Made in Bangalore: "Darshini's"

Hah!!...the most common lunch or eat out in the city must definitely be the darshini's.You cant miss them,,they are all over the place..Whoever said Indians are not very innovative,can take a walk,coz this is fast food..our style:)..

Here is an article posted on Discover Bangalore.com worth reading.

"It's like the Starbucks or the McDonalds of America or the Tim Hortons of Canada. The Darshinis of Bangalore have come to stay. The fast food outlets dishing out hot crunchy Masala Dose, soft idlis, crispy Vade and hot piping coffee are all over Bangalore now. Bangalore literally has thousands of Darshinis under several individual managements serving south Indian vegetarian food. They usually are identified with small round steel tables and diners standing around them eating Dosas, idlis, vada's, curd rice, Vegetable Pulao, rice with sambar, lemon rice, Bisibele bath, Uppittu, kesaribaath and coffee.

The low-cost and "on the go" breakfast and lunch are a big hit among all class of people and it is hard to find any good quality Darshini that is not overcrowded by the day.

It is well known that the Darshini culture was introduced by one Mr. Prabhakar in 1983. Inspired by the fast food chains abroad, he started the first darshini called 'Cafe Darshini' in Jayanagar. The success of Café Darshini saw the proliferation of several darshinis and the many existing coffee bars renaming themselves into some Darshini. Wikepedia calls Mr. R.Prabhakar as Darshini Brahma , since he started the concept of Darshini and made the cost of food afordable to the General public. It is learnt that there are over 5000 Darshini's in the city itself. There are several Darshinis which have maintained a good quality of food using fresh and quality ingredients. Some of the well known Darshinis are Upahara Darshini in Netkalappa Circle Basavanagudi, Ganesh Darshini in Jayanagar, Palahara Darshini.

While most of the Darshinis serve only south Indian vegetarian food, some metamorphosed Chinese food to suit the Indian palate by introducing everything from the original gobi to the latest mixed-vegetable Manchurian, and even they have thrived. One wonders whether it is the name "Darshini" that brings success or the food they serve. Even the entry of multinationals like McDonalds, KFC or Pizza Hut has not been able to shake the popularity of the Darshinis.

The secret for the success of the Darshinis is the quick tasty bite one gets which is also easy on their wallet. Darshinis also have become popular hangout joints for office goers, college students or for that matter to anyone for a quick bite and a hot cup of Coffee and gossip.

Some of the these fast food joints adhere to strict guidelines from the BMP like the staff wearing head gear and aprons and the hotel cooks wearing caps. Darshinis have also been instructed to install ultraviolet water filters with Bureau of Indian Standards seals, to supply drinking water for their customers. Their Kitchens are to be cleaned with lime wash and colour wash every three months and the process is to be recorded in the inspection book. The guidelines also stipulate that garbage should be stored in a covered dustbin while the vegetables, grains and other provisions as well as the prepared food, should be separately stored. The note adds that tables and chairs in these eateries and hotels should be kept scrupulously clean. Thus one can eat in peace at these darshinis without the fear of unhygienic food or unclean premises.

The next time you visit Bangalore, give your epicurean taste buds a treat at one of the popular Darshini's and you would never be eating the south Indian vegetarian dishes anywhere else.
Long live the Darshini Culture that has vowed to feed the average man with tasty food without pinching his pocket much. And the credit goes to Bangalore as no other city in India has popularized this model."

Other recommended articles :
1) The Hindu -Hey dude, let's do a darshini
2) Metroblogging,Bangalore: Darshini's and Bangalore

Gandhi near my house

I have lived my entire life near Golf course and Race Course in Blore(hehe,,cant specify more than this).But little did I know that Gandhi visited the Kumara Krupa Guest house which is a stone's throw away from my house.Hmmm,why didnt it strike me earlier when "the Gandhi Bhavan" is just near it?



"Source: The Hindu
Date:Friday, Oct 01, 2004

FROM TIME immemorial, some rocks have been sanctified and recognised as `Divine,' bestowing peace and happiness to mankind. In the Ramayana, after the abduction of Sita, Rama and his brother Lakshmana went in search of her. Just before reaching Kishkinta in the Southern region, he came across a small black granite rock and rested on it for a while. Touching the rock, he blessed it saying it may be worshipped for 700 years in Kali Yuga, bestowing mankind with all boons. Sri Raghavendra Swamy decided to enter Brindavan alive at Manthralaya in 1671 AD. Dewan Venkanna made all arrangements for the function and a beautiful Brindavan consisting of stone slabs were chiselled out. Sri Raghavendra Swamy rejected the exquisitely carved stones. He told Dewan Venkanna and others to proceed to a particular spot, locate a black granite rock on which Sri Rama had sat for sometime.
Accordingly, the rock was located and stone slabs were made out of it for constructing a Brindavan for Sri Raghavendra Swamy. A few remaining slabs were utilised for installing a Brindavan in Balepet, Bangalore, which is the third one, after Honnali in Shimoga district of Karnataka.

Mahatma Gandhi visited Bangalore during the early 1930s in winter and stayed at the Kumara Park Guest House, now named as `Kumara Krupa.' I was a child of about seven years then. It was a Monday, when he observed silence. A prayer meeting was arranged in the evening, on the lawn of the Guest House, which was attended by about 300 specially invited persons. I accompanied by parents, who were close relatives of the then State Congress Secretary.

At 6 p.m. sharp, Bapuji came to the lawn and sat on a small rock, under a large century-old peepul tree. With crossed legs and hands resting on them, he was in a deep meditative posture. Devotional music programme by a reputed party was conducted for about a couple of hours, after which we all prostrated before Gandhiji and received his blessings.

A staunch worshipper of Sri Rama, sitting on the rock of the Guest House, Gandhiji gave it a halo by chanting the Lord's name incessantly, like Swami Vivekananda, who gave a touch of sanctity to the famous rock near Kanyakumari. Like the world famous `Vivekanandha Rock Memorial,' it is my suggestion and fervent appeal that the Holy rock at `Kumara Krupa' may be named `Gandhi Memorial Rock.'

Recently I visited Kumara Park Guest House, Bangalore, and saw the holy rock in the midst of wild shrubs. The century-old peepul tree had been mercilessly axed and the large base was still visible near the rock, just above the ground. The beautiful green lawn has turned into a dry brown patch.

It is suggested that a life size statue of Gandhiji in a sitting and meditative posture may be installed on the rock, with hexagonal enclosures and a tower of peace, including a mini prayer hall.
The Kumara Park Guest House may be named as `Gandhi Krupa,' housing the exhibits of Bapuji's life, works and his monumental services to the nation. Perhaps, from this holy centre, his dream of `Rama Rajya' will soon materialise. "

The Hotel Grand Ashok which is next door to the Kumara Krupa Guest house strangely claims the same in their website:

"Besides its fabulous location, the hotel is well known for its creative dining
options & the city's largest banquet facilities.
Interestingly within the hotel's landscaped gardens is the historical landmark,
where Mahatma Gandhi gave public audience, during the country's preindependence
days."

Here are some recent snaps I clicked of the rock.Unfortunately,I am not very sure if this is the right one as no one at the guest house had a clue of what I was looking for.They are however the only rocks I found in the entire campus.

More on Gandhi Bhavan which is on the same road as Kumara Krupa Guest House and Hotel Grand Ashok:

Gandhi Bhavan of Bangalore is dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. The Bhavan was set up with the intention of promoting the life and teachings of Gandhiji. Situated on the Kumara Krupa Road, Gandhi Bhawan was started as Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi (GSN), under the chairmanship of Dr Rajendra Prasad, the then President of India. The main attraction of the Gandhi Bhawan consists in a comprehensive picture gallery, displaying the entire life of Mahatma Gandhi.The gallery has photographs of Mahatma Gandhi, from early childhood to the last day of his life. Apart from that, there are also Photostat copies of the letters written by him to the various personalities of his time. One can also see placards with the famous quotes of Gandhiji, hanging on the walls of the Bhavan. Today, the Gandhi Bhavan of Bangalore serves as the venue for public meetings organized on Gandhian values.

Location: Kumara Krupa Road
Main Attractions:Picture gallery of Gandhiji
Timings: 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (Lunch Break - 1.30 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.)
Closed on: Sundays/General Holidays

Bangalore airlines!

India's first low-cost airline, Air Deccan from Bangalore started service on August 25, 2003. The airline's fares for the Delhi-Bangalore route were 30% less than those offered by its rivals such as Indian Airlines, Air Sahara and Jet Airways on the same route. The success of Air Deccan spurred the entry of more than a dozen low-cost airlines in India.

Another airline based from Bangalore - Kingfisher airlines started in May 2005.Though it can be counted among the low cost carriers,it also promotes itself as a luxury carrier with its In-Flight Entertainment System, a first among Indian airlines.

Its quite a ironic thing that both these airlines can now more or less be called partners after Kingfisher acquired a 26% stake in Air Deccan recently.On one side Air Deccan is a no-frills airline while Kingfisher is known for luxury.

Whatever the future brings,it definitely has contributed the skies opening up literally and my personal hope,after a very long wait -The Bangalore International Airport as well.

Featured above between the two airline logos is the Brand Ambassador for Air Deccan.I think its a brilliant idea to have roped in the most recognisable cartoon in modern India-Mr. R.K. Laxman’s "the common man".

Radio city...literally!!

I dont know how many remember but the Radio City group was India's first private FM radio station and was started on July 3, 2001.I still remember the starting days as I had just started my first job and radio was a completely new medium of entertainment for me.

Born and bred on the idiot box,listenening to popular and my favourite hindi songs available 24 hours round the clock soon caught up.I used to wonder how the cassette companies would survive if everyone was going to tune into this new station.I couldnt care less as after some days I got my dose of entertainment by just switching on the radio button.Mornings used to be more fun especially while getting ready for work while listening to the cool talk of the RJ's at that time.

I still think the first two RJ's of those days -Rohit Barker and Vera were the best and no one has matched their professionalism till date.Though the RJ's were mostly english or hindi speaking they set the tone or style for today's multiple regional language RJ's.I dont believe language is a big deal here as you have a variety of people in this city who need to be catered to.

Almost six months after this radio station launched in the city,I was taken aback by its success as everwhere I went.People were listening to it at home,at restaurants,at shops,in cars,autos,walkmans etc.I know radio has been around for almost a century around the world now but its new revival in the form of FM stations was a revolution in itself as music was the new term for time-pass in the city.Today,a bunch of other stations have mushroomed in Blore and you got atleast 6-7 stations to choose from!!! I really think thats a lot of choice and they are all multi-lingual.

Personally,I felt Radio city lost its charm in the past two years with extensive advertising and not so sophisticated RJ's.I do understand to get a wider audience you need to have programs of different languages especially the regional language of the city but it was not suiting my taste .Plus it seems the audience they seemed to be targetting was for non-thinking people.Luckily,the government opened up the airwaves and sold more licenses to all kinds of people who set shop immediately.Most of them I still feel are amateurs but we got some classy players like Radio Indigo and Fever 104.This year however,I feel Radio City has turned itself around and improved its programming and songs to a certain extent.They have outplayed all the new entrants and still are the pioneers of all kinds of radio programmes the other stations are trying to copy,

I am also proud that Blore has another feather in its radio headed cap.The country's first and only international hit station - Radio Indigo was launched in Blore in Sep 2006.It now has a station even in Goa.Though english songs were being played by Radio city years before and even the AIR FM channels,this station is soley dedicated to international music which is quite a treat to a big chunk of people in the city.

The picture featured above is an old one when it was just 91FM with no decimals like many other channels are forced to use today.It's also a tribute to the pioneer of all FM channels introduced in this Blore city!!

"India’s first global jehadi is from Bangalore" - The worst possible shame for us

Ever since I started this blog,I have been waiting for my favourite magazine- The India Today to dedicate a coverpage on Bangalore city for any reason that would make me prouder of my hometown.I have grown up with this magazine and believe each of its coverpage is a masterpiece in recording India's modern history.

Sadly,this week we have nothing to be proud of given that a person born and bred in India has become faces of terrorism worldwide.I suggest you pick up this week's magazine for the entire story which makes all of us in the city and the country worried.

Bangalore - As by two coffee loses out to cappucinno…

Blog from Ibnlive.com - Posted by D P Satish

Whenever I visit my home state of Karnataka, friends and relatives ask,, "Why don't you come back to Bangalore, where you can happily eat Idli, Dosa, Mosaranna and Chitranna. Why do suffer in hot and dusty Delhi, eating the same roti and sabzi day in and day out?"

Good, heart warming advice for a hardcore Kannadiga like me indeed. But is food only attraction in Bangalore? Certainly not. But surely it is one of the best things about Bangalore. At least it was.
The city has a hundred labels, such as Garden City , Knowledge City , IT City, and Pub City..
But Food City describes Bangalore better than all other labels.. But sadly, the best eateries of Bangalore are dying.
Bangalore's famed hotels (so called by the Kannadigas even if they offer only food and no lodging !) are disappearing one after another.

These hotels are not just eating places. They are institutions. When two Bangaloreans settle down for snacks (favourite Dosa, Idli, Vada or Ambode) or coffee, they don't just share what is served. They share a cultural outlook. These hotels gave birth to many literary and cultural movements in the state.
Who doesn't know 'Vidhyarthi Bhawan in Gandhi Bazar? Its crisp masala dosa and rava vada?
I still remember the day I entered Vidhyarthi Bhawan through its back door with the legendary journalist, the late Y N Krishnamurthy (popularly known as YNK), on a cold morning.. Infact YNK was the last word on eateries and watering holes in Bangalore. I owe him my knowledge of hotels in Bangalore !

It was a great centre of intellectual debates, literary discussion and a meeting place for the who is who of Kannada literature and culture till recently. The giants like D V Gundappa to Dr.Masti, Girish Karnad to U R Ananthamurthy, Rajkumar to Shankar Nag, Criket legends EAS Prasanna, B S Chandrashekhar to G R Vishwanath were regular visitors to this small, low roofed, Mangalore tiled hotel. The hotel survives. But sadly its decline has already begun.

Brahmins Coffee Bar in Chamarajpet is the best place for idli and vada in Bangalore. This cramped eatery does roaring business even today. But it seems to have lost its old charm and its celebrity visitors ..
Dwaraka Hotel on Bull Temple Road was once synonymous with the finest khali dosa. It has already made way for a multi storey building.

The Victorian era restaurant ' Victoria Hotel ' opposite Mayo hall has also made way for an ugly, multi storey mall, five years back. The great prime minister of England and a celebrated Bangalorean Winston Churchil was its regular visitor between 1890-1910. It was one of the most beautiful buildings in Bangalore.
If you live around Sajjanarao circle and Minerva Circle, you are sure to be familiar with New Modern Hotel (NMH). Thoughts of its dosa and plate oota (or what the northerners call a thali meal) make me ravenous even as I write this in Delhi in the middle of the night.
NMH was once a meeting place for Kannada cinema stalwarts. The new stars have turned their backs on this hotel decades ago....

It is now struggling for survival. Janatha Hotel, which is just a few feet from NMH, is also counting its last days.
VB Bakery at Sajjanarao Circle is no longer a hot favourite of old Bangalore. Today's yuppie crowd has no time or taste for old-fashioned bakery stuff! It was the cricketer Anil Kumble's favourite haunt during his National College days.

Fort Lunch Home opposite the Bangalore fort has now become a part of history.
Where do you go, if you want to taste an authentic Mysore meal on MG Road?
Brindavana Hotel next to Sympony cinema is the obvious choice.
This hotel is also on the way out. I hear the owner is planning to build a huge shopping mall there. It makes business sense to pull it down to build a mall. But such demolitions most certainly sadden old and true Bangalorean hearts.

Another old hotel serving an Udupi menu in neighbouring Ulsoor downed its shutters a month ago.
Komal Hotel on Wheelers Road - Assaye road junction may live for another two or three years.
Big names like MTR, Janardhana Hotel, Udupi Krishna Bhavan, Sri Sagar (Malleswaram), Krishna Bhavan, Airlines Hotel, nearly two hundred years old Dewars Bar (known as Bangalore's first bar !), road side eateries at Sajjanarao circle and Idli, Dosa night hotels on Ibrahim Sab street, many old hotels on the three century old Avenue road and historic India Coffee House on MG road also look like they are past their glory days, and are waiting to shut down.
Who is responsible for the death of these eateries? Has the Bangalorean stopped eating out?
The booming restaurant business in Bangalore tells a different story.

As the city grew its demographic profile altered. New people, new jobs and an entirely new lifestyle brought new things into the city. Bangalore accepted them all. But tragically, it lost its old eating places to the real estate boom. It is a sad story of real estate sharks eating Bangalore's best eateries.
All these hotels are family run businesses. Younger generation is no longer interested in carrying forward the legacy of their fathers and forefathers.

They have firmly set their eyes on real estate money or on bigger, better white collar jobs, which bring them social status and more money.

There ' s nothing wrong with change. But some changes break your heart. Bangalore's future looks like it will cleave the city into two. Two Bangalores living side by side. But strangers to one another.
We see it in the new cosmopolitan Bangalorean's total ignorance of the old Bangalore world, of its language, of its writers, its traditions, its culture and its eating habits. The growth of a city does not depend merely on its per capita income or its infrastructure. It has something called soul.

As noted novelist Shashi Deshpande says of change, (Bangalore - Bean town to Boom town. Edited by Jayant Kodkani and R Edwin Sudhir) "It generally happens over a period of time, giving room for assimilation, for absorption. In Bangalore it has been just too rapid, so that there are too many people who have no idea of its original culture and yet, because of their income and positions, have a great influence over the shape of the city and its future. And therefore the danger that it could be a city completely cut off from its past. An amnesiac city. "

When I return to Bangalore in future, I may have to be content with cappuccinno coffee and pizza, instead of traditional by two coffee and Dosa.
What a tragedy...............

Saving snaps of MG road Boulevard

Read more "Nostalgia or need?"

Personalities from Bangalore

I have edited the below list from what is already available on the web. Most of the people are just associated with the city and not necessarily completely from here.And yes,there are many missing as they may not be known in other parts of the country.I hope to keep adding worthwhile names to this list:)

Models/Media (i cant possible name every model out here:)
-Lara Dutta
-Prasad Bidapa

Business
-Vijay Mallya - the flamboyant entrepreneur.Has various ventures like Kingfisher Beer, Kingfisher
Airlines

Entertainment/Movies
-Girish Karnad
-Guru Dutt - Hindi movie actor born and brought up in Karnataka. Graduated from Bangalore Central College
-Rajnikant - Worked in Bangalore before becoming a Tamil movie superstar
-Dr. Rajkumar - I am sure you must have now seen his poster stuck on every glass building in blore!

Government
-Deve Gowda(First PM of India from Karnataka,not a blorean in a true sense though)
-H.T. Sangliana - best known as Super Cop!

Mathematics
-Shakuntala Devi

Science
-C. V. Raman - In 1930, for the first time in its history, an Indian scholar, educated entirely in India has received the highest honor in science, the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Medical

-Dr. Devi Shetty - founder & MD of Narayana Hrudayalaya. Dr. Devi Shetty has started this noble venture just to provide medical service at low cost, preferably for free. In a nutshell, he is a man with a good heart.

Sports
-Prakash Padukone
-Anil Kumble
-Rahul Dravid
-Roger Binny
-Syed Kirmani
-Venkatesh Prasad
-Ashwini Nachappa - Athlete
-Mahesh Bhupathi - Tennis pro
-Nisha Millet - Swimmer
-Pankaj Advani - won World Snooker Championship on Oct 25, 2003 at a young age of 19.

Technology
-Arun Netravali - was President, Bell Laboratories
-Azim H Premji - Chairman, Wipro Corporation
-Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw - CMD Biocon. Popularly known as the "Bio Queen" of India.
-Nandan M. Nilekani - Co-founder & CEO, Infosys
-N.R. Narayana Murthy - Chairman & Chief Mentor Officer, Infosys Technologies Limited
-Sabeer Bhatia - born in Delhi, studied in Bangalore. Instrumental in introducing the first free web based email service Hotmail.
-Azim Premji
-Arun Sarin- he studied in Military school,Blore.

India's first Cyber cafe

With most people having internet at home,cybercafes may not be that much of a rage anymore.Just a decade ago,cyber cafe's were new and welcomed hundreds-thousands of people who just were getting the hang of the web.Initially,the cost of surfing was Rs. 75 to 80 per hour which came down to Rs.10,thanks to a number of cyber cafes mushrooming in every neighbourhood.

There are few other cafes which claim to be the India's first as they were opened around the same time.But the general assumption is that the Cafe Coffee day outlet on Brigade Road was India's first cyber cafe!It opened in 1996 as an internet cafe while also selling varieties of their now famous coffee.

That's not all, a few more cyber firsts in the country:

- the same Cafe Coffee day chain has brought in India's first wireless cyber cafe in Blore(around 2003).
- first cyber crime police station in 2001,Blore.Click here for their offcial website.

Sobriquets for Blore

Here are some of the multiple sobriquets/nicknames kept for Bangalore.They keep changing and the old one's no longer hold good!

1) Garden City : this one must be the most popular.Somebody once told me the nickname stuck during pre-independence era where most houses in the city had a garden.I dont know how far this is true but i am sure it hardly applies to the current era!And you thought,it was only because of Cubbon park and Lalbagh this is a Garden city,eh?

2)Pensioner's paradise: this one's a popular one of yesteryears where many people preferred to live in Blore after retirement.The pensioners though now have long and gone:)

3)Pub City: It must have been pretty prestigious(and shady too) to be called the "pub capital of India" back in 80's - 90's.Today,the shutter shuts at 11:30pm.Go to a friend's place instead!And yeah,beware of the cops on streets at late night waiting to fine drunkards.

4)Silicon Valley of India,IT City: I will pass this one.You know the story.

5)Fashion Capital of India :Dont know if this is a publicity stunt or if it's really true.

6) Stone city: This one I bet you didnt know.But yes,the city supposedly has huge granite deposits.It's a fact and I havent made it up.

7) Air-conditioned city: Either this is a joke or global warming is more than just a serious issue in the papers.I know 2007 hasnt been a bit cool from day one.Thanks to rapid industrialisation and huge increase in traffic,Bangalore just cannot claim this anymore.This nickname however belong to a long bygone era.The fireplaces of the big 19th century bungalows bear testimony to colder winters.It also explains why the British shifted their troops to the cool climate of Blore from Sriranpatana in 1809 and made it a cantonement.

8) Public sector city:This would be appropriate to an extent given so many prestigious public sector units set up back in 70-80's.To name a few : HAL,ISRO,HMT,DRDO,BHEL,BEML

9) Bio tech mecca :This definitely sounds like a superb marketing,branding effort to promote the city as a bio-tech capital.Ofcourse,we have "Bio-con" to prove this right to some extent.

10) Lead city : Not all nicknames need to be positive.Here's the darker side of the city.The air here is apparently loaded with lead that it has started telling quite early on its residents, particularly in the blood samples of youngsters. Read more..

That's it for now.Let me know if you can come up with more:)!

Rava Idlies- thanks to MTR!

MTR(Mavalli Tiffin Rooms) is ofcourse the most legendary and respected food brand from this city.Started in 1924,it still draws crowds in huge numbers who patiently wait in queue to eat their authentic and even more tastier dishes.I am sure you know all this already.
However, did you also know ... the Rava idli was invented by them? Here's the fact from them direct.

One way city

- While the rest of India drives on the left side of the road; Bangaloreans drive on what's left of the road.
- In the rest of India, there's no flyover with a traffic intersection; in Bangalore, they have a traffic signal and criss-crossing traffic atop a flyover.
- In the rest of India, one-way roads mean traffic can only move one way; in Bangalore, there are two ways traffic can move on a one-way road.

It's easier to smile at the above traffice jokes than being stuck in the infamous traffic of the city.My only hope to this madness is that everyone accepts we dont have civic sense.Forget the governing bodies taking any initiatives,we as people have never tried to make a difference coz we just dont seem to have the time.If even a few people try not to be in such a tearing hurry,we could make things more pleasant on the roads.

Keeping my expert comments on one side(we all have something dont we?)...here is a good article on the one way system:

Source:Times of India,Jun 2001(when one ways were put into force on a grander scale)

*Traffic jams, choked lungs and frayed tempers are usual scenes at most roads in bangalore during peak hours. additional commissioner m.n. reddi comes up with a new solution. bansy kalappa studies the roadmap.

1. critics term the one-way traffic system a hare-brained scheme. it is a major plan that has taken months to conceive and execute. we laboured on it for over a year. it is not the idea of one person but a joint effort involving several agencies -- city police, bmp, bmtc, etc. it is based on well-researched findings of several agencies.We are also contemplating some other solutions like flyovers to ease traffic congestion.

2. why has the present one-way system come in for criticism? it has nothing new to offer. bangalore has had one-ways for over three decades. anybody will remember the two-way traffic on avenue road and cottonpet road. look at the ease with which traffic flows in malleswaram due to the one-ways on margosa and sampige roads. one-ways are just one of the solutions to urban traffic management. it is practised worldwide, and successfully.

3. one-ways lead to wastage of fuel as people have to go round in circles. how do you explain people using the ring road though there are shorter routes across the city's central areas? it is a concept that takes people from destination x to destination y faster. as it reduces the stoppage time, studies such as the one made by central road research institute suggest that it helps save fuel at macro levels. for example, it took 15 minutes for the traffic to clear on kempe gowda road when it was a two-way route. now, it is five minutes even during peak hours. it is the same on other roads too.

4. critics say one one-ways lead to high speeds often resulting in fatal accidents. the one-way system is introduced to increase speeds but if people hurtle along like missiles, then it's another problem. we will install traffic signals that act as a deterrent. for instance, traffic signals will be timed such that those approaching it from the previous signal at a speed of 40 kmph will get the green signal, while those zipping at 80 km will be stopped. we also plan to deploy policemen with radar guns to book speedsters.

5. how do you think one-ways will work as the road surface is the same? in a one-way-system, we look at intersection surfaces and not road surfaces. traffic congestions occur at road intersections and not on roads since they are narrow. bangalore has a large number of road intersections -- more than 30,000 when last counted in 1993. this is because of the grid pattern of the city's roads. we believe one-ways reduce the pile-up by half at the intersections. bangalore traffic is a classic case of road overload. every road is laid to take an optimum amount of traffic but with the congestion at intersections, the pile-up increases. junction delays are an indicator of poor traffic management and one-ways are the answer. we plan to have one-ways in the central areas of the city, which means many roads which are two-ways, will be converted. when the rt nagar roads were made one-way, we expected criticism, considering a large number of vips reside there. instead, we received accolades.

6. is the one-way-system `the' answer to the city's traffic mess? one-way system is a part of the larger traffic management programme. it also includes flyovers, intelligent computerised traffic signals and smart enforcement. one-ways will ease traffic congestion by 35-40 per cent and improve average speeds. one-ways have increased average speeds from less than 5-8 kmph to 35-40 kmph. we will also build flyovers wherever necessary. this will ease the problem by another 30 per cent. we have also planned some intelligent traffic signals to measure the traffic volumes and accordingly change the time duration of signals. finally, smart enforcement alone can ensure traffic snarls are minimised.**

A good point of reference for directions on one ways,check the Blore Traffice Police website.

The famous 20 "Bangalore Facts"

Ahem,this one's finished it's circulation in email forwards a million times over.I would hence like to paste this here and check a few years later if any of it still holds good?(or it it it ever had:).I wouldn't argue with the facts about two wheelers and traffice density though!

Source: Karnataka Tourism website

-Bangalore has the impeccable record of highest growh within a span of 20 years [as of 2005]
-Bangalore has the highest number of 2-wheelers in the world.
-Bangalore has the dubious reputation for the highest 2-wheeler thefts.
-Bangalore has the highest number of pubs in India.
-Bangalore has the highest number of breweries in the world.
-Bangalore has the highest number of public sectors and government organisations in India.
-Bangalore has the highest density of traffic in the world.
-Bangalore is considered the fashion capital of the East comparable to Paris.
-Bangalore has the highest number of Anglo-Indians in India.
-Bangalore was the first city in India to receive electricity.
-Bangalore is considered an antipode of Boston, in terms of IT.
-Bangalore has produced the highest number of professionals in USA - almost 60% of Indian - population abroad are from Bangalore.
-Bangalore's Lalbagh botanical gardens is credited to have one of the most diverse man made collection of flora.
-Bangalore has produced the maximum number of models from a specific area.
-Bangalore has produced the maximum international sportsmen in India for all sports ahead of even Mumbai & Delhi.
-Bangalore has produced the maximum number of scientists considered for Nobel Prize nominations (from India).
-Bangalore is the only city in India with maximum number of temples, mosques, churches & gurdwaras.
-Bangalore University produces maximum number of doctors in India.
-Bangalore has the richest people in India. The line of poverty is the least of all cities of the world.
-Bangalore was founded in 2nd Century and still has the same infrastructure drainage & sanitary systems - the oldest in the world.

Bangalore leading exporter of.... Roses!

Ok,I know its not a new thing about Bangalore being famous for it's export of roses(one would wonder where is the place?)..Here is an interesting article from the local newspaper- Deccan Herald from Feb last year.Every Valentine's day ,expect such an article in all the local newspapers(year over year:)

Love blooms in Bangalore roses
From Bala Chauhan DH News Service Bangalore:

In the global hierarchy of rose cultivation during the Valentine’s season, Bangalore ranks “second” in the world, producing as it does 28 million stems after Ecuador’s 55 million and well ahead of Pune’s 2 million. The global market of roses during the Valentine’s season, beginning February 2 to 10, is “180 million stems out of which 30 million stems are from India. Red roses comprise 80 per cent of this chunk. The consumption of roses in the domestic market is 10 million stems, out of which 90 per cent is red,” says Ramakrishna Karuturi, managing director, Karuturi Networks Limited, a leading flower export house in Karnataka. The most popular varieties of red roses: Grand Gala, Passion and First Red are grown in Bangalore, Doddaballapur, Hosur and Pune. “Bangalore is said to produce one of the finest qualities of red roses in the world after Kenya. At an altitude of 1100 metres, night temperature of 12-14 degree Celsius and day temperature of 28-32 degree Celsius, between November to February, it has the ideal climate to grow roses. In the international market, a single stalk of red rose from here can fetch as much as Rs 30,” he says.

India would have topped the chart in rose cultivation throughout the year if it weren’t for the adverse taxation by the State and Central governments. “There’s an 80 per cent tax on Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) in India as compared to nil in other countries on the out-borne cargo. The Karnataka government charges 38 per cent sales tax, while the Centre levies 16 per cent plus 20 per cent, as Customs and Central excise,” he says Exceptionally lucky This year Valentine’s season has been exceptionally lucky for rose growers. “There has been a 100 per cent rise in the wholesale price of roses this year, from last year’s Rs 4 per stem to this year’s Rs 7.95,” adds Mr Ramakrishna. A look at Bangalore’s consumption of red roses during the Valentine’s season shows a three-time increase from a normal of Rs 6 to Rs 8 for a single stalk to Rs 15 to Rs 25. According to Ms Padmaja Kamisetty of Ohana, the boutique of exotic flowers sells around 2,000 red roses, of export quality, at Rs 20 to Rs 25 for a single stem during the season. The wholesalers in Bangalore also report staggering figures, of selling around one lakh single stems of red roses between February 11 and 13 alone. “In the last three days, we have sold about 5,000 bunches of roses, out of which, 50 per cent are red ones,” says wholesaler M Kalidasa Raj, proprietor of Sneha Florists.

Look at the auction figures of roses. On Sunday, the International Flower Auction Bangalore (IFAB) at Hebbal auctioned 98,000 single stems of roses between Rs 120 and Rs 180, for a single bunch. On Monday, the figures, though dipped slightly, remained over 80,000 between Rs 100 and Rs 150. One bunch has 20 single stalks, he says. And it’s not just the local market that blossoms out during the Valentine’s week. “Export of flowers, especially roses is maximum during this season. We earn around Rs 10 crore during the Valentine’s season, 80 per cent of which comes from the sale of roses. Karnataka’s average export of flowers is annually worth Rs 40 crore,” says Mr J K Vasanthkumar, director, horticulture department.

Another recent article from the Times of India this year:

Now, Indian takeover roses

MUMBAI/BANGALORE: One day after Valentine’s Day, there’s news of a deal that’ll make the global Indian takeover come out smelling of roses. Next Valentine’s Day, when lovers and spouses gift roses across the world, chances are that most of those flowers will have an Indian imprint.

That is because Karuturi Networks, a little-known Bangalore company, is making a big move in the $80-billion floriculture space which will make it the largest rose grower in the world. It is close to acquiring Hollandbased Sher, the world’s largest producer and supplier of roses for $40 million. Sher’s greenhouses in Holland, Kenya and Ethiopia produce 600 million roses annually.

When contacted, Ramakrishna Karuturi, MD of Karuturi Networks, confirmed his company is in the process of wrapping up the deal. The company recently raised a GDR issue of $25 million.

"This money will part-fund our in-organic growth. Also, UTI Bank has committed us an external commercial borrowing of $30 million.We are getting another ECB from a Spanish bank, while the rest of the funds will come from internal accruals,"he said.

It all began on Valentine’s Day 12 years ago when Karuturi, a mechanical engineer,was sniffing around Bangalore for roses to take to his wife. Finding none, he decided to step out of the cable business he was running and plant high-value stem roses for a living. The man who set up Karuturi Networks — a company that processes 12 million roses annually — is now set for a whiff of the global scene.

Karuturi Networks has 60 hectares of land in India and Ethiopia under rose cultivation. Besides the European company’s facilities,Karuturi will also get a strong brand in Sher. The company is also in negotiations with Fisher, an Ohio-based plant material and seedling company, for a $30-million acquisition.

"These expansions will make us the lead player in the world flora industry in all verticals like fresh cut flowers, plant material, breeding and green house infrastructure by 2010,"said Karuturi.

Direct International Flights from BLR

Air India and Indian Airlines were the only two carriers that were having international flights out of Bangalore until recently.Post 2000,major international airlines started flying directly out of Bangalore to their hubs,opening more doors of opportunities for the city.To the best of my knowledge Lufthansa,Malaysian Airlines,Royal Nepal Airlines were the first few entrants.One no longer had to go to Chennai or Mumbai to get that connecting flight abroad.

It makes me proud to see so many airlines making a beeline for Bangalore..coz there sure are loads of passengers.Lets keep our fingers crossed for the long awaited,much promised,supposed to be world class - Bangalore International Airport @ Devanahalli :)

Airlines flying out of Bangalore as of now!!

1) Air France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle)

2) Air India (Chicago-O'Hare, Dubai, Frankfurt, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Jeddah, Riyadh,Kuwait)

3) British Airways (London-Heathrow)

4) Emirates (Dubai)

5) Gulf Air (Muscat, Bahrain)

6) Indian Airlines (Bahrain, Bangkok, Male, Muscat, Sharjah, Singapore)
Jet Airways (Kuala Lumpur, London)

7) Lufthansa (Frankfurt)

8) Malaysian Airlines (Kuala Lumpur)

9) Thai Airways (Bangkok)

10) Singapore Airlines (Singapore)

11) SriLankan Airlines (Colombo)

Aero India Show 2007

Here are some amazing pictures from the Aero India show 2007 (Feb 2007,Air Force station,Yelahanka,Bangalore).
All photos posted here are from the slide show on IBNlive.com's website.

Bangalore Open (now the Sonyericsson International Tournament)

Bangalore's first WTA tournament was called "Bangalore Open" in 2006.This year however due to the change in sponsorship,its's termed as "The Sony Ericsson International".Click here for the official website. The initial hype about this year's tournament was the participation of Serena Williams who later pulled out at the last minute due to an injury.

3,000 million year old rock in the middle of Bangalore

Perhaps I am dumb or just had my eyes/ears closed for all these years.Did you know the rock in Lalbagh Gardens is the oldest rock formation in the country or perhaps the world??

You cannot miss it as it is at one of the entrances of the botanical garden.On top of this huge rock formation is the Kempegowda Tower(one of the four towers,Kempegowda laid the during the foundations of the city around the 16th century.)- which is the only thing I knew!

Excerpt from a post in Bangalorewalks.com:

"This rock ,now designated a National Geological Monument, is one of the oldest rock formations in the world (composed of granitic gneiss) and dated as being 3000 million years old, was formed by volcanic action when it was part of Gondwanaland. This part of Gondwanaland moved north into the Asian continent creating the Himalayas. Thus the rock we see at Lalbagh is half as old as the earth itself and part of eternity"

The Bangalore Air crash - 1990

Aircrashes and tragedies are something no one likes remembering.However,the Indian Airlines (Air Bus A 320) crash in Bangalore on 14th Feb 1990 is something that stands out in my memory as I had visited the crash site a week after the incident.An accident of this nature will get wide media coverage even today but it was a first in those days and its even more big when it happens so close to you.

India Today magazine carried out a fantastic coverpage of the actual scene of the crash with a lady running out of the burning flight which is permanently etched in my mind.I am trying to search for this cover page to post it here.
Displayed in this post are pictures pulled out from random search in google.

Description
Controlled flight into terrain during approach. Aircraft hit about 400 meters short of the runway. Four of the seven crew members and 88 of the 139 passengers were killed.

Location and date of the crash
Date 14/02/1990
Time 13:03
Location Bangalore, India

Plane information
Serial number 79
Type 320-231
Engine manufacturer IAE
Engine type V2500-A1
Delivery year 1989

Flight Information
Flight Number 605
Départure airport : Mumbai , Santa Cruz Sahar Int'l - India (BOM / VAAB)
Arrival airport : Bangalore, Hindustan - India (BLR / BLR)

The Bangalore Lions!!

The Premier Hockey League (PHL) founded in 2005 has a team from Bangalore called the "Bangalore Lions".Displayed above is thier official logo.ING Vysya Life Insurance is the official team sponsor the team which is why you will understand the "Lion" part of it.You can purchase the team's merchandise at almost all Adidas exclusive showrooms in Bangalore.

As per the official website,the by line of this team:"Representing the IT hub of the nation, they are the trend-setters".The team was earlier known as the "Bangalore Hi-Fliers" in the first edition of PHL. The first edition in 2005,was won by the Hyderabad Sultans.But in 2006 the name change proved lucky as Bangalore Lions won the PHL championship!!

A bit more about the hockey league: it is a new domestic field hockey competition introduced in India.The tournament was initiated to revive the sport which lost spectator interest to cricket in recent times.This is a collaboration between Indian Hockey Federation,ESPN STAR sports and Leisure Sports.There are 7 teams in the league,namely:

Hyderabad Sultans

Sher-e-Jallandhar

Maratha Warriors

Bangalore Lions

Chandigarh Dynamos

Chennai Veerans

Orissa Steelers

I hope you know who to cheer for?

360 degree Bangalore view

I like this idea a lot.I had seen the 360 degree views for major cities like London or New York years back but never thought there could be one on Bangalore.Here is the link where you could view the same.It has all the vital places of Bangalore on video.

http://www.bangalorebest.com/360panorama/index.asp