SOCIETY

ART AND CULTURE Youth classical music fest Ananya, a cultural association has organized Sangati Yuva Sangeetotsava from June 4- 8 in Sevasadan, Malleshwaram. This youth classical musical fest is likely to attract young talent from across the country. Several organizations like the BTM Cultural Academy and Rama Lalita Kala mandira have joined hands for this fest. Organizers are confident that the fest will quench the thirst of music lovers.[Tuesday, June 3 Udayavani] CIVIC Notice to building violators In the wake of incessant rain, the BBMP has issued notices to the residents of nine areas to vacate the place. Officials say…

From its 18th century incarnation as a military town, Bangalore has morphed into a hotbed of the information technology revolution in the 21st first century. And the city has witnessed significant changes in its social and physical landscapes. Most contemporary reflections on the city are framed primarily through the lens of its collapsing infrastructure, and the paradoxical rise of glitzy commercial and residential spaces following the economic boom of the 1990s. The political, social and economic changes unleashed by this IT-led boom have been far reaching. New services, new social and occupational groups and a whole new philosophy of ‘living…

This report captures a range of developments from hooch smugglers smashing street lights to a government school being demolished for road-widening. Also, state officials appear to be thwarting attempts to amend the state civil services law to give more teeth to the Lokayukta. Thursday, May 22 Kannada Prabha Ever wondered why the streetlights on P S K Naidu road in Cox Town never light up? Because hooch smugglers smash them to carryout their operations under cover of darkness. And what's more, they are indirectly helped by the BBMP in their efforts. Fed up by constantly replacing the smashed lights, the…

On Sunday, the 27 April, 2008 at 8 AM, a group of eleven people met up in front of the Apsara theatre at K R market and embarked upon what could well be called Bangalore's first ever PhotoWalk. As the name suggests, a PhotoWalk is all about people walking and taking pictures of whatever they find interesting along the way. They walk along as a group and click photographs, while sharing their information related to photography, to the buildings they pass by, or about anything else they find relevant. This concept as first mooted and implemented in Chennai by blogger…

This report captures stories from the polling booths to a new scandal emerging on land conversions and registrations. There are also briefs on the deplorable state at the High Grounds Police station and a new volunteer effort by engineering college students to help with blood donations and finding matches. Thursday, 15 May Kannada Prabha Two more underpasses will come up in J P Nagar and Kadirenahalli in Bangalore South. The success of underpass near Cauvery theatre prompted BBMP to have such underpasses in different places of city. But new underpasses will be constructed in the traditional style, instead of the…

Every year, as summer rolls in and the mercury rises, I head for the swimming pool (well, poolette, actually!) in our apartment building, and my mind goes back a few years... One of the advantages of living in residential apartments in Bangalore is the fact that one gets to enjoy some common amenities: a gym, a swimming pool, a common green area, and so on. And one summer, I realized that there was someone willing to teach the ladies in the complex, how to swim. Learning to swim was not something new to me. Like the man who said, "Giving…

Our first report in this weekly series captures a hectic election week marking the changing face of political campaigning in Bangalore. There are also reports about a police inspector running away fearing a raid and the return of the dog menace, and a scoop of other stories. Thursday (May 1)Kannada PrabhaPeople from all parts of the country live in the Bommanahalli assembly constituency in south Bangalore. Due to IT, BT and BPO companies, non-Kannada speakers are more in this constituency. Candidates campaigning here are forced to speak in other languages to attract voters. * Candidates seeking votes are made to…

Karaga is one of the oldest festivals in Karnataka and is also celebrated in Tamilnadu. In Bangalore, the Dharmarayaswamy Temple in Thigalarpet (central Bangalore, between the City Market area and Richmond Town) has been the focal point of this festival. Karaga ran its course in the third week of April this year. These pictures were taken on the night of 20 April, a full moon. A huge crowd in front of the Dharmarayaswamy temple, this is the only entrance path used by the Veerakumaras and other followers. There were people as far as the eyes could see. People were on…

Sarfaraz Sheikh is a techie, as the term goes, who, over the past year, has come to be a good friend, even with his being just about half my age. I first got to know him through his posts in the mailing list of our Save Koramangala group. Later, common interests brought us together. I have always marveled at his resourcefulness. Hoysala patrol vehicles (pic courtesy: Bangalore City Police) Generally, it's people of my age group who bother with civic issues. But, that's beginning to change, personified by the likes of Sarfy (as he is commonly known), and perhaps that's…

One of the modes of transport which has been prevalent in many Indian cities has been cycling; and recently, it's been much touted as a non-polluting, eco-friendly, fitness-building activity, which is an exercise as well as a means of getting from A to B. Cycling within this city has many has many participants, from the toddlers on their first bikes, to hobby cyclists, to those who cycle because of their commitment to non-pollution, to those who cycle because that is the means of transport most affordable to them. Here are a few vignettes from each sector: Many children often begin…