On a day when the maximum temperature was above 40 degrees C, some enthusiastic parents of kids in Aadyaa’s class decided to get together for a picnic. I must admit I considered the scheme rather addle brained and I wondered who would turn up!
As evening approached, I realised I wanted to go. These kids miss their friends during the long summer vacations and if anyone was taking the initiative to help them meet up, it was fair to attend .
And so we trudged to Gurgaon’s Rajiv Gandhi Renewable Energy Park, set in a green belt known as Leisure Valley and better known for its eatery Roots Cafe that serves a sumptuous veggie fare. Despite the heat, which gave way to a violent dust storm, which turned into a squall and finally ended in a bit if welcome pitter patter, there were a few hundred families all gathered to enjoy the open space and exercise, from a variety of backgrounds. In half an hour, we saw our kids make new friends cutting across the usual social barriers of class and income. We saw families spending quality time, parents and children discovering new challenges and overcoming them together on the various play equipment. Clean air, healthy lifestyle, the experience of a vibrant public space, unfortunately, elements often absent from the lives of our privileged protected kids! If anyone needed proof about why green open public spaces are a city’s best asset, here it is!