The perks of an extended spring this year in Delhi

Temperatures in Delhi have started crossing the 40-degree Celsius mark. Nothing unexpected at this time of the year. What is surprising is the time it has taken to reach here. The weather usually starts to heat up in Delhi post-Holi in March. This year it was surprisingly pleasant all the way through March and early April, with some unexpected rainfall making the occasional evenings nippier than they have possibly ever been in previous years.

For people in the capital, this ‘extended spring’ came with quite a few perks. For starters, runners, walkers and outdoor exercise enthusiasts could stay out longer during the day and even do a mid-morning session, something previously unthinkable by this time of the year.

Music festivals, food festivals and other cultural shows and bazaars usually pack all their outdoor events into the autumn-winter period, ie, October to February. This year there were events all through March and early April, like the Aahar Food Festival in Mid- March, that also brought in extra revenue for organizers.

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Parks and heritage sites like Lodi Garden, Qutab Minar, Red Fort and the Sunder Nursery, also had people trickling in for visits, exploration and picnics till much later than they did last year. Dr Upasana makes a good comparison.

“Last year in early April I attempted to visit some monuments but regretted it deeply as I was sweating all day! This year because the peak heat had still not hit, I decided to step out for a heritage site visit to the Sunder Nursery and was amazed that I could go through it without any discomfort,” says the dentist.

The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, which maintains the Sunder Nursery, also welcomed the extra footfall. “We had 40% more visitors this year and 70% of our visitors were families,” mentions Ratish Nanda, CEO of the trust. “The extra entry tickets we sold did also result in higher revenue this year and that has really helped us towards coming up with better facilities and security.”

Lastly, even delivery agents and traffic police had it slightly easier on the road. Since they spend long hours outdoors, this extended spring was welcome. Here is hoping next spring extends itself as generously! In the meanwhile, do check out the video story for a more detailed account.

Reshil Charles, Correspondent, WION.

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