bangalore

It's been a month of my Saturday visits to the school but children across classes are unhappy that I don't go there every day. Most of them remember to confirm if I had lunch and ask if there is any chance of my being there during the week. I was glad to see that the knowledge hungry and uninhibited Divya, the mischievous and sharp Monika (both in class V) and inquisitive Dhanalakshmi (from class IV) who usually skip their Saturday meal were actually eating there.Sudharshan and Surya took the Young World editions from me while I went looking for Michael.…

Most of us agree that our tree cover is depleting alarmingly, and we cluck about it....but St Mark's School has done something...er...concrete, to choose an inappropriate word!They have planted 9 badam trees in front of their school in J P Nagar 3rd Phase.They had plenty of excuses NOT to plant trees. The Mini Forest, with lots of trees, is right opposite. There's hardly any footpath in front the school. But they went ahead and planted the trees anyway.And in a short time, the trees are providing shade on the hot street...Long live schools like St Mark's, which put their trees…

There is something about the notion of composting that really excites me. Just think of it – with just a simple change of container (a composter/compost pit instead of dustbin), there's a whole new world that opens up! However I had always shied away from actually trying my hand at it – I imagined composting to be complicated and tedious, not to mention messy and unhygienic. I am embarrassed to say I was looking for a quick-fix solution, you see! Composting involves decomposing kitchen and garden waste and other bio degradable matter to make an earthy, dark, crumbly substance that…

On 31 January 2009, nine months after Oorvani Media launched citizenmatters.in, Bangalore’s first online community e-newsmagazine, we are committing the Citizen Matters print fortnightly magazine to you.This free, sleek, 16-page magazine is being launched in the south Bangalore localities of JP Nagar and BTM Layout II Stage.  We encourage you to send us your responses and feedback as we grow to cover other areas of the city. What is Citizen Matters and who are we? Citizen Matters is local-news-only product, with high quality reporting and commentary. It is published by Oorvani Media, a local media firm founded by Bangaloreans, Subramaniam…

As promised, I joined the Republic Day celebrations around 9.30 AM as one of the class X girls was reading out a Kannada speech on the significance of the day. A short talk in English (again read out by a class X girl) followed. Both were delighted when I praised their confident effort. And then a high school teacher and finally the principal addressed the students in Kannada. The last was significant as he reminded them that Republic Day isn't about hoisting the national flag, singing patriotic songs and eating sweets. He chided them for leaving/throwing plates in the neighbourhood…

When I went to school this morning some children were emptying their plates right outside the newly built rear gate while others were still eating inside. As usual, some threw their food away, bored of eating the same stuff daily while others like Akhilesh (the Hindi-speaking class V Math fan) whom I met outside decided to eat at home. Dhanalaxmi, the little girl in class IV with a sweet smile and sharp memory hasn't been eating regularly apparently. She saves it for her younger siblings but is uncomfortable mentioning it. She started a verbal duel with her classmate Praveen who…

I met the children halfway through their meal and had to answer two questions repeatedly – “Where were you during the week?” and "Did you eat today?” I don’t remember even my mother being so concerned but I’m enjoying the attention! Narayana has preserved the Zero Rupee note and asked for another. When I reminded him of his determined words, last Saturday, he agreed to act. Divya and Lata (class V students) will have lunch at home as they are bored of eating at school everyday.Suddenly, one of the class IV boys started addressing me as 'Puli miss' (puli is…

It’s 2009 and I went to school (Government Kannada Model Primary School, Pottery Town) today during lunchtime. I volunteer part-time at this school in my neighbourhood. Divya and others enquired if I’d eaten and wanted me to join them. I can meet them only on Saturday mornings as I have recently resumed working full time and they’re busy with tests/exams and will continue to be. Some are a tad disappointed but others know that we can continue to interact outside class. Suhasini, Surya, Divya, Monika, Vijay et al want me to come from Monday 12th January as their next round…

Mohun Bagan created history by winning the Federation Cup, India's annual major club football tournament, for a record 13th time at Kolkata on the 21st of December 2008, avenging their 2004 defeat to Dempo at Bangalore.Apart from SBT and Viva Kerala from God's own country, there were a few other South Indian Clubs in the picture, including but not limited to ICF-Chennai, HAL SC-Bangalore and BEML-Bangalore. Let's have a look at their campaigns this year... And before that, for those in the dark, a few words on the two Bangalore outfits.Arguably the top football club from Bangalore, HAL SC is…

Here I was merrily plucking tomatoes from my garden as and when i needed them in the kitchen, till S – our domestic help - told me that she had just bought it for 40 rupees a kilo in Russell Market?! FORTY?! I resolved to tend to my garden with greater care and gratitude! 'The garden' has always been integral to my growing years and it was only a matter of time before I started my own. So, ever since we moved to our place earlier this year, I experimented with various methods in the endeavour to make my garden…