Together We Can...

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Somewhere in Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand: Thighs shouting for rest,feet praying for warm water and back saying no to the weight of the backpack- our group, trudged on the endless trek. We had embarked on a 30 odd kilometer trek, right in the heart of the tiger infested area. The journey was onerous, fun filled yet arduous- and on we went!
The trek was fun (at the start), with loud chorus of “Jai Mata di” reverberating through the jungle walls. Backpacks on, a suitable stick taken from the jungle floor as the support and mobile phones out (selfie le le rey), the journey started. On we went, the rigor of youth rearing its head, making us cover long distance in a short span of time. It was an hour later, when Lady Fatigue started rearing her head.
So with the initial zest ebbing away, tired thighs and sore fingers started coming up. Two from our group (and mind you, 20 something young lads) were the first to start mumbling. A while later, post lunch, most of the group were starting to feel the heat of the moment- the backpack suddenly started feeling heavier, legs started to bite and the morale started to go down. Faces starting to fall and me (the organizer) started to worry about the distance left in the trek. However, a new lesson was in store for me very soon.
It was during this time that I actually understood the whole point of these fancy named, “team building workshops” and why the corporates are spending huge bucks on this. It is quite simple- When the chips are down, people step up. So we had one guy carrying the bags of two, another guiding a team mate with a broken shoe, while another was shadowing a member with a recovering muscle cramp. Everyone assumed a particular role- someone keeping the mood light (me with my PJs of course), someone being the guiding light and someone making sure the group was together. The word “team” really sunk in- acquaintances turned into momentary friends, all uniting for the common goal.


We spent the night in tents- gazing with wonder at the millions of stars visible (pollution free sky for a change), slightly wary of the wild beasts around us. Up next were team building exercises- ladder climbing, Burma Bridge etc. It was here that I realized the true power of motivation and team work. Imagine yourself fighting against your will to haul yourself on a web of tires- with no leverage apart from your own strength. Many from the group would not have done it without the support of the people who were below- shouting words of encouragement, advice and courage to complete the tasks. Many a times a member decided to give up- who wasn’t allowed to by the people below him!


Teams, as we have heard a number of times, can lead you to victory. There will be exemplary individuals, with their own shades of brilliance, but when many such individuals coalesce together into a team, that’s when you feel the real strength. The cause may or may not be important, but the support and bonding makes you believe in the power of being one!


Go, build your own team- it will be worth the pain!




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