India, Jan. 21 -- By Dr. R. Balasubramaniam

A morning walk begins as a routine. You put on your shoes, step out and hope the world is still quiet. Yet the same walk shifts its tone when you move between Mysuru and Delhi. The body may do the same thing, but the surroundings insist on their own script.

In Mysuru the walk moves at a pace set by a city that prefers to take its time. People drift into the morning as if the day has agreed not to hurry. Walkers greet one another without any rush. A few pause to look at the trees as if they have all morning to continue. The city keeps you in a rhythm that is neither fast nor slow. It simply is.

Delhi in the morning demands more preparation. You take a breath and feel the weight of the air. You...