Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌧️ Today’s weather: High: 31 ℃ | Low: 21 ℃ | Generally cloudy sky with a few spells of rain or thundershowers.
🧐 Did you know? Whitefield is named so because 4,000 acres of the land where it is situated now were given to David White, founder of the Anglo-Indian Association, by Chamraja Wodeyar.
🏎️ Motorsport track
Plans are underway to develop Bengaluru’s first motorsport race track at Dr Shivaram Karanth Layout.
What’s it about? Bengaluru’s upcoming motorsport race track at Dr Shivaram Karanth Layout may be ready by November, provided ongoing discussions are successful. The proposed 2.5 km track will encircle a 25-acre stadium in Somashetty Halli, with temporary modifications for race events.
- The track will be used exclusively during racing events, with necessary upgrades and barricading.
- Organisers are considering a five-year contract, extendable for another five years, for bi-annual race events.
HC decision pending: Despite concerns about noise pollution, officials note that most Bengaluru residents already live in noisy environments. The Karnataka High Court will review the layout’s notification status on June 6, which will impact the project’s progress.
🎸 Solar-powered concerts
Bengaluru-based band Swarathma is pioneering solar-powered concerts with their multi-city tour promoting clean energy.
What’s it about? Swarathma’s latest concert tour, which began in Mumbai on May 25, aims to demonstrate the viability of solar power for large live events. The tour will travel to Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Indore, Delhi, and Jaipur, releasing songs from their new album “Raushan” at each stop.
- The band uses a battery bank charged with solar energy to power their sound system, aiming to replace diesel generators typically used for concerts.
- Initially focusing on the sound system, future tours may expand to include lighting and visuals powered by renewable energy.
Laudable effort: Swarathma’s efforts highlight the potential for clean energy solutions in the music industry, encouraging fans and artists to embrace eco-friendly alternatives.
✉️ Old Bengaluru postcards
Anthropologists Emily Stevenson and Stephen Hughes explored old Bengaluru’s history through picture postcards in a recent webinar.
What’s it about? The webinar, part of the “Hello & Goodbye: Postcards from the Early 20th Century” exhibition, revealed how postcards served as an early form of social networking. Stevenson, who authored “British Indian Picture Postcards in Bengaluru,” explained that postcards were a quick, mobile way to share photos, taking just 14 days to reach the UK via the Suez Canal.
- Postcards within India cost a quarter anna, and sending abroad cost one anna. Local photographers collaborated with foreign artists for hand-colouring.
- Prominent studios like Rafael Truck & Sons, Wiele’s Studio, and Indian contributors like S Mahadeo & Sons, played significant roles in postcard production.
Exchanging culture: Stevenson highlighted the cultural exchange facilitated by postcards, with six million exchanged between 1902-1910. This practice not only preserved historical moments but also connected diverse communities through visual storytelling.
🌧️ Wettest June day
Bengaluru experienced record-breaking rainfall on Sunday, surpassing a 133-year-old record for the wettest day in June.
What’s it about? The city observatory recorded 111mm of rain, surpassing the previous record of 101.6mm set on June 16, 1891. The intense rainstorm, accompanied by gusty winds and lightning, caused widespread disruption, uprooting trees, snapping power lines, and flooding roads.
- Although power outages and traffic disruptions were reported, the impact was mitigated by the fact that it was a Sunday, reducing the typical weekday traffic.
- The rainfall was unevenly distributed, with the international airport recording only 21.6mm and the GKVK complex at Yelahanka recording 44.2mm, while the HAL observatory recorded none.
More to come: The erratic wind patterns over South Interior Karnataka are expected to stabilise soon, potentially bringing more showers over the next 3-4 days. Weather conditions are likely to dry up after June 6, continuing into the following week.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Should protesters seek government clearance for their demonstrations?
- Protesters should seek government clearance for their demonstrations.
- Protesters need not seek government clearance for their demonstrations.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What’s your best memory of the monsoon season?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Auto drivers had a field day due to rains causing metro disruptions.
- 206 trees fell across the city upon monsoon’s arrival.
- Unknown miscreants demolished the historic GTS observatory in Bengaluru’s Kannuru.
- A vintage car rally was held to create cancer awareness across the city.
- Voting concluded for the biennial elections to six Karnataka Legislative Council seats.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- The exit polls will be close to the actual results: 77.8% 🏆
- The exit polls will be off the mark: 22.2%
That’s it for today. Have a great day!