Society

Our last article on Bangalore's history talked about its electrification, the first city in Asia to be electrified. Continuing with our series on Bangalore's development, we will now see how a sleepy town was transformed into a robust city by industrialisation. Mysore Lamps factory at Yeshwantpur (pic: Gopal MS) The medium and large scale industries started to appear in Bangalore in the mid 19th century. We owe much of the origin of the Government Press (operated in Wesleyan Mission Society), which was the first one to start the trend in Bangalore, to Rev. J Garret. Later, he not only set…

Entering Admiral Dawson's residence generates a feeling of stepping into another era. The high wooden gate opens to a driveway, lined on either side by huge trees and colourful hedges. A vintage car stands at the entrance. The bungalow itself is straight out of history - tiled roof, monkey-tops and a small veranda leading to the inner rooms. The antique teak furniture - a small wooden table, a couple of chairs and a pair of sofas - add to the beauty of the place. Plaques and photographs from the Admiral's long and outstanding career in Indian Navy decorate the walls.…

It all started two weeks back, when I received an email from Lokesh about a proposed ride for Jawa / Yezdi bikers on 25th January 2009 to the "Big Banyan Tree". I spoke to my wife about this ride a week back and she agreed to postpone a few important tasks that she had planned for Sunday, letting me go and enjoy my day with buddies, wondering, what these crazy guys do with their bikes every now and then. Line up of beauties at the beauty err beast pageant After so many years of marriage, while continuing to own this…

It was a dull and cloudy afternoon when I was on my way to Jayanagar to meet first-time MLA B.N.Vijaykumar (BJP). I was not too excited about the interview as, like most of us, I was quite sure of getting long winded answers for simple questions. The first impression, as I entered the spic and span office, though, came as a surprise. I expected piles of folders and paper lying on the tables but I was astonished to see this almost paperless office with an executive constantly working on the computer. The grey haired bachelor in his late forties welcomed…

The sprawling Indian Institute of Science right at the centre, a dozen-odd industries, swanky malls, residential layouts, commercial establishments, a bustling vegetable market, high rise hotels, all this and more make Yeshwanthpur a town by itself, interspersing an old world charm with the new. Situated in the northern outskirts of Bangalore, Yeshwanthpur has a number of educational institutions, theatres, hospitals and other amenities. This once half sleepy village has now transformed into a well-planned township as a result of the rapid development of public sector units.Slide show (all photographs by M S Gopal)Wall Art outside Yeshwantpur Junction. Yeshwantpur to Bangalore’s…

Chitra Sante is an 'Art for All' event organized by Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath. The event has escalated to national level since its first edition in 2003. Artists from all over India showcase their art works in this one-day event. The event displays affordable art works of all kinds. This year's event had about 1500 stalls, showcasing art works of over 2000 artists of all ages. Photographs were allowed for the first time as a part of this event and got a very good response from the public. A sea of people filled the Kumara Krupa Road from dawn to dusk…

As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the whole world - Virginia Woolf Meet Jyothi Ganesh, editor, publisher, writer, mother, wife, all rolled into one. From helping her maid get a recurring deposit in the nearby bank to sweetly coaxing her young neighbour to fit a silencer to his noisy bike, Jyothi believes in 'doing and giving'. Founder-editor of Frazer Times, a community newspaper of areas in and around Frazer Town in north Bangalore, this woman runs the show single-handedly. Soft-spoken, passionate, endearing, patient, these are but a few words to describe this dreamer.…

Business Labourers affected by global recession The Peenya Industrial Area employs about five lakh labourers. Out of them 5000 workers have alreadly lost their jobs, the reason being global recession. Most of the industrial units have no new orders to execute since three months. Many companies are asking workers to resign without giving them sufficient period of notice. The bogey of unemployment now haunts many workers. It is said that there will be 25- 30 per cent job cut soon. (Prajavani, Sunday, 11 Jan) Coffee to brew no more at Coffee House Sad news for coffee and Coffee House lovers-…

Meet Prakash Michael. 56 years old, freelance graphic designer and an alumnus of the JJ School of Art. Prakash runs a graphic design studio in Bangalore and is one of the most resourceful art directors I have met or worked with. Prakash MichaelWay back, when there was no desktop publishing or Photoshop, Prakash did the layouts, assembled his artworks and somewhere down the line, nipped into his dark room to print bromides of b&w logos and images. A true one-stop shop in drawing board publishing.Over the years, the end-to-end responsibilities of freelance became a serious limiting factor. "I just didn't…

Business Price of rice doubles in eight months Inflation might have taken a beating elsewhere, but for us in Karnataka, the price of rice is heading northwards. A kilo of good quality rice now costs Rs 38 to Rs. 40. The government's decision to impose levy on rice is the reason behind this rise. Moreover, the Andhra Pradesh Government, which was the main exporter of rice, has banned export as traders there opposed the levy system. So Karnataka is now exporting rice to Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarath, creating a shortage for domestic use. The state government has not initiated…