It is said everything in life comes with a price. How much does one pay for a bottle of drinking water? How much is one’s monthly water bill? We know the numbers. But what about the prices that we pay which are not in any denomination?!
As humans who are building an urban fabric around these sources of water, in our case lakes -
How do we see the lake between a humongous urban setting?
what emotions do we carry in and around the water bodies and howdo one realise them?
Is lake just a service provider, if so, what price do we pay for those services and is it money or something bigger that?
‘How much for the lake ?’ , is an interrogative and introspective narration which maps out human emotional connect to water spaces in an urban setting – Bengaluru and the price we pay to realize it.

HOW DID THIS POEM COME TO LIFE ?

Bengaluru was once a city of 1000 lakes.
Having lived in Bengaluru for few years, I found myself in awe about its nature, diverse weather, and the overall urban landscape of the city but was always curious to know what happened to these 1000 lakes.

I joined the 'Kere Kathegalu - Reimagining the stories of Bengaluru waterscapes' course at NID Bangalore under the 'Water Matters' open elective guided by Urvashi Jalali , with an intention to address my curiosity and I am pleased that I did.

The course has been pivotal in deepening my understanding of urbanization and modernization in Bengaluru, illustrating how these concepts intricately weave into the city's fabric, especially around its waterscapes.
It has been a reflective journey, connecting my memories of water to a broader awareness of our impact as citizens.

It highlighted how, as residents, we often remain oblivious to the consequences of urban development and how our demands can unintentionally contribute to environmental challenges.

The course not only emphasized the importance of being mindful, cautious, and aware of our surroundings and nature, especially water but also
reshaped my perspective, helping me grasp the intricate relationship between urban development, impacts on waterscapes and individual responsibility towards them and how I as a Strategic designer can contribute to the city, water and its wellbeing.