How are you feeling?
I am happy about myself. I do feel like sharing my experiences about today.
What is your name?
Trusha
Where are you playing from?
NES yelahanka, Bangalore
Why did you choose this location?
It was somewhere near to where I live but very unfamiliar
Gender
Female
What is your age?
19
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. (Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
Near the bus stop.
Lots of different people. Sarees, bags, luggage, boys, men, purple, red, blue jeans, black, colourful dupatas, headphones and music, buses, people waiting, people wandering, people looking and observing.
2) Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
I really enjoyed that walk. People looked at me, not stared. They knew I looked confident but wondered what was I doing. I am always walking like this when I am alone from now.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
I felt really relaxed and I didn’t realise I was sitting in a public place as I was done.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
I saw so many eyes on me and were saying, “What is happening here?” They all thought I was a psychopath.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. Earn a smile back from all three.
I first smiled at a guy sitting on his bike. He looked back and saw who was I smiling at and then he came to know I was smiling at him so gave me a half smile. Then I smiled at 2 girls and an old man walking and they happily smiled back
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
I arrived at the bus stop and first talked to a lady but then she wasn’t interested so went to a girl who was around my age and talked about her college and my college, what we study, where we live andfamily background, and what we do for timepass.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
I asked the same stranger I spoke to earlier.
8) Say out loud. “I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name.”
Very hard to say this.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
I couldnt find a person (or even two) sitting alone so I sat with this girl after looking for so long and came to know she was from srishti. So I talked to her about what she eats everyday and if she likes the food she gets here.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
I was on the footpath. I was stared and laughed at so it was funny and unusual.
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
Ajeeb dastan hai yeh. Good. After a point i didnt care if anyone was looking at me or not.
12) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
I went to a pani puri stall. I asked the guy and I had smiled at him while walking before so he agreed. It was strange for people to get served from a girl.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes.
It was difficult as a lot of people around me couldn’t speak the language. So this was a fail.
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
I walked and saw a new guy serving
pani puri and told him that I stole Rs. 2 from moms cupboard to eat ice stick when I was little. I had never shared that before so good and realized it was not a big deal.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
I was confident. I didn’t care about what were people thinking. Smiling was good. I felt everyone was good people around me.
16) What have you discovered about your city?
People can be good and friendly if you approach them in a nice way
17) What have you discovered about yourself?
I am able to not judge people.
18) What have you discovered about strangers?
Just smile and it will be alright
19) How would you rate your experience?
Adventurous
20) What does it mean to be an Action Hero?
Being confident and doing weird things in public. Make people uncomfortable and enjoy it.
How are you feeling?
It was a different experience. I loved the tasks they were asking me to get out of my comfort zone and question my boundaries. I also liked the various reactions I got and how I had a challenge to face in every step I took.
What is your name?
Ruchir Gupta
Where are you playing from?
Bangalore
Why did you choose this location?
Because I have never been to this part of the city and heard a lot about it and also the fact that the crowd here is very different with mixed cultures.
Gender
Male
What is your age?
19
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. (Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
I could see alot of greenery and venders across the street with different products to sell full of enthusiasm. The place smells of wet leaves and yummy street food.
2)Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
I could feel a sense of freedom and also had this proud feeling within.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
I was visualizing how a safe city would look like. The sky was grey and that was the first time I could see layers.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
At first I was feeling embarrassed to do this but I questioned myself and did it. It felt different and nice.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
Out of three I earned a smile from one and the other two got creeped out but I apologised to them and I arrived at a construction site.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
There was a guard I spoke to for about 15-20 minutes. He was from Assam and both of us talked about bangalore and our home towns.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
The guard I spoke to.
8) Say out loud. ” I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
I felt proud and different.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
I ate with an aunty and her two sons and they loved the burgers at mcdonalds and then i just spoke to them about there school and life.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
I did but not loudly because I felt weird.
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
My favourite song – Fix You by Coldplay. I could see people starring at me.
12) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
Asked a few; no success.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
Tried asking people to bid farewell to Sachin Tendulkar; only one did.
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way, find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
I couldn’t find anyone as it was raining.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
I felt like Bangalore should make you feel.
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
I did but the other person didn’t. He did listen to me very carefully, though.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
A lot of stuff which is hard to explain. I think I would prefer making something.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
I felt like a free bird who was flying high
19) What have you discovered about strangers?
Not everyone is a bad person we need to change our perspective and eye.
20) How would you rate your experience?
thrilling
How are you feeling?
I liked some of the tasks set, some others induced much boredom, and some were downright fun
What is your name?
Sharanya
Where are you playing from?
Bangalore
What is your age?
19
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. (Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
Petrichor
Cool breeze
Pretty quiet, but vehicle sounds in the distance
Sharp, gray morning
Brisk
2)Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
There weren’t a lot of people in the area, yet, so there weren’t many people to talk to/smile at, and while there were a couple of people who responded, the smile was, for the large part, ignored, seeing as most people didn’t tend to make eye contact.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
The sky is gray. Not dark, nimbostratus clouds, but uniformly light gray.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
I had to fake yawn, seeing as it was a brisk day, rather unfavorable for yawns.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
It was a row of houses on one side, and commercial establishments on the other, and I landed up in front of a grocery shop.
I smiled at two people walking by, one laden with bags, one not, and at a lady walking her dogs. The lady smiled back at me, but the shopper and the other man didn’t.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
I had to hover around until someone who seemed appropriately idle passed by, and I initiated a conversation with a lady and her son. I started with greeting the son and wishing his mother a good morning. They told me they were on their way to the boy’s grandparents’ house.
When asked, the boy told me he intended to eat an ice cream cone.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use your mobile phone camera.
I asked a caucasian couple to oblige me the photograph
8) Say out loud. ” I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
I was sitting on a bench by a shop front when I said this, and there were about five people who heard me and turned around. I grinned at them, and while four of them clearly thought I was bonkers, one of them grinned back.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
I relocated to a McDonald’s establishment for lunch. I ate a Chicken McGrill meal.
There wasn’t anyone I could approach at the restaurant.
My favorite food is chicken teriyaki.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
I did laugh out loud; while there was nothing to laugh at, or no one to listen to me laughing, it felt kinda great – nothing beats a full stomach.
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
My favorite song is Lazarus, by Porcupine Tree. I regularly tend to hum/sing if I’m walking by myself, and the whole atmosphere felt kinda mellow.
12) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
I wasn’t able to volunteer any work at my location. However, I did help an old lady carry furniture to her house on my way home from the bus stop. I ran into her a coupla blocks into my walk, and she was taking a break from carrying a wooden chair. I offered to carry it the rest of the way, and she acquiesced. She told me she was moving two wooden chairs from her friend’s house, two blocks away, and that this was the first. I helped her out with the second, while she told me she lived with her husband, and that her two daughters visited occasionally from Mumbai.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
I would have very much liked to have initiated an activity, but the area I was in wasn’t conducive to holding impromptu events. And the people didn’t seem like the kind to be responsive.
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
I met someone at the bus stop. We were both college students waiting for the same bus series of bus numbers.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
I got a bus before this text reached me, actually…
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
I continued talking to the girl I met at the bus stop.
She’s in law school, and she hopes to major in international law. She told me about an internship she had taken in Delhi last summer – and told me how different Bangalore and Delhi were. She said Delhi was intense – the people were very intense. While people tend to be a bit more relaxed in Bangalore.
She said it’d require “skills” to survive in Delhi.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
Most of the time (specially on rainy days), I hold Bangalore in dubious regard. It’s rather noisy, very crowded, and kinda unclean.
But sometimes, I really like the city, and today, after lunch, was one of those times.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
I liked the fact that I spent the whole day in a rather introspective fashion.
And even the traffic (made worse by the rain) on my way home didn’t bother me.
19) What have you discovered about strangers?
I discovered that some people are less suspicious than others.
On the other hand, coming from a society where it is the norm to greet/smile at/enquire after people you see around you – on a genuine, yet general note – the fact that these exercises required an in-depth questioning of taciturn people was a bit uncomfortable. And I do understand the reasons behind their reluctance, but I still think Bangalore has a long way to go when it comes to responding to general, friendly enquiries.
20) How would you rate your experience?
Dull, open, happy, exciting, free
How are you feeling?
I was a bit disappointed and extremely uncomfortable and unprepared. I felt that I was ready but then realized I wasn’t.
I feel the first step should have been in a known surrounding at least.
This game needs steps to play.. not one huge leap.
What is your name?
Shruti
Where are you playing from?
Bangalore
Why did you choose this location?
Completely unknown
Gender
Female
What is your age?
18
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. (Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
Shivajinagar Bus stop. Discomfort. Constant need to fold hands. Fidgety. Dull colors. Not a single happy face. People with Sad and gloomy faces, walking in a fast pace. Big bright red bus. A boy selling fans walks ahead. Stops. Stares. Stands for good 10 minutes. Comes in front, looks straight in my eyes and asked whether i would like to purchase his fans. Unlike the usual times i smiled and politely said no. Strange stares. Mocking. Women in burka pass by. with only beautiful eyes visible. Smell of urine all around. Nausea. Smell of a lady wearing garland a relief to the nose.
Initially tough but otherwise after sometime easy.
Huge tendency to daydream.
2) Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
Could manage to keep chin raised. Eye contact was a bit tough as people were in a hurry and themselves found it weird to make eye contact. So they would just glance and walk away.
Did not swing arms. Felt shy.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
Sat down… stretched arms. unable to see sky as it was partially sunny…. saw bright circles after looking down… Sky was Bright blue… almost whitish grey. Color of my eyes at that time felt white for some odd reason.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
Stood up… yawned. Awkwardness took over. did not yawn freely. Yawned only thrice that too by covering my mouth. twisted a little.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
Walked while looking down… literally counted the number of steps…. tried making eye contact with strangers.. but they would only glance once… was a bit frustrated at this point.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
Found a jewelry shop.. tried striking a conversation with him… he was too busy…
Everyone is in such hurry! it’s unbelievable!
nobody just sits/stands and breathes for a second!
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
This very sweet lady in a beautiful pink sari and gajra on her hair
8) Say out loud. “I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
Read this out loud while looking at phone. Could have been done better.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
Ended up meeting some known people… ate chicken burger.. i love lasagne
well the other persons favorite food was crabs.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
Hahahah i walked ahead and i rubbed my tummy ever so shyly and did end up laughing out loud… it was fun and relieving
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
Sang feeling good by nina simone…. laughed harder as it was getting so nice and light and mystical
12) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
Couldn’t do this task
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes Felt too awkward and alone…
I sat in my bus.. as it arrived the moment i reached the bus stop. Sat next to a very sweet lady.. asked her which stop was she getting off on and whether she could tell me if this bus went to my stop. Sat with her the whole time… asked her where she lived she couldn’t understand. She got off after 5 minutes.
two girls came and sat in front of me… one of them accidently stepped on my foot. Immediately she touched my feet and said sorry. I was so happy to see how some people still believe in such deeds and still have so much respect.
It was a nice moment.. i said it’s ok and held her hand and let her go…
she sat there smiling
It felt so good
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
While walking back home.. i was shivering with cold and happiness.. although i had failed to perform many tasks.. but still there was this feeling of relaxation and i felt carefree. I felt free.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
Already explained.
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
Everyone is in so much hurry. It is so sad that no one has the time to even pass a simple smile to make someone else happy. The freedom is so restricted and we have been brought up to be very aware and conscious of our surroundings which is good but is also one of the major reasons for fear inside of us
17) What have you discovered about your city?
There is still a lot of growing up to do and a lot of effort has to be put in to be able to feel free again.
18) What have you discovered about strangers?
Caught up in their monotonous existence and forgotten how to live.
19) How would you rate your experience?
Disappointing
How are you feeling?
SURPRISED at how brave I really am
What is your name?
Rhea Ahuja
Where are you playing from?
Koramangala, Cubbon Park and Commercial Street
Why did you choose this location?
Closer to my house; are areas that I haven’t explored yet
Gender
female
What is your age?
19
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. (Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
Over-looking a two way. Traffic buzzing by, coffee shop behind. Some enjoying showing off their new bikes to their friends. Some holding hands and some trying to cross the road.
2) Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
Most of the people I encountered smiled back. Mostly women
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
The sky was grey with a subtle blue tinge. My eyes are brown.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
I do this on a regular basis
was nothing new for me. Have a perpetual issue with my back. Some people look, but they never say anything.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
I arrived at a supermarket. I smiled at the cashiers & a mother and her child. It made me feel happy. I felt like I livened up the place.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
I walked 39 steps in the market itself. Came across a man trying to buy bread for his family. First time grocery shopper so I helped him out.
7) Say out loud. ” I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
It made me feel more confident about myself.
8) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
KFC
Met a group of college students from Christ University. They were at forum to watch a movie, Thor. All girls so they didn’t mind me joining them.
9) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
It felt normal actually ! I stooped caring about what people’s reactions might be.
10) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
I did! I sang Sweet child of mine in a happy voice! Some people smiled back
11) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
I helped out chocolate samplers since I’ve done this myself, in the past.
12) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
I interacted with a group of children. Talked to them about their favorite TV shows.
13) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
I spoke to a lady in her 30s, a principal of a medical college. Got her card. Turns out her daughter was in my class in school!
I LOVED walking in the rain. I felt at peace.
14) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
I took an auto back home so I made conversation with him. He is a Christian, he used to work as a driver for a doctor who, unfortunately for him, had to leave the country. He loves the weather and so do I.
15) What have you discovered about your city?
It’s very beautiful and quite safe!
16) What have you discovered about yourself?
I can make people happy by getting them to see that strangers are people too.
17) What have you discovered about strangers?
They aren’t as suspicious as you think
18) How would you rate your experience?
adventurous
How are you feeling?
It was a ‘strange’ experience.
What is your name?
Shivangi Gurjer
Where are you playing from?
Ulsoor
Why did you choose this location?
It was an unfamiliar location
Gender
Female
What is your age?
19
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. (Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
It was a busy road since it was the main road. Not too many people walking there but a lot of cars. I wasn’t allowed to go inside the lake area since it opened only at 4. There was garbage dumped all around the lake and thats why, it was the most prominent smell. The footpath was rugged and broken at certain points.
2) Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
It felt a little weird doing that to people who didn’t return the smile. Someone approached me and asked me if i wanted a flat for rent, random bikers rode past me and screamed out a ‘HI’
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
This was a relief considering the fact that i had been walking for so long. Passers by stared at me but didn’t think i was behaving in a weird manner so looked away after a while.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
I got a look from one man but i didn’t worry too much since it was relaxing and felt nice. But of course i was a little conscious.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
When I walked towards the left I arrived at Aga Abbas Ali road. I smiled at an old man, a working woman and a watchman. Yes, I did earn a smile from all three. Since i tried smiling at almost everybody.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
I saw an old man who i spoke to about his family. He said he lived close by and that his son would come and pick him up soon. I wished him and he was very happy and surprised that someone was friendly enough to go up to him and talk to him.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
A random working woman
8) Say out loud. “I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
It felt like i was voicing out my right and on the whole it felt good, I felt more confident.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
I wasn’t able to do this and therefore went to a darshini and joined someone’s table. They smiled at me. It was a couple with their son. They didn’t seem too happy about me intruding and thats why i had to leave since it was awkward.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
I reached another main road where i laughed and probably not loud enough since there were a lot of people around me.
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
I sang ‘Holy Grail’. I felt like an amateur excited singer who was too bored.
12) ) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
A watchman was watering the plants and i asked him whether i could help him out. I guess he thought i would find it a fun activity.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
I wasn’t able to perform this task.
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
The bus stop was deserted and therefore i couldn’t really find someone that i could talk to.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
It was a nice experience, i started observing things around me and enjoyed the feeling of being carefree at that moment.
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
I ended up sitting next to a girl around my age. She seemed intimidating at first but she seemed quite nice when i started talking to her. I just asked her what she was reading and thats how i ‘broke the ice’. Normally its very hard for me to take the initiative to talk to someone, but this was surprisingly easy.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
The city is not very noisy at this time of the day and people are more relaxed at this hour since they are on breaks or just getting back home at this time.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
I discovered that i can be an extrovert if i push myself to.
19) What have you discovered about strangers?
I guess i’ve discovered that the people can be both welcoming and distant. Everybody is too rushed and have no time for themselves. At least to relax.
20) How would you rate your experience?
open
21) What does it mean to be an Action Hero?
It means taking the in initiative to do something and and carrying that forward.
How are you feeling?
A lot more confident. I’m a very conscious person in general, so it was very difficult to let go off those inhibitions. I won’t say I did completely, but it was big deal for me that I was able to even slightly.
Where are you playing from?
Shivajinagar, Bangalore
Why did you choose this location?
Unfamiliar space, got lost once and panicked!
Gender
female
What is your age?
19
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. (Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
Smell- A Breeze of Jasmine flowers, followed by a strong odour of pee.
People rushing everywhere, jumping onto buses, getting their day started, setting up their things on the footpath.
People selling anything to everything on the footpath- socks, apples, headphones, earrings.
Paintings on the walls, paan stains, splashes of dirt.
2)Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
We had done this in and around class so it was a lot easier. At first I would look away from a person, and soon people started looking away when you made eye contact. But when you added the smile, the responses were better at times.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes? Smile.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
I have never just sat down and done nothing in a crowded public space. I chose to sit on the stairs of an almost finished construction site(it was the only free space to be able to sit down).
What was the colour of the sky? A dark,and gloomy grey. After a while, I was quite calm. I watched people rush along and almost went into another dream world of mine, till of course the phone buzzed again.
Yawning wasn’t so difficult when the weather was that gloomy. But I ended up covering my mouth while doing it. I was still not comfortable yawning and stretching in the space.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
Turning left got me to an even busier street. But there was more of an urban crowd in this area. I made eye contact and smiled at an old man who smiled back, slightly confused. A middle aged lady walked passed me, who I smiled at too. But she ended up giving me the dirtiest of looks so I turned away. A young guy passed me and I decided to smile at him too, but then his smile seemed to never end when he decided to continue smile even when he passed by turning around.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
I ended up being at the heart of commercial street, and spoke to a small jewellery shop owner about what all he sold, the trends passing around, why he was going to charge me so much for a pendant/
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
The jewelry vendor
8) Say out loud. “I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
It felt really good to say this. I saw a couple of people staring at me. One man stopped on his bike to listen to me, and gave me a thumbs up. I had written my own pledge for this game and carried it with me. So I asked someone to take a picture of me in the space holding my pledge.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
I wasn’t able to get someone to come join me for lunch. But I did have a very interesting conversation with the waiter. I asked him why he chose to work there(extra money after college), told him I had a day off from college too and was destressing. I was in a fast food joint, so I told him I liked their chicken very much, while he told me he preferred eating a traditional dosa compared to all the junk I was currently digesting.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
I ended up being in a very very small, yet extremely busy lane. Again, I was so conscious of my actions. The laughing was more of a silent giggle. But everyone was too busy to notice me in the crowd.
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
I was humming Paradise by Coldplay. A few dirty looks, a shy, giggling little girl and another girl who unknowingly started humming the song alongside.
12) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
I went back to the jewelry vendor and asked him if I could help out for a little while. I convinced a customer to buy a pair of earrings! We had a deal that I would pretend to be a customer and talk about how I really liked things. It was a lot of fun, and a lot less scarier than I expected!
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
This did not work very well. I came up with the idea of cleaning a part of the shivajinagar market. I got a few approvals, but everyone said later, we’ll lose customers.
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
I didn’t manage to reach a bus stop, I got stranded in the rain, and it got pretty heavy for me to step out. So I took shelter on the stairs of The Imperial(restaurant). A couple of minutes later, a girl joined me in the crowd, who seemed to remind me of a friend of mine because of her distinct haircut. So I asked her where she got it.
And then told her that I had a very embarrassing little fringe when I was a kid( something I realised nobody really knew about me)
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
It took me a while to get home, and that’s why this post is so late as I opened it only at 5:30.
The next bus stop from shivajinagar was firstly unknown to me. When I asked they said it was a long walk and didn’t make sense since I was already in one.
I’ve always loved walking, running and playing in the rain, but as usual, it doesn’t feel really nice after as I have a very very sore throat right now!
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
I started a conversation with a burkha clad woman sitting next to me. She had first offered to give me her seat as I was drenched and exhausted chasing the bus. I then got a seat next to her so she asked me where I was headed, opened up to me about her worrying parents and the rain and how it was going to be hard to get home.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
It’s not as scary as people make of it, if you open upto it, you’ll find it to be a warmer, safer place. It’s the lack of understanding that creates problems.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
I don’t need to always be so conscious and aware, and “stuck up” while Im in an open area. It’s a lot easier when you let go.
19) What have you discovered about strangers?
The “don’t talk to strangers” idea may not be the best thing to follow most of the times. Having some sense of familiarity with the people around you is definitely helpful, and makes your experience in the space more enriching and enjoyable.
Not every stranger is bad, and wants to harm you, after all we’re strangers to them as well!
20) How would you rate your experience?
adventurous
A confidence boost, a motivator, in some sense a leader. It gives you an added sense of responsibility(in a good way)
How are you feeling?
tired but glad that i played this game. i met some wonderful people who taught me to trust again. not everyone is out there to harm you.
What is your name?
saumya pankaj
Where are you playing from?
bangalore
Why did you choose this location?
CBI, bangalore, india
Gender
female
What is your age?
19
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. ( Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
i landed in the middle of somewhere in CBI. i was lost in the beginning, but i focused all my thoughts and feelings, into what i smelt and heard around me as i stood near an ICICI ATM. there was a lot of crowd around, buses, cars, two wheelers. i smelt wet mud ,there was a little garden one of the houses where they’d given water to the plants. there was sawdust due to the wood cutting units, it was beautiful in terms of the weather, and i smelt happiness from within when i walked with a smile.
2) Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
before this i was still nervous and was consideration going to a more familiar place. there were a lot of mechanic workshops, wood cutting units, i was a little conscious walking and attracting gaze. ut when i started to swing my hands while walking, i dropped all inhibitions and motivated myself to enjoy the day. people were amused and looked at me as though asking me what made me this happy. and that mystery that i created made me feel amazing, and powerful.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
i walked into a few lanes and circled backed to explore the place and what it had to offer.i stopped near the canara atm and sat on the steps next to a queue of people waiting to withdraw money. i looked at people who passed by, continued the eye contact, smiled at them. i looked up, the sky looked grey. i could feel my watery eyes being inked by that whitish bluish grey as i blinked and opened my eyes again. with the cool breeze, it felt beautiful.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
after a few minutes i got up and yawned and stretched swinging my body first to the right then to the left and back. it was quite genuine because my back was in a mess.also, i’d only heard that yawns were contagious, i saw it today, when after me two other people started yawning too. while everyone else looked at me thinking how i could be so casual and random to stretch in front of everybody like this. i yawn a couple of more times as i walked ahead.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
walking left made me a little nervous. it was an empty lane with only drivers and guards. but as i walked ahead, not being judgmental, i smile at a guard, it took a while of continued eye contact, but he smiled back in a very thankful way like he appreciated me greeting him. then i smiled at two boys from high school, they were a little taken aback and couldn’t understand if the smile was for them, but they smiled back and whispered among themselves. another woman with her baby, was trying to manage the kid on a bike, when i remembered how my mom did that with me, and i smiled bright, she gave me a gentle smile that said, you know it don’t you. or atleast that’s how i felt. also an uncle walking past me, i was trying to eat an orange when i accidentally tasted the peel and made a wacky face, he gave me a little ‘haha’ there. this was one of my favorite tasks.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
i came across a khadi shop, taken care by ravi and bhojraj. they told me a little about their shop, and what cloth came from where and how i could help them if i was okay with it. we both were excited, he gave me his number if i needed any help ever when i was near.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
i came across a girl, seemed elder to me, looking for an atm. by then i’d taken enough rounds to know of 5 ATM s, i offered to take her to one. while walking she told me she’d come from a root canal surgery and her mouth was numb, she needed to have an ice cream. so we looked for an ice cream place together and talked about cooking. she had just started cooking mostly because of the appreciation she got in return and then i told her how hopeless i am at cooking. we talked more, then went to an ATM. she wanted a picture. i got excited and i posed. she was keen on moving away from a group of boys who made us feel uncomfortable, i asked her to just smile and pose, and asked one those boys to take a photo for us. he took it and smile, we smiled back and said bye. sarita and i exchanged numbers, in case we were close to each other’s places.
8) Say out loud. “I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
this was were it got tougher. i did this thrice because the first time i did it, i wasn’t loud it was quite soft. second time only a few people were around. so third time i went into a shop where there were atleast seven people (komal dress material) and said it aloud. komal aunty was quite happy, not what i was expecting.
Komal aunty seemed like a confident lady who wont listen to any nonsence from anybody or be suppressed. i talked to her about her newly born grand daughter and asked me to help select a frock for the tiny new born out of her own collection.
9) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
when i rubbed my tummy and giggled, i saw a child staring at me. then i made funny faces and he laughed. an uncle looked at me too, i smiled back. it felt at home.
this is one thing i did anyway along the walk. people far away thought i was talking to myself and when they came closer, they pretended not to hear, except one lady who gave me a sheepish smile.
10) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
it had started raining by then. i helped three vendors put sheets on their thelas, or uncovered stalls. one of them smiled, one felt guilty and the lady said something in Tamil, that i took as a thank you.
i t started raining more, and it got cold, so i found a way back to komal aunty’s shop. her husand welcomed me in a ‘long time no see’ way, we laughed. i helped asma, their employee folr all the garments and put them back. she taught me how to fold clothes ‘properly’.
11) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
while we sat with asma, komal aunty and dawud uncle i tried talking about their hobbies. uncle like to dance and asma lik songs. i started singing ‘ude’ from zindagi na milegi dobara, and gave beats on the counter. komal aunty laughed and later clicked her fingers for support. uncle gestured to danc and asma hummed a long a little.
i thought of an incident where i accidentally broke my mom’s lipstick while trying it on in 1st grade and she thought my younger cousin did it. so, i planned to confess this to a stranger at the bus stop. i gathered courage, decided which one to say it to, after 7 long minutes i looked to the lady with frizzy hair on my right and blabbered, “i was the who broke my mom’s pink lipstick’ with my hand on my chest, as though feeling guilty. she said a very concerned,” sorry what?”. i said, “i was the who broke my mom’s pink lipstick”, emphasis on the eye. before she could even registered i walked off like an alien creature. i wanted to laugh out loud, and so i did. i knew, only when two three people stared in a ‘what’s-the-matter-with-you?!’ way.
i kept walking, went through an under bridge feeling a little scared, but it was all good. swinging arms and smile on my face, day went great. i couldn’t stop thinking of what all i’d done earlier in the day!
talked to a lady who belonged to mysore. she found it better there, because that’s where her family stays.
15) What have you discovered about your city?
it’s MY city after all. today i saw its fun side. it is to an extent protective of me. i’m confident of who i am. i went in a sleeveless shirt today, a top that has remained untouched for a while. but today it did me no harm. i was comfortable after quite long.
16) What have you discovered about yourself?
i can be a lot happier and less tied up in how i’m looking, or constantly looking around if anyone’s following. alertness is one thing and being constantly under scrutiny is another. although it does get spoiled dew to a few, but majority is what you’ve to think about. positivity is of utmost importance, what you have and what you offer others.
not being too in love with myself, i do accept the fact that i achieved quite a lot today. i’m a very shy person and do not open up easily unless i’m with my closest friends. today i went all out to deserve a 5 as per how i am usually, except for the task where i had to make up a group activity involving people. the idea was not to be in our comfort zones. and i became quite comfortable with komal aunty and dawud uncle. i loved them and the way they treated me. they let me work after 4 rejections by others. they were quite a support today.
17) What have you discovered about strangers?
not all strangers are out there to harm you.
being alert helps and being positive helps you more. the boundaries that we draw for the negative should prevent friends from coming in too.
18) How would you rate your experience?
thrilling
19) What does it mean to be an Action Hero?
it feels like being a part of something a majority believes and is willing to take forward. it represents a sense of belief and trust that we share with each otheri thin as ONE.
How are you feeling?
I feel very happy that I got to a) spend some time alone. b) explore a part of Yelahanka that I hadn’t before.
What is your name?
Fiza Jha
Where are you playing from?
Back end of Dairy Cross Market, Yelahanka New Town, Bangalore
Why did you choose this location?
My love for markets, and not having been able to explore this one right where I live
Gender
Female
What is your age?
19
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. (Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
Two huge Banyan Trees. Coconut stand. Kannada Newspapers and Magazines. A lot of old men sitting together, talking (presumably about town affairs) in Kannada. Women sitting together and stringing flowers together, chatting. Over cast sky, cool breeze. Cool breeze always seems like clean, fresh breeze, taking away with it overindulgent smells and the lethargy and mundaneness of a work day. Cobbler, shoes. Buses.
Everything you’d want an Indian market. Busy, but with lots of character.
2) Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
Instead of feeling ‘alone and vulnerable’, I actually felt really comfortable walking across the market roads. I felt like the ‘busy-ness’ kept me company, lots of people, lots of action around, I was engaged, I didn’t feel bored. I didn’t speak, or had no one to speak to, but a lot was happening around me. It was an unspoken yet dynamic conversation with the space I was in. So I wasn’t really thinking about me as an individual in the space, or if something could happen to me or if someone looking at me. I was trying to blend into the spaces, be a part of them, without trying consciously and physically ‘hide’. I walked around in unknown lanes, not stopping to think where or how or if I should go or not even once.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
Blue. Brown.
Despite the Sunday morning, I felt pretty active and ready to walk around.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
I felt comfortable, and sitting at the bus-stop for an hour made me feel a familiarity which finally translated to comfortability.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
I walked into a less fancy and commercial side of the market which had lots of small shops and small houses, almost like a village. I had never been to this part before and I knew I stuck out like a sore thumb so I gave passerbys a smile, it wasn’t returned by most because I think they were busy and also a bit confused as why I was there but that’s alright. I made eye contact and smiled with almost 7 people.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
In the same lane mentioned above, I entered a tiny tailor shop where only one tailor sat. I asked him if he stitched blouses, and how much for. I then asked him the timings to which he gave me lots of details, and he couldn’t speak good hindi so a lot of sign language and nodding was at play in the conversation. Then I thanked him and left.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
Funny at first, but nice all the same. I had walked way up ahead and reached some lake I didn’t know existed behind a residential colony where not too many people were visible. But the lake was beautiful and I was so excited, I kept walking even though I was beginning a lose a sense of where I had started and where I was going.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
I ate at Kanti Sweets. I did not eat with anyone because there was only one table with people and they were a family with all the seats occupied and I didn’t wish to disturb them so I sat alone. But I sat on the table outside, at some
pav bhaji and looked at the street. I could see kids crossing the road, and one man who stopped ahead of my table in a teal-colored Bajaj Priya which stopped working. He kept pushing and pulling the parts around to make it work for a little bit and it kept making rusty sounds. Finally, he gave up and just pushed it. That kept me entertained.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
I arrived back on the main road of the market, towards Aroma Bakery. I did, it was amusing.
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
I didn’t sing my favorite song, but I sang the song which has been stuck in my head for the past couple of days, which turned out to be apt -’Scream and shout’ by Black Eyed Peas. [It goes a bit like this, 'I wanna scream and shout and let it all out]
12) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
I went to a lady selling fruits right across Kanti Sweets and asked her I could help her arrange her fruits. I was there for about twenty minutes arranging the oranges, and trying up the banana bunches. And then I bought a few apples and went along.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
I went back to the bus stop to sit and think about this. While I was sitting at the bus stop, a baby was sitting beside me and clapping to his mother. I joined him, and along the way made a clap pattern which he tried to follow. Then on, when I new person would come to sit beside me, I’d start the clap sequence and smile at them to follow. Some followed, some glared. I did it softly, and smilingly in any case. And stopped if I felt I was disturbing anyone.
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
I was already at the bus stop. I talked to a young woman. She was a girl studying to be a nurse at Miranda nursing home, which is right down n3 campus. So I told her I studied right there at Srishti.
I couldn’t think of anything to say to her which noone knows and while I was thinking her bus came, so she left.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
Cold, yet refreshed. Surprisingly not tired.
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
I was sitting with some women and they could only converse in Kannada.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
It’s diverse, and complex and vibrant. And I can actually walk around and appreciate it’s beautiy! So I like it even more.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
I CAN spend time alone by myself, contrary to what I feel otherwise. And spending time out in the open, in the city, as opposed to while sitting alone in my room, I can be at peace with things.
19) What have you discovered about strangers?
I’ve realized that everyone leads different lives, everyone is busy trying to get past the day doing what they’re supposed to do. And this day, where I sat and observed people at their work places, forced me to gain some perspective on the fact that there are different kinds of people (other than the kind I know or interact with) and there is more to my neighborhood than just the fact that me and my college-mates studying and living there. It’s a self-sustaining world in itself, one outside the bubble I live in.
20) How would you rate your experience?
exciting
21) What does it mean to be an Action Hero?
I’m still trying to figure it out.
How are you feeling?
Extremely Uncomfortable.
What is your name?
Sachi Raval
Where are you playing from?
Frazer Town
Why did you choose this location?
Wanted to explore
Gender
female
What is your age?
20
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. (Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
Quite a crowded area. I randomly got off at frazer town without knowing where I was. Turns out there was a bar and mutton stall exactly where I got down. That lane was infested with men. As time passed, more and more people started to notice my presence and that made me walk longer distances and walk on different roads. It was cold but I forgot about my freezing hands and nose when i was walking. I was too alert and conscious to think about anything at that moment. There were quite a few bakeries (worst nightmare for a girl). Many labourers sitting and enjoying their tea break. Barely any women and if any they were a few college girls and a group of school girls. Quite scary
2) Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
When I read the 2nd task, in my mind I was like ‘I’m definitely not smiling.’ I did make eye contact and found it a little challenging. I realised after a point I was consciously making eye contact only with people I thought were decent. The more eye contact I made I felt like I was inviting more trouble. I was struggling to make eye contact. I felt relieved when my phone vibrated and I received the next task only to realize the next task was 10 times harder.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
I found a place to sit with great difficulty. Yawned. but couldn’t do anything more than that. I was trying my best to convince myself to smile. Just couldn’t.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
Could not do anything beyond yawning. I just could not get myself to stretch and twist. I was too conscious and stiff.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
Finally a task which seemed doable. So I walked about 100 steps and there I saw a security guard. An old decent looking man to my good luck. I looked at him it took me 3 seconds to break into a smile and 6 seconds for him to smile back. Funny
He was definitely not expecting this. I hope I mad a tad bit difference in his monotonous life. There was another security guard a few steps ahead after I chose to skip 2 men. He smiled back too
He had been looking at me from the time I smiled at the 1st security guard so he did not seem that surprised. The third person I chose to smile at was a bunch of school girls who not only smiled back but waved as the passed by
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
I arrived at a bus stop luckily so I had an excuse to start a conversation. I ended up talking to an old lady. I started off the conversation by asking her which bus goes to yelahanka and I spoke in Kannada which was enough to start a convesation
we spoke for about 5 mins. She asked me where I was from what I studied and why I wore the flower in my hair.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
A random man standing in an apartment
8) Say out loud. ” I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
I felt free. I felt confident. I felt stronger and less violated. I felt GREAT!
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
I ate idli chutney with an old couple. Idli chutney is most definitely my favourite dish and the couple liked any rice item.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
I could not LOL.
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
I kind of hummed ‘Are you gonna be my girl’ by jet.
12) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
Could not do this task.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
Could not do this task.
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
Could not do this task.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
For some strange reason I just cannot get myself to smile in public when i’m alone. But I definitely did enjoy the cold, the slow walk and the rain. I felt a sense of freedom and felt very independent.
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
I sat next to a married lady, in her mid 30′s maybe. She looked like she was from a decent family as she was wearing a mangal sutra and sindhoor and was dressed neatly with her duppatta in place. She had newly moved to B’lore so she did not seem to be very found of the city but she like how the tempreture is always moderate.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
I feel like I am looking at B’lore from a new perspective.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
I always believed I was an extrovert and that I could easily start a conversation with anyone. This was like a reality check. I realised I’m the biggest extrovert and find it extremely challenging to be thrown out of my comfort zone. I can be overly suspicious at times and need to give people around me a chance. I need to learn to walk on the road with an open mind.
How would you rate your experience?
willing and closed
What does it mean to be an Action Hero?
It take A LOT to be an Action Hero. A LOT. I’m going to have to push myself real hard if I want to be an Action Hero. If It takes 10 levels to be one, I am currently at minus -5!
How are you feeling?
i’m feeling satisfied, happy and very different.
Where are you playing from?
yelahanka old town, bangalore
Why did you choose this location?
i’ve never been to this place before and also its very crowded and i kind of dislike crowded places. so it was a challenge for me.
Gender
female
What is your age?
19
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. (Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
unfolding my arms and standing with feet apart kind of relaxed me. i started observing people, they varied from 5 year school going boy to an 60 year old lady.flower lady, colorful petals, different smells, cobbler, variety of shoes, middle aged woman on the phone, college girls, ambulance, casualty ward, medical shops, apple vendor, smell of apples, light red shiny apples. traffic lights, red light, white cars, colorful garments, grey roads.
2)Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
okay! So as soon as I read this task I opposed it, because I used to think smiling at people will freak them out. But as i started walking down the street with my chin held high, I kind of gained confidence from nowhere. I started smiling at people, random people. I thought they were not smiling back at me but I felt it was my duty to pass on the smile. Walking, and making eye contact was in itself a very different experience; earlier when I saw someone staring instead of making eye contact, I used to turn my face, but today I made eye contact, and after few seconds people turned their faces and I no more felt uncomfortable in making eye contacts.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
This was kind of very uncomfortable, I was in yelahanka old town and there was no place to sit! i stood there for 10 mins figuring out a way how to go about it, i tried finding a place to sit but it was all vain. Then out of nowhere I decided to sit then and there only on the sidewalk. I kind of ignored the thought that what people will think about, but I just sat there relaxed looking at the cloudy grey sky of bangalore.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
This was the easiest task i guess!! I kept on yawing and yawning and enjoyed it a lot. For the first few minutes the yawning was intentional but then it started happening on its own.
I stretched, I twisted, I feel comfortable: I feel I belong here, to this place.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
When I first read this I thought I was pretty easy task. but first of all after taking 100 steps i landed up in place which was not at all crowded, i now have to look for people to make eye contact with. i tried and tried and not even a single person responded to my smile, it went for i guess 20 mins and i earned nothing till then. then a miracle happened, i was just casually looking at this guy who was sitting on the back seat of the bike, he was also looking at me, and then i smiled and whoohoo!!!! he smiled back too! i earned it!!! that was the moment of genuine happiness.then after a while lady crossing the road and coming toward me made i eye contact and smiled back. then the time was up and i had to move to another task, but a lady came with her child and she smiled back at me. so this was how i was successful in earning my all the three smiles. Felt satisfied for completing the task and genuinely happy.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
Walking 39 steps, i found a lady standing outside an home appliance shop. she was leaning against a bike holding a helmet in her hands. so i started the conversation by introducing myself as a student staying in old town, who is new in town. i asked her for any good places to eat. and the conversation went on. it went on and she started telling me about her favorite eating joints nearby and where their family usually go for dinners.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
First i tried asking one middle aged man but he just ignored and went, now i assume he was not knowing hindi. but then i approached two girls of 20-25 years old, they too did not know english or hindi, i somehow manged to ask them to click my picture so one of them clicked the picture and the other one came along with me in the frame. then they left. i dont know what struck their mind they returned and started talking to me about the photo in kannada, then we called a girl who translated it and they were just clarifying that for what purpose is this photo being taken.
8) Say out loud. “I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
I started saying it too low, but then yes was not too loud but yeah, i felt great! i felt that i’m the hero and its my duty to protect people of my city.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
I ate with the an elderly working lady, it was in pizza corner yelahanka. she told me she dont like talking while and want to have her lunch in peace. so did not have much of a conversation but yeah managed to talk about her favorite food which is roasted chicken. even i’m a huge fan of roasted chicken so we had a little conversation that. she left because she was getting late an kept on waiting for another 15 mins because the cashier went out of change
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
I arrived on crossing which was very crowded. tried doing a lol but end up smiling. was feeling too uncomfortable with the people around
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
My favourite song is “love somebody” by maroon 5, though i like wistling and humming this song. sometimes i do this too loud and sometimes softly . so frankly speaking i did not feel anything different. but whenever i sing on the road or at any public space i tend to forget the world around me and indugle in my own toughts and with the lyrics of the song.
12) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
I approached a girl sitting on a chair selling vodafone sim cards. I asked her to volunteer but as it was lunch time she refused. then i went in a tea stall and asked the ower for any volunteering, he asked me how much money i wanted, I said I wanted to work for free. he agreed and let me make tea in his stall.but as it was raining and the stall was having no shade so had to pack all the stuff in 15 mins.
I discover the lack of trust among the people, people were not willing to give any sort of responsibility to the stranger.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
It started raining heavily and i was standing in a shade where nobody was there, also the language barrier was a huge problem so i was not able to get through this task
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
I met a man, middle aged who was an employee in a super market and was cleaning the baskets. I told him that though I act as if I’m emotionally very strong but last night i cried reading a teenage love story. I feel good and light. sharing a thing like this with any stranger only portray yourself as vulnerable in front of them and they feel that they should do the same in return
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
I always loved rain, and specially Bangalore rains. Bangalore rains are so unpredictable so i never miss a chance getting wet in this. though getting wet and rain today was nothing new, but the satisfaction and happiness after completing the task was something combined with rain was giving me a pleasure I’ve never felt before. as i was walking on the road even though nobody was there i was having a constant smile of content on my face.
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
She was a girl from sheshedripuram college. we both were sitting on front seat of the bus. she was a localite and we both talked about how lovely Bangalore rains are and how unpredictable Bangalore weather is. the greenery is so appealing ad tress all around unlike other metro cities.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
People are helpful and caring, if you are willing to come out of your comfort zone they will do the same.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
Approaching stranger and getting to know people is not that tough task all you need is a will and few interesting topic. making eye contacts no longer bother me and i can walk freely on streets now.
19) What have you discovered about strangers?
stranger is no more a stranger when you know the topics which interests him/her. once i’m done figuring out the interest of a particular they go on telling stuff about them and they open up.
20) How would you rate your experience?
adventurous
How are you feeling?
I feel like I can talk to anybody without fear and hesitation now, I wish I’d done something like this when i was younger.
What is your name?
Radhika Kolgaonkar
Where are you playing from?
Cubbon Park, Bangalore, Karnataka
Why did you choose this location?
I wanted to approach people in a place where they would be comfortable having a conversation
Gender
female
What is your age?
18
Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. (Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
2)Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
After a long bus ride, I was a bit tense. Since the location that I chose is a serene public park, taking it all in was a very pleasant experience. People were engaged in a range of activities from boxing to simply being strolling and most of them were just idle.
I was busy capturing the place with my camera so this was a good break from that.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
The sky was grayish blue in colour . My eyes are dark brown. Stretching helped especially because the ride was long.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
Stretching helped especially because the ride was long.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
I found myself amidst bamboo that had grown past their senesce. I encountered a Firang couple who warmly smiled at me. They were followed by a skinny Kannadiga who was yapping away on his phone but took a 3-second break to check me out and then he smiled back.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
I arrived at a fairly plain terrain and sat on a bench that was surrounded by 4-5 benches within 50 metres. I noticed a young boy staring at me and then I decided to approach him and he actually turned out to be a nice fellow who was waiting in the park for his best friend and his best friend’s girlfriend. His name’s Sayyad and he’s a Commerce student from Lalbagh. He stays close to Yelahanka and he like the weather.
8) Say out loud. ” I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
It felt great. It was liberating.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
I couldn’t find anybody who was available to have lunch with me but I picked up a Tandoori Chicken Sandwich from CCD at the metro station on MG road which is what I had during lunchtime.. I love Turkish cuisine. More specifically, shawarmas and meshaltat.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
Yes, I LOLed
It made me LOL more because people were getting weirded out by me.
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
I sang Bindya by Sulk Station around 16 times. I couldn’t get this song out of my head after this task. I love singing so I love the experience every time I do
12) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
I’m not sure if this would be valid but I gave the Baskin Robbins staff a new playlist for their store on Brigade Road. I was a bit apprehensive in the beginning but once I got a conversation going, it got easier.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
I joined some girls in their blindfolding game. I didn’t initiate it but i tried blending in with them. They were very welcoming.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
I met a little boy selling roses who kept nagging me asking me to buy roses from him. Since it was raining, I told him that I enjoy ice-cream more in the rain. I felt bad later because I felt like I should have bought him a cone so he could experience what I was talking about.
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
I did not do this because, it was raining too hard and my teeth were chattering but when i did walk to the bus stop much later, I was shivering and it was a bitter yet enjoyable experience.
I met this short, fair complexioned very cute lady named Shruti. When asked what she loves about Bangalore, she said that since she was born and brought up in Bangalore, she loves everything about it. She is and advertiser who works on Cunningham road.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
Bangalore is full of these little ‘escapes’ as I call them and I love them because they are in my opinion quite perfect.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
I had the biggest epiphany about myself today. I’ve always been afraid to travel by myself because I’d rely on people to take care of me. Today I got the chance to try this out for myself and I think I did a decent job. My newfound love for travelling alone surfaced today and I think I’ll do something like this more often from now.
19) What have you discovered about strangers?
I’ve discovered that you CANNOT judge people by the way they look and that by simply smiling at them you make such a big difference to their mindset and to the situation. Even though there were a few who were slightly orthodox and hostile in their interaction with me, they still made an impression that wasn’t entirely negative.
20) How would you rate your experience?
adventurous
21) What does it mean to be an Action Hero?
I feel more powerful after this exercise of being an Action Hero. I feel like I can talk to anyone and that I’m beginning to unlearn fear.
How are you feeling?
I m feeling refreshed after the interaction with so many people at shivaji nagar. It was amazing to experience and experiment something new. I felt like the confidence that i showed in the game i would not have shown it anywhere else. Basically it was fun!
What is your name?
Chaitali Pai
Where are you playing from?
Shivaji Nagar, Bangalore
Why did you choose this location?
As I heard it was a market place so thought i could interact with the crowd.
Gender
female
What is your age?
20
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. ( Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
Colours – As it was a market place it had all the colours like (white,green, yellow, blue, brown, orange, black, pink, light pink, dark brown, red, etc)
Smell – garbage smell,chapel/ shoe smell, goat smell, smoke, garment smell, fruits smell, sugarecane, agarbati smell, sambar smell, hospital smell, sweat smell
People – venders, local, Muslims, college crowd, housewives, poor people, flowers seller, police officers, office going people, school kids, newspaper guy, youngsters, old Muslim people
Texture – rough, metal, hard, steel, sand, water, rock hard, flowers soft, candles wax,garments cotton,chapel rubber
2)Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
Before task i was conscious about what will people think should i do this or not. But later i thought chalo give it a shot. It was great as if i know the place very well with a big smile on my face and hands swinging. People thought i was weird as well as lost my mind.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
Before the task i was deciding a place. Then i got a perfect place that is electronic shop stairs owned by Muslim person.I got confidence to do the task. So i started my task the sky was light blue with lil yellow. The colour of my eye was brown and blackish. After the task felt better but everyone started asking what do u want to buy and gave a big smile. So even i smile and left!
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
I was yawning near a shopping place and pretended to buy clothes and yawned and yawned and left.
People started starring and observing why was i yawning so much.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
When i walked 100 steps i reached near Russell Market. I chose to smile at a housewife when i entered 1st she smiled back and said HELLO. Later while walking ahead i smiled at a old guy in his 60′s who smiled at me back. I even smiled at the young boy in his teens and he smiled gracefully.
It was awesome as some unknown person who did not expect smiled at you. It made my day.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
I arrived at S.M.S Store.The stranger i meet was a son and his father. The son spoke very good English better than me. His name was Owai Zahmed. I started with the conversation about shivaji nagar. He told me how it was build by Britishers. He said before they owned a plastic shop they had cold storage shop. He said shivaji nagar was divided into Russell market,Richard Square, Church and Boring Hospital (Lady Crucen Hospital) made by the British government. There is Ghousia Hospital only for ladies near by there is a Darga. Contoment Railway station was near and even said Shivaji Nagar was known as CONTOMENT before. We would have interacted more but got the action hero sms so had to leave.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
The SMS Store son
8) Say out loud. ” I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
Felt relaxed and save.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
I went to street food shop. It had round tables with plastic chairs and a lonely lady sitting alone with her phone to her hears Took some time to interact. Her name was Jennifer. I ate pav bhaji, vada pav and a mosumbi juice. My favourite food is Chinese, Mexican and Indian food.She loved South Indian and Chinese.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
I was near vender shop and i felt weird while lol laugh! But it was awesome
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
I m bad at whistle but i tried to sing Dhoom song. It was fun but i could do it much better
12) ) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
I chose to volunteer a simple guy selling dates and dryfruits. I told him i wanted to help him to sell stuff so he said yes. I discover i could be a good seller as i sell it to 3 people approx Rs.300. I was a adventure doing this task.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
I told them which ever song they knew of any language to sing. So met foreigners from North they were sporting so they sang a child like song for me. Later i said the same thing in a clothes shop where max 7 – 8 people sang for me. It was like did i seriously do this shit thing. It was confidence gaining.
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
I met Madhavan born in Bangalore. She sells flowers. I said i was scared of dark cant sleep at night. He started laughing and started telling his won stories. It felt like i was stupid person to tell that stuff about me.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
Rains were amazing and felt great it was so cold did not carry my jacket. Felt like heaven.
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
I met this person Shruti. She looked like hectic person after long so was i so the comfort zone was the same. We both love the weather about Bangalore.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
Most helpful people are around and felt the city would be save once u challenge urself.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
I developed my confidence as well as thought could perform better. I got the confidence i could interact with so many people.
19) What have you discovered about strangers?
All strangers aren’t the same.never go by their look as they could turn out to be different.
20) How would you rate your experience?
adventurous
How are you feeling?
Whew! What a day!
What is your name?
Shalini
Where are you playing from?
Bangalore
Gender
Female
What is your age?
20
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. ( Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
Blues. Yellows. Green. Black. Whites. Rust. Grey.
Rough. Lively. Fresh. Busy. Lonely.
2)Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
As a matter of fact, i was already doing this before i read the task. Just not swinging my arms. That made me slightly more visible, i guess. People started to look suspicious.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
As there were no benches around, i sat on the pavement.
The color of the sky was greyish blue with grey clouds. With a hint of sun ray from somewhere. I actually tried looking through the camera, But it sucked! -_-
I think it was still brown. Haha!
Maybe due to the reflection it could have been greyish bluish brown.
Anyway, it felt good to rest my legs. Felt a lot relaxed. A woman walked upto me to ask if i was feeling okay. Smiled and walked away on knowing that i was.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
By now the men around were sure that either i was a terrorist or homeless. They had this mixed expression on their face. I was asked if i had runaway or lost or waiting for someone.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
This was the craziest and the funniest experience. Since i was walking on a pavement i ended up in the middle of the road after 100 steps. I chose to stand there and smile at the car approaching me. He zoomed past me, almost killing me. And no, I’m quite certain i did not receive a smile back.
Now, I HAD to move, so i took few more steps and got onto the divider. Smiled at a bunch of girls crossing the road. Got smiles back and hand waves. Next up, a bike happened to stop right in front of me because of the signal. I smiled at him. He looked away. I smiled again, got back a very hesitant, embarassed smile back.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
I think it was a little more than 39 steps. Anyway, i crossed the road. There was a cotton expo shop. I spoke to the shopkeeper. We spoke about how his life was, his family, where he was from, how he ended up selling cotton, what his favorite fabric was etc.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
Couldnt complete the task.
8) Say out loud. ” I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
Happy. Accomplished.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
Had chips. Couldn’t find an eatery. Tried talking to the shopkeeper, as he was the only human being available. Language barrier.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
A construction site. The workers looked at me, startled. I smiled back.
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
Started with ‘she will be loved’ by maroon 5. Ended with “counting stars” by one republic.
A regular affair. I do sing while walking in general. Only difference was i could hear myself sing today. As no earphones would intervene. Haha.
12) ) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
Went back to the construction site. Forced them to let me work. Put cement on the bricks for a while. Carried sand thaalis. They were really amused and impressed with my strength. I thanked them and left. They were still pretty confused.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
Tried making people skip and clap. Many just laughed it off, some were too shy, some tried and laughed throughout.
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
Her name was Shaina. She was a young working woman. She seemed upset, gathered the courage to ask. Had an intimate conversation. Felt good. Felt like i did a good deed and that i had importance, even as a stranger.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
I was enjoying the rain It felt great. After a long time i got wet in the rain. Initially, it was a little uncomfortable, as it was that time of the month for me, but i overcame petty issues in life to give way to much happier and heavenly feelings.
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
Unfortunately, the bus was empty. After a long time someone came and sat next to me. She was an elderly localite. Language was again a barrier. So i spent the bus ride listening to music and getting wet in the rain and getting lost in my thoughts.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
There is lack of warmth. People are busy. Its life in the fast lane. People here are judgemental to an extent that they do not want to experience otherwise.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
I don’t need to push myself to be visible or friendly. I am that way already. At no point did this game intimidate me. The tasks were very regular for me. But i discovered that i could practice some of the tasks on a daily basis, which i don’t.
19) What have you discovered about strangers?
They are:
Equally inquisitive
Not everyone can cause harm
Curious
Just another human being
Selfish, self centered
Welcoming
Judgemental
20) How would you rate your experience?
exciting
21) What does it mean to be an Action Hero?
It describes a person without pre-conceived notions. A confident, smart, intuitive, spontaneous, courageous and aware individual.
I think, i have experienced and displayed these qualities in spurts.
So being all these at once was a different experience today. I feel more responsible and active than ever.
How are you feeling?
proud
What is your name?
Palak
Where are you playing from?
bangalore
Why did you choose this location?
wanted to explore the area that i always pass but have never been there.
Gender
female
What is your age?
19
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. ( Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
since i was standing on the bus stop there were many people i saw! i could smell the flowers from the flower shop near by and also the snack and tea. i could smell a really foul smell from the near by toilets and there were a lot of colors.
2)Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
before the task i was feeling really weird as to how would i do the task. and people were staring really weirdly as to what i was doing. after the task i felt good but the stares still creeped me out. they were probably thing that i was some insane girl!
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
this task was good. everyone around me was also just in the position that the task told us to do. but when i started to strech my arms it didnt feel weird.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
everything felt perfectly normal in this task. i was getting used to the people and the people were getting used to me.
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
walking down the road felt good. but getting the smiles was really difficult to get the smiles. i smiled at every possible person but i was definitely cautious as to whom i was smiling to. finally i earned smiles from 2 old women at their stalls. a police man, and young lady and a child. i didnt know the place i reached.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
i met a young lady sitting at the front of a toyota showroom. i approached her and talked asked her name and where she was but she didnt understand what i was saying. i asked her whether she knew english or hindi but she didnt. so we started having our conversation through actions and whatever amount of hindi she knew. her name was smrti and she was there waiting for her child to come back from school.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
a school girl.
8) Say out loud. ” I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
it felt nice but i felt sad that there were only a few people around me to hear this. so i went to another place and said it out loud but people there didnt know what i was saying so i just walked away after i said the pledge.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
i didnt understand the name of the place that i went to but everyone was sitting in huge groups so i didnt approach them. but i saw some girl eating alone so i went upto her and asked her but she was too shy and wanted me to go so i had my lunch alone.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
it was really embarrassing to do this and when i started laughing everyone thought that i was a crazy person and some of the people were laughing at me!
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
i sang its the climb and it felt nice. i usually sing when i am alone so i wasnt hesitated to do this.
12) ) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
i tried asking people for different jobs but they rejected me. i finally approached an uncle who was distributing pamphlets and i asked him whether i could do the job but he agreed but only for 10 minutes. i discovered that people dont care about pamphlets and its a waste of paper.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
i didnt do this.
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
it was really funny when i did this. i met an old uncle and then there i was sitting beside him telling him a really vague story about my childhood and he was really concerned. it was really sweet but also funny.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
i felt good. it felt like i could actually go and walk alone anywhere apart fromdingy places though.
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
the stranger was a lady from mangalore and it felt that she was comforting because the way she carried herself. first she was shy but then she opened up. we like the whether of bangalore.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
it is really big!there are so many lanes and its not that every person is a creep.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
that i do have the courage to go out alone.
19) What have you discovered about strangers?
they can be sweet and protective.
20) How would you rate your experience?
risky
How are you feeling?
It was uncomfortable. But it was a useful exercise because it taught me to approach people more confidently.
What is your name?
Nupur Balasubramanyam
Where are you playing from?
UB City
Why did you choose this location?
Unfamiliarity
Gender
female
What is your age?
21
1) Unfold your arms. Stand with feet apart on the ground. Take a deep breathe. Observe the place you are in. ( Colours. Smell. People. Textures. Make a mental note)
A/C.
Marble corridors
smell of perfumes from Parcos
security guards
watchmen
a few families walking around
2)Keep your chin raised. Make eye contact. Slowly walk up and down the place. Keep those arms swinging. Smile.
Self-conscious, trying to do it without anyone seeing me.
3) Sit down. Lean back. Arch your back. Stretch your arms. What is the colour of the sky? What is the colour of your eyes ? Smile.
I felt pretty good stretching and yawning.
4) Stand up. YAWN. Wide open yawn. 5 times. Stretch some more. Twist. Stretch. Yawn.
I did it a little self-consciously, but I did it anyway
5) Walk left by 100 steps. Stop. Make eye contact with 3 different strangers. Smile. earn a smile back from all three.
I arrived near the restaurants. I smiled at an old man, a security guard and a middle-aged woman.
6) Walk left by 39 steps. Identify a stranger to talk to. You have fifteen minutes to talk with this person.
I walked to a luxury goods shop and initiated a conversation with the saleswoman. She ended up telling me all about her education, the politics in UB city, the horrible clients and the nice ones, and how long she plans to work there.
7) Ask someone to take a photo of you where you are. Use ur mobile phone camera.
No one
8) Say out loud. ” I pledge to unlearn fear. To be visible. To occupy space. My City. Action Hero + your name”
It felt empowering.
9) Hungry? It’s time for lunch! Find a place to eat. Join a stranger over a meal. Find out what they love to eat the most. Tell them about your most favourite food.
I had lunch at Subway. I didn’t eat with anyone because the three people I asked refused.
10) Exit 50 steps right from where you’re eating. Rub your tummy. Stop. LOL. laugh out loud.
Yeah I LOL’d. I arrived at the escalator area.
11) Hum. Whistle. Sing your favourite song.
I hummed Kung Fu fighting. It felt great.
12) ) Fancy volunteering? Find someone working outside. Ask them if u can work w for 30 min. Don’t go to lonely shop in lane. Stay Outside
I didn’t end up doing this.
13) Create an activity that would involve public participation. Could be cleaning. singing. story telling. 30 minutes
I spoke to three people at the Samsung store.
14) Walk towards a bus stop. On the way , find someone sitting alone. Talk with them. Tell them something about you no one knows. Walk away.
I shared my story with an old lady who was waiting for a 13 b bus. I felt nice to share.
15) Walk alone. Keep walking in the direction of your home. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk slow. Smile. Walk slow. Enjoy the rain.
Wet
16) Take the bus home. Occupy space. Assert presence. Think of where you want to sit. Sit or stand next to someone you find comforting. Talk about all the things you both love about Bangalore.
The stranger was a young teenage girl. She just seemed unassuming.
I love the weather.
17) What have you discovered about your city?
That there are a lot of friendly people to make up for the unfriendly ones.
18) What have you discovered about yourself?
That I am quite happy with myself.
19) What have you discovered about strangers?
That some of them are really friendly and don’t have expectations.
20) How would you rate your experience?
open
