Wednesday, January 03, 2007

On a walk...

In stark contrast to the last two weekends of the past year, this New Year's first begun on a low... what with the 'most looked forward' trek not materialising at the eleventh hour, quite literally!

So, followed by a late night discussion with a friend, I allowed myself the extra bit of sleep that I considered 'much deserved' as I was otherwise deprived of the same during weekdays! 10.30 am was about the time when I woke up on that Saturday morning! Too bored to do anything, I stepped out of the house to withdraw some money for the weekend! A long line outside the ATM ensured that I take a walk...

Well, that was precisely what I did ... With music ringing in my ears, I moved towards a neighbouring college ground where I was sure to find people playing cricket! But, to exclaim classically, Alas! There was some stupid function going on with special parking lots for VIPs, VVIPs, and VVVIPs...!!! Anyway, this detour took me to the foothills of, well... a hill! Tekdi as the localites call it...

The 11 'o' clock heat did not deter me one bit... Stepped on and reached the top in no time... For the first time in months, I simply loved the sun! The heat beating on my back, and the scene as barren as it could get!

Wondering how you never feel lonely when you are all alone, I proceeded! Suddenly realizing the amount of silence around me... I let out a slight sigh! And then, I started to jog, then run and then sprint... no reason... just like that... and let me tell you all... it feels great! Much like when you are in a beach and you stand against the plunging waves... punching at it, shouting ... you know, you really don't have any reason! Much like that! Thus sprinting, I arrived at a small temple. There were seats nearby, where people flock at saner hours of the day! It was all empty... I took a seat! Listening to Rahman's Swades... such a pleasure! Just sat there listening to the song again and again and all over again...

'Yeh tara, woh tara...' was next on the list... now with this song, I went into a state of introspection (Yes, people! I do that little bit of self-look-up every now and then!). Not finding much there... I tried to come back... but you know how vanitised people can become... the next 20 mins. I just sat back and tried to bring things back into perspective! Basically summed up with a 'I am totally insignificant, and thank God for what I have..!' kinda thing... (thats how most of my self-lookups end, anyway... don't know why I do it... ;))!

Then, the roaming about started... I mean plain roaming... for about an hour or so... believe me, plain barren surroundings can be really beautiful... really really beautiful... cursed myself for not having picked up a cam... (as if I had planned the 'walk' in the first place...)! Felt really nice to be the only one around... I mean the ONLY one... Mom called, spoke to her for about 30 mins... She was alone at home... I reciprocated... she asked me if I would come over then... I would have, but for my friends from Bombay who were to come over that night! So, a general buck-up-mom talk and hung-up...

Then my walk back home! Never liked the 'Yun hi chala chal rahi...' from Swades better before... and the irony of the line 'rang pigalte hain nigahon mein' ('the colors melting in your eyes...') while all I could find in all directions (except right above!) was a light-shade of brown!