Keep Walking, said Johnnie Walker. And you would listen to the guy who brewed the most famous scotch, won't you?
I remember the time of my life when I wanted to go fast. I wanted to run fast, my bicycle wanted to fly. And when that couldn't go any faster, I got a scooter, and after a few years, a motorbike.
But lately, it has been a reversal of sorts. I got a bicycle last year and these days, I love walking.
I was walking today evening. Jahanpanah City Forest, near G.K 2.
A cool January evening, the time of twilight. The air was so fresh and full of oxygen that one's mind gets a little numb if one takes a few deep breaths (perfect for yoga).
For the first few minutes, there were way too many people on the forest path, leading up to the park set in the middle of the forest. Young lads clicking pictures of a lone 'Nilgai' (Blu), aged ladies sitting on benches on the sides of the path wrapped in their shawls, conversing. Girls playing badminton, and kids see-sawing.
After a point, a certain diversion in the path, I took the road fewer people were taking. Previous walks in the forest had taught me that this was the longest and most secluded leg out of all paths intertwining the jungle.
And that's what I wanted to do: to walk, keep walking, alone, silent; I even plugged out the earphones I had put on while running the first few minutes.
Oh my, oh my! What a time! No noises of the population around, no honks, no engines, no wheels zooming away.
Just me, the forest around, and the fauna.
A quick ruffle of leaves there, a snapped sprint of a squirrel here, a peacock slowly pecking his tidbits out of the grass. Though a lone runner made the peacock dash deeper into the woods, the lazy walk the beautiful bird took while pretending to scamper was proof enough that time had slowed down here.
And I was walking. The trees tall on both sides of the paved path, the bushes and climbers obscuring any insights into the jungle.
The sun had almost set when I came across an empty watch-tower. The barbed wire around its base seemed warning enough for animals and humans alike, but a quick furtive glance around assured me that there won't be any judgment. Up I went, expecting to see the roads, buildings, signs of civilizations around. 2 floors from the ground, and yet all I could see were the trees; all so different from each other, yet presenting a unified blanket shrouding everything beneath them.
For a moment, I nostalgiated (I know that's not a word, Snigdha Sood, but can't I make one up?) for Borivali National Park, Bombay. But I wasn't going to ruin a perfectly good Delhi forest thinking what-ifs. Just one particular angle atop the watch tower assured me that the city wasn't too far, and I got down before anyone saw me trespassing.
Again, I was walking, in the forest getting darker by the minute. I came across a few labor-workers, both genders; it seemed that they were returning from their work, and were taking a short-cut through the forest.
A short-cut at-least 4-5 KMs long. And I felt silly: we call a cab/auto/rickshaw even if we are going a couple of KMs away. Whereas these people get to enjoy such a peaceful fresh-aired hour every evening (even though they have their own reason to walk rather than spend money on an auto).
Now it was getting even darker, and some part of me wanted to complete the walk quicker. I jogged in-between, climbed steep parts of the path, and then slowed down to catch my breath.
Last few minutes before I reached the cycle-stand, I realized how much I was enjoying walking in the dark. It was getting a little cold, and the animal-bird sounds had all but died, the silence only disturbed by my foot-steps, my heart-beat, and the high-pitched yet rhythmic nocturnal insects. Peaceful, healthy, and the most personal hour I spent the whole week couldn't have been better. I felt alive every minute of the way as if someone had slowed the time down for me. Yes, now, I love to go slow.
And now I sit, fresh from a bath, cozy in my bed, with a mug-full of salted-peanuts, thinking where else I can walk peacefully in Delhi.
Last Sunday I walked home from Hauz Khas Metro, a walk of approx 5 KMs, and it felt like I was in a New York movie, where the protagonist walks the streets and thinks about his life. :P Though I spent half the time catching up with friends over the phone :D.
I have heard of organized-cultural walks and walking-groups in Delhi. But I would rather walk solo, or maybe just with you :)
Keep Walking: Johnnie Walker - The Man Who Walked Around The World
It has been a while since I wrote my last post. Hoping to write a lot more this year, what with such big changes coming my way. Happy New Year!!!
I remember the time of my life when I wanted to go fast. I wanted to run fast, my bicycle wanted to fly. And when that couldn't go any faster, I got a scooter, and after a few years, a motorbike.
But lately, it has been a reversal of sorts. I got a bicycle last year and these days, I love walking.
I was walking today evening. Jahanpanah City Forest, near G.K 2.
A cool January evening, the time of twilight. The air was so fresh and full of oxygen that one's mind gets a little numb if one takes a few deep breaths (perfect for yoga).
For the first few minutes, there were way too many people on the forest path, leading up to the park set in the middle of the forest. Young lads clicking pictures of a lone 'Nilgai' (Blu), aged ladies sitting on benches on the sides of the path wrapped in their shawls, conversing. Girls playing badminton, and kids see-sawing.
After a point, a certain diversion in the path, I took the road fewer people were taking. Previous walks in the forest had taught me that this was the longest and most secluded leg out of all paths intertwining the jungle.
And that's what I wanted to do: to walk, keep walking, alone, silent; I even plugged out the earphones I had put on while running the first few minutes.
Oh my, oh my! What a time! No noises of the population around, no honks, no engines, no wheels zooming away.
Just me, the forest around, and the fauna.
A quick ruffle of leaves there, a snapped sprint of a squirrel here, a peacock slowly pecking his tidbits out of the grass. Though a lone runner made the peacock dash deeper into the woods, the lazy walk the beautiful bird took while pretending to scamper was proof enough that time had slowed down here.
And I was walking. The trees tall on both sides of the paved path, the bushes and climbers obscuring any insights into the jungle.The sun had almost set when I came across an empty watch-tower. The barbed wire around its base seemed warning enough for animals and humans alike, but a quick furtive glance around assured me that there won't be any judgment. Up I went, expecting to see the roads, buildings, signs of civilizations around. 2 floors from the ground, and yet all I could see were the trees; all so different from each other, yet presenting a unified blanket shrouding everything beneath them.
For a moment, I nostalgiated (I know that's not a word, Snigdha Sood, but can't I make one up?) for Borivali National Park, Bombay. But I wasn't going to ruin a perfectly good Delhi forest thinking what-ifs. Just one particular angle atop the watch tower assured me that the city wasn't too far, and I got down before anyone saw me trespassing.
Again, I was walking, in the forest getting darker by the minute. I came across a few labor-workers, both genders; it seemed that they were returning from their work, and were taking a short-cut through the forest.
A short-cut at-least 4-5 KMs long. And I felt silly: we call a cab/auto/rickshaw even if we are going a couple of KMs away. Whereas these people get to enjoy such a peaceful fresh-aired hour every evening (even though they have their own reason to walk rather than spend money on an auto).
Now it was getting even darker, and some part of me wanted to complete the walk quicker. I jogged in-between, climbed steep parts of the path, and then slowed down to catch my breath.
Last few minutes before I reached the cycle-stand, I realized how much I was enjoying walking in the dark. It was getting a little cold, and the animal-bird sounds had all but died, the silence only disturbed by my foot-steps, my heart-beat, and the high-pitched yet rhythmic nocturnal insects. Peaceful, healthy, and the most personal hour I spent the whole week couldn't have been better. I felt alive every minute of the way as if someone had slowed the time down for me. Yes, now, I love to go slow.
And now I sit, fresh from a bath, cozy in my bed, with a mug-full of salted-peanuts, thinking where else I can walk peacefully in Delhi.
Last Sunday I walked home from Hauz Khas Metro, a walk of approx 5 KMs, and it felt like I was in a New York movie, where the protagonist walks the streets and thinks about his life. :P Though I spent half the time catching up with friends over the phone :D.
I have heard of organized-cultural walks and walking-groups in Delhi. But I would rather walk solo, or maybe just with you :)
Keep Walking: Johnnie Walker - The Man Who Walked Around The World
It has been a while since I wrote my last post. Hoping to write a lot more this year, what with such big changes coming my way. Happy New Year!!!
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