Nimble or flat, foot matters most

An allusion to the word ‘feet’ also occurs in an amazing range of other situations in life. The legendary Telugu revolutionary poet, Sri Sri, once remarked that no subject is too insignificant for poetry, even such trivial things as mastic, a bar of soap or a puppy fit in. I had not the privilege of knowing him personally. Had that been the case, however, I would have urged him to add the subject ‘feet’ not only for the reasons referred to last week, but also because of what follows.

The expression foothills, for example, refer to the gradual increase in elevation at the base of a mountain range. The village Alipiri is situated near Tirupati at the piedmont of the Seven Hills, on the last of which, Venkatadri is the hill town of Tirumala, where the temple of Lord Venkateswara, also known as Balaji, lies. I had the good fortune to climb up to that hill on foot several times. The deity’s feet are to be found in a place 4 km away from the temple. Srivari Paadalu (also called Tirupada - holy feet of the Lord) are located at the highest point of the hill. According to ‘SthalaPurana’, or the religious history associated with the place, that is where Lord Venkateswara first set his foot on Earth.

The manner in which one moves one’s feet, or footwork, has a primary role to play in sports and games such as boxing, cricket and football. As they do also in dancing. To be nimble footed, or to possess the ability to move feet in an agile and swift manner, is of the essence when responding not only to sudden danger but also new opportunities in life.

If one is a henpecked type of husband, harassed no end by the wife, but has the courage of conviction to refuse to budge on a given issue, then the shoe is now on the other foot. If you are a taskmaster, usually known as a type ‘A’ person, who simply does not believe in wasting time, you are the kind who will not let grass grow under your feet. If one is a horse breeder, and has entered a horse in a race, which makes a vigorous start, taking an early lead over the others, then it has shown early foot.

If you are rushing to a place to keep an appointment in time, you are going there hotfoot. If you had fallen sick, but have recovered enough to be able to move about you are back on your feet.

If one is overweight and, though normally picky and choosy about what to eat, cannot resist sweets, then having a sweet tooth is his or her Achilles heel or, feet of clay. If a friend and you have lunched on a footlong subway sandwich and you are unexpectedly asked to pay for it, you are having to foot the bill reluctantly. If a friend has called you to dinner at his place, and you cannot afford the taxi charges or even the bus fare, you are forced to foot the distance. If you have just returned from a holiday and have to catch up with pending work in the office, you ask your assistants to bring you quickly to speed, so that you can hit the ground running.

The expression first foot is also associated with superstition. For example one would want the first person one meets, starting out on a day of an important occasion, to bring good luck.

One should, therefore, be wary of restlessness or stress causing excessive burden on the feet, and ensure that they get enough attention and rest. Good foot health is essential for a person to lead a healthy and happy life.

Footwear is the first line of defense against the wear and tear of an active lifelong lifestyle. Proper footwear provides not only protection, but helps one maintain balance and posture and prevent falls. It also helps prevent conditions such as bunions, plantar fasciitis and calluses.

Footwear can also often serve aggressive purposes such as, in a figurative sense, to boot someone out, or force that person to leave a job. And, to use a common figure of speech, a person is said to have been kicked upstairs when promoted to a higher, but less desirable, position, especially with less authority. Likewise, to kick in refers to the coming into effect, or operation, of something, or the contribution of some effort or money.

There are many other usages, to which the word foot lends itself. They include one foot, which is a measure of length or distance, often measured by a foot rule, and a footer or footnote which is a bit of printed text at the very bottom of a page in a book. The number of people entering a shop, or a commercial establishment, during a given period of time, which is called the footfall associated with that place.

It is a sign of wisdom, and maturity, to be cautious, before embarking upon a fresh task, which is possibly adventurous, and fraught with some risk. In such a situation, one is well advised to test the waters before getting one’s feet wet, to ascertain the likelihood of success.

Life itself has been perceived by philosophers, and poets, as a series of imprints made by feet in the sands of time. The immortal poet, Longfellow, in his popular poem A Psalm of Life’, uses the expression ‘Footprints on the Sands of Time’. The message being conveyed by the poet is that while human beings are mortal, they can leave footprints for succeeding generations and that there is life after death. The symbolic meaning is that actions and achievements of persons in life leave an imprint that can inspire and guide future generations.

The two feet also have a special significance in terms of the characteristics of persons and their spiritual inclinations. Feet are also seen as a symbol of enlightenment. It is said that God’s ‘Lotus Feet’ are spiritual wisdom itself, or pure consciousness, the very support of the Soul. The feet of a spiritual master are also considered lotus feet and by touching the feet of a spiritual master, a transfer of spiritual knowledge and joy can be obtained. From a spiritual perspective, washing of feet is also practiced in many spiritual traditions. Assigning to Gods and Goddesses’ forms with limbs, and other organs, resembling those of humans and animals, is common in the Hindu religion. The feet of deities are regarded as holy and worshipped with reverence.

And, while on the subject of feet, I recall how I would avoid wasting my time on footling, or silly and trivial matters, in order to be able to concentrate on matters of importance and urgency.

One might, finally, develop cold feet, if suddenly asked to perform a task for which one was prepared, but asked to do so earlier than expected. When it is Wednesday with my article for the weekly column due on Thursday and I find I have yet to begin working on it, I often get cold feet when the editor calls me up!

And please don’t ask me how much research has gone into the writing of this article. Research? My foot!

(The writer is formerly Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh)