Remember reggae legend Bob Marley’s song “Concrete Jungle” from the 1970’s Catch a Fire album by The Wailers band? The trailblazing Jamaican singer, musician and songwriter’s evocative song is somewhere a reflection of the way our cities are being ripped of their distinct characters. The phrase “concrete jungle” has become the identity of urban spaces ever since commercial misappropriation and unplanned urbanization began replacing sensible town/city planning. This is simply not how it ought to be. We, as city-dwellers, are today made to believe that living in urban areas implies “sacrificing” open spaces, clean air, green cover and a good quality of life, holistically speaking. It’s just a false notion created to shroud lack of political will, red tapism and uncontrolled commercial exploitation.
It is these small, open grounds in the middle of residential and public places that have always been the backyard nurseries for the likes of junior Sachin Tendulkar and Bhaichung Bhutia to hone their skills and get handson training at dawns and dusks. These grounds are indeed the lungs of any city that not only provide its people with breathing spaces but also offer a sustainable, inclusive and accessible means of healthy recreational choices for one and all.
While the importance of such spaces can be felt in our everyday lives at any given point of time, it was the post-pandemic world that made us value their worth the most. At the peak of lockdowns when people were isolated from their usual social, professional, personal and recreational circles, it is these all-time open grounds in the backyard that suddenly emerged from the dust of oblivion. Masked faces took to these humble recreational spots to breathe fresh air and to stay sane while they were beginning to grapple with the new normal.
Hopefully the new world should make us all the more sensitized to the need for open grounds, instead of seeing every inch of space and square yard of land as an opportunity to mint money.