Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌧️ Today’s weather: Cloudy sky with one or two spells of thundershowers expected.
🧐 Did you know? The Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Shivajinagar was formally opened in 1868.
🗺️ Digital map unveils Bengaluru’s history
A unique digital map now allows exploration of Bengaluru’s ancient inscriptions via an interactive Google Map platform.
What’s it about? The ‘Inscription Stones of Bengaluru’ project provides a digital map with details on about 1,500 inscriptions in the Bengaluru area. This map, updated daily, includes coordinates, historical context, and multimedia for each inscription. It’s the result of a seven-year effort by a dedicated team compiling data from various sources, including archaeological reports and social media.
- The map has been accessed over 330,000 times, indicating a strong public interest in local history and the preservation of cultural heritage.
- The initiative has expanded beyond Bengaluru, inspiring similar documentation efforts in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
Citizen initiative: The project, which began as a citizen initiative, is now a resource for historians, researchers, and the public, fostering greater discovery and conservation. Workshops have been conducted to train students and interns, with plans to extend the project’s reach to other historical and religious centres across India.
🐅 Tiger conservation film
Bengaluru hosted the premiere of ‘Project Tiger,’ a documentary chronicling 50 years of tiger conservation in India.
What’s it about? The screening of ‘Project Tiger’ in Bengaluru captivated audiences with a narrative that juxtaposed the historical hunting of tigers against contemporary conservation efforts. The film, sponsored by various environmental and mining groups, was created by Rohit Varma and Kalyan Varma of Nature inFocus. It featured insights from renowned conservationists and used a soundtrack by the Indian Ocean band, underscoring the film’s local roots and global significance.
- The documentary highlights the journey from the 1930s, when tiger numbers plummeted, to the rebound to 3,682 tigers from a low of 1,411 in the early 2000s.
- It emphasizes the interconnectedness of tiger conservation with the protection of forests and the origin of 350 rivers from tiger reserves.
Book launch: The premiere also saw the launch of ‘Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright,’ a coffee table book by Yashpal Rathore, and concluded with a live performance by the Indian Ocean, who performed the documentary’s theme song ‘Bagh Aayo Re.’
- The film aims to educate the current generation about the extensive efforts behind saving the iconic species and the sacrifices made by local communities.
🛫 Lufthansa’s new Bengaluru-Munich route
Lufthansa has launched direct flights connecting Bengaluru with Munich, making it the third Indian city to join the airline’s Munich hub network.
What’s it about? The service, which began on November 4, highlights Lufthansa’s commitment to India, where it has been present for over 90 years. With this addition, Lufthansa Group’s weekly flights between India and Europe are set to reach 64 by January 2024. Bengaluru is the first new destination in the Asia-Pacific region added by Lufthansa post-COVID.
- The Indian aviation market is currently the third-largest globally, with projections to become the third-largest economy by 2030.
- The thrice-weekly flights will offer local cuisine and catering, ensuring a culturally rich experience aboard the Airbus A350-900.
Strategic importance: George Ettiyil, Lufthansa Group’s Senior Director for South Asia, emphasized India’s significant economic growth and the strategic importance of Bengaluru as a hub for IT and aerospace industries. The new direct route is expected to strengthen business and cultural ties between the two cities.
🐆 Another leopard sighted
Forest officials are tracking a leopard sighted near Chikka Togur, Bengaluru, following a recent incident where another leopard was euthanized after injuring three people.
What’s it about? After a leopard was sighted by locals near a house in Chikka Togur, Bengaluru, forest officials have been on high alert for over 24 hours. The sighting comes shortly after a 12-year-old leopard was put down on November 1 near Kudlu Gate for injuring residents. Officials have set traps and are monitoring the situation closely, urging the public to remain calm to avoid hindering the rescue operation.
- Speculations arise about the presence of a second, younger leopard following the discovery of smaller pug marks during the November 1 incident.
- Rapid urban development in Chikka Togur over the past 15 years has transformed green patches into residential layouts, potentially impacting wildlife habitats and leading to such encounters.
Rescue efforts: The Bengaluru Urban Deputy Conservator of Forests, N Ravindrakumar, has confirmed the efforts to rescue the animal, though visual confirmation is pending. The situation is treated as an emergency, with the priority being the safe capture of the leopard and ensuring public safety.
📊 Today’s Poll
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Can you swim?
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❓ Today’s Question
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Which is the most luxurious item you own?
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🗞️ In other news…
- The Polo Club at The Oberoi Bengaluru gets a makeover.
- A Bengaluru apartment asks residents to pay a ‘pet maintenance fee’ for keeping dogs at home.
- Deputy CM’s alleged letter urging Foxconn to relocate to Bengaluru is fake.
- A private hospital was booked for administering expired medicines.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!