitting around, or clapping, forming laughter clubs, yoga formations (mostly easy asanas involving breathing and belly movements and bits of turning twisting), cow mooing groups, but basically socializing. they tend to spend at least two three hours, and will usually end up in the nearest tea stall gorging on goodies post the park session. d.) the busy householder (men gang): usually dyads or triads of busy and no-nonsense looking men, usually regular in the park, will do a couple of fast walk rounds and leave, without much fuss. Will be seldom seen alone--needs partners in the morning to come along. will talk of office, politics, children, and taxes. e.)the die-hard athlete: young men (sometimes women)in great shape, used to running 10/20 laps, sweating it out solo mostly, giving you a truck load of complex. f.) the crusader: solo guys, with a semi-religious slogan on them, throwing a 'jai sri ram', or 'hari om' or 'jai mata di' at all and sundry. g.)busy householder (couple): man and wife, regulars, taking time out for a walk, whether it keeps them in shape or not, this is probably the only time they get to talk to each other over various matters (usually, however, the wive drags behind and the man walks ahead); h.) the occasional jogger: fighting a now winning/now losing battle with bulge with conscientious decisions and self motivation, this loner will appear on and off. Usually works hard on days he/she appears, and then may be absent for weeks, but come back they will! i) the kid group: they do nothing, just run around, and play. j.) young girl gangs: they will just sit around after a bit of stretching/jogging/walk/badminton etc. and giggle and oogle. k.) cricket gangs: they will come and colonise any patch that is available and settle down with their apparatus. J) the old athlete: old men, who will also be solo, mostly, showing signs of a disciplined and regular exercise/walk regimen. Fit and energetic, they will do their jog and walks and go quietly.
There could be more types... if you go regularly, let me know!
Such observations widens our understanding of fringes of the society. From a traditional view your bravery is wow. people who break their bone in their fields, drainage, shops in sweat(on contrary of those who sit and work in A/C) for others cause have no time for such yogic activities. Not negating to the life situations of the present, all we need is to have a thought of them when we do have time.
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