These questions are mostly related to the actions I make in my day, which have a larger impact on the environment. What if we did some things differently? What if the cooperations did somethings differently? How would that bring a change to the world?

I wondered as I walked out from the grocery shop. After a three day workshop with SWISP, I was walking back to my hostel when I had the sudden urge to drink something good. So, I went into the grocery shop, picked a nice small bottle of Coconut Water, and walked out. I opened the lid, took my first sip and realised, and that’s another contribution to the giant landfill in Tughlakabad. Wait, but I was thirsty. Was it not okay to drink a little sip? No, but I could have avoided this or got something else.. A million thoughts gushed into my head when I questioned myself and said, I guess I am a climate activist now?

These words are too big for me to say out loud.

My Climate Story

I think I found my tipping point yesterday. Yesterday the entire country celebrated the most significant festival, Diwali. Diwali as I remember from my childhood was called the ‘festival of lights’, because everywhere you would see houses decorated with flowers, shops lit and beautiful with diyas. Its a festival associated with goddess Laxmi Pooja and is meant to be days of prosperity, love and ‘peace’. But yesterday I experienced the grave reality of diwali, in this regressing society. All I could see were flowers made out of plastic on sale, electronic diyas (so you don't have to make the effort of lighting each one) and fireworks. The night of Diwali was horrendous as people in my lane burst a multitude of fireworks, breathing through the toxins and harming every single being, including themselves. My entire house was filled with smoke and I saw myself sitting in a mask talking to my friend as she exclaimed, “It feels like I am talking to someone in a dystopian world.” I guess this is it? Yes, this is it.

Smoke, stubble burning it gets trapped, religious and social issue blaming each other both communities, 

Waste disposal is a huge problem 

West delhi canal problem and mosquitoes and the air is infected and the water as well. All appliances go bad in a few years and people still live there in big houses 

Traffic people drive like crazy and are stereotyped as loud angry delhi people. But there has to be agitation, the land itself has gone through so much and instead of healing its getting used up more and more and more.

Master plan and creating parks everywhere which arent public, they soon start fto ban things playing having picnics climbing trees and in the end NO PHOTOS also. 

I have an issue with everything because there is an issue with everything. Which makes the climate problem a highly complex and layered issue to be dealt with. It will not happen magically until a major catastrophe destroys a part of human civilzation and decreases the load itself.

I belong from a small city of Jalandhar in Punjab, India. I belong from the city where, when a nation-wide lockdown hit during Covid-19, within two months, we saw mountains. For the first time in my life I saw the Himalayas from my terrace with naked eyes. Punjab on the other hand comes from, Panj + Ab, the ‘land of five rivers’. Which now made me realise how climate is also part of the land I am from, makes this project more significant and personal.

My goals as a designer, who i want to be what i do etc.

MY DILEMMA

My dilemma of creating anything right now is, what value does it hold? If its a book then why a book, am i not generating more material into the world?

What is my responsibility as an artist? If I am calling myself an artist/ designer what does it mean?

While exploring the walking card, I am documenting how I feel walking through different parts of delhi. Beginning with my favourite places to go and take a stroll, I will attempt to walk through difficult- non- walkable parts of delhi.

Through this project I hope to inquire things that can make us more alive.

Why Walk?

Insights from the very first day:

I don’t think i need to talk… just simply walk with me.

I can hear my footsteps on the road when no car is nearby and its silent. Imagine what all you’d be able to hear if no cars would be there and human beings just chose to be and nothing more than that.

I could hear the leaves rustle very slightly.