Good morning, Bengaluru!
⛈️ Today’s weather: More rain showers are in store.
🧐 Did you know? The first instance of urban flooding was recorded in Bengaluru on September 28, 1912.
🛍️ What’s ailing Gandhi Bazaar’s traders?
Gandhi Bazaar’s residents and traders organised a protest against new civic projects.
Story so far: On Tuesday, all shops and establishments in Gandhi Bazaar pulled their shutters down to join residents and traders in a protest against the reportedly unscientific and unplanned development projects in the area.
- The Heritage Basavanagudi Resident Welfare Forum and Basavanagudi Traders Association said quality asphalting of arterial roads is a more logical solution than white topping since it counters waterlogging.
- Residents and traders are also concerned about the destruction of 84 trees for white topping works.
What’s the issue? The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) Smart City and white topping work has affected businesses in Gandhi Bazaar for over a year now. Residents and traders alike have suggested a slew of measures to preserve the locality’s heritage.
- One such demand is the inclusion of a vending area or a fruit, vegetable and flower market in the multi-level parking construction on Gandhi Bazaar’s main road.
🧺 Old school picnics are the new fad
Bengalureans are turning to customised picnics for social gatherings.
Story so far: The experience of the pandemic has made old-school picnics a favourite among Bengalureans who crave the outdoors. Several groups, like njh at Malaikal and The Picnic Company, curate such experiences.
- njh at Malaikal is a community space run by Saritha Hegde. Hegde organises customised picnics suited to the customer’s needs.
- The Picnic Company, founded by Shwetha Gupta, caters to 30 – 40 people with a zero-waste set-up.
Why it matters? Picnics are seen as intimate experiences. According to a city-based content manager, going to pubs is a standard experience, whereas picnics are more personalised and wholesome.
🌆 A Malleswaram moment in time
Mallewaram has played an important role in the city’s intellectual, musical, and gastronomical life.
Story so far: Once dubbed the Garden City, Bengaluru is seen more as a high-growth technology hub. Amidst the din of urbanisation and race to concretising the landscape, Malleswaram held onto its over 130-year-old Old Bangalore charm.
- It came into being in the late 1800s, in response to the Plague, as a locality to house city residents safely.
- It’s believed that Malleswaram’s name is derived from the 17th-century Kadu Mallikarjuna Temple, also dubbed Kadu Malleswara, which sits atop Sampige Road.
Tell me more? Mornings in Malleswaram involve brisk walks, filter coffee, idlis at Veena Stores and Sri Raghavendra Stores, vada sambar at Hotel Janatha, and benne masala dosae at CTR.
🎨 Making art from waste
Dhiraj Sharma, the founder of 8mango, was part of a show on Sony Entertainment where he made art from waste objects.
Story so far: 8mango, founded by city-based artist Dhiraj Sharma, is an organisation that transforms many kinds of waste or junk into artefacts and keepsakes.
- Sharma has a talent for finding inspiration in neglected and discarded objects.
- In his able hands, broken jewellery, toys, parts of laptops and watches, paper, and bicycle spokes are transformed into 3D portraits, sculptures, and quirky artefacts.
About the artist: Sharma works part-time as a creative advisor for a start-up. Since 2017, he has been an experience partner at TedX Hyderabad.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you call the city Bengaluru or Bangalore?
- I call it Bengaluru.
- I call it Bangalore.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What’s your favourite filter coffee brand?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Bengaluru may get rain till May 5.
- Unchecked garbage and polluted water leave residents in distress in northeast Bengaluru.
- Bengaluru-Vizag special train to do more trips.
- Bengaluru’s senior citizens say pomp and show trump personal campaigning now.
- IISc researchers have found that the virus causing dengue has evolved dramatically.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I have visited the Rage Room: 0.0%
- I haven’t visited the Rage Room: 100.0% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
Which is the most scenic area in Bengaluru, according to you?
Sriranga: “Malleshwara and Gandhi Bazaar vicinity. Transports me back in time.”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!