From Dhamma Walk to Drama Walk

A short story by Suhani Kumari

B.A. English, Semester (ii)

Nava Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda

13th December was not an ordinary day for us. Our college had organised a “Dhamma Walk” from Jethiyan to Rajgir, an annual event inspired by the path shown by lord Buddha to spread the message of peace. Since it was our first year in college, excitement had already filled the air a week before the trip. Seniors had told us countless stories about how enjoyable and memorable this day would be, so expectations were naturally high. It was supposed to be a peaceful walk, but for our group, it slowly turned into a full-on drama walk. 

     For once, this trip felt like freedom----- Unlike usual days when we made excuses for extra classes just to spend an hour with friends. This time, we were getting a whole day officially together. We discussed outfits, packed snacks and most importantly, the mission to sit together on the bus, then waited eagerly for the day to come. 

    Miracles do happen. I woke up at 6 a.m. without the alarm, shocking myself more than my friends. I got ready quickly and called my friend Anamika, who usually arrives before me. But that day, roles were reversed. When I called her while leaving, she calmly said, “Main abhi nahayi bhi nahi hun”. Perfect start. 

    After what felt like a never-ending auto ride at turtle speed, we reached the college campus late ( as usual), and we rushed to the bus to save seats like it was a life-or-death situation. We managed to save almost all seats, except one, which created unnecessary seat-sharing drama. Meanwhile, our friend Piyush was still missing. He had overslept and was nowhere near the campus. 

    Before he could even step out, the bus started moving. When he later asked if the bus could stop, we helplessly replied, “Faculty ke saamne impossible hai”. That was the first moment of tension, but we assured him that we would wait ahead. As the journey continued, the whole bus turned into a festival. Seniors started singing, Lucky began reciting shayari, laughter echoed everywhere, and I captured every moment on my camera like a documentary filmmaker. 

At Jethiyan, excitement was back on track. Group photos, cute children dancing on the stage, monks giving lectures, and foreigners clicking pictures with us made us feel like celebrities. When Piyush finally arrived, we felt like the Avengers were finally complete. 

    The walk started with full energy…which lasted exactly three kilometres. Our confident shattered when a senior confirmed to us that we had walked only 3km, not half the distance as we believed. Internally, everyone screamed “Noooooooo!!” 

    As fatigue increased, some friends magically appeared in auto. At first, I thought they had abandoned me, but thankfully, they picked me up,  too. After reaching the glass bridge, our biggest genius plan was to secretly board a tourist bus. Sadly, a senior overheard us and loudly announced our plan in front of the guards----and then left himself in an ambulance. Betrayal level:100. 

    This became the main conflict of the story. Evening was approaching, we still had 7 km left, no seniors around, and fear slowly crept in. Relief came when a professor and a helper appeared from behind. Still, exhaustion pushed us to make a bold decision- staging a fake medical emergency, and suddenly everyone became professional actors. One friend pretended to faint, and others were splashing water on her dramatically, and within minutes, we were all somehow inside the ambulance, sitting on laps, water bottles, and each other. Laughing even in crisis. That ride felt like victory after a struggle. 

    Reaching Swarn Bhandar felt like winning a war. Pictures were clicked again, smiles returned, and pride was restored. At Venu Van, despite being half-dead, we still played truth or dare, proving that nothing can stop us from having fun. Everyone soaked in the last moment of the day. 

    While returning, our group was separated into different buses, and some left early. The bus we got was quiet and serious----no singing, no noise. But that silence couldn’t erase the joy of the day. Though the journey was tiring, confusing, and full of unexpected problems, it strengthened our friendship. The dhamma walk didn’t just teach us about peace- it taught us teamwork, patience, courage and memories that will stay forever. That day reminded me that the best stories aren’t the perfect ones--- they are the ones filled with struggle, laughter, and people who walk beside you till the end. From missed alarms to fake medical emergencies, the day gave us stories we’ll laugh about for years. It may have been tiring, chaotic, and slightly illegal at times----- but it was perfect. And that’s how our 15 km walk ended. 

    Looking back, the Dhamma walk never really ended at Rajgir- it followed us back to college, into our jokes, sore legs, and endless teasing. Even today, whenever someone complains about life being too hard, we remind them of the day we walked kilometres, survived on water bottles, staged a medical emergency, and still had the energy to play truth and dare. Life will always be a mix of tired feet, missed plans, and unnecessary drama----but with the right group beside you, every struggle turns into laughter and every journey becomes a memory worth smiling about. Maybe that’s the real lesson: walk through life with friends who make even the hardest days feel light.