Oh! Bangalore!

South Parade -  courtesy www.discoverbangalore.com

                                           

By Ajay Sachdev  (midasinvone@yahoo.co.in)                 

‘Twas the winter of ’75. I was walking down Bangalore’s lovely MG Road Boulevard, formerly called South Parade, when there was a brilliant flash of light. Confused, I sat down on one of the charming Olde Worlde benches that lined the promenade. A misty cloud enveloped me. An angelic being caught my hand and took me to a lovely place of unbelievable beauty, full of the most amazing music.

“Who are you...and where am I?”  I asked blissfully, but nervously.

The angel gave me one of the most beautiful smiles I had ever seen, full of love and warmth, and said, “Ajay, I am The Spirit of Bangalore...and as to why you’re here, I want you to write about Bangalore, its past, present and future. Again the angel gave me that wonderful smile.

“Why, I’m honored,” I said hesitatingly, “But, why me? There are so many writers far, far better than I am...”

“Well, Ajay,” said the angel, “It’s because you truly love Bangalore...”

Suddenly, there was a ‘whoosh’ with smoke everywhere. Everything spun around me, and with a ‘thump’, I landed back on the rustic green bench. I looked around perplexed...where was the angel? Was it all a dream? A touch of the sun? Did I imagine it all? Life was logical...I must have...but that wonderful warm feeling which still enveloped me, told me I didn’t. It was real and it was true!

Back home, I rolled up my sleeves; and with pen and paper in hand, set to work, waiting for the muse to strike. How would I begin? FLASH! An inspiration hit me! I decided that I would split the article up into three parts, since just one part wasn’t sufficient to do justice to the city of Bangalore.

Now, where on earth would I get my material? Should I make a round of all the libraries? Do some serious research through history books? Should I interview some old timers and get their recollections on Olde Bangalore? My thoughts drifted off......how nice it would be if I could actually travel back through time and see Bangalore through the ages...Suddenly, there was a humming noise and the room seemed to shake on its axis. A mist rolled in, and the fabric of the room parted, leaving a gaping hole right in the middle. Unsettled, I asked myself what was happening? This couldn’t be real...after all life was logical. Then suddenly I felt that same warm glow enveloping me as before, and I felt a strong urge to enter the opening. I hesitated, like the cat in the adage, “letting I dare not wait upon I would!” 

 A soft voice caressed my ear, “Go in, Ajay!  It is meant for you. I’ll be with you every step of the way!”       

Reassured, I took the plunge. No sooner had I stepped in, than the opening promptly closed behind me. Desperately, I looked around for something...what had I let myself in for?                    

I looked around the new place. It was different. There was no sun, no sky...but a warm light all around. It was neither too bright nor too dim...in other words, it was just perfect!  Where did it come from? Just then, I heard the clippety clop, clippety clop of hooves in the distance, which became louder and louder until a golden chariot pulled up opposite me, drawn by two of the finest Arabian stallions I’d ever seen. I looked around bewildered...where was the road? I didn’t seem to be standing on any road, neither did the horses or the chariot, but here we were, firmly supported and not falling down.  The door of the chariot swung open...there was no one inside, neither was there a charioteer, but I felt a strong urging to enter, so I did. No sooner did I sit down than the door swung shut and the chariot began to move.

What now? I asked myself, fascinated by the amazing adventure I was going through. Suddenly, a digital screen popped up in front of me ....it was the only modern thingamajig in the entire chariot...and a series of numbers began spinning through it. Until they came to rest at “1010AD,Bangalore”.

Then I got it. The angel had heard me! I was traveling through time!

                                                                                              

                                            Part I

                   The Ghost of Bangalore Past

I looked outside...the climate was cool and pleasant, but then Bangalore, the garden city, has had a salubrious climate since time immemorial, the mercury never dipping below 12 degrees C in winter, and never rising above 37 degrees in summer. A cool breeze blows for most of the year.  Not for nothing is it called the air- conditioned city. Moreover, it never rains too much in Bangalore either – a perfectly moderate climate.

Looking outside, I saw a king dressed in old fashioned royal robes...he looked familiar, I was sure that I had seen him somewhere before. I racked my brains.

Who was that? I knew my history, but I had to struggle to place the face...it was King Veera Balla II.  He appeared lost in a forest. He’s looking tired, and hungry...what’s that?  He’s met an old woman who’s offering him some boiled beans. He looks so grateful. Now he’s laughing and saying “Benda- kaal- uru” which if I know my Kannada means “town of boiled beans”! I suppose that evolved into Bengaluru, which subsequently got anglicized to Bangalore!  So that’s how Bangalore got its name!!!

Then the chariot began moving again until the screen read 1024 AD. Looking outside, I could see a raging battle. Scared, I looked around, but everyone seemed to ignore me and the chariot....it was as if we were invisible….then I got it. We were invisible...the chariot could not be seen by anyone outside. Who were these soldiers? It was the Cholas capturing Bangalore! Then the chariot moved to 1116...and another battle...it was the Hoysalas capturing Bangalore in 1116!

Then the numbers on the screen changed to 1537. Looking outside, I saw a man dressed in an old fashioned costume. He looked so familiar, I was sure that I had seen him somewhere before. I racked my brains again, and then the penny dropped...it was Kempegowda I, a vassal of the Vijaynagar Empire, building modern Bangalore, followed by  Kempegowda II , who built the four towers that marked the boundaries of Olde Bangalore, which survive to this day!

Now it was 1791...all around us were the British, under Lord Cornwallis. Here they are, taking over Bangalore, and ceding administrative control of the old city to the Mysore Royal Family, the Wadiyars, while retaining control of the Cantonment area. (Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar to this day remains the Maharaja of Mysore, though not in administrative control). With the British in charge of the Cantonment area, here’s Bangalore developing fast with well laid out townships, neat streets, an organized water supply and efficient drainage. And look! It’s the British, Europeans, Anglo-Indians and missionaries settling down here, lending the Cantonment area its distinctive charm, which it retains to this day. There are the  British laying out three lovely townships, viz Richmond Town, Cleveland Town and Benson Town, which are among the most up market areas in Bangalore today, with property prices in the stratosphere. Here are the British naming the Cantonment roads with military names i.e. Brigade Road, Artillery Road, Infantry Road and Cavalry Road. Gosh!  There’s the charming Plaza Theatre, being constructed in 1936 on South Parade, and being used by soldiers for viewing Hollywood movies. (Sadly, the theatre, where I spent many a happy time, has now been torn down to make way for a metro railway station). There’s the current Raj Bhavan, the Governor’s residence, being occupied by the British Resident. And there’s Lady Curzon Hospital being named after the first wife of the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon.

Then the chariot moved back in time and brought me to 1868 and Residency Road, where Bangalore Club, one of the oldest and most exclusive clubs in the country is being founded as the Bangalore United Services Club. Are those officers riding horses to the stables there and using its facilities for rest and recreation? (Now, of course, its membership is largely civilian). There’s the Maharaja of Mysore, frequenting the club, and there’s young Winston Churchill at age 22, having a great time at the club. What’s this? He’s decamped from the club, without settling his dues of Rs 13/-? He’s now being declared a defaulter and his name struck off the register! (To this day, his defaulter’s bill is displayed on the notice board of the club house. Prince Charles, during his visit to India, offered to “settle” the bill, which offer was, of course, turned down by the management.)

There are the  illustrious past presidents of the club such as  Col JP Grant, after whom Grant Road is named, Mr. KC Hutchins after whom Hutchins Road is named, Mr.GR Cooke who had the privilege of Cooke Town being named after him, while Mr. LT MacIver lends his name to MacIver Town.. The Cantonment area looks so charming, dotted with British colonial bungalows, almost like a “Little England”! Only a few of these bungalows still stand; most have been torn down to make way for garish office or apartment complexes.

 

The chariot then brought me to my favorite century, the late 20^th century, and two up market restaurants in Olde Bangalore  - “Koshy’s Café” on St Mark’s Road and “Tiffany’s” on Grant Road, (both of which survive to this day, though the Tiffany’s building has been torn down, and Tiffany’s has moved to a commercial complex on Residency Road). What’s that ? It’s my editor Minoo, enjoying the delicious food at Koshy’s, during one of her many visits to that famed café. (Koshy’s food has remained consistent even to this day) Gosh! There’s Koshy’s catering to Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II, to Marshall Tito, to Jawaharlal Nehru and the staff of 20^th Century Fox during their visits to Bangalore, (as the menu card even today proudly proclaims).

Look, down  there’s the “India Coffee House”, on South Parade (now MG Road), with turbaned waiters serving English fare such as sandwiches, cutlets, finger chips, the most delicious scrambled eggs on toast, orange squash, besides, of course, the strongest South Indian filter coffee known to man, at bargain basement prices, thus ensuring that it’s  always full! . (Alas, like “Tiffany’s”, it has now moved to a nearby commercial complex).

And here’s newly opened “Casa Piccola” on my left, Bangalore’s first Euro Restaurant run by Bhushan Oberoi and his talented Austrian wife, serving up Bangalore’s very first pizzas, burgers and pasta. It’s creating a sensation and is jam-packed, making it a struggle to get through to the savored prize – its lip-smacking, finger lickin’ good food. We’re now in the city area, where the delicious and famous South Indian tiffin rooms, viz the famous Mavalli Tiffin Rooms next to Lalbagh and Vidyarthi Bhavan in Gandhi Bazaar have been newly founded (which survive to this day). It’s 1980 and there’s such a craze for MTR’s dosas and tiffin, that I can see Gujarati families dispatching their drivers to MTR on early Sunday mornings, to pack up the delicious dosas and tiffin, then send them to the airport to hand over the food to fellow travelers going to Ahmedabad with a request to hand them over to their waiting relatives at the Ahmedabad airport, who would then relish the tasty South Indian food in time for breakfast! This is incredible, but true; I’m not making it up!

Parks! Wherever are Bangalore’s fabulous gardens? As if in response to my thoughts, the chariot whirled back to 1760 AD. The evergreen Lalbagh is being laid out by Hyder Ali, with a lake, a pine walkway, a glass house, a lotus pond and 3000 year old peninsular gneiss rocks from the top of which you can see all of Bangalore! The chariot moved again until we reached the year 1870. There’s the famous Cubbon Park being laid out by the British under a different name - Meade’s Park after Sir John Meade (The name Cubbon is yet in the future) Wow! Cars are being allowed inside. Gosh!  Is that a bandstand and the Royal Air Force Band playing western music? And an amazing toy train running later?

I can see my editor, Minoo, glowering at me for the amount of space I’ve taken, so seeking a thousand pardons, I pleaded with the angel to return me to the present.  Suddenly, everything spun once more. With a “whump”, I fell out through the time warp and landed in my chair at home. The warp promptly closed up behind me with the same humming noise.

And so, dear reader, though there’s so much more to say, I’ll sign off now...until the next episode, which tells you, all about “the Ghost of Bangalore Present”!

P.S. Great stuff, Ajay.  Enjoyed this interesting expedition into Bangalore's past in your time-traveler. Can’t wait to read the “The Ghost of Bangalore Present” next Saturday.

P.S. 2: Aarathi, looking forward to your lively comments.

P.S. 3:  If you are planning a trip to Bangalore, bookmark this post and the next 2 posts, and I know just the place for you to stay. It's called Sundance. Check it out.