Shooting the breeze during summer

Summer is here and as the heat climbs up, denizens of the concrete jungle take refuge inside buildings and in the shade of the remaining green cover in the city during the day. Come evenings, they make a beeline for the few open spaces in the city and its outskirts to make the most of the time when there is some respite from the sun. As dusk paints the skies in vivid shades, these open spaces are packed with families and children enjoying the summer vacation. Here are some of the open spaces where residents hang out to catch the breeze to shoot the breeze.

Museum grounds

The green expanse of the Napier Museum in the heart of the city draws residents of all ages to its beautiful gardens. While walkers from different walks of life go around the garden for their evening constitutional, children have a ball at the small park on the ground. Senior citizens, youngsters, couples and breeze-seekers lounge around on the ornate steps leading to the museum building, on the garden chairs around the bandstand and the lawns. For decades now, visitors to the museum have been listening to All India Radio’s broadcast between 5 pm and 9.30 pm. That continues even now. As the lights are switched on, the lines of the gracious buildings can been seen.

Kanakakunnu Palace grounds

Usually busy with events and programmes, the landscaped grounds of Kanakakunnu Palace are hard to resist if you are on the lookout to watch the night skies or merely watch the world go by. Although closed to the public if there is a high-profile event on the premises, the elevated grounds of the Palace are unbeatable if all you want is to enjoy the open air and the bright lights of the traffic zipping by on the road.

Shangumugham beach

By dusk, you should be lucky to find a space to park yourself on the beach. Packed with tourists and residents, the beach seems to be the most popular place in the city to enjoy the summer evenings. Vendors galore sell a variety of eats and toys. Although, sadly, the beach is not very well-lit despite its obvious popularity, people still hang around till it is dark. But by 9 pm, when beaches in many metros come alive, the Shangumugham beach becomes deserted. If only the authorities concerned would make it a safer and cleaner place with brighter lights, it would become the place to be in the city.

Akkamma Cherian Park

Near the Raj Bhavan at Kowdiar, it got a much-needed facelift recently. It was renovated by a group of students of the nearby Christ Nagar School. Once the sun goes down, the place gets filled with people. While children play on the slides and swings, their parents get a break while senior citizens and youngsters lounge on the garden chairs. A radio playing in the background adds to the festivities even as traffic eddies around on the main road.

Do you know of open places in the city where denizens of the city congregate. Tell us at metroplustvm@gmail.com