Mission "Early To Rise" Kicks Off With a Sunrise Visit to Chaturshringi Temple...

Having fallen into the rut of office life, my mornings here in Pune have long been progressively delaying their start time. Mostly it’s a late night (and occasionally the it’s-a-weekend-after-all excuse) to be blamed, but the outcome boils down to how I can no longer boast of getting up at five and being done with my toilette before anyone else can rise.

I owe it to my colleague Pankaj for bringing me to analysis point. Like the perfect athlete, he is up by six and done with a good round of exercise before coming to office. Now I am not really big about the exercise issue (a long, brisk walk in the evenings is my current regime) but I have several interesting ideas for pre-office morning time and no, spending more time on choosing an outfit doesn’t top the list. (I would be lie-ing if I said it doesn’t feature) Anyway the point is that I have started with the rectification today onwards and hope to pursue it well. Thank you Pankaj!

So here was how Day 1 went: I went to Chaturshringi Temple with a box of Ganpati’s cherished boondi ke laddoos. He was still asleep behind secure bars but I am sure he sleeps with an eye open (like goldfish?). By the time I came back from Mata ka mandir upstairs, he was up and about and the purohit applied a nice bit of chandan on my forehead.

The sun had just come up and was busy lighting up the pathway with a subtle and soft radiance. A score or so of pigeons flocked around, nibbling at grains some good soul had littered. Once energized (and I am sure the sudden appearance of a big, black dog had something to do with it), they all flew up and away to a meeting venue in the hills.

Warning Note:

If you’re planning to go on such a visit yourself, beware of a rowdy group of over enthusiastic men who go up and down the stairs a dozen times in various odd contortions (a leg up, back tilted etc.). They are all believers of “God is happy if you exercise to Munni Badnaam Hui in his temple courtyard”.

 

Tomorrow being a Sunday promises the temptation of the it’s-a-weekend-after-all excuse. I wonder how I’ll keep up.