Great Kajamalai Walk

 This is the English version of
காஜா மலையில் காலை நடை


“Look at these people! Even while staying in a hotel they  don’t forget their walking!”

A group of walkers who cross us at the hotel gate make this comment as they walked briskly.

This impression makes me happy……….. the needed pep for the day!

At 6.15 in the morning the road is empty except for the walkers and one or two vehicles!

While  government offices and the government bungalows for the higher ups occupy one side of the road and there is Anna stadium (once a race course) on the other side  and hence less traffic. With  the abundance of trees engulfing the road it is indeed a walkers’ paradise!

The big bungalows entice me and I imagine how divine it would be if only I could live in that spacious bungalow in the ambience of plentiful greenery. The Railway officers’ bungalows at Perambur in Chennai  instil the same sentiments in me!

When I echoed this feeling, my husband dear pronounced  “There is another aspect to the whole show my dear, once you retire could you face the reality  of two bed roomed flat in the most congested part of a city!?”

 We wonder at the walkers, majority of whom have covered their heads to avoid the morning mist.  At the least they had their ear muffs.  The exceptions were the budding athletes who jog fast in groups.

And we the people from the capital city of Chennai are used to the mist  and hence  held our head high enjoying the balmy and cool air!

 Whenever you do the walking it should be a combination of walking + jogging which I have named as 'wogging' wherein you look straight ahead with head up and both your hands swing as fast as your leg rhythm. A 100 steps per minute is the 'wogging' norm.

But what do you do with the cell phone early in the morning?! With head turned to the left and left hand to the keen ear you are more into your “celly” gossip  than fulfilling your real time walk!!

We Tamilians are one of the greatest fans of auditory entertainment and many of the walkers had their dangling walkman enjoying their Subrapathams and filmy songs adding vigour and verve to this morning show!!

Ladies in full burqas vie with others in their health routine. “Vanakkam Nayagathamma eppdi irukka?” An old Muslim gentleman wishes the equally old Thanjavur burka clad woman!( Thanjavur burka is far less lighter than the black ones!) Since I happened to be close I had the previlege of a wish from him!

On the way we witness a parcel service spot and their name board tickles your bones! In English they say “Delhivery” and in Tamil they make it even more funnier proclaiming “Delhi vari!”  Are the residents of Tiruchirapalli bound to pay a special tax to the far away Delhi!?

 I was walking ahead of my hubby by a step but there was indeed a sudden halt in the whole process. My hands catch hold of his tightly, my steps make a backward motion hiding behind him and the once dog bitten scar pulsates! Yes there were no less than 15 stray dogs at a turning in the walking path. My man realises that something is amiss. When he realises he laughs at me  and at my dog phobia!

 “They might not be walking with us but look, they are indeed in a deep meditation. All the walkers in front of us are not fools.”

 I appreciate this canine  policy of “leissez-faire”  and walk straight as advised.

We take a ‘U’ turn and the sun slowly peeps out. 

Two lungi clad men were in serious discussion and the one  was telling “ Now listen my friend; what do you do when you have a wound in your body? Do you go on poking it? You apply some medicine and  leave it to rest. So also your mind. If you are hurt by the problem don’t blow it up like a big balloon. Give some gap; go to your temple and get some peace of mind and that is life” So saying he takes leave to open his shop for the morning customers.

Most Indians we come across may have no idea what schools of philosophy define as to what is meant by existentialism and I am sure not even one in a million know who is Kierkegaard or Jean Paul Sartre, but all of us have good  philosophy of Existentialism in-built into our system.

As we enjoy the benign heat of the day the abundant scented tulasi (basil?) (tunnuuthi pachilai) on the side welcomes you heartily. I bend down to pluck a few sheaves and pass some to my husband. Both of us crush them into our palms  and enjoy the emanation of  sweet scent!

We meet a walker from the opposite side wearing his helmet!

Is it against the  morning mist  of Trichy or is it for the safe keeping of the helmet?!

The mystery of the mist and head covered walkers including the helmet man were understood by us when we came back to Chennai with a heavy cold and cough and light fever.

“You should have covered your head if you go out in the morning.” The beloved ones from Trichy advised  us on the phone. "The smog of  Trichy mist is treacherous!” they happily declared.