The strangers of Mini-Forest

(Dedicated all the fitness freaks who come to Mini-forest day in and day out for last so many years.)

Mini-Forest in JP Nagar 3rd phase has been my favorite place for morning work-outs. I've been associated with this place for almost 11 years now. I was the most happy person when I bought a house close to this place.

Well, as with any other park, this mini-forest has its own community. It is really fun to watch people working out here :-) There are people who just take a stroll, some people does a fast walk, some people walk as if their arse is on fire, some people jog, some people really run, while some other people does kind of walkrun (you don't know whether they are walking or running).

Many of them are familiar faces from last 11 years. They walk, they run, they walkrun in the same style, year after the year. So, just by looking at their style from a long distance, I can make out who the person is. :-) Well, although I have been seeing these people from last 11 years, I've never got to know any of them personally. Sad. However, there are few people who has made a special impact on me, indirectly though. I was just recollecting about all those guys when I went for jogging to mini forest today.

There was this Malathesh, who used to be a regular to mini-forest in my pre-marriage days. One day he himself introduced and talked to me. Umm, he was just then going through a bad phase of life. He was involved with a bike accident and had a severe injury to the head. He was lucky to survive, but the injury had made him mentally unstable. He had to forgo his job and trying to come to terms with his fate :-( I used to feel so bad for him and always wished that he recovers sooner and lead a normal life like any of us. His attitude towards life (keeping himself active and fit, even though he had little balance over himself) is really commendable. I have not seen this guy from last many years and hope that he is allright and happy somewhere.

Then there was Shyam. I've never talked to him. But he used to be a real fitness freak. He had his own bunch of followers, whom he used to give advice and train. He was a marathon runner and I used to admire his flexibility and agility at his age.

One more person who comes to my mind when I think about mini-forest is Avinash. Again I've not spoken to him. He used to be a real fatty guy. When I first saw him, he was barely be able to walk. But, he was so regular to mini forest. He used to do work-out with Shyam. Gradually he lost many many kilos and he used to run quite comfortably.

There are many many "anonymous" guys whom I meet regularly year after year in mini-forest. It is a good feeling to meet these people during the workout, although I do not know any of them personally. Although we do not know each other, we are no strangers to each other :-)

I am sure many of you would have this kind of similar experience in many other places wherever you are regular (e.g. bus, train, temple etc). Isn't it? It is strange that sometimes strangers are not exactly strangers :-)