Clyde D’mello makes you remember the by gone era while capturing the perpetually changing nature of Bangalore.Seeing Bengaluru through the eyes of Bangalore he connects the dots retaining its contemporary essence.
Bangalore is an ever-changing city that has captured the imagination of many who would love to visit the city as well as those who have lived in it, “lonely Planet” the magazine has rated Bangalore 3rd amongst 10 cities in the world worth a visit. However, to what extent? I remember a Bangalore where the winters would be cold enough to wear layers and layers of clothes especially in the months of November, December, January and the summers would be cloudy with short bursts of sunlight, now and then with a slight drizzle- the perfect English town weather.
Elders of a bygone era would remember Bangalore as a place of built houses in a 30/40 or a 40/60 site with ample amount of space for everybody in the family. In addition, were rows of trees, with parks in certain nooks and corners that were aligned to the footpath to bring in a welcoming feel to any given time or space within the city. Elders remember Bangalore to be a place of apple Orchards and grape vines in Cubbon Park (Bangalore is still one of the major wine players in the nation).
The city was based on the Bangalore fort which was founded by Kempegowda 1(the Vijaynagara period) in the 16th century, that became a stronghold for Tipu sultan against the British and after the takeover by the British Bangalore became larger (The establishment of the cantonment) even the name got changed- from Bengaluru it became Bangalore, recently it again got changed from Bangalore to Bengaluru.
But progress has come in, Bangalore now is a city laden with malls, flyovers, congested traffic, Asthmatic attacks, Apartments, a ring road and to add to that an extension road. These go towards Mysore – the neighboring town (NICE road), and an outer peripheral ring road which connects to Tumkur in the north all with Hosur in the south Magdi roughly in the west and Devanhalli in the east, all of which belongs to Bangalore rural sector ( which connects the “progressed” section of the city from other parts of the State(Karnataka) and the nation (here Bangalore to Mysore).
Bangalore as a map has been ever changing never at rest. There was a time where the extent of the city was limited to Cox town, Malleswaram, Baswangudi and Kormangala tank (East, west, North, South){it was a Cantonment in every form} the city has been ever changing and in every three to six months a new Bangalore is formed.
Locals who have the habit of travelling outside the city never recognize it once they are back, a sort of shock takes over them.
The recent addition to the brand of Bangalore is the IT sector aka Silicon city, which has made Bangalore to be one among the rich and costly cities to live in the nation, And with the addition of the outer ring road to facilitate the travel to these sectors the Bangalore that was, became no more. Those who are a part of the fringes of the city also feel alienated because of the addition of an Outer- Outer ring road as well as the establishment of the Metro station, which is again a recent addition to the Bangalore map.
Bangalore at one time was called the Garden City due to its large sized parks, rows of trees on the footpath or pavements, but now due to the construction of flyovers and Underpasses to facilitate travel and to “ease traffic” the amount of trees or even gardens to that matter are reduced to patches in and around Bangalore. The changing weather is noticed predominantly due to the city having an altitude of around 920 meters above sea level as well as pollution and global warming issues, which are affecting the climate drastically an older generation, would remember of a Bangalore being pleasantly cold and would complain about the climate now from then as it changes from year to year.
The city is or should I say was dotted with lakes, but due to the ever increasing population lakes were taken over by the BBMP (BRUHAT BANGALORE MAHANAGRA PALIKE aka Bangalore metropolitan corporation) and by reclaiming the land came in the addition of apartments to support the ever increasing influx of people from different parts of the nation.
Well enough of complaining!
A person from another country or from within the nation, visiting Bangalore would definitely fall in love with the place, this is due to the fact that Bangalore still has a charm, a CHARM of the old welcoming space even after the cities ever changing map, its weather still bearable ( but while standing over a house full layer of pollution). The outer ring road connects to most of the cities desirable spots, Hebbal a stop along the ring road connects to both the centralized bus stand – Majestic as well as Kempegowda international airport. Krishnaraj Puram connects both to Indiranagar which in turn connects to Brigade road ,Mahatama Gandhi Road which is one of the major hang out spots of urban Bangalore. This in turn connects to Shivajinagar bus stand which is the second centralized bus stand in Bangalore which connects to the cantonment section of Bangalore having most of the English names like Cox town , Frazer town , Parade Ground etc. dotted with military grounds and barracks across cantonment. Going back to Indiranagar would connect you to Marathalli, Whitefield and Kormangala (places well known for having offices of the IT sector. From Majestic bus station is Banshankari which in turn connects to Kengeri a further point on the ring road which also houses The Bangalore University. It is only because of the local transportation system of which I am talking is the bus route, is Bangalore well connected. Thus making a full circle of the city during the 90’sand early 2000’s.
Plus everything is within reach one does not need to travel from one end of the city to another to fetch-let’s say WATERMELONS, or even clothes to that matter everything in Bangalore (like how it was in the old days) is now within the reach of the public because of progress i.e. change brought within the city to sustain its growing population.
Yet it is within this gamut of the city where areas that were once easily recognized are now alien due to the ever-changing map of Bangalore, for eg. Kamanhalli was just a row of houses in mains and crosses and just in a few years it has become what Indiranagar was 8 to 10 years back an on the road shopping mall- no longer the quite town that it used to be.
Yet the idea that proximity makes less of congestion still prevails in Bangalore this can be seen with the dotting of Flyovers in and around the ring road yet due to the lateness of construction and availability of materials, by the time the flyover is constructed the traffic is already increased sevenfold.
Bangalore is thus an interesting city never at rest with its ever-growing map and as it increases in space, it forfeits its serenity form the influx of the populous with apartments and malls or as a friend of mine would say
“You either beat the city or join the city- the rush is part of the experience”
