The Pursuit of Tiredness
Tags: Tiredness, People, Bangalore, Walk In Parks

I realised it is better to begin exercising not because of the health benefits but to get tired and sleep. This thought came thanks to the neighbourhood lovebirds. I have stayed up beyond my bedtime to decipher the code they communicate through torchlights. I wonder why they don’t message each other when to sneak in. Perhaps they are trying to spice their relationship. But, seeing their silhouettes thanks to ever flickering streetlight is fun. It makes me feel like I am seeing a puppet show. As my other neighbour is busy making some food, the aroma fills the street as he plays Arijit Singh louder than mandated. The entire neighbourhood and the occasional Swiggy person knows he is following the cliché of love failure. When he begins a karaoke session, my brain says to my nervous system, “accha, chalta hoon”. I considered making duas so that his desire to karaoke breaks up with him.

The next day, I began walking around the area in search of a park. I met the usual suspects seen on the streets. Cow being break inspectors for the vehicles, a teen was burning the tyres of his new scooter. Plastered with stickers, the prominent one being “Yes, it is my father’s road” in bright neon colour. As I walk, a thought came on while I walk through uneven dug up roads, why do they not say mother’s road but father’s road, but all abuses are female-centric ones? This thought like many got derailed by a different thing. In this case, the lingering smell of the failure of the civic body. A garbage dump and sewage going to a drain. An eyesore with an assortment of plastic bags, moist cardboard cartons, jute bags, decaying leaves and diapers, my brain went voila, I have found out the lake in the locality.

Walking further, haphazardly parked scooters welcomed me to the entrance. As I step in I witness the glistening sunlight brushing the ripples in the water thanks to a few ducks loitering around. Momentarily this scene made me forget about my Master’s course, the chaos simmering in my relationships, the blankness I am floating around. In what seemed to be a cinematic moment, one kutti cloud moved around and the rays hit my face. I felt like a vampire for a second but then also good. I was trying to take it all in and then was interrupted. I was asked to move around. One speed-walking aunty just cruised through, a second later, her deodorant fragrance did too.

I play Dynamite by BTS while realising how my stamina is like one Bijli vedi now. Walking around, the kids did not seem to be worried about the virus but rather a pair of twins hogging the swings. They swing fast and the children’s patience was running out even faster. One grandfather who has enough sweaters on him to make a flock of sheep uncomfortable was sternly advising to be sharing. They began swinging even higher.

I trudged along, the speed walking aunty slowed down as she got sucked into a big group of aunties who were now slowly walking along. The deodorant scent was now merged into a concoction of scents but was still no match to smell of the soil.

There are three kinds of people who are present in the park. The first group is the regulars across age groups trying to be healthy. The next is usually in a group of boys, huddled up and deep in discussions. Their hush-hush conversations are only competing with the croaks of frogs. The next group can be identified in two ways, they are usually over-dressed for the park and the elders of the group act like they are not staring- a couple. Trying to spend time together, their attempts to have a moment is immediately popped out like a balloon because of the penetrating stares.

The occasional outsiders you will run into here are people who have probably lied that they are walking around, but actually sitting and watching something on their phones in peace. The other is the human(s) who is/are in the pursuit of the perfect selfie/ lake photograph. Numerous points in the jogging track were encroached by the photographers that the people jogging get a little irritated but are also too tired to exhibit it well. One daredevil family went past the railing to take a selfie from the lakebed. The guard hurriedly buttoned his khaki shirt to call them to ground. I am certain, they took a selfie where him blowing a whistle is also seen. An Instagram dance video was also shot, the family acted like the vanity crew while the girl danced so gracefully that a small crowd formed when they went for another take.

As the sun goes down, a fisherman goes to catch his harvest. His movements reminded me of a spy doing a secret mission. Apartments behind the lake have switched on their Christmas lights while a sombre mood envelops in few faces. A group of workers who were brought along to speed up the infrastructure work have returned to their makeshift homes. Their children are lonely rulers of the park, present and commanding mischief anywhere but isolated. The women are sweeping their surroundings, the men are loitering around, their faces in the control of some grinch.

Tired but feeling a little better because Bangalore breeze is underrated. It is enough to make your hairs stand but also remind you of a memories, happier ones. I head back home. I realise how fun Tamil songs are as BGMs as I see some road rage scenes unfolding before my eyes. Pretty sure, one of the parties involved in the scuffle was the teen with that new scooter. Happy with how this exercise had turned out, I made a new workout playlist with a mix of all moods and genres, it seemed perfect

My neighbour sang ‘Agar Tum Saath Ho’ and thanks to him, one more song made the playlist. And this time, I slept.