Gurgaon’s early risers

“For Nanao,the walk is more like an adventure,” says her mother Anushree,a development professional with an international NGO.

According to Sehba Imam,the founder of LWG,the walk is all about exploration. “The group which goes on dedicated walks comprises avid walkers from all age groups. We walk for the joy of walking and during these walks we also discover parts of Gurgaon which we generally tend to miss in our busy lives. Covering distances like 8 km is not tough when we walk together,sharing stories and making friends,” says Imam. Members of the LWG explore areas in and around the Aravalli,nearby jungles,hills,lakes and biodiversity parks.

The walks are held every Wednesday and Saturday around 4.45 am. The destination of the walk is announced on LWG’s Facebook page. On an average,30 people turn up for the walks. Recently,the LWG also started full moon walks. For the last full moon walk on May 17,60 people turned up. “We never expected this number. This shows how much people are starved for outdoor space,” says Imam,who started the group last June.

“I could have never done it alone,but walking 8-10 km in a group is great fun. I feel more healthy now,” says Shomik Ghosh,an IT professional with IBM,who gave up his Friday night parties so that he could turn up early on Saturdays.

Some of the memorable walks have been a 23-km walk from Qutub Minar to Mughal Gardens and a 20-km walk along the Metro line—from Huda City Centre to Qutub Minar on the coldest day in January.

“We are so engrossed in our lives that we almost forget that outside the four walls of our office and home there exists a beautiful world of which we are oblivious,” says Imam. This no-cost activity is also a means of socialising and meeting like-minded people,adds Imam.

For stock investor Achal Khaneja (45) the walks have opened a new horizon. “Before joining the LWG,my walks were confined to roads and nearby parks,but now my walking zone includes beautiful villages,forests and green pastures. I was surprised to see the beautiful parts of my city which are eclipsed by concretisation,” says Khaneja.

Anumeha Srivastava,an IT professional with Siemens,agrees. “These walks have given me a life beyond my office,” she says.