Thursday, April 3, 2025

Shillong Jottings

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The great playground hunt
The city that has everything… except enough playgrounds. You know, for the kids who don’t exactly find joy in dodging moving cars or racing across narrow lanes like it’s a mini obstacle course. The closest thing to a playground here is probably the sidewalk — perfect for a game of ‘Avoid the bicycle!’ or ‘How quickly can you jump out of the way of a speeding vehicle?’
Sure, there are a few open fields, but calling them “playgrounds” is like calling a slingshot a missile launcher.
Meanwhile, the adults of Shillong get cozy at their coffee shops, sip on overpriced lattes, and debate the best way to avoid traffic. While the kids are just trying to find enough space to kick a ball without causing a minor traffic incident. How about turning some of that unused space into real playgrounds? Maybe less traffic, more swings. It’s a novel concept, but worth a try.

Footpaths for the healthy and the happily involved
The footpaths are a mystery in the city Narrow enough to give anyone a sense of claustrophobia, they’re more of a suggestion than an actual walking space.
If you happen to be walking with a friend, be prepared for a slow-motion waltz and people trying to squeeze by. But, heaven help you if you’re someone who enjoys an extra serving of biryani because the footpath in Shillong was clearly designed for the perfectly svelte and single.
And while we understand the narrow roads, should footpaths really be designed like they were after an argument with practicality? Maybe it’s time for the footpaths to stop being a test of agility and become something that accommodates real-life walking.

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