Benson Town

Love Across Boundaries, the first event of Bengaluru Pride and Karnataka Queer Habba 2010 provided space for people from diverse backgrounds to express their interpretation of love. Around 40 people from across Bangalore gathered at the Indian Social Institute in the afternoon of 18th November to exchange personal stories, poems and thoughts on romance, relationships and related themes.   The event began with dramatized accounts (in Kannada and English) of the pain that bias towards caste, gender, sexual orientation and religion have caused to people in love, by Kaveri Rajaraman (ecology researcher and activist), Gayatri Geetha (working with Sangama) and Sumathi Murthy…

On Gandhi Jayanti, as I was walking past the United Theological College (UTC) on Millers Road, I was delighted to see a banner regarding its centenary celebrations still displayed. Although I was aware that this renowned institution turned a hundred in July 2010, I was unable to participate in any of the relevant events. Curious to know what was on that afternoon, I entered the green and serene campus. The helpful security guard and a staff member directed me to the large group of Mizo youth (our siblings from the state of Mizoram) chatting and playing merrily. Learning that there…

I had to be at Cantonment Station early one morning, and I was happy to see that an old friend still exists there:There was a time in the not too distant past when one communicated a lot by "snail mail"...someone had recently posted that the post-boxes are hardly to be seen! Well, here's a beautiful example, still well-maintained and in use....Red nostalgia, for a time when a post-card was an inexpensive way to communicate! ⊕

   At DSF's R.T. Nagar centre As evident in the pictures, some kids from low income families and those connected with them through Dream School Foundation (DSF) celebrated on November 14, this year. (Actually, since I began voluntarily tutoring teenagers, I've been enjoying the day more than I did as a child!)                                                       A graceful Ranjita             DSF co-founder Maitreyee and volunteer Desingh with the day's best science team!     According to some government school students, their institutions are observing Children's Day only today. Everyone hopes that they did, as…

Have you ever observed or interacted with children from low income families (and sometimes first generation literates) studying in private or government aided English medium schools, in their school or outside? Who are their friends? What is their medium (language) and topic of conversation?  Do they commute by walk  or bus or private transport? Does their body language display confidence and stability or insecurity and discrimination?   While tutoring and mentoring such children I have found that many of them feel diffident primarily because they can't converse fluently in English and lack academic and career guidance at home. Further, their…

ABBA's song "Money, money, money, must be funny, in a rich man's world. All the things I could do if I had a little money... " comes to mind at the plight of a few of my latest and long time students like Jaya and Alumelu. Little Nila and Jaya are star performers in their 'English medium convent school' and daughters of our neighbourhood unorganized sector worker Devaki. And Alumelu whom I have voluntarily tutored and mentored since 2005 is now a prospective undergraduate and her mother is a housemaid in Byrasandara.   The former have to shell out around…

Different language, faith(religion), caste. Similar socio-economic background, residential neighbourhood, age and school. Do they divide or unite? Fortunately the latter in most cases I have encountered over several years of teaching and counselling children from low income families. Although the children are very conscious of the differences. And highlight them without hesitating to be direct when they deem necessary! But, gender identification and stereotyping builds in early in the kids and increases as they enter teenage. I discovered this with Srikant, a class V government school student who refused to sit beside any of the girls despite insufficient chairs among…

The Pottery Town government school (on Pottery Road where I had volunteered for nearly four months) closed for summer holidays in end March but I often find some children  playing in the ground or loitering around in the neighbourhood. That's hardly surprising as many of their parents and sometimes the kids themselves work and live nearby. But I see only boys - Ramesh, his younger brother Praveen and Narasimha et al almost always! Some of the girls I know, like Pushpalata or Shashikala are definitely busy helping with or doing household chores. But what prevents even a few of the…

Traffic flows smoothly out here. Pics : Sharath Bhat Meet Srinivasalu Naidu - a self-appointed traffic regulator who stations himself at a narrow by-lane off Millers Road in Benson Town - a little before the railway overbridge near Coles Park. If you come in from the Cantonment Station and go past Nandidurga Road, you'll find this narrow by-lane that takes you to Benson Road or Pottery Road. With two-way traffic, this stretch can get tricky - and that's where Srinivasulu comes in. He regulates a steady stream of cars and bikes, with a practiced hand and business-like authority. Without someone…