Column: Bangaloreans

A destitute man was lying in front of my maid's house in a terrible condition.  He was really sick, stinking of urine and flies feasting on him.  He could not even open his eyes.  We wanted to help him, though we did not know how.  A single mother wanted to know if I knew of any free residential school where she could admit her ten-year-old son, because she had to work to earn her livelihood while there was no one to take care of her naughty son. One of my distant relatives was admitted to a hospital and the bills…

Language has always been the bone of contention between people. Some people go to any extent to show their love for languages. Most often such fanatic attitude leads to negative incidents. But there are yet a few who show their love for languages in a very positive manner. K K Gangadharan, 60,  is one such person. Born into a Malayali family in a village called Pathanadukkam in Kasargod District, he migrated to Kabbinasethuve village in Coorg District in his childhood. Courtesy: K K Gangadharan. “Since First Form (today’s VI Grade), I had to travel to Somwarpet for schooling, which was…

“From my apartment window I would see children building castles out of mud. Kids who should be spending their time in school were out accompanying their parents at the construction. This scene which resonated with me would repeat itself day after day until I realized a universal truth - Children loved building castles, homes - a place of belonging, whether at a beach, a playground or here at a construction site. Children's Lovecastles Trust (CLT) was borne out of a passion to keep kids in school. To give them the education they deserve, so they can go build on their…

Malleshwaram Circle was a very beautiful junction, where lovely avenues criss-crossed. Huge trees lined up on all the four roads and made this place a literal heaven. A grade separator made its way about five years ago and hundreds of trees were bidden good-bye. We could not see the sky in those days. But today, people walk under the scorching sun. Many businessmen at the junction, who were running their business for the last 50 to 100 years, have lost their business.For example, there was this beautiful flower shop which was more than hundred years old. I saw the concept…

In the mid-eighties when I used to travel on Bellary Road from Bangalore to Vijayapura, a small town about 50 kms away from Bangalore, many things were different. There used to be a huge Circle called Mekhri Circle and the metro almost ended there. There were a few residential localities like Sultanpalya, Gangenahalli and Dollars Colony along the Bellary Road but these were not congested like today and the highway to Bellary/Hyderabad began at Mekhri Circle. There were very few concrete buildings along the highway like the Kirloskar Factory, AMCO Batteries, Larsen & Turbo and a few petrol pumps. Dinshaw…

Rural idyll is not too far from the city and sometimes almost inside. A relative of mine told me about Mallaiah and his scenic farm just on the periphery of the city and how the land was under threat as the city greedily expands. Mallaiah with family. Pic: Varsha N Achar. Mallaiah lives in a small village called Gongdipura which comes under Kodigehalli taluk, about 5 kms away from Magadi Road-NICE Road junction in Bangalore city. I drove on the narrow road leading to Kodigehalli from the Sunkadkatte main road. Small houses on revenue sites and petty shops dotted on…

Towns and cities have always been points of attraction to people in rural areas.  There is a big difference between urban lifestyle and rural lifestyle even today, except for the villages very close to the cities.  Towns and cities are the last hopes of people from villages.  Thousands of people migrate from villages to bustling cities to earn their livelihoods, especially when nature disappoints them and their farms fail to meet their basic needs. I have been selling my old newspapers and other waste materials to Madayan, a 35-year-old soft spoken man for the last 15 years.  I have always…

In 1996, noted writer and publisher, S V Sreenivasa Rao, was given the Aryabhatta award, in recognition of his contribution to Kannada literature. Thereafter he was awarded the ‘Kannada Sri' from the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (2000) and ‘Karnataka Sri' from Karnataka Rajya Prashasti (2005). Rao has also won Attimabbe and Ranne Sahitya Prashasti for Mahitikosha, his encyclopedia on Kannada writers. Sreenivasa and Anusuya Rao (pic: Sudha Narasimhachar) Winning awards is a habit for 76-year-old Rao. His drawing room has no more space, given the awards that he's won; starting from school days, through college life, until today. Strangely enough, this…

December 1st is World HIV/AIDS Day. I do not believe in declaring just one day in a year for a purpose, like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. However these days do hold some significance, because all the authorities (government and non-government) and people working for the cause get inspired to introspect, recount their activities of the year and plan the activities for the next year. Communication for Development and Learning (CDL), a city-based NGO, recently conducted a series of workshops on HIV/AIDS and related issues, both to sensitise journalists and motivate them to write more on this issue. CDL works…

There could be any number of senior citizens aged eighty plus in our family and friends circle. But how many of us have met one with a totally positive outlook? Most of us feel that old age is a bane and dread getting older. But just meet B Kamala, the erstwhile General Manager of Canara Bank and you will change your view. She is an embodiment of positive energy.As I entered her house on a considerably quiet street in Koramangala, expecting to meet a frail old woman, I was stunned to see Kamala looking the same as she did 20…