Growing up, I’ve always admired sunsets, cold mornings, just before dawn, watched dew drops on grass, kept romanticising about clouds, and golden hours.  
 
Having spent a lot of time growing up in South India, it's truly a celebration of scents and aromas in the air. The faint scent of jasmine or filter coffee. Instead of rushing home through crowded streets, you simply walk, without earphones, without fitness trackers, listening to slow hymns of music on an old cassette tape recorder.  Just me, my thoughts, and the world moving at its own gentle pace. 

Well, in the early 2000’s there was no name for it, but I am glad they’ve now come up with one.  
 
This is the magic of World Sauntering Day, observed every year on June 19. The day encourages us to saunter to walk slowly, joyfully, and without purpose.  

 

In India, where our days often feel like a non-stop sprint between office targets, family duties, traffic jams, and doomscrolling, this idea feels almost revolutionary. 

We’ve normalised hurry as we measure success by speed and output, and through all this chasing more, we often lose connection with ourselves and the small beauties around us.  

Sauntering invites us back to notice the laughter of children in the park, the patterns of monsoon clouds, the smell of petrichor, look up at the sky and wonder how Van gogh would have imagined the skies in his vibrant shades of cerulean and Prussian blue against chrome and chrysanthemum yellows, of our own breath. It’s not laziness, it’s a mindful return to presence.  
 
As June 19 approaches each year, World Sauntering Day invites us to do something beautifully simple, slow down. In India, where life moves at a relentless pace metro rushes, long work hours, family responsibilities, and constant notifications this day feels like a, much-needed breather. 

 

Sauntering and its Meaning:  

Originally created in 1979 to counter the obsession with jogging, sauntering is a relaxed, joyful walk with no destination or pressure. It’s not exercise for steps or speed  it’s walking mindfully, soaking in the world around you. In the Indian context, it  connects with the traditional evening sair our grandparents enjoyed and the mindful awareness found in yoga and meditation. 

 

The Hidden Cost of Rushing: 

From Mumbai’s crowded locals to Bengaluru’s tech corridors, we have normalised hurry. We eat while scrolling, walk while talking on the phone, and measure our worth by how productive we are. In this constant rush, we miss the small joys the smile of a street vendor, or simply the chance to hear our own thoughts.  

 

Ways Sauntering Can Transform Your Well-being 

A slow, mindful walk can reduce stress, boost creativity, improve mood, and bring mental clarity. It is an act of self-compassion.  

This World Sauntering Day, try leaving your phone behind and saunter through a park or quiet street. Observe without judgment. Let your mind wander freely. You might realise that slowing down doesn’t hold you back it helps you move forward with more peace and purpose. 

At iDare, we believe real empowerment includes giving yourself permission to pause. In a culture that glorifies busyness, choosing to saunter is an act of rebellion. 

Image Credits:  Pexels