GENRE: In Focus

"Birth and death are the only certainties in life..." but in our culture, weddings are almost certain, too. And to celebrate the wedding, we need to hire wedding halls or Kalyana Mantapas. However, the hiring of these seems to be beset with various difficulties, and the wedding hall sector seems to be an unorganised one. According to Eshwar Bhosle, who publishes a directory of marriage halls of Bangalore, titled "Kalyana",(see box) about 10 new halls come up in the city every year, and an average of 60 to 80 weddings are performed in each hall every year. There are about…

Corrupt government officials who have actively abetted illegal constructions in the city should be taken to task before any action can be taken against owners of such properties. This was the common refrain among citizens of the city who met under the aegis of the Citizens' Action Forum (CAF) on 24 January 2008 to discuss, debate and arrive at a consensus on issues arising out of the amendment to the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act. The amendment is known as the Sakrama scheme. The group discussing Setback and FAR violations at the CAF Forum on Sakrama. Pic: Samuel Jacob.…

We pay taxes and duties on just about everything - on our income, on purchase of capital assets such as property and cars, on services, and on our expenses. Part of the tax collection goes to the central government, and part to the state and local governments. A substantial portion of these funds is earmarked for spending on area development. This much we know. In Bangalore, the reality is that city corporators work hand-in-glove with corporation officials (BBMP) and contractors to ensure that a good portion of the funds earmarked for development are milked back into their own pockets. Guru…

Damned if you do damned if you don't. That's the dilemma the high court judges, hearing petitions against the recently passed Karnataka State law on regularization of illegal constructions, seem to be in. The public interest litigation (PIL) filed by citizens' groups from Bangalore and Mangalore seek an injunction and stay against the Sakrama scheme devised under the new law and being implemented by the administration. Sakrama in discussion at the 1 December meeting organised by CIVIC. BBMP Special Commissioner Ramprasad is speaking. "If the amendment is not stayed, violators will get amnesty. But if we stay the amendment, small…

If fools did not go to market, cracked pots and false wares would not be sold. -- Jean Le Malchanceux (in the twelfth century). In India, consumers have had a raw deal in the market place and suffered in the field of health and welfare. Earlier they had recourse to the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Act. But after The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 came into force, and key amendments took effect in March 2003, consumers have been learning to assert themselves while buying goods and services. As a Bangalorean, what should be the first thing on your shopping…

In an obese, overgrown metro, some symbols still endure. One of these is the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), almost a subconscious icon that IT Bangalore has inherited from its 'garden city' avatar. Bangalore Development Authority Headquarters (courtesy: BDA) There is a mixed reaction to the BDA. There appears to be a slight inclination to appreciate its new IT-savviness. On the other hand, there are charges of corruption. And finally, more civic conscious citizens find its development plans to be grossly unbalanced, with the wrong emphasis on all the wrong areas. So firstly, is there really a new IT look? K…

Oasis is the name of the new swanky and slick shopping mega mall that's sprung up on the corner of Koramangala 80 feet road and Inner Ring Road intersection. It's quite strategically located, on one of the busiest crossroads of Bangalore, also a prime residential area. Drain view apartments: Multi-storey buildings along the storm water drain (pic: Samuel Jacob) Just behind the mall on a gentle gradient is the Shinivagulu Tank Bed (S T Bed) residential layout. Not so long ago when humans were kind, it used to be a tank bed. In 1989, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), converted…

The advance of the Internet, and the technological advances in digital photography have come together to impact our lives in many ways; but few would have thought, a few years ago, that it would result in a major innovation in a field - wildlife -- where until now, enthusiasts were never near a net connection. Yet a team of four people, all from Bangalore, have, in a short time, managed to build up a strong association and bond between diverse people, by starting India Nature Watch (www.indianaturewatch.net), an online resource for Indian wildlife and photography lovers. Seven Spot Burnet Moth…

Suresh lives in the Victorian Avenue apartment block in Indira Nagar. After a day's work in the office, he comes home and cooks his food. Till recently he was using the water from a tap provided in the flat's kitchen for cooking. In February this year he noticed that the rice he cooked used to turn dull yellow in colour. First he thought it was the rice, but changing the rice did not change the colour.I used to boil the water for drinking and there would be a thin white film of something on the surface. When I asked my…

Which one of us has not seen the abandoned hack-horse, the milch-cow left on the streets, the pet dog bought on a whim and ignored or starved once the novelty wears off? Which one of us has not seen a sloth bear being made to dance by the "madari", been concerned about the parakeets that fortune-tellers put in tiny cages, or seen the plight of circus animals? Add to these the animals that are routinely injured or tortured in the name of festivals or religion, and you begin to see a sad picture of survival against the odds. Brahminy Kite…