Raahgiri day has been halted due to COVID-19 restrictions since early 2019, but it will be reopening this week, Sunday the 5th of September from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. For those you who have forgotten (and for the few unaware in the first place), Raahgiri day is an event wherein major streets are closed to all automobiles and are instead repurposed toward recreational and community leisure activities. It was launched initially in Gurgaon in November of 2013 but was eventually adopted by many of the major cities.
With the coming of age of the COVID-conscious world – with lockdowns and social distancing procedures, Raahgiri was forced to take a short break. For those still unsure about its reopening, this article is for you.
Being stuck at home is no treat, but it is something that we as a community are getting used to. Combine work-from-home procedures with a lack of desire to go out for safety reasons, we’ve creeped into a level of dormancy that must be seen as unhealthy. A recent Mayo Clinic article highlighted a few low-risk ways to move more, and the activities included walking, running, biking and fitness classes, all of which can be done in groups too, as long as the required social distance is maintained.
These are some of the most loved activities on Raahgiri Day.
Participation in Games(Children and adults participating in games, art and exercise, while simultaneously engaging in a dialogue for a better future for all)
Being outside and active not only has its physical benefits but has several emotional boosts too – it can help you feel less tense, angry, and depressed (emotions we’ve toggled with far too much recently). This can be especially important when it comes to our younger population. Children today are already exposed to the internet and social media. Combine that with online classes and a lack of physical activity, and it spells out a recipe for disaster. Raahgiri day provides a truly wonderful outlet for them to be physically and mentally healthier and happier, the feeling of a return to normalcy.
COVID-19 has been a truly ruthless experience for many but it’s important to recognise the impact that it has had beyond just cases and deaths. Whilst it’s difficult to extract positives from the pandemic, one area that has seen improvement because of it is the level of air pollution in the city. Recent research by scientists from the University of Southampton (U.K.) and Central University for Jharkhand (India) revealed significant reduction in NO2 levels and a general improvement in air quality levels across the major urban areas in India.
What does this mean? COVID has shown us the blue sky and clean air again and it’s important we recognise this moving forward. Reviving Raahgiri day gives us the opportunity to build this city back in a better way – in a way where our children can grow up in a cleaner, and more inclusive city.
A study conducted by Honey-Rosés et al., 2020 found that there is a clear argument to be made that to effectively facilitate social distancing in the time of a pandemic, cities need to allocate more resources to open/public spaces. This would require redesigning our streets to accommodate the needs of pedestrians and cyclists better. Additionally, to provide ample green and open space to adhere to the exercise and recreation needs of the citizens.
Raahgiri day has always had and served this purpose, even before the arrival of the pandemic. The only difference now is that you can’t shake hands with or high-five a stranger you meet there.
Raahgiri day has been acknowledged as a proven method to raise support for multi-modal streets and promoting active lifestyles through the environment it has built. At its core, Raahgiri works to enhance our sense of community – the idea that it’s not led by someone or an entity but that it is owned and appreciated by all. Enhancing this sense of community and subsequently enhancing the level of social engagement are effective in creating networks of mutual support that in the long run have the ability to have an effect on social policy (Mendes, 2020).
Raahgiri-Day-Brings People Together
(Raahgiri Day brings people together in a space of joy, play and celebration of social life, to become a threshold for development that is FOR the people, BY the people)
You can come for Raahgiri Day because it is safe. You should come for Raahgiri day because it’s fun, and a great breakaway from the ‘work-from-home’ and ‘online class’ life we have all become so used to.
The pandemic has held us back for a long time, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. It’s therefore essential to re-build people’s confidence to step out safely, and to continue to pursue and push for more access to open spaces, and better street safety.