India’s capital, Delhi, is right now the most polluted city in the world. According to a WHO report, 12 out of 22 of the world’s most polluted cities are in India. It’s a public health disaster, but it wasn’t always like this.
Winters in Delhi have always had a special appeal to me. I have grown up in its famous mist, shivering in the cold breeze. Riding on my father's scooter to Shahjahan road for chaat (Indian snacks) would be an adventure the whole family would look forward to in the winters. I don't think it was the chaat we all craved for though, it was always the freezing rides through the Lutyens Delhi - the old colonial part of Delhi.
Years later, my memories of winters revolved around long heated discussions with friends at the local chai wallah (roadside tea stall). Winter was the only thing that made Delhi stand apart from India's other sprawling cities. But now all this sounds like an old folk tale.
A lot has been said about the smog hovering over Delhi in the last few weeks. Somewhere between the blame games and television debates, I have been noticing a new trend among the younger Delhites. Like any adverse situation, smog has given them a chance to express their creativity.
I've noticed the same thing in China. We have seen some amazing work coming from Beijing over the last few years, where artists told stories of air pollution in their own unique way.
Air pollution has also reached Indians' Instagram accounts, with more and more of us talking about pollution online, making sure we don't forget these smoggy days in a weeks time. It's a sad reality that this is now becoming the new norm.
Here is a short list of few Instagram feed worth checking out:
I'd love to see the day when images like these become distant memories. For too long, pollution has blighted our skies and our lungs. Indoor and outdoor air pollution account for 1.6 million premature deaths. It's time we stand up for clean air.
Sudhanshu Malhotra is the Multimedia Editor for Asia Pacific, based in Greenpeace East Asia