Go Fly!

Ever thought of being able to fly? Ever thought of being weightless and still conscious of your breath? If yes, then go Paragliding! And no I am not an adventure sports enthusiast, and am not on any big fitness trip. In fact very often have to cajole, plead and push my body to cooperate. I am not fearless, on the contrary have never been a fan of bungee jumps and the likes because of fear of getting hurt, and am also not in a space where I want to prove something. So why would I spend 10 days of my annual leave away from my family, climb 180 feet mountain 3 times a day with 15kg of equipment on my back??

Because it was my dream to fly? Yes, partly...but more because I love nature, and have a relationship with it.  And am a little selfish when it comes to romancing nature…i have , ‘my ‘ mountain when I drive in Konkan ghats’ , my little waterfall point which I wave to on way  to Pune in rains…potted plants who I think reflect my moods, and flowers which look at me  smilingly from the vase on my dining table. Sounds freaky? But really, I tune in to all things natural and find my peace. So, wanting to befriend the sky and letting the wind hold me has been on my mind for a long time.  This year, I did it! I went for a paragliding course at Temple Pilots  in Kamshet area, www.templepilots.com . It is just 2.5 hours away from Mumbai, and I wonder why it took me over 10 years to make that distance!

10 days of training with Temple Pilots taught me not just basics of Paragliding, but also life lessons which have and will continue to alter my perspective in many ways.  I did 19 flights , 17 solo and 2 Tandem flights, over 90 minutes of flying time.  Even as I write it, am awestruck that it really happened. My life is now divided into BF and AF…Before flying and After flying!!

 

The super cool Instructors , me and Agraj a fellow pilot

Amazing Avi & Anita and me beaming with my certificate!

 

In our working lives, we specialize in our area of expertise and start doing well and succeeding a little too often,  because we have figured it out, and reduced most chances of failure. We become smug and I dare say a little arrogant. During my Paragliding training, I was far far away from my comfort zone , where I don't know anything, and in fact am actually falling short of the requirements. Afraid of failing and my confidence shaky, am reminded to be humble!  There are many things I don't know and being humble, open and respectful to new knowledge keeps arrogance in check!

The second thing I learnt was to follow discipline. Be on time, Carry your own equipment, come back and make sure you are there for the debrief, put back your cups, plates etc .  It was never enforced but followed by Temple pilots’ team in a way that you didn't feel good not following it. This gave a certain rhythm to the day and helped me stay focused and committed.  Just having a goal is not enough; you need to have an invisible rhythm to take you through.

Flying taught me that it is important to be calm and think before making decisions, but not overthink!  So think over, not over think! Of course while you are learning, most decisions are made by your instructor, but you are taught the importance of making split second decisions while being calm.

And listening to instructions also means you need to have sharp reflexes and respond on time. The voice guiding me with instructions became like a voice in my head.

It taught me to trust another (your instructor, who you have known for all of 3 days!), in today’s day and age where Trust is a rare and treasured emotion, I felt it every single day I flew.  Took time to recognize the emotion, but once I did, It felt good...really good.

When air borne, the feeling is special, very special. Ofcourse I was afraid , and when descending I feel the pull of gravity and it makes me very nervous. But that moment when you take off and feel the wind lifting you in its arms is magical.

Being able to fly a glider is a special experience, close to nature, like a bird. No machines, motors or consoles, just an alert mind, agile body and a soul willing to fly!

 I wish to express my gratitude to Avi , Anita and the team , Ganesh, Ankush , Jitu , Ganpat , Sachin, Vikas  , Akash and Santosh. Thank you for your patience, motivation and can do spirit, thank you for the wings !!

Avi and Anita, I am in awe! Not just with your passion towards Paragliding, but also with the way you are infusing that passion into others and providing world class training, infrastructure and creating a community! The positive energy at the base is palpable and I have carried it back with me J Power to you both!

 

 

 



Getting ready ! Photo courtesy : Kanan Thakur

Taken off! Photo courtesy :Kanan Thakur

Into the wind! photo courtesy : Kanan Thakur

Up in the sky! Photo Courtesy: Kanan Thakur