CITIZEN JOURNALISM

This is the Akshayanagara Lake. Less than three years ago, it was a nothing but a patch of land with overgrown weeds and sewage as seen below.  The transformation is the work of a group of enthusiastic residents of the layout led by Ramesh Kumar who have toiled to restore the lake to its present form. In 2009, one side of the lake bund was strengthened and fenced, most of the sewage was blocked, and the entire lake was cleaned up at a huge cost running into lakhs. The cost was borne by the residents along with the local MLA.…

Fig. 3.5.1: East View of Bangalore in 1792 AD by Robert Hyde Colebrooke, British Library, Shelfmark - WD4461 Courtesy: Yashaswini Sharma Were there waterways inside Lal Bagh once upon a time? How did the famous garden get the unique design? How did the famous glass house came to be in it? This chapter from a book on Bangalore's early history — Bangalore - the early city - AD 1537-1799, authored by Yashaswini Sharma, an architect from Bengaluru, to be released on June 4, 2016, at the British Council, Bangalore, provides some insights. Exclusive images collected from archives make it an…

This is the second, no, the third time I have had problems with invaders of the pedestrian pavements in Bengaluru. And this time I have had the most painful experience which I blame solely on the cops for not controlling. I have a huge and painful gash on the front of my shin where there is hardly any flesh and what makes it worse is I am a chronic diabetic. Digging on the other side of Richmond Road. Pic: Mariane D Nazarath Three scooter-borne jay riders were racing down Hayes Road on the wrong side of the road while I…

Come June 5 and there is a flurry of activity in the name of environment. An item on the CSR list ticked, some community sentiments evoked and soon the environment is a closed chapter for many. But at Adamya Chetana Foundation, greening the city is no one-time event. In its project Green Bengaluru 1:1 started this year, the group aims to ensure one tree for every person. “Where we ideally need seven trees for one person, we now have one tree for seven persons,” says Tejaswini Ananthkumar, who is the founder of the organisation along with husband Ananthkumar, the BJP…

Recent events in Bengaluru have again brought the Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) issue to centre stage. It is a welcome development since it is a constitutional requirement as per the 74th Amendment. An MPC was constituted in 2014 covering the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) jurisdiction. Until May 2016, the MPC had never met although there is likely to be a first meeting on June 1, 2016.   What is the ideal jurisdiction of the MPC for Bengaluru while providing background context about the MPC? We feel that Bengaluru will be better served if the MPC is constituted at the Bengaluru…

The rocky plateau of Bengaluru was originally a combination of grassland and scrub and thorn forest, with small trees. We don’t know have a historical record of the original climate. But was it likely to have been warm and dry, just like the other districts nearby, namely Kolar and Chikballapur, possibly receiving only about 300-400mm of rain, with the temperatures somewhere in the mid-thirties? We don't know, but that's just a wild guess. Bengaluru’s first man-made climate change Though the city originally had a few tanks as water sources, around which settlements were built, those who ruled Bangalore, including Cholas…

Nandi Hillathon is the first of its kind marathon and walkathon bring organised in the picturesque locale of Nandi Hills. It is a unique marathon where the entire proceeds collected from the marathon and walkathon will be used to help in the restoration of Nandi Hills and also support causes in select neigbourhoods. This is an annual city-wide fundraiser event which will be anchored by United Way to encourage associations like RWAs, running and cucling groups, lake groups, NGOs, to raise resources for their respective neighbourhoods. You must participate in Nandi Hillathon for two reasons A unique opportunity to help…

Nearly 200 citizens from Nandini Layout ward got together on May 23rd to participate in the KillBill campaign. The drive was organised by B.CLIP’s Civic Hub leader Jayalakshmi K to get rid of the illegal flex boards, posters and banners that were creating ‘visual pollution’ in the surroundings. This was conducted jointly with the Clean Nandini Layout, Beautiful Nandini Layout campaign run by the corporator, KV Rajendra Kumar. Residents peel posters that are defacing the ward. Pic: B.PAC Participants expressed their support towards the well-being of the ward and agreed to spread a clear message that people’s active participation is…

Metro trains are jam-packed in the evenings. Pic: Karanam Ramesh It’s been three weeks now of using the Metro for my commute. I resisted writing about it until the dust settles and some routine is established. And a routine is now established. It has been an interesting, and somewhat, tiring three weeks. It is not easy going from a sedentary, get in, sit down in a van near home and get out only at work, and vice-versa commute to a lot of walking. It will take some time for the body to get used to this. And it will be good to…

She stands with folded hands near the dam. Ponnaiyar, Thenpennai, Dakshina Pinakini.... these are the names she personifies. Statue of Dakshina Pinakini in Bhoganandeeshwara temple. Pic: Vishwanath Srikantaiah At the ancient Bhoganandeeswara Temple, children listen to their teacher narrating the story of a spring that comes and fills the step-well. Here is where it all begins. In Kannada there is a saying—never ask about the origins of a sage and a river. Children listening to the story at the Bhoganandeeshwara temple premises. Pic: Vishwanath The city of Bengaluru has made it to international news because two of its lakes started…