Society

  As the city gears up to celebrate the 68th independence day, Bengaluru police have put the system in place, by enabling high security for key locations. The Independence Day - 2014 Ceremonial Parade will be held at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground, Cubbon Road on August 15th, 2014, at 9 am. City Police Commissioner M N Reddi on Wednesday, August 13, 2014, briefed the press with the don'ts that the public attending the Independence Day Parade will have to follow. Carrying materials like matchbox, lighter, deodorants, etc or sharp objects like knives, cameras, eatables, water bottles, umbrellas, radios,…

Take time to smell the roses this week. Visit the flower show to admire the spectacular recreation of the Mysore Palace, and marvel at the many beautiful flowers on display. Independence Day Flower Show in Lalbagh Botanical Garden has begun on Friday, August 8, 2014, and will continue until Sunday, August 17. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the flower show at the gardens. Click on the slideshow to see photos of this year’s show. The oddly-shaped cockscomb flower with its velvet-like texture. Pic: Christopher LopazeThe walkway from the West Gate entrance toward the Glass House. Pic: Christopher Lopaze…

Time and again we hear about cases of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) getting reported and complaints being filed. While this is a sign of awareness among public on CSA itself and the legal steps they can take, there are many who are unaware of the law, because of which there might be some cases of abuse which may not have got the attention they deserve. What is Child Sexual Abuse? Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is the exploitation of a child by an adult or an older adolescent for sexual stimulation. It can include engaging in sexual activities with a child,…

Finding lost people, that too when they have dementia, is a big problem in Bengaluru. The success rate of finding a person who is genuinely lost is dismally low as the Police Department is not equipped or staffed properly to deal with it. For small children it is even lower. Tracking a person who cannot communicate, such as a dumb or mentally challenged person, is practically impossible. My dad went missing last weekend. My dad has Alzheimers disease. Although he is physically fine, he is not able to communicate even the simplest things. From the outset, we were told that our…

Panelists debating during 7th Media Watch held at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore - Ammu Joseph, Ravi Hegde, Shaibya Saldanha, Ashok GV, Madhuraveena (From left to right). Pic: Shree D N The auditorium in Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, was full of young and energetic, enthusiastic audience. The seventh ‘Media Watch’ event organised by Oorvani Foundation, Avadhi Magazine and Network of Women in Media, was hosted by the Journalism Department of Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. The event, a panel discussion on ‘Naming and Shaming: Sexual Violence and the Media’, had experts from media, law, enforcement and medical fields.The panel discussed the complex…

"This time, every street, every lane of Bangalore will demand nothing less than complete justice. We have identified 23 centres in Bangalore. You need to step out this Saturday, 2nd of August between 8-9pm, take your friends, relatives, neighbours, everyone you know to your nearest Candle March centre and light a candle and demand justice. This time WE would be the ones giving out deadlines to give out the TRUE version of the case and arrest all the culprits within that date. They miss the deadline, one more march. WE won't stop." This is the introduction of the Candle March…

A distant view of Biligudda (white hill) across a river. Behind white hill is Karigudda (black hill). Pic:Christopher Martin Lopaze The day after my one-day guided bike tour to rural Bengaluru, my forearms were slightly sunburned, my palms were tender—my fingers were spared fortunately—and my legs and behind were sore; temporary souvenirs I’ve now lost. But the experience is one I shall not forget. I booked a guided bike tour because I wanted to leave the city behind, and see the countryside. Only one other rider, Ray, was on the tour. The total trip distance was about 35 km.  A…

Growing up in the lap of nature influences one’s life in a profound way. One learns to appreciate nature and all its wonders in a more special manner, than someone who has grown up in a town or city. It allows one discover and acknowledge the beauty in the little things that nature has to offer - in the pattern of a dragonfly's wing, in every tiny droplet of rain, in the various moods of the weather. Raviprakash S S is among the lucky ones. As a young boy, growing up in the Malenad region, he was exposed to nature…

A map of Bangalore from 1920s that shows planned localities including Chamrajpet area. Pic courtesy: Wikipedia One of the most iconic and beloved movies in Kannada while growing up was ‘Ganeshana Maduve’. In the opening scene, you have the director giving a voice over set, with a complete sense of irony, to the tune of Punyakoti, a long poem you had to memorize when you were barely nine. The voiceover introduces a vataara, or a colony, based in Ranga Rao Road, which straddles Chamarajpet, Shankarapuram and Basavangudi with the iconic Brahmin’s Coffee Bar, set at a corner. One of the…

Every true Bengaluru resident has heard of the legendary tales of the idli shop across from Lalbagh. Stories of pillow-soft idlis, mouth-watering masala dosas and piping hot coffee served in polished silver cups have spread far and wide. South Indian meals from this hotel chain are also world-famous. Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR) has ingrained itself so well in Bangalorean culture that having a meal there has pretty much become a ritual. Yet unbeknownst to many, MTR is steeped in rich history, boiling down to a small village in the heart of Bangalore, called Mavalli, and the perseverance of the Maiya…