The decked journey

I always wanted to do this. Sit in a train. By the window side. Music and Zimlog. The scenery outside. The trees shooting through the clouds. The clouds attempting to overlap the blue sky. Clouds overshadowing their lesser mighty friends. Netted sunbeams dancing on the green stretches of grass. The stones on the sides. One over another. Heaped up. As high as a hill. A hill which has just stones. The railway tracks that were laid decades ago. Shiny and smooth. Strong. Today, it is not going to be about people. The people around me. People lost in music. People reading books. Multilingual. People munching on those airbags filled with crumbs of chips. It is not going to be about food either. The oily vegetable cutlets. The soggy curd rice. The plastic rolls containing water to gulp down the food.
What is it going to be about? Well, I don't know. I will just write. Write, as the thoughts play hide and seek in my head. Continue to write as they put me in contradictory positions. Write, as the thoughts vanish. Vanish- like the pen that you so fondly purchased. Write until it seems strange. Write, till the ideas seem distant. As distant as those friends you once played snake and ladders with.

***
"Hope you will be doing what you want to." I don't know what I want. I kind of know what I don't want. I knew I did not want to sit in a corporate at this point in my life. So I left. I am going elsewhere. If I had life figured out at 23, what would I do the rest of my life?

***
The decked journey. It is a double decker train. Triple, I would say. The world looks different from this height. Much different for a short person like me. Perspective.

***
"Life is beautiful" I said. I said that after a long long time, he pointed out. Well, really? I haven't had the time to pause and feel that life is beautiful. Thus I am leaving this lifestyle behind in search of that lifestyle where a pause exists. In search of what exactly? I don't know. I haven't figured it out yet. At the end of this journey, I guess I will figure out what I was looking for. Or rather, what I was not looking for. And then I will move on once again. Loaded with more memories. Souvenirs. Hopefully, lesser luggage. "After all, we are human beings and NOT human doings" said some article. An article that I recently opened in that newly launched browser feature in Facebook.

***
"Discover your own music. You will love it." Appreciating the bits and pieces. Lyrics and the chords. The tune. The journey of a song. The journey with a song.

***
This is a great journey. Layers of thoughts decked in my head. The decked journey.

People and Philosophy

 " Philosophy like most other subjects, does not try to extend our knowledge by discovering new information about the world. Instead it tries to deepen our understanding through rumination on what is already closest to us. The experiences, thoughts, concepts, and activities that make up our lives but that ordinarily escape our notice precisely because they are so familiar"
Read this somewhere. (You could look up the source, if enthu. )

Once I shared those lines with some friends, I also learnt about this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Getting_to_Philosophy

This sets up the context for what I have been going through for sometime now. Things which I had taken for granted when in college. In insti, I could just go to any friend and start a discussion about any topic under the sun, well, above as well. But you get it. I could just barge into someones room and listen to the ongoing arguments while munching home food. One could lazily sit in the canteen or CCD and overhear wild ideas spinning off! Such was the company of friends and foes :)

Post college, there was this long vacation before I got to work. It was a nice break where I did not have to think about courses or electives or responsibilities or paying mess fees. I kind of switched off and gave my head some much needed rest (and rust), I guess.

Once I got to Bangalore, I kind of struggled to keep this balance. The balance in the interactions with people around. The intellectual balance.
I struggled to find some space to run. I struggled to find some breathing space. The bright neon lights from the 8th floor office pantry did not help me much in this regard. Though this later led to meeting interesting people.

But people! People are a lot more than their weird beards, boring spectacle frames, heavy black helmets that they carry along, gelled hair, oversized jackets or dimples. Being a newbie at work, it did take some time for me to see and talk to people around me. The coffee breaks sans coffee exposed me to history, cultures, music from 70's, Socrates(?) and a lot more things which aren't right now on my mind. These made me feel alive and also made me miss the company of some of my insti friends.

These were three good months in Bangalore and I am sure I will miss some people. Oh yes, I resigned from my current job. 

Featured on YourStory.com!

Below is the article that has been written by a journalist from yourstory. Yes, they featured me!

‘I have been running barefoot for the past 7 months. I completed Spirit of Wipro Half marathon barefoot. The next also should hopefully be done that way.‘

Bindu Upadhyay is an ambitious girl. Her love for running has been with her for a very long time, and is an important part of who she is. When at IIT Madras, Upadhyay was part of a running group called the Forest Gumps. The activity is so ingrained in her, this time around, she decided she was going to run for more than a personal desire.

Upadhyay’s latest campaign is to raise funds for children in rural Tamil Nadu, so they may have access to better quality education.

For anyone daunted by the thought of marathons, Upadhyay laughingly says, ‘You know, if you see me, you won’t think I run marathons. I’m quite chubby. Running is about fitness and stamina, so you don’t have to be thin or anything for it.’

Upadhyay’s ran half marathons in quite a few major cities in India, but Bangalore seems to be her favourite destination. ‘There are a lot of training runs in Bangalore, and it’s a very great place to have them. It’s very active,’ she says.

Over the next two months, Upadhyay hopes to raise Rs 150,000 for this cause. She’s already raised a cool Rs 66,595. Her inspiration to be part of this campaign began with her interaction with Eureka Child Foundations, the organisation that’ll receive the charity. Concerned by the low levels of education in rural Tamil Nadu, Upadhyay believed children, who we see selling cheap products on the street, should, instead, be gaining valuable knowledge in schools, so they may one day have a future of their own.

On September 21, Upadhyay completed the Spirit of Wipro Marathon. The Bengaluru Marathon is scheduled to take place on October 19th, followed by The Wipro Chennai Marathon on December 7th.

When asked why this was important to her, Upadhyay says, ‘I am someone who really believes in health and fitness. I feel that people should make an effort to be healthy, because it’s important to lead a healthy life. Also, I’m very passionate about spreading awareness about education for these children who are working on the streets instead of studying in schools.‘

Upadhyay’s concern for health and fitness also began when her doctor diagnosed her with a thyroid imbalance. She started with running short distances of 200 metres that would leave her exhausted. It dawned on her how out of shape she was, and probably, how out of shape everyone else must be, too, when they’re used to this modern-day sedentary lifestyle.

After two years of training, Upadhyay’s completed eight 10K runs and five half marathons of 21.1 kilometres. She believes running, or any kind of healthy activity, keeps the mind healthy and functioning much better, even at a creative level.

Not everyone gets to turn their passion into a cause, but that’s just what Upadhyay has done, whether it’s running, her passion for fitness or actively helping in bringing education to those who are too under-privileged to access it themselves. If there’s any advice, then it’s just one that Upadhyay wants to give to those interested in her story: Just lace up and go run! ... read more on her.yourstory.com


http://her.yourstory.com/bindu-upadhyay-marathon-1001

99 days

So I decided to sketch and ramble for 99 days. This is my attempt to get back to good old hobby- painting.

I have put up all my sketches here- upadhyaybindu.tumblr.com
Numbered them from 99 as reverse counting helps! :)

Most of them are directly drawn in my tiny book with a black pen. I spend around 3 minutes to sketch. Maybe some extra time on Picasa to crop, edit etc. They are inspired by things that happen during the day or random thoughts that tend to settle in my head. I intend to dedicate all these 99 to people. *Project under construction*
I hope to pick up some digital tools soon. Any suggestions/tutorials?

I am excited to take this up for October- http://inktober.com/
Time to get an ink pen and another sketch book as well! :) #Inktober

I have written stuff in Zimlog- My journal. (Zim Wiki is awesome! http://zim-wiki.org/)
Nothing great on this front. The usual "TIL" and "What-I-did-today" stuff. Hopefully this evolves into something better.

If you have any such ideas, let me know! Maybe we can collaborate.

Meanwhile, here is one such sketch-

Once you cross that finish line

The endless, quiet roadways, shaded by outstretched branches of trees, have always inspired runners in insti, and a lot of people talk about how running feels good, both mentally and physically. Three years back, I would have had trouble believing it. I was diagnosed with thyroid and I still remember the first time I attempted to run. I managed to cover about 200 m, and was exhausted by the time I reached the stadium from GC! But from then, I began to run laps in the stadium, with motivation from our very own Half Ironman, Rudra ‘GPS’ Naik, and things improved with time. One day, my faculty advisor called us to his office and told us about the 2011 Marg Chennai Runners Half Marathon and 10K to be held in November at IITM. We signed up enthusiastically and managed to drag ourselves to the start line.

As they say, once you cross that finish line, you would have changed your life forever.

I started training regularly from August 2012 and continued to do so when I was in Bangalore for six months of 2013. Since then, I have completed eight 10K runs and four half marathons (21.1 km), thanks to the encouragement by my friends at Chennai Runners. The first time, I wondered whether the little training I did would suffice, but as I was running with my friend, I was very enthusiastic and positive about finishing.

Over time, I have fallen in love with running. It is a way of life for me. I enjoy my runs to the core; it’s not just a sport for me. I’ve even cracked some assignments and puzzles while running. It is a stress-buster, and every run is a learning experience. It is also my way of giving back to society by running to  raise funds for NGOs that are working towards improving primary education.

I run 3-4 times a week and I aspire to be more disciplined with my training. For the past 7 months, I have been running barefoot — there’s something about feeling the ground under your feet while running. However, one has to exercise caution: while it can fix issues with one’s running form, it can also lead to injuries if one is not attentive.

How the Forest Gumps became the IITM Runners Club

The group that trained for Pinkathon to raise breast cancer awareness – March 2014.

The club began in 2011, while we were training for the MARG Chennai Runners Half Marathon and 10k. We were a small group that met to run on campus every Saturday from 6:15 am. The club was coordinated by Adhokshaj Bellurkar, an alumnus who was then a Dual Degree student in Mechanical Engineering. He was one among the many who discovered — or reignited — their passion for running after joining IITM. He also began a Facebook group for the running enthusiasts of IITM — aptly named ‘Forest Gumps’. Information regarding Saturday morning runs would be posted there, and he even offered wake-up calls for those who wished to join. (Gathering a group of people to run on Saturday mornings is difficult!) Many of these people started from scratch and have gone ahead to complete half and full marathons. We also had 8-9 people gathering and running during the evenings as well. All it took to regularly gather this motley group of runners three days a week was a Facebook group and some enthusiastic runners to spread word.

What I love the most during our group runs is the conversation. We chit-chat and stretch together before the run. The faster runners usually go ahead and I stick with the beginners, if any. Running in a group is fun; it gives you a chance to push your limits.

Insti junta from four batches meet after TCS 10k at Bangalore. From left to right: Adhokshaj ( ME 07-12), Nagendra (CS 06-11), Lohit (NA-08-12), Bindu (ED- 09-14), Naga Jyothi (ME 07-12) and Aravind,Comrades finisher

After Adhokshaj graduated in 2012, I began to coordinate the runs with Prof. Preeti Aghalayam. In August 2012, we decided to formalise these runs and the Forest Gumps became the IITM Runners Club. All through August to November 2012, we had a lot of these morning and evening training runs. We sent smails in an attempt to reach more people, and organised three campus-wide runs during this time. The first one was open to all on campus and it saw an exceptional turnout — no less than 120 people for a fun 5k run. We had post-run refreshments and gifts for all the participants. The second one was organised in coordination with Mitr, which was generous enough to give a lot of prizes, and the third was held specially for research scholars. We also attempted to get more girls into running by offering free registration for a Women’s Day run in IITM, but it was disheartening to see very few of them turn up.

For Wannabe Runners

If you are a newbie and would like to get some ‘fundaes’, here’s what I would say: just lace up and go run. Start slow. Maintain a pace at which you can have a conversation without losing your breath. Don’t over-train. If needed, you may carry a small water bottle to keep yourself hydrated. I started with the run-walk method. It was helpful to gradually build my stamina without injuries. A lot of people complain about injuries due to which they stop running. If that’s the case, I’d advise you to strengthen, get fit and gain confidence.

Most importantly, lose all inhibitions and don’t get intimidated. We have all started out as beginners. If motivation is what you are lacking, there are a lot of inspiring stories and people out there to keep you going! Sign up for a race and train for it.

Running can be that component which you feel might be missing in your life. It can push you to have those adventures you always wanted. It can bring a whole new perspective to your life. You meet new people. You hear very inspiring stories. You get awesome medals!

Insti is one of the most sought-after places to run, be it for the greenery, lack of annoying traffic or those clean roads. After running outside insti for six months during my internship, I realized this the hard way. But I am glad I made the most out of it in my final year, and I suggest you do too–there are a lot of Gumps on campus who are very enthusiastic to help you get started.

Feel free to ping me if you have any queries, and hope to run with you sometime!

P.S- This article was published in our campus magazine- http://t5e.iitm.ac.in/2014/08/once-you-cross-that-finish-line/

Exploring

Work life is so different compared to college. Everything changes. There are some things I have learnt and experienced. I thought I would just pen down some of them. Well, whatever comes to my mind right now. Not necessarily in the order of priority.

With the placement season starting in college, people display their sudden new found interests in "supply chain" or "manufacturing" or analytics" or "consulting". Yeah, THAT phase. I have been through that at various points. Now when I look back, it does seem silly. The choices that we make are largely influenced by people we interact with.

Assume you did not know anyone in this world. You are just this entity. You don't have anyone that you need to impress. You don't have to prove a point to someone. Would you still be making these choices? Is it money? Is it the "so-called" fame or elitism or is it true passion? Is it something that excites you?
This is a tough exercise. You might feel naked and exposed to yourself. The best way to move forward is to embrace it and know who you are. Exploring new arenas is a lot of fun. We all have those doubts in our minds about the choices that we make.

How do you know if you are really passionate about something? How would you know if it is something that you want to explore? Did you read about something which inspired you? Did you talk to people in that field as a result of this? Next up- Did you ponder why exactly this interests you? And you have awesome reasons? Wow! Did you put yourself in the shoes of someone in this field? Did you try anything to mimic it? Kudos. Well, not all are lucky enough to find their passion in their early 20s, be it career-wise or partner-wise!

I find myself enthused about a lot of things. But I have also observed that my interest levels die down exponentially at times. It is extremely discomforting to accept this. It happens sometimes when I try exploring new things. It is so exciting to be able to play a guitar, for example. I went ahead and borrowed one. It was just there in my room for a while before I returned it. I returned it and gave myself a lot of reasons on why I did that. I gave those reasons to myself and to people around me. Justifications.
I personally feel that we do get carried away by what others have done. Follow people you admire and see where life has taken them.

Whatsup in Bangalore? In the past 6 weeks, I have attended a "Jugaadathon". I am currently attending an IoT Hackathon. Both in the domain of healthcare. I am doing couple of online courses to pick up new skills. I am meeting new people and venturing into new ideas. I have continued running by finding a group in my area. But I have also spent lazy weekends watching House, once again. By just munching on food and watching more House episodes.

Exposing yourself to a lot of things is one way to go about finding what works for you. Interacting with people about their ideas fills you with so much energy and also does restore some hope in humanity and this world.
I am exploring. It gives me that kick to drag me out of my bed. People are awesome. They do such amazing things with so much passion and a smile on their face. Miles to go, glad to be moving and resting when tired.

Please let me know how you found your passion. Would love to listen to your stories!

TCS 10k 2014

Where I lost myself, once again..

It all started with a ping couple of months ago. And I was just reminded of the amazing Bangalore climate. I told myself last year that I would do the 10k again in 2014. Well, I hope to do it every single year when I am in India. I went ahead and registered for the TCS10k after a tiring process of uploading photo and id etc.
Having gotten used to the usual stares from people when I told them I was travelling 300km for a 10km run, I started putting in more training miles (I count in kilometres though). Gradually the pace improved. I once did a sub 6:00 min/km 5.6km run too! The barefoot transition was working well for me. Stares and questions and “advice” from people? A lot. All set, I left for Bangalore by our dear KSRTC bus service.
Saturday. The race expo was at Kanteerava Stadium. Just across the road where I stayed for close to 6 months. Egg factory and a boring movie followed. It was fun. I was with friends. I had trained for the run to an okay extent(compared to earlier ones). Definitely not even close to my best. I recently started doing “intervals”. They are very addictive! The high I get after a kick ass run is nothing compared to all those shots of Tequila. I am glad I got a couple of them in those 2 weeks leading up to the event.

Says my dailymile log. Happy for 2014. ^_^

This was my first “official” barefoot run. On the roads of a new city. I was very apprehensive about it. Thanks to a Bangalore Barefoot runner, he assured me that the road would be fine. I just had to focus a bit to not get stomped by the heavy runners. I decided to wear a bright green T shirt to be noticeable. Well, to get some photos clicked as well!
Saturday night. Curd rice as dinner. It rained. Power cut. Hardly slept. Slight pain in my legs due to all the walking. That was a bit weird though.

May 19th. Sunday Morning! Race day! Walked to the stadium. Looong queues. Really long. At 6:10 am, I was still outside the stadium, trying to get in. And there I was. In section E. Stretching a bit. Once the gates opened, people just hurried with loud cheers. The atmosphere was very energetic! I wasn’t running with anyone in particular. I decided to pace myself and just soak in the city.

Just after 300m or so, I spotted the 75 minute pacer. We chatted quite a bit. He told me to just run with him and he would take care of my target (~70 min). He told me where to slow down a bit and kept encouraging me all throughout! Wow indeed. This was the first time someone was pacing me and I just loved the experience. I saw a couple of barefoot runners. Maybe 3-4. Some asked me questions about the absence of my shoes. The ups and downs on the route. Nothing like those flat roads on campus. Once we entered Cubbon park, I knew I was close to the finish line. I just didn’t accelerate much until I was just 200m away from the finish. I was trying to conserve my energy? I don’t know why. I could have accelerated earlier. Lesson learnt.

I felt that the run ‘ended’ very soon. I got my Personal Best. 67 minutes! It was amazing. I felt accomplished. It gave me confidence for the upcoming half marathon. I have miles to go. But this has definitely boosted my confidence. I am thankful to a lot of people for having made this possible. To my lovely host, to the pacer, my co-runner (who also got a PB), Gumps, insti (people and roads) and obviously, friends and family.

P.S- I would definitely want to pace someone, if they allow me to. Someday, I will. ☺

After the run. I love that T shirt! 

What would you change?

What one thing would you change in your life if you had to do it over again?

I believe in making peace with mistakes and learning from them, even if it takes months, at times. If not for mistakes of the past, I wouldn’t be what I am today. Every turn teaches us a lot and it depends on us how well we absorb and move on. I wouldn’t say my life is perfect. I wouldn’t want to change anything. I am here as a consequence of all my actions. Whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger- this keeps me going even in difficult times.