Good morning, Bengaluru!
đ¤ď¸ Todayâs weather: Sunny with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms.
đ§ Did you know? â11 Palmsâ is a documentary by Michigan-based Commonstudio about Bengaluruâs unique relationship with palm trees. It documents the way Bengalureans maintain a shared sense of sacred amidst urbanisation.
âď¸ 100th day of T2
In 100 days of operations, T2 catered to over 11 lakh people and sold over 4,000 podi masala dosas.
Story so far: The Kempegowda International Airportâs (KIA) Terminal-2 (T2) catered to 11,33,645 passengers in its 100 days of operations. The new terminal was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 11, 2022, and opened for operations on January 15.
- Currently, T2 only offers domestic flights. Itâs seen 7,501 flights, with 76% of them on schedule.
- Star Air, AirAsia India, and Vistara operate from T2. Star Air was the first airline to begin operations there. The domestic carrier has its largest hub in Bengaluru.
Food at T2: Numerous food and beverage outlets inhabit the shiny new terminal. Word has it that podi masala dosa is a favourite around T2. During its 100 days of operations, passengers ordered 4,100 podi masala dosas.
đ§ Railway underbridge construction
The railways and BBMP have undertaken the construction of the much-delayed Okalipuram corridor project.
Story so far: On Wednesday, a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) box was installed in Okalipuram to construct a third railway underbridge for the signal-free corridor project near the Bangalore City Railway Station.
- Funded by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the underbridge is being built by the South Western Railway (SWR). They plan to install the final RCC box soon.
- A hundred workers and a 350-tonne road crane carried out the installation.
Why it matters? The four underbridges will ease vehicular traffic from Rajajinagar towards Majestic and Vidhana Soudha. The project has missed several deadlines after it was initiated a decade ago.
đł Tree doctor to the rescue
In Jayanagar, an environmental crusader applied a solution to a tree which had been a victim of acid pouring.
Story so far: When Jayanagarâs residents informed Vijay Nishanth, locally known as the tree doctor, about a badly damaged tree, Nishanth rushed for an inspection. According to him, miscreants had been pouring acid into the tree over the last few days, intending to destroy it.
- It was a Pongam tree whose roots and trunk were severely damaged. The âtree doctorâ applied a solution to heal and revive it.
- BBMPâs forest officials were also present at the site. They said that in such cases, a complaint is filed with the local police.
Why though? The officials opined that it could be one of the house owners nearby. Usually, when tree branches spread to peopleâs houses, they take such measures to ensure the tree decays and falls.
đ The life and works of Raja Ravi Varma
A city-based advocateâs new book on the artist Raja Ravi Varma is as interesting as his engagement with art.
What itâs about? In the 1990s, when Ganesh Shivaswamy was diagnosed with pituitary cancer at the age of 16, there werenât many ways to medically save his eye. So the doctors asked him to turn to art to stimulate his optic nerves. Shivaswamy was flummoxed. He started collecting lithographs of paintings by Raja Ravi Varma. Cut to three decades later, and he has released âThe Shaping of the Artist,â the first book in a six-part series.
- In the book, published by White Falcon Publishers, Shivaswamy explores the life and works of the renowned artist.
- Most works on Ravi Varma speak of the individual significance of his artworks. Shivaswamyâs book weaves him within a larger context to understand his process and influences.
Surprising elements: Perusing through a box of negatives at Kilimanoor Palace, Shivaswami spotted a figure of someone posing as Damayanti from Mahabharata. It was Ravi Varma himself!
⨠Things to doâŚ
Here are some fun and interesting things to do in the city over the weekend!
- At 21st Amendmentâs Candy Shop Edition, groove to your favourite pop and hip-hop favourites tonight.
- Swim with dolphins during a weekend backpacking trip to Udupi and Agumbe.
- KD No. 1 is a Tamil Stand-up comedy special by Karthi Durai on Saturday.
- Start your morning right with standup artists at Cubbon Park on Sunday.
- Explore your heritage while writing in this workshop on culture reportage on Sunday.
đď¸ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll Results:
- I was born in Bengaluru: 21.1%
- I moved to Bengaluru: 78.9% đ
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What do you think your locality needs more of?
Shuba: âWalkwaysâ
Yogita: âCleanliness and renovation, the footpaths are all broken and there is waste on the street (Yelahanka, Doddaballapur Road)â
Thatâs it for today. Have a great weekend!