Actually, this is, once again, a misleading blog title, because I am STILL NOT BACK TO RUNNING. Whoops, apologies for shouting.
But I am SO bored by my own hamstring niggles (so I can only imagine how bored you must be!) but the wretched thing is still acting up…
…plus I went for a super energetic hike a couple of days ago, and now not only my hamstrings, but glutes, quads, everything is letting me know I abused them.
So, yes, no running as yet.
But I’m getting my walks in, despite aching legs (see above) and so this morning I set off to walk further up the Phalachan Valley, from where we are staying with our friends Shalini and Dam in their stunning property.
Which is how I came to see the village deity being carried down the valley to the little town of Gushaini, several kilometres away. In the video, you’ll hear me asking where they were taking the god.
This was a small procession – though there were about a dozen more men following the main group – and no music (you can see them carrying some of the instruments). And, as usual, a brisk pace which they maintain for ages. The bigger, heavier idols are placed on a palanquin and carried by a team of men, and watching them switch teams is a master class in precision speed-walking, as they hand over the palanquin without even slowing down for a moment. Today, though, God was being carried by one man at a time.
I also saw a huge flock of goats and sheep and sheepdogs, but God was far and away the best sighting today on my walk.
#onlyinindia