Had a couple of book events in Koramangala yesterday, and when I was going from one to the other, I realised that one of those used bookshops that I love was close. I took that detour and found this Paul Theroux book I immediately wanted.
And then, just as I was about to leave, I heard familiar noises. Of ball hitting bat, and some cheering.
This was in the first block of Koramangala, in which there is one of those open parks Bangalore has, and this was one of the larger ones. There were two or three teams and a game was on, on a cement pitch set diagonally, so more of the park became a cricket field.
I stood and watched. I saw a really good direct hit, a couple of good catches, and a very close finish, well appreciated by the crowd, and some delivery riders on their break.
Just outside the park were a couple of tea shops where people were getting chai and snacks to watch what was presumably the next game in the series.
I didn't wait for the next game, as I was getting late.
But just for a second in the middle of what is now an increasingly unlivable city, I felt good. I saw the magic in the everyday, just people enjoying a game on a Saturday evening. Next to a bookshop, next to a building for startups, next to a local favourite biryani place. For a second, I saw civilization.