Green is the colour of renewal, rebirth, calm, and surrounding yourself with its soothing shades can help alleviate depression, anxiety and stress.

What are green lungs in the city?
Green lungs are forests, parks or any vegetated land, grassy area, playing fields or water within or adjoining an urban area that help make neighbourhoods attractive places where people want to live and work because they provide a healthier environment and calming influence.
– Malaysian Nature Society (MNS)

Technology is a devil—we can’t live with it and we can’t live wihtout it. However, staying cooped up in front of the computer or being glued to the phone is not the best solution for a healthy, energised you. Experts have cited the benefits of being in Nature where green is in abundance. Our foreftahers knew this and people suffering from chronic diseases were always advised a change to a calmer, greener location.

I try and spend at least 3-4 hours in the outdoors every week, either by walking or just reading and exercising. Some weeks, I am able to spend more, but even a daily 15-miute walk or absorbing the green is enough to revilatise for a few hours in the day.  Plants, shrubs, birds, bees, animals all make up this green walk. Experts call this forest bathing and help you shift your focus from low energy to high energy.

Sometimes, I see peacocks; most days I see parrots, doves, sparrows, bee eaters, sunbirds, mynas, ladybugs, squirrels, crows, kites, hoopoes, pigeons and more species I don’t know the names of.

I smell the fragrance of green shrubs that I walk past.I soak in the scents of jasmines, oleanders, cinquefoils, marigolds, poppies, hibiscus and more. The heady fragrance of the Rangoon Creeper is my favourite.

Nature fills us with the same colours and freshness that it has.  We breathe better and when we breathe better, the blood flow is better. When we are regularly surrounded by green, the oxygen levels are better, our lungs work better, we don’t have stagnant energy and we also learn lessons of harmony by observing the ecosystem.

My choice of an outing is a city park or a long stretch of green land, even the farming land helps me feel better. The best part—most of them have free entry. Here’s a list of parks, I have explored in Delhi-NCR:

Noida Biodiversity Park, Sector 137

This is my go to space for evening walks. Filled with birds, flowers, a celestial garden and walkways, this garden is heaven in the midst of high rises on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. It’s filled with students and couples, joggers, walkers and families. On weekends, the avian friends do stick to the neighbouring shrubs and trees as human invaders scare them off.

Entry: Free

Rose Garden, Sector 15A, Noida

This is at the entrance of Noida. It is not so well kept now, but is a nice place to sit down and enjoy picnics. It could do with some cleaning though.

Entry: Free

Surajpur Bird Sanctuary, Greater Noida

This wetland is surrounded by manufacturing units and could do with more isolation and space. It is home to many migratory birds, even the beautiful Saras Crane. Butterflies and greenery make this a fine walk.

Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, Delhi

I was introduced to this during a volunteer cleaning drive on World Environment Day. It houses a Conservation Education Centre run by the Bombay Natural History Society, which conducts many interesting programmes on weekends. I have attended one on snake day, butterfly month, tree planting.  They have recently introduced a drive as well. There are over 193 bird species, 80 species of butterflies and a variety of mammals here. Jackals hyenas, leopards, snakes, lizards and more have been spotted here. Different tree species such as Inderjao, Dhok, Kadamba and Jaand can also be seen.  

This is a ticketed sanctuary with a parking. It covers 32.71 sq km area on the Southern Delhi Ridge of Aravalli hill range on Delhi-Haryana border. It falls in Southern Delhi as well as northern parts of Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana state.

Entry: Rs 100

Lodhi Gardens, New Delhi

Located in the posh southern part of Delhi, this is very popular with walkers and families. It has many varieities of trees and plants and the tombs from the Lodi Dynasty. Spread over 90 acres, it was known as Lady Willingdon Park during the British period. It houses fountains and swans too.

Entry: Free

Deer Park, Hauz Khas , New Delhi

I  would go to this in the afternoons, when I worked in the neighbourhood there. It is also known as Aditya Nath Jha Park, after the social worker. It is connected with District Park  that houses the Hauz Khas lake and Rose Garden accessible from IIT Delhi and Safdarjung Development Area. This makes up one of the largest green areas in Delhi.  

The Park has four distinct sections: Rose Garden, Deer Park, Fountain & District Park, Old Monuments and Hauz Khas Art Market.  A large enclosure houses the deers.  It used to have an open-air gym as well.  

Walka round slowly to see the Munda Gumbad built by Alauddin Khilji of the Khilji dynasty in 1295 AD.  

Entry: Free

Garden Of Five Senses, Saidul Ajaib, New Delhi

I haven’t explored this park properly and would be going again. But it’s a very popular place for events and flower shows. Based on the theme of stimualting the five senses, it has thematic sections such as the Herb Garden, Water-Lily Pools, and Solar Energy Park.

Entry: Rs 30

Jahanpanah City Forest, New Delhi

I went to this park to practice my photography skills here. Spread over 445 acres, is is close to Greater Kailash II, Tughlakabad Extension and Chirag Delhi. It has well maintained flora, properly marked walking trails and is home to peacocks and antelopes.  

Entry : Free

Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi

Located in the posh diplomatic enclave Chanakyapuri, Nehru Park is home to a vast number of flora and fauna. It has designated walkways, playground for children and well-maintained lawns.

Entry: Free

Parks I plan to go to

Sunder Nursery, Delhi
Central Park, Connaught Place, New Delhi
National Rose Garden, Chanakyapuri. New Delhi
Green Patch From Subroto Park To Karol Bagh, Delhi
Yamuna Biodiversity Park, Delhi
Popularly known as the ‘Bonta Park,’ Kamla Nehru Ridge, near North Campus., Delhi University.
Sanjay Van, Delhi
Buddha Park, Delhi
Aviary, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi
Indraorastha Park, Delhi
Aravali Biodiversity Park, Gurgaon
Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Noida
Mangar Bani, Faridabad

Read about Amrit Udayan or the Mughal Gaderns in Rashtrapti Bhawan here.

Keep the parks clean

Carry a garbage bag
Wear suitable shoes
Take a camera to capture the beauty
Do not pluck flowers and leaves
Do not disturb the birds and the animals
Do not play loud music
Do not park your car on the road
Do not walk with shoes on the grass and flower beds

This blog post is part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023 challenge.

Read previous posts A, B, C,  D, E, F