Running on the invisible trails

After last 7 days of travelling and incessant (and mostly unnecessary) marriage shopping and sweets-and-spice-profused Indian food, I finally got an opportunity to run this morning. I started late at 7:20 but it was fine because of the mild winter and a late and lazy sun. I started from our college ground and targetted to run for about an hour.

While my intention was to run straight on the main road (going to Dungarpur), I found a side trail seemingly going to some huts. With some apprehension of dogs and unknown territory, I decided to take it and found myself on soft grounds, huts and a cool village within the town, which I had never seen before. I had been on this road many a times, but always in the school bus or on my bike. This finding was quite surprising and soothing, although 500-700 m inside, I found the city dwellers encroaching upon the last remains of farmland in the town.

I came out on the main road and continue looking for such side trails. After another short trail, I finally found a long one - at least going 1.5-2 km and all soft road. Passing by the villagers in the morning is nice - I shouted 'hari aum' to the old ones and waved hands to the young and the kids who looked curious or gave a smile. There were full range of reactions from unimpressed or unaffected to curious, smiling and surprised fellas. The most impressive sight was seeing an old man, likely in late 50's or even in 60's, limping on a foot, yet walking as straight as humanly possible, and carrying a plough on his left shoulder.

Needless to say, I also mentally noted people and places that would be very good photographic subjects - many small stone idols below a tree, trees cut out for firewood (my guess), farms and small lakes, a man with super-athletic body (definitely a hard-working farmer or labourer) taking a batch in a canal and finally kids of all types. I refreshed myself with water from a hand pump.

Before turning back, I ran up to my alma mater - New Look Senior Secondary School. I had heard lots about school building made bigger and grander, but somehow I couldn't catch the same impression when I saw it. It looked almost the same as I left it 11 years ago! May be the interior or facilities have changed - I need to go and see it and also motivate kids about playing more sports and taking less stress in their formative years of life.

The run back to the college ground was slightly heavy on my legs - especially on my ankles and achilee tendons, but the breeze and the sun made up for it. Dedicating this short run to Robert Frost for inspiring to take "The Road Not Taken" and to Vinayshankar Kulkarni and Caballo Blanco for inspiring to take the trails.