Meraterahrun

MTR 2024 Day 13 Update: The final run of the 10th edition was along the BRTS line in the cleanest city of India - Indore. We were joined by our ever cheerful and man for all troubleshooting Col. Krishna along with Saurabh and Yogesh from Indore running group.

Post run, Bhagyashree Deshpande, a clinical psychologist spoke about perils of negative thoughts and overthinking, and how we could overcome them. We also reflected upon why we run and our experience during the past 13 days of the Yatra. It wasn’t a surprise that all Yatris truly revel in each other’s company and that’s the power of a healthy community helping maintain a healthy mind.

… and of course, while we are in Indore, we savoured much of the street food - Poha & Mawa Jalebi, Shikanji, Kullad pizza, Hot dogs, Smoking Paan, Aloo kachoris and what not. Some of us paid a visit to the iconic Shree Mahakaleshwar mandir in Ujjain. Second round and celebration dinner is at the Sarafa Bazaar tonight. Thank you Shilpa and Sandeep for hosting us in your city.

Curtains come down on the 10th anniversary special yatra and cheers to our 4 Yatris who did the entire 13 days - Jaggi da, Sindhu, Brijesh, and Guru; Cheers to Anand, Santanu, Suman, Neet, Pradeep, Nitin, Shilpa, Sandeep, Rajesh, and Ashwin who joined us at various parts of the Yatra. We truly are grateful to all our running group partners and mental health professionals who made this event their own.

Keep moving, Get some Sun, and Prioritise Self Care.

MTR2024 Day 10 Update by Brijesh Gajera: The tenth run of the tenth year of MTR was truly exceptional. In the chilly weather, we ran in the Ambala Cantonment area. We were accompanied by Mr Sudhir Daryan and a bunch of cross country runners. Mr Daryan recently finished the very demanding Khardungla La Challenge, a 72km run in the high altitudes of Ladakh, in 10 hours 24 minutes.

Our run today was through the avenues lined with flowering trees. Buoyed by the scent of flowers and the calls of hornbills, parakeets and mynas, we started fast and finished faster. The run had everything - cool weather, warmth of rising Sun and the company of some amazing runners. These are the same elements one require for a healthy mind. So step out and seek some Sun, nature and healthy community.

MTR2024 Day 8 update by Brijesh: The eighth day of Mera Terah Run brought us to the seat of power in the country - Lutyens' New Delhi. In the cool and crisp October air, we ran from Teen Murthy Marg to Nehru park to Khan Market to Lodhi Garden to India Gate. The avenues lined with blossoming trees were a welcome change from the chaos of Varanasi. It was recharging and rejuvenating run. Nature has such a calming effect on the mind. Outdoor exercise is one of the best things for mental health. Go out and get going.

Yatris are very excited about the next five days. This train is chugging along nicely.

MTR2024 Day 7 update by Brijesh: Our Varanasi run started after the holy darshan at Kashi Vishwanath temple. We couldn't run on the famous ghats of Benaras as intended given the river Ganges was in full spate. We ran in the labyrinthine streets of the town. People from every part of India and the world swarmed the streets. The scent of incense, the smell of frying kachoris and the stench of cow dung and dog p**p filled our nostrils. The colorful temples and the Benarasi silk competed for our attention. Post run, we spent considerable time eating poori, chhole, kachori and drinking creamy lassi.

Varanasi assimilates everything which comes its way and still retains its essence. Something we need to do as a human beings to keep our mind healthy?

One captivating story from Benaras revolves around the ancient tradition of the Ganga Aarti, a ritual of worshipping the Ganges River. Every evening, crowds gather along the ghats to witness this mesmerising ceremony, where priests perform intricate rituals with lamps, chanting, and music.

One evening, a young traveller arrived in Benaras, feeling overwhelmed by life’s pressures and the fast pace of the world. As he watched the Aarti, he noticed how the priests, despite their busy movements, were deeply present in the moment. Their focus on the flames, the prayers, and the rhythms created a palpable sense of peace.

Inspired, the traveller began to allow himself to absorb the beauty around him—the flickering lights on the water, the aroma of incense, and the sounds of devotion. He realised that like the Ganges, life continuously flows with new experiences and challenges. By being present, he could embrace these moments without losing himself.

This experience transformed his perspective. He understood that, much like Varanasi, he could adapt and grow while remaining true to his essence. This balance between embracing change and maintaining inner peace became his guiding principle.

MTR2024 Day 6 update by Brijesh: We started our Bodhgaya run from near the tree under which Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment to become Buddha. Lilies were in full bloom on our path. We ran towards Magadh University and IIM Gaya. Knowledge and wisdom, both ancient and modern, were our companions for the run. In such a holy setting, the run turned meditative and peaceful - an essential element of mental health - descended upon us. This run is in loving memory of our dear friend and yatri on several MTR journeys, Vinit Mehta.

Today's tip on mental health:
Gautama Buddha emphasised meditation as a vital practice for achieving enlightenment and inner peace. Buddha taught the importance of mindfulness (sati) as a way to cultivate awareness of thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the present moment. This awareness is foundational for understanding the nature of suffering and achieving liberation.

In today's fast paced world full of distractions, Breathe and Stay in the present to reduce stress and improve concentration.

MTR2024 Day 4 Update: Let's run, said Raipur, and the yatris did. Starting from the beautiful Telibandha Lake --> Marine Drive --> Oxyzone --> expressway and back, they ran with the enthusiastic runners of Raipur. A quick round of chai and poha followed, before they gathered again to listen to Ms. Vibhuti Duggar, a trained counselor and motivational speaker. She emphasized that empathy is what you need to understand mental health issues and care for those who are going through them. Mr. Rahul Agarwal, a runner himself, bravely talked about his experience as someone taking care of a loved one dealing with mental health issues. His words that a caregiver needs to be 'patient, accepting and forgiving' still resonate with the yatris.

We are eternally grateful to Dr Vinay Tiwary and the team of "let's run" for this memorable experience.

Jagdish Damania Santanu Misra Gurudev Nagaraja Sindhu Naik Neeth D'Souza Anand Adkoli Suman Rapaka Brijesh Gajera