As part of the annual Rainathon, around 100 participants, including 50 from Bengaluru, took part in a 23-km walk at Kolodi near Neriya in Belthangady on Saturday to experience the beauty of rain. Aapti Patwardhan, a core member of Rainathon, shared, “This rain walk is a gathering of like-minded people, mostly from Bengaluru and locals. This was the 16th rain walk, and we traverse a designated stretch without harming nature. We play in streams and fields and also undertake seed ball and sapling plantation programmes. We conduct two rain walks each year.”
Participation is open to those over eight years old, with the key rule being to not wear rain protectors or warmers. Participants must wear regular slippers instead of high-end footwear. They are provided with T-shirts and a bag containing water, salt (for leech bites), and chocolates. The cooking team supplies tea and lunch at various points during the walk. Before the rain walk, a 45-minute humanitarian assembly was held, where local achievers environmentalist Sachin Bhide and Yakshagana artist Bhujabali were felicitated.
Aapti explained, “The concept behind the event is to gift oneself a day amidst nature, fully embracing the rain without raincoats or umbrellas. It promotes mental well-being and offers a break from the chaotic life while teaching people to coexist with nature without harming it. During every rain walk, participants cover 20-30 kilometres, often in the Western Ghats stretch.” Sunil Gokhale serves as the on-ground organiser.
Rainathon was started by Kishore Patwardhan and his wife Rashmi Patwardhan, who hail from Mundaje. They also organize Flagathon, where they collect flags discarded after Independence Day in Bengaluru, and Moonathon, where participants spend a night on a farm during the full moon and participate in an art workshop.