Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌤️ Today’s weather: Sunny with some haze.
🧐 Did you know? In 2022, Bengaluru’s companies emerged as the most willing to hire across a survey of 14 cities.
🚏 Smart bus stop
The bus stop is packed with facilities that improve the public transportation experience.
Story so far: On Monday, the Electronics City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA) inaugurated a Smart bus stop at the airport bus terminus near Infosys Avenue. Guests of honour Sathyavathi G, the managing director of the BMTC, and Dr M A Saleem, Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic), flagged off its first bus.
- The bus stop has vending machines for snacks and sanitary napkins, smart dustbins, and charging points for phones and laptops. It comes with two CCTV cameras and a two-way SOS system.
- The bus stop displays real-time information about bus schedules and routes. The smart dustbins will send alerts upon reaching 70% capacity.
Why it matters? The smart bus stop is a first of its kind in Bengaluru. It has been designed to improve public safety and equitable access to public transportation. The auxiliary smart garden installation at the bus stop paves the way for building green urban spaces. It is located at Phase 1 of the E-city, with Phase 2 likely to receive a similar facility soon.
🎶 Spreading cypher culture
A hip-hop collective aims to grow the music community through freestyling sessions.
Story so far: Wanandaf, in collaboration with Dakhnistan Studios and Yuvashakti Karnataka, recently coordinated Bengaluru Rural District’s first cypher at Nelamangala’s Ambedkar Bhavan. In hip-hop, cypher culture refers to the rappers, beatboxers, and breakers’ freestyling sessions. Previously, the hip-hop collective has organised cyphers at Lal Bagh, MG Road, Cubbon Park, and Indiranagar Basketball Club.
- Co-founder Akash Rawat (AKX) conceived the idea to rap in parks with just beats on the mobile phone and no mics or speakers. In Nelamangala, hip-hop enthusiasts and artists welcomed the idea.
- The organisers arranged the venue and gadgets required for the cypher and mobilised people to attend or perform at the event.
Why this matters? The cypher organisers see the new event as a catalyst for spreading hip-hop culture in rural India. Cyphers allow people with diverse experiences to assemble, express themselves, and represent their community. It is a space devoid of discrimination or judgement.
🗿 Basavanna and Kempegowda’s statues
The Basavanna and Kempegowda statues’ unveiling will flag off a cultural festival.
Story so far: On Monday, Karnataka revenue minister R Ashoka announced that the statues of the 12th-century social reformer Basavanna and chieftain Kempegowda would be inaugurated in front of the Vidhana Soudha on March 23.
- The statues, surrounded by greenery, will be 4 meters high and have equestrian postures. CM Basavaraj Bommai will be responsible for the unveiling during a grand ceremony.
- The inauguration will preface the Bengaluru Habba, a festival from March 24 to 26 in memory of Kempegowda, the founder of Bengaluru. It will include food shows, music events, art exhibitions, vintage car and bike exhibitions, and dog shows.
Why though? Kempegowda’s contribution to building Bengaluru is popularly known. His statue is called the ‘Statue of Prosperity’ because of the chieftain’s pioneering effort to cater to the area’s water necessities by building a thousand lakes.
- As Lingayats and Vokkaliggas revere the two historical figures, the unveiling can also be politically profitable for the CM in the upcoming Assembly elections.
🎤 Trying stand-up comedy
Bengaluru’s multitalented writer and athlete, Anu Vaidyanathan, is on a roll.
Story so far: Filmmaker, triathlete, and now stand-up comedian Anu Vaidyanathan recently debuted in Off-broadway theatre in New York with her maiden stand-up hour called BC: AD (Before Children: After Diapers). The stand-up set is an hour of humorous storytelling rather than a collection of jokes.
- The set revolves around the changes in a woman’s life after having children. Building on her experiences, the comedian provides an optic into women’s aspirations and how they balance them while managing children.
- Vaidyanathan reveals that her writing background and a month-long experience in clown school prepared her for crafting a successful stand-up hour.
What else? Being a Jack of all trades, Vaidyanathan also works in the film industry. While her past scripts made it to the final rounds of Rotterdam and Sundance film festivals, presently, she is working on two new movie scripts. In 2006, she became the first Indian to compete in a triathlon and in 2009, she became the first Asian woman to complete the Ultraman Canada triathlon.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you like to meditate?
- Yes, I like meditating.
- No, I don’t like meditating.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
Who are your guilty pleasure song artists?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- NHAI defers toll collection on the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway till March 14.
- The KA Legislative Assembly has passed a Bill to remove penalties on unauthorised properties.
- ISRO has successfully conducted a key test for the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
- Veterinary students stage a protest to demand higher stipends.
- The BMRCL received a safety clearance for running metro trains from KR Puram to Whitefield.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I believe in astrology: 27.3%
- I don’t believe in astrology: 72.7% 🏆
That’s it for today. Have a great day!