Z-Blogs

Do we really know our city—beyond our favourite parks and gardens, theatres and cafes? Are we searching for ways to carve better spaces but unable to drive a concrete action plan? Do we act together or alone in trying to shape the space we all call home? ComplexCity is our celebration of urban diversity and plurality. It is a tribute to the city and its people. An invitation to every urban inhabitant to share their experiences of the city with one another. An acknowledgement and appreciation of and respect for every effort towards city building, and a commitment to continue…

It has been about three months since an update on the status of Iblur lake rejuvenation was shared. So here is one. As the picture suggests, there is water! That is a great news indeed. It is far from full, but to get to this point required a fair bit of work. Copious rains over the lake body were not enough. We had to find ways to clean up inlets of roadside drains that could feed the lake. We now have 4 such inlets and we will add a couple more once the current roadworks are complete. Here are some…

The second edition of Keetavismaya, an exhibition on insects is being organised on 29, 30 November & 1 December (9.30 AM to 6.00 PM) at the Dr Babu Rajendra Prasad Convention Center, UAS GKVK Campus, Bengaluru. Insects are the oldest and most diverse group of land animals. Their long association with plants have influenced the evolution of flowers, pollination, complex plant biochemistry, the shapes and textures of all plant parts and have a significant impact on human activities such as agriculture. A few insects annoy us and can spread serious diseases like dengue. Honeybees provide a significant source of food…

Repair Café Bengaluru is the first Indian member of this worldwide network, and has adapted the Repair Café model to the Indian context. Apart from repairs of common articles of use such as clothes, shoes, bags, toys, appliances, electronics, bicycles, and computers, Repair Café Bengaluru also conducts workshops on repair/up cycling skills. Their current modus operandi is to hold half-day events on weekends among interested groups (such as schools/colleges, NGOs, and resident associations) in different parts of Bengaluru. Though Repair Café Bengaluru has been able to attract a long list of able repairers and tinkerers, the challenge has always been…

First things first: The headline of this blog is not the title of an upcoming movie! This script was conceived during a pollution-free ride —amid a haze of smoke outside—from New Delhi (railway station) to Chandni Chowk—a buzzing marketplace in old Delhi that has withstood the test of time for centuries. These words echo the lore of a blockbuster that has been running to packed houses (read coaches) day after day, year after year, in one of the world's busiest urban agglomerations. Delhi Metro, as the phenomenon is commonly known, is not merely a means of mass rapid transit; it…

Rapid urbanisation without supportive mass transit and motorisation has led to drastic increase in travel times, loss of productivity and reduced mobility access across travel modes. B.MOBILE is B.PAC’s mobility initiative that works on research, policy advocacy, stakeholder awareness in the areas of sustainable mobility, shared and pooled mobility, nonmotorised transit, para transit including related planning and infrastructure needs for providing seamless and integrated first, middle and last mile connectivity to citizens of Bengaluru. The goal is to push for sustainable mobility for all by encouraging the use of public transport and disincentivising the private vehicles usage. To understand this…

Lake Conservationist, Anand Malligavad, who was able to rejuvenate 4 lakes (Kyalasanahalli lake, Vabasandra lake, Konasandra lake, Gavi lake) within 2 years and with minimal resources is conducting a Lake Rejuvenation Workshop this weekend. Anand’s approach to lake rejuvenation is systematic and scientific. It involves rejuvenation of streams of inter-connected lakes divided into 4 different zones of Bengaluru based on topography and gravity. His lake rejuvenation technique not only focuses on water, but on changing the whole ecology with a self-sustainable ecosystem representing the natural ecology of olden days. The rejuvenated lakes host 38,000 saplings and 4 miywaki forests planted…

‘Lasya’ is a series aimed at bringing Indian art forms and artists to the fore. It is established in the fond memory of “Ganga” who was an artist par excellence with more than 100 paintings to her credit. This will be the first chapter of Lasya with an exhibition of her creations. The day will also see three diverse artists share their talents and experiences. All are welcome to join and immerse Lasya! Ganga Srinivasan, after exploring so much in the art field, firmly believed that art as a whole is an exclusive field that requires greater amount of talent,…

Karnataka’s Dalit organisations, Farmer groups, Women’s rights organisations, Human rights organisations and several groups have come together under one forum, called ‘People for Peace and Justice” , “Shanthi Mattu Nyaayakkaagi Naavu” in order to work for peace and justice in the light of the Ayodhya verdict. This is an event calling people of all faiths and groups, to join hands to spread a message of peace. That whatever may be the Ayodhya verdict, let us work for peace. Those dissatisfied may approach courts for legal remedies, but let us not violate peace. Joint Forum Launched to maintain peace and fight…

The Bangalore Literature Festival, Bengaluru city’s flagship literary event, is all set for a spectacular 2019 eighth edition on November 9th and 10th in the breezy green lawns of Hotel LaLiT Ashok in Kumara Krupa High Grounds, Bengaluru.  The two-day event will feature a host of distinguished speakers, authors and artistes including thespian and National Award-winning actor Pankaj Kapur; former CEO of McKinsey and co-founder of the Indian School of Business Rajat Gupta; Historian and author of Savarkar: Echoes from a Forgotten Past Vikram Sampath; inaugural winner of the Restless Books Prize for Temporary People Deepak Unnikrishnan; renowned mythologist, writer…