Today was the first cold day of the much awaited winter 2022. The dense fog eneveloped the surroundings, the sky remained overcast, and temperature touched the lowest so far.
When the maiden whiff of winter wind made its presence felt, I nostalgically recalled the Raahgiri days four years ago when neither the coldest nor the hottest of the days could dampen what I now recall as the Panipat- Spirit.
I vividly remember how in shivering cold accompanied by the kids and grown ups, I would cycle to the venue of Raahgiri wondering whether there would be any crowd for the Raahgiri event due to the rough, foggy Decemeber dawn and much to my surprise I would find hundreds of them engaged in gym, yoga, band, kite flying, cultural activities, badminton, soccer, cycling, vollyball and hordes of other activities like painting, rangoli, fun games, nukkad nataks.
How my eyes would often moisten feeling touched by the joyous looks of young children and adults alike. The voluntary participation by schools under mentorship of dedicated Heads of schools and their teachers was the strength of the event. I often wondered how much efforts were made in wee hours before dawn by all the educational institutions and social organisations for preparations for the event!!
Despite the diversity of age groups participating in the event, there used to be such harmony and togetherness that I feel overwhelmed when I recall those days. Panipat showed real enthusiasm in responding to the call for 'Mera Panipat, Fit Panipat'.
Covid 19's agonising impact and persistent apprehensions have made such community events a thing of the past. But the memories of Raahgiri amidst heat and cold, rain and spring would be cherished forever by me as source of joy forever. The Panipat Spirit and its fond rememberance I carry like a fire in my heart.
Thank you, Panipat.
