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KNOWING TOO MUCH HURTS
Down To Earth
|January 01, 2026
Pretending everything is fine is no longer an option
This is my 14th winter in Delhi, and what was once a season I embraced has become one I dread. For many, winter mornings mean walks in the park, sunlight, perhaps a cup of tea outdoors. For me, mornings begin with anxiety. I do not reach for the newspaper; I reach for the AQI Air Quality app. That number on the air quality index now dictates the rhythm of my day. Can I step out? No—the air is toxic. Should I do yoga? Not the strenuous kind. Open the windows? Only briefly, and with discomfort.
This story is from the January 01, 2026 edition of Down To Earth.
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