Archives - Question of Cities

Walking with the trees of Mumbai, their fragrance and taste in tow

The Mahua tree helped Indians survive two famines, the imported – yes, imported – Gulmohar has buttress roots that grow at right angles, the Rain Tree grows in silos, then there are Arjun, Putranjiva, Pongam, Fish Tail, Kumkum Phal and…

When did we last hear what trees are telling us?

Trees are service providers to us, they perform necessary ecological functions, and they are among sturdy climate warriors there can be in a world dealing with climate change extremes. Adaptation is not something only human beings do in the climate…

A community of trees as a social network of greens

While a single tree, especially old and heritage ones like the khirni tree in Delhi or the Baobab in Mumbai’s Bandra, is priceless, a community of trees is what makes the urban green cover vibrant and self-sustaining. The roots of…

Walking for trees, for the love of trees, in Thiruvananthapuram

A botanist’s daughter and early tree activist tells the story of starting the Tree Walk to preserve the city’s green heritage. Alongside more than 100 walks since 2012, Tree Walk has evolved into a multi-pronged action group. It sees trees…

Tree warriors of Thane and Navi Mumbai on their toes

Activists and environmentalists in these cities, off the Mumbai harbour, have intensified their fight to save trees from being cut for construction or choked by cement. The planned city of Navi Mumbai with its lush green nodes has turned into…

Tree lessons from the world for sustainable cities

From the Library of Trees in Milan to the Master Plan for Barcelona’s trees 2017-2037 at the centre of local policies, from green roofs in Copenhagen and Toronto to Soeul’s winding tree paths, cities around the world are finding ways…

Three trends in cities we will closely watch in 2025

As curtains come down on 2024, the hottest year on record, building sustainable cities has become more urgent than ever. What kinds of cities are being built across India as urbanisation picks up pace? What core ideas inform urban development?…

Gender-walking through Kolkata to reimagine a better city for all

Can walking around a city as women and other genders make it accessible and safer? Can a city be ungendered and welcoming of all? Kolkata’s Gender Community Walks have been getting students, professors, researchers and other professionals to walk in…

‘The Republic of Dhobi Talao’ with filmmaker Rafeeq Ellias

It rarely makes it to the chronicles and tourist guides of south Mumbai but Dhobi Talao is a world unto itself — a mix of communities, spaces, old buildings and ways of life, and a smorgasbord of food served in…

Meandering through
a non-touristy less-known Gangtok

The picturesque town nestled along the majestic Himalayas houses century-old colonial buildings and bungalows which people often miss. The Gangtok Walk takes participants on this tour showing buildings that appear ordinary but are steeped in layers of history. The walk…