Bangalored!

Made in Bangalore Bamboo Bike! Made in Bangalore Single malt- the third best in the world! High tech driving test! Dial in radio station for tribals !

I like the idea of murals. But not the ones BBMP(Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike)commissioned to be painted all over the town.Below are the samples taken from another site as I dont live in Blore anymore.The last time I went to Blore I remember seeing bridges and some walls painted with flora and fauna.But the latest few below,dont make me feel good.I agree the idea that beautiful murals will keep the walls clean was made with good intention but somehow I feel these pictures stand out of my elementary school text book! Let me know what you think:

Bangaloreans are a bunch of hilarious and good natured people.Hence no offense to the below observations as I too, am a pukka b'lorean! - You will see most localites taking an early morning walk in the neighborhood or the park.Over the weekends,these walks culminate with a whole hearted south indian tiffin at a popular darshini. - Cafe Coffee day revolutionised the cafe culture in India.This Karnataka brand however is just an extension of the B'lore personality.While it may be cool to hang out at a cafe,most localites remain die-hard filter coffee fans. - How are you doing? how was the dinner? how was the movie? a classic B'lore answer to most of these questions is "First class"!! - Old world B'loreans are hospitality par excellence.They will make sure you overeat while they will eat only after you finish. - When in high school and college,your vocabulary will automatically include slang such as sidey, maccha,guru,swami,maga etc. - Young or old,all are address...

Below is the cover story of Bangalore Monthly magazine in 1997 featuring my mom as the "Bangalorean of the year".A proud moment for the family!Saving the article for future reference.

In April 2007,I saved TOI's photos of the picturesque M.G Road boulevard .Two years later,I come back to find a dusty unfinished 'Metro' flyover.While I hope the public transport system brings relief to the bustling city,one cant help missing the old world charm of the erstwhile south parade.

These are the places I love visiting while in Blore.Not an exhaustive list but covers the neighborhood and the areas I grew up in.I like to call them quintessential blorean:) 1) Masala puri: spicy dish surprisingly not available in Bombay and further north.I think it's an classic Bangalore dish available at well known chaat vendors. 2) Bun Nippat : Karnataka's answer to vada pav!Instead of the vada,you have a hard crunchy vada called the nippat which is sandwiched with sweet and spicy chutneys.A little bit of tomatoe and sev make the dish complete.Must eat at Chetty's corner near the popular Gullus chaat in kumara park. 3) Masala pepsi: another local favourite available at chetty's corner.Its just pepsi/coke mixed with chaat masala,jalajeera etc(they have their own recipe and method to create this concoction.Works wonders with any snack item.It is now being made all over town,,especially near colleges. 4) Food street at Vishweshwarpuram: Any blorean worth his salt wo...

Yen ree? Tiffin-giffin Aitha? Posted using ShareThis

If this were modern art … Posted using ShareThis

I nteresting photographic print of Brigade Road,BLR available for sale on Art.com . Photographer : Walter Bibikow

The city's cultural festival will most probably not take place this year due to terror threats across the country.

Nothing gets me more agitated than a bunch of anti-social elements gutting my country.This post remembers how the Nov 26 attacks on Mumbai shocked the nation.

I write this blog far away from Blore (got married and moved).Lots of ideas for my favourite city have been delayed for this blog,but I promise to make up for it. Here is what I recommend any new comer to do while in Blore: 1) Take an auto-rickshaw ride : for the pure joy of haggling with the drivers who dont go by the meter(if you get them to agree where you want to go that is:) 2)Walk down M.G road and Brigade Road on Saturday evenings to spot the most ludicrous dressed youth hanging around(beware of your belongings). 3) Stop at India Coffee House on M.G road for hot dosas and the mandatory piping hot -coffee.On another day you should try the "english" type breakfast. 4) Drop by the Vidhana Soudha building or Cubbon park just to sit on the lawns and eat a bhutta(corn cob). 5) Go for an early morning walk in Lalbagh and rush to stand first in line for breakfast at MTR. 6) If you are looking for souvenirs,here are your choices: sandalwood articles from Cauvery Handicrafts(M....

I love the idea of events such as Chitra Santhe and the Bangalore Habba(both take place in December).These have started quite recently i.e around 2003-2004. The Chitra santhe however being next door for me is something I just dont miss ever since it started in 2005.It takes place in the premises of Karnataka Chitra Kala Parishad,Kumara Park area on the last Sunday of every year. I am not much into art but find it irresistible to attend these events which are more public and open to all.Here are some snaps I clicked during the santhe this year. Street side view: The CKP campus: Some paintings I liked:

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...

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 Brindava...

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 Bangal...

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 multi...

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.

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 Dos...

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