Episode 2: Relearning the City 

What does it mean to relearn a city you’ve always known? 

In this episode, Richa Sreebalaji reflects on her memories of the Vrishabhavati River and how those recollections contrast with the river she encounters today. She speaks about how participating in a citizen audit encouraged her to look beyond roads and buildings, prompting her to notice stormwater drains, waterways and the hidden systems that quietly shape Bengaluru. For Richa, observing these overlooked infrastructures became a way of relearning the city—one walk, one drain and one conversation at a time. 

Richa has also documented her reflections in a blog published on the Building a Resilient Bengaluru website. Read it alongside this conversation to explore her journey in greater depth. 

Community Currents is a conversation series documenting the lived experiences, local knowledge and personal reflections of people engaging with Bengaluru’s stormwater systems. Through conversations with residents, practitioners, researchers, government officials and citizen auditors, the series explores how water shapes our everyday lives and how collective observation can transform the way we understand, experience and imagine the city.