GENRE: Features

A few weeks back, while writing about Vibhutipura lake, I spoke with Shubha Priya of VIKAS, a citizens' group associated with the Vibhutipura lake. She pointed out a few interesting facts about the lake, which I missed out on during my previous visits. The idea for composing this essay originated from my interaction with her. As I had observed in my previous essay, Vibhutipura Lake is a fascinating case-study. On various tracts of the land around the lake, one can find people residing in high-rise apartments. A section of society that is not socio-economically fortunate, lives on some other parts…

 Women at the Dodda Maramma temple, waiting to see the other car processions. Pic: Perumal Venkatesan No celebration is complete without fireworks. Pic: Perumal VenkatesanA lady cooks sweet pongal (made using new rice and jaggery) inside the temple campus, to offer to the goddess. This is a common practise across amman (Mariamma) temples in Tamil Nadu too. Pic: Perumal Venkatesan The gully where processions carrying the four idols meet. From here they proceed to the Dodda Maramma temple for the Agni Kunda Puja. Pic: Perumal Venkatesan Young lads dance to the beat of the tamte vaathya. Pic: Perumal Venkatesan Karagattam…

I’ve always enjoyed playing outdoors as far back as I can remember. The first sport I got truly hooked to was football when I was in class five. Other interests, whether I took them on seriously for a while or not, came and went; but my football shoes journeyed alongside me all the way through to high school, and through my BA Degree years. Wait! Did I say all my BA degree years? My attention was slightly diverted when I was halfway through my degree course, and by what? A plastic disc. Little did I know then, that what we…

A few days back, I had written about my interaction with two Bengali immigrant children as I biked past Bellandur Lake. These two children were happily playing with the Bellandur ‘snow’ unaware of the health risks that their games posed to them. Pic: Sanchayan Nath That day, I was on my way to Kaikondrahalli Lake where I wanted to spend some time before biking to Puttenahalli Lake in JP Nagar. As I walked around the Kaikondrahalli Lake, I came across two other children. In contrast to the two children I had met near the Bellandur Lake, the young lady and…

The temple at Belur. Pic: Niveadha Nanjundeswaran Do you enjoy travelling? Are you a history buff? Here's a holiday that offers the best of both. A four-hour drive from Bengaluru on NH 48 will take you to Hassan. This district in Karnataka comes with its own bag of historical charms, waiting to be discovered. Pay a visit to the hamlets of Belur, Halebid and Shravanabelagola and take a step back in time. Belur Belur is home to one of South India’s most beautiful temple complexes, making it an ideal weekend getaway for history lovers. The cradle of the Hoysala Empire,…

There are things about Bengaluru that are easy to agree on: The weather is wonderful, the food is fantastic, and the people are omnipresent. But for foreigners living the Garden City, the pleasantries of this south Indian city can come with a price. S2immigration, an organisation that helps visitors to India with resident permits, visa extension etc, estimates that there are 10,000 professional expats working in Bengaluru. Its booming IT sector, academic opportunities, and expanding economy has drawn people from around the world. According to expats, Bengaluru takes the cake for being the city with the most to offer. Danielle…

There was once a time in Bengaluru when one could see only a few buildings and a handful of people from right where they were standing. These days however, you should consider yourself lucky if you can see more than the bumper of the vehicle in front of you. From being referred to as Garden City, it has now been tagged as Garbage City. Independent bungalows and vataaras have given way to high-rise apartments. Empty streets are now jam-packed with vehicles.   Here is a comparison between the Bengaluru of yore, when it went by several flattering sobriquets, and the…

If you are a frequent visitor to Lalbagh, you may have seen the various animals and birds that have made it home. Along with an abundance of dogs, squirrels and birds, you’ll also find monkeys! And if you happen to take a stroll on the trail that leads to the lake from the main gate, in all likelihood, as you near the staircase, you will bump into some of the simians, and a gentleman named Shivshankar. For the past year and a half, he has been feeding the monkeys at Lalbagh. A Maharashtrian by birth and a resident of Andhra…

Another ‘Cycle Day’ is being organized by Yelahanka United Environment Association (YUVA) in partnership with Directorate of Urban Land Transport, UDD, Government of Karnataka in Yelahanka New Town on Sunday, 12th April 2014, 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The venue is the area next to Allalasandra Lake. Entry is free for all.   The morning will commence with a cycle rally around Allalasandra Lake and the main roads of Yelahanka New Town (around 6.5 km). Around 3000 cyclists, local citizens, Yelahanka MLA, Corporators are expected to participate in this edition of Cycle Day. The students of IEEE Bangalore Section will be the volunteers.   Free…

The third Kere Habba (Lake Festival) of 2015 is all set to take place at Madiwala Lake on Saturday, 11th April 2015. The event has been planned in two sessions - morning 6:30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. and evening 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Kere Habba is an initiative of The Namma Bengaluru Foundation. Reports of the previous two Kere Habbas can be seen on these links - Kere Habba at Kaikondrahalli Lake, Puttenahalli Kere Habba.   Visitors to Madiwala Kere Habba can expect lots of fun activities for both children and adults. The schedule includes bird watching, sketching, cycling, craft, dance, music, story…