A lover's path by Chambakkara bridge, where Kochi slows down

TUCKED near the flyover at Chambakkara, where most just pass by without a second glance, lies a canal-side path that doesn't call for attention.

- RIYA MENDALIN

TUCKED near the flyover at Chambakkara, where most just pass by without a second glance, lies a canal-side path that doesn't call for attention. It's just there. Quiet, long, and oddly calming. A 2.5 km stretch that has slowly become a resting space for a city always on the move.

There's no signboard pointing you here. No café promising iced coffee. No hashtags on nearby walls. And yet, from early morning to late evening, the walkway breathes. With footsteps, silences, and stories.

"It's not something you plan to visit," says Nimma, who sells flowers near the bridge. "People just find it when they need to slow down."

The path itself isn't dramatic. It runs close to the water, with low railings, scattered benches, and stretches where shade comes from trees leaning overhead.

In the mornings, you'll spot a few joggers, old men with newspapers folded under their arms, and the occasional cyclist who seems to be in no real hurry.