Blogs

Today's a day of acknowledging our dependence on our tools and equipment. Vehicles are cleaned and decorated with banana leaves, sandalwood paste and kumkum. The fire engines in the station at Sarjapur Road, were duly spruced and worshipped. Indeed they are life saving 'Ayudhas'. Fire engine. Pic: Meera K. ⊕

The shingada or kuttu (water chestnuts) comes to the rescue, given that the on-going Navratris have restrictions on many North Indians, and in particular the Jain community. Festival Food at Mast Kalandar. Pic: Uma Swamy As recipes using flour made from Shingada are permissible, people make variants of regular dishes as well as new ones. Mast Kalandar, the Vegetarian restaurant , is serving the Vrat Thalis  using shingada or kuttu flour in pooris and pakodis that are salted with a special salt (sendha namak) .  Priced at Rs 159, the Vrat Thalis or the Navratra combo will be served till…

Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) was created with the objective of detection, investigation of offences and prosecutions of persons, indulging in unauthorised occupation of lands/property belonging to government and government organisations in Bangalore Metropolitan Area vide GO No. UDD/247/MNU/95 Bangalore dated 19th March 1996. In addition, to identify those employees and officers of the above organisations who collude with the public in committing the offences by creating false and forged documents and which involve loss of revenue and to take action against them as per law in respect to the offences and irregularities committed under the following enactments vide GO…

This Joy of Giving Week (Oct 2-8, 2011), please "give" to Puttenahalli Neighbourood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT).A citizens' initiative, the PNLIT has been working with the Bangalore municipality (BBMP), to rejuvenate and preserve Puttenahalli Lake in South Bangalore. A couple of years ago, the lake was almost lost to 'development' but it is now a "saved" lake of Bangalore that is teeming with fish and attracting birds. Indeed, the Puttenahalli Lake is an example of what we, the people can achieve with governmental support (and visa versa!!).In May 2011, PNLIT became the first citizens' group to be given charge of…

Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri.D.V.Sadananda Gowda had a detailed discussion with Shri.V.P.Baligar, CMD, Hudco today (01.10.2011) at New Delhi, about various Hudco assisted  Schemes in Karnataka.  Sri.Suresh Kumar, Hon’ble Minister for Urban Development, Sri.Govinda Karjola, Hon’ble Minister for Kannada and Culture and Sri.V.Dhanajaya Kumar, Special Representative of Government of Karnataka in New Delhi  were present in the meeting.HUDCO, a Government of India subsidiary, has come forward to extend a loan of Rs.700 crore to “Namma Metro” Project of Bangalore. The loan agreement will be signed between HUDCO and BMRTCL shortly. HUDCO Assistance to KarnatakaHUDCO has supported a total of 1,437 schemes…

 I decided to visit my friends Ganu and Hema, and their daughter, Janani, who's recently come home for good, after having done her Masters' degree at Pittsburgh. They always put up a lovely display for Navarathri:A "kolu" or "golu" is supposed to be a representation of the universe, so anything you wish to can be put in....human beings, animals, gods, flowers....Here's an idol which is half Ganesha, half Hanuman, that I've never seen before:These dolls/figures are often sold in "sets". Here's a beautiful set of Mamallapuram, or Mahabalipuram, on the shores near Chennai:There is also a lovely seascape painting to…

Sales of khadi dresses surge during the month of October. Khadi stores offer discounts of up to 40% on clothes. One such shop is the Khadi Sadan in Jaynagar 3rd Block, opposite Bata showroom. The shop sells readymade dresses (shirts, kurtas, sarees, shawls etc) and cloth materials of khadi and silk, carpets and rugs. Products such as herbal soaps, toothpaste, aloe vera juice, gaumutra (cow urine used for medicinal purposes) are also sold. Kadhi store at Jayanagar. Pic: Uma Swamy. Vinod K G, 32, who has been running the shop for eight years, says that they sell more than 75…

It’s a busy time for Bengali Associations across Bangalore as they are in the midst of organising Durga Pujo. This is the time of Puja, new clothes and getting together with the community to share a rich heritage of performing arts and cuisine.  One such Pujo is being organised by Bengali In Bangalore (BinB), a non-residential Bengali community online. The theme for this year’s pujo is Awkal Bodhan which depicts a scene from the Ramayana of Lord Rama doing a puja before going to Sri Lanka to rescue Goddess Sita. Apart from this there will also be Dhunuchi Naach, a…

On 18 September 2011, BBMP staff noticed illegal road cutting near Raju Colony in Marathalli and took into custody a vehicle with No KA 18 T 3522. Reliance Communication was carrying out the work to lay communication cables to a company called Logica.BBMP has slapped a fine of Rs 30 lakhs Reliance Communications, Whitefield for unauthorised road cutting. ⊕

 On Sunday, 25th September 2011, discerning lovers of music flocked to Ravindra Kalakshetra, to attend the Radio Sangeet Sammelan.The Carnatic music program by Smts. Ranjani and Gayathri was followed by a flute recital by Sri Ronu Mojumdar.The foyer was beautifully decorated with this "AIR" floral rangoli.An enjoyable evening for everyone, followed by distribution of sweets by K C Das! ⊕