Bangalore : A missed opportunity....

A Missed Opportunity

New Delhi or Luytens Delhi has it, Central London has it. We don't in Bangalore. That is simply preservation of Bangalore's heritage. One just has to visit either Koshy's or Corner House to see photos of how South Parade used to be, and then stroll around Vidan Soudha or MG Road to see the new Metro mowing down trees and changing the landscape and feel of Bangalore all together. I get a strong feeling and sense of a missed opportunity. The opportunity to preserve the area from the Vidan Soudha, including Cubbon Park, Kasturba Road, M G Road and Commercial street into a heritage zone. A zone which would lay down rules for any new construction coming up, which would try and preserve the feeling and essence of Bangalore as it does from those photos which hang in Corner House.


Thought I have not done any detailed research, a few simple wishes which I feel could have been done easily are ..

1) The area from Anil Kumble circle to the Brigade Road Junction should be preserved as the Bangalore we all came into , liked and adorded. The Bangalore where many a weekend morning was spent in either India Coffee House (sadly no longer there) or Lake View. Following that spending time on the Boulevard on the other side. (Sadly Barton centre will stand out but Bangalore could do well not to create any more on that stretch). Ideally ban any advertisments on this road, or atleast they are all in Black and White. Would extend the stretch right uptill Utility Buidling (the other sore structure standing out) and the and Mayo Hall (redone very tastefully :)).

2) The stretch beyond the Mayo Hall really represents the New Bangalore or Silicon Valley of India. This is ideally where the Metro should have snacked in from Dickenson's road to moved down towards Trinity Circle. Raheja Towers, Prestige Meridian (Bangalore's Twin Towers) mark the start of this zone. It is too late to preserve the magincificent Bungalows on this road, most of them have been replaced by spanking new buildings with glass facades.
But would have been great to have the row of old Bungalows on one side (20th Century) and the (21st Century) on the other side.

The new plans , of what comes below the metro line look nice (on paper). But I don't think it will be able to replace the old world charm. We should have tried to preserve the same.

The Enigma of Karna...

I recently bought the newly released (around a year back) the bounded Mahabharat (Amar Chitra Katha). And as it happens whenever I read it , I end up thinking about Karna, the special place he holds in the hearts and minds of people. Most people sympathize with him and find the dilemma fate had put him in as tragic. And this never ceases to surprise me.

I always try and measure up the wrong which fate had in store with him. The circumstances around his birth which were tragic. His education under a lie. His deep sense of pride which ultimately led to him being under the self imposed 'karz' of Dhuryodhana. And to add to this was the belief that he was greatest warrior who was wronged when his Kavacha was taken away.

And then I try to balance this against the fact that he allowed Draupudi to be be humiliated, was unable to defeat Abhimanyu fairly in the battle, had a hand in surrounding and disarming Abhimanyu, Karna had also withdrawn when fighting Brihannala in the Virat war. Also I think by being a blind loyalist , he eventually ensured Dhuryodhana lost.

I think the admiration which a vast majority of people have for Karna also explains the kind of heros India even likes today. We are willing to forget or look the other way for wrong doings if we are able to convince our selves that fate / destiny had created circumstances for other wise a fine person. I think this remains of our biggest strengths as a culture and allows us always to remain inclusive and search for the good in the other.

So Karna remains an enigma for me. A brilliant but much flawed warrior (and not a flawed hero).