Why I Decided to Walk
I had done enough marathons and ultras many years back. Then tried my hands (sorry legs ) in cycling for a couple of years. But in the recent past, I had moved into something slower, something quietly radical - Walking. It is simple. It is slow. And yet, somehow, it becomes an act of your daily routine. For me, deciding to walk was initially just about covering a distance but slowly it grew into me.
Then came this seed of an idea. A seed planted by Lt Gen Anil Puri, a childhood friend. On 15th March 2025, I was added to a WhatsApp group of 60+ year olds — Echoes of Dandi: Reliving History, One Step at a Time. Nearly nine months later, an iconic walk was being planned. My heart jumped for a second and then said — why not? For me, when I thought of Gandhi’s Dandi March, it had been just a march to the sea. I was born in free India and not very keen on understanding history. But as I got absorbed in the activities of the group and started reading up on the Salt Satyagraha march, I realised that it had been a march towards a principle. A principle that said: Even the smallest acts can become the loudest voices against injustice. That salt, the commonest and the only inorganic material consumed by man, of all things, could become a symbol of freedom. Suddenly, our march was about stepping into a historical story, retracing footsteps of common people who reshaped history and finally testing my own limits - physical and mental.
Over the past six months, the idea germinated and grew. Initially, there was huge self doubt. "Have I bitten more than I could chew?" But slowly like the tide, it became a thought I could no longer ignore. To walk nearly 400 kilometres is to walk with intention. To walk with a question in my heart: Why? What is the purpose of this walk for me? And to search for an answer along the way.
Anil, his wife, Dr Sonya who is herself an Army Colonel, Ashish ( a money guru) and I went for a recce along the route in early August and that’s when I feel the idea cemented itself into me. This walk had to be done. Looking at the route, the places to stay, people to connect with, it was all exhilarating in itself. We started organising talks - Col Avdhesh, a ChiWalking specialist, Kajal, a Yoga teacher, Ingit, an ultra marathon man and his pretty nutritionist wife Shailly, took us through the various steps to look after body, mind and spirit during this planned walk.
Then came the practices. Walking 5 kms is good but as the distances increased to 10 and later 15 kms and further to 20 kms, parts of the body which I did not know existed, started paining. That is when the combined knowledge and support of the group came into play. What types of clothes to wear, what to carry, how much water to drink, what type of shoes to wear, how to walk safely on main roads, what kind of food to consume…. The list was endless. But each point was meant to direct me to the ultimate goal - The Dandi March.
For me, this walk is more than the physical journey from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi. It is a journey of my slightly out of shape body, a strong mind and yes supported by a great sense of humour. I know there will be moments of struggle, doubt and unexpected joy - before, during and after the walk. This is why I decided to write — to capture those moments, to share them with those who cannot walk beside me, and perhaps, to invite them along anyway.
This is my personal chronicle on the Road to Dandi. These are my reflections, missteps, and musings from the road — from preparations to the final step when I hope to be able to pick up a fistful of black sand filled with salt at the Dandi beach. Each part of this series captures a moment of discovery, lightness, and learning along the way.
I may not be able to acknowledge everyone who has been cheering me along my way and would continue to - but there are many. I hope to remember each one as I pen down my thoughts. This is where it begins — not at the first step in the walk but at the decision to take that first step.
So, here I go — not just walking, but striding with a swag and probably, a purpose, a pinch of salt in my water bottle, and a whole lot of humour which you can take with a pinch of salt too :-). After all, if Gandhiji could march with a purpose for miles, surely I can manage a few steps with a smile.
And nothing says it better, whether for life or for a march than the succinct phrase that symbolizes progress, perseverance, and the journey forward. The phrase from Johnnie Walker Whisky (which Gandhiji might have frowned upon).
“Keep Walking”
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I will be adding the link to the entire list of Dandi chronicles as I keep writing. Read on!!
The Unsalted Truth #1 - From Dandy to Dandi
The Unsalted Truth #2 - Self Talk and Moun
The Unsalted Truth #3 - Visibility vs Vanity
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