A five minute drive from our home in Koramangala brings us to a spot where the view is different from most other views. It is uplifting, although we do I not see mountains or valleys, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, or even majestic trees the traditional essentials to good views. This view is not so much before us, as above us, and we have to raise our eyes to the heavens to see it. For the view comprises the entire sky, from horizon to horizon. The amount of sky you see is about the same as you would see from the deck of an ocean-going ship.

This skyscape is on Sarjapur Road, at a point where it has just left an untidy bazaar, and is ready to head into open country. On the left of the road, is the expanse of the Agram military grounds, while on I the right side is, or rather was, a lovely water body known as Agram Tank. Having been allowed to silt up, there is now only a small puddle left in the centre the rest of the tank bed is now a cricket field for the village boys. Buildings are yet to sprout on the tank bed and that is why the sky is the dominating fea- ture of the scene.

Watch it while you can, I tell myself. No doubt the developers are also watching with covetous eyes and soon there will be neither sky, nor tank, nor even cricket to watch, only cement structures with watching hanging out of the windows. There are already ominous signs that this beauty. spot is destined to share the fate of so many water bodies and become a slum. Piles of debris dot the edges and very the whole area will become a slum.

This spot is unique because several new roads have made it easy to reach from the middle of town, from Indiranagar, from Whitefield, from Jayanagar. So much for the location. Some money would have to be spent, of course to prevent it from becoming a slum. The main expense would be the cost of desilting the tank and we could cut this by piling up the silt in the middle of the tank to make small islands. Similarly, the debris which "has already been dumped at the edgescould be spread out to make a nar- row walkway, or a platform with seats.

The head of the local panchayat is optimistic. He is hopeful of saving the tank and its site because he says ISKON has shown some interest in desilting it and turning it into a park. I hope their concept of park is different from the park of swings, giant wheels and ice. cream, I hope their kind of park will be one where the main ingredients are space and quietness; a space for the elderly, and the tired, where their spirits may be refreshed and their physical batteries re-charged. Such a space, under the dome of the sky, would have. an incalculable. effect on the psychology of the local populace. Here they would be at peace with the world, with their own surroundings, and with their own souls.

What, in terms of physical design, does this mean? It means a walkway all round the tank, smooth and easy on the feet, and wide enough for three people to walk abreast. If there are more than three, there can be a little crocodile of two by two. The path, as it wanders along the edge of the lake. should sometimes be shaded by a grove of trees, sometimes be under the open sky -- while comfortable benches should give the weaker promenader  a chance to rest and admire the scene.

There must be some movement and activity in the still scene. And what better activity than the activity of birds? Birds do not even need to be lured by artificial means. They left the tank because the water disappeared. They will return as soon as the water returns. And birdwatching on a piece of still water is perhaps the best cure for the jangled nerves, bad temper and heart ailments which are the consequences of life in a noisy, crowded and deteriorating city.