Walking in Bangalore has become definitely a dangerous pastime; one has to watch one’s step all the time or risk twisting one’s ankles in any of the numerous potholes. Then there is the fear of the traffic…from the cyclist pedalling past to the BTS bus thundering down at you, there is the permanent fear of injury or worse. One keeps wondering what inhaling all the polluted air is going to do to one’s lungs….

But….it is still so nice. I walk 5.5km each morning, trying to get out there before the traffic starts, and the calm of the dawn is so peaceful. Sometimes, if I get up a little late, I go around the mini-forest roads and then the walking and jogging tracks on the inside, and that’s a pleasure because I can listen to the beginning of birdsong.

I am happy that I am NOT adding to the pollution in the city streets.

Yesterday at about 7 pm, I walked back from JP Nagar 5th Phase via RangaShankara…and after a long time I smelt lovely champa (sampige) flowers on the air, as well as flowers like the Rangoon creeper and the Paarijaata. The cool winter air made brisk walking a thing of joy.

I love walking…I hope I am able to walk till the day I die.