Namaskaar Jindal!

Finally I find the time and the inclination to post something that has been, for want of a better word, different in my life.

Hopefully, all the people who read this space, that is a total of 3, know that I had decided to take a break from whatever it is that I have been doing. A month long break. Might not seem long to a lot many folks out there but for someone like me whose longest holiday has been a Saturday and Sunday, that too one followed by the other, this is a big leap.

There were some voices in my head I had to mute before I took the decision to be away.

- Been just about 3 months since I’ve joined my new place. Is it too early to take a break? But then again, was planning to do this before I joined this place but couldn’t…why? Because I was asked to join asap.

- This is the awards season. Things seem all over the place. Although I have AJ and the boys telling me it will be cool… but then it’s never cool till you do it yourself…

Now lets tune in to the practical side of my thinking.

- I had already cancelled once and they gave me the days after much pleading.

- Screw the work! Work will happen. If not now, then later. If not by me then by someone else. I've NEVER done this and if I lose the impetus, probably never will.

So days booked, ticket booked, I was headed for a 21-day break to the Institute of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences aka Jindal in Bangalore. This was to be followed by a couple of days at home in Kerela.

Now, ‘Why INYS?’

I have been growing, around the middle, a growth that would surely make the then bullish climb of the market a little green.

I met Vinay who had been to Jindal and on his way back left behind 14 kgs. And if Vinay can do it, so can I.

Landed in Bangalore, Friday the 21^st of December. Vinnie and Bruce along with Appu predicted to see me with then 10 days from then i.e. 31^st night. I scorned as I polished off the last bits off a grilled chicken at Empire.

Bruce, being the considerate brother he is, woke me up at 7 the following day, the taxi was waiting to drop me. Jindal here I come!

I was told it would an hour and 45 mins but that seems to be consumed pretty quickly. So here I was at the gate of the mystical place. The 'de-tox' place like some had already started calling it.

Left my bag at the main gate with the security ( do not know whether they checked it for 'food items') registerd, paid up advance and equipped with a enema tube in hand I, oops sorry by now I had become 'The Patient" , the patient was shown his ward.

It was a small cosy single room. Attached toilet, TV with cable connection and a cupboard. Was great from me.

Though I must confess one thing. The moment I walked through the gate and had my first glimpse of the other 'patients' I suddenly felt thin. I was looking anorexic.

And that frequent, "Aap yahan pe kis liye aaye ho?" Further fanned my ego.

So here I was, after my first 2 days, complete with morning walks, juices, yoga and enemas, lying on my bed thinking, 'maybe I really do not need to lose weight!'

But Dr. Nagarjuna inscribe OBESE against my name. Yes, i was a bit on the heavier side but obese!!! The weighing scale decided to side with him and show a whopping 104.8 kgs.

Could hear a quite sigh from within, as soon I did alight from atop it.

The first 2 days were boring. I saw people walk in groups, drink juice in groups, some were even playing badminton and I did not even know anyone remotely.

It took me 2 days before Arjun came up and introduced himself to me. I did notice the occasional glances from people whenever I did pass by. It must have been the hair!

Anyways thanks to Arjun I met Ketan and then Darshan and his dad, Dr. Vaidya. Yesss!! I knew people around here.

Darshan was a Gujju boy, born and brought up in London, been to the London School of Economics, who at 21 possessed a head of a 40 year old, which he kept bobbing from side-to-side whenever he approved or disapproved anything from the contents of his lunch to the horrendous shot on the badminton court.

Having broken the ice at the dining centre, it was time to do the same at the badminton court. Mahesh happened. The soft speak, 25 kilometer-a-day-walking Kannada bloke. Through him I made friends with the rest of the gang.

The Gujju speaking British brother sister duo of Prashaanth and Dershnaa (Read it like it's written and you will know what I am talking about).

The lady 40-day old vetran at the camp, Priyanka. Who, while speaking, paused only to think of the next topic to speak. So all we heard was about her brother's wedding. Her husband. Her family. Her treks. Her job. Her brother's wedding. Her husband. Her family. Her treks. Her job.

The enunciating Ms. Raj. Who we met only from lunch onwards, as the morning walks etc were not happening for her.

Nilz and his wife, forgot her name. Actually never spoke with her, so did not know here name.

Then Vineet and his wife. From Calcutta.

Then the days seemed to breeze through. Actually no. It's not true. Atleast sessions like yoga, mornings walks etc were more comfortable as I had Darshan, my conscience egging me on.

I was losing 500-700 gms a day.

Darshan was about 500 gms a day.

Mahesh was losing more than a kilo a day.

The rest were putting on what we were losing.

More people came. They left. I was still there.

Even more people came, all the people I knew left, I was still there.

What made me think of 21 days! What?