Good morning, Bengaluru!
đ©ïž Todayâs weather: Itâs a thundery showers kind of Monday.
đ§ Did you know? In 1982, Sunbeam Motha, a passionate music lover, started âMusic Stripâ in Cubbon Park, a stage for Bengaluruâs musicians to perform and an avenue of free entertainment for music lovers.
Note: Our team is taking a break today on account of Labour Day. So we wonât be publishing the newsletter tomorrow. See you on Wednesday!
đïž Standing tall behind the Town Hall
Like the Town Hall, the lives of the Kings and Dewans who constructed it are stories of encountering and furthering Indian modernity.
Story so far: The Town Hall looks like a piece of Athens sprouted on the Jayachamaraja Road. It had its share of ups and downs through the years, but it remains a grand olâ ode to those historical figures that laid the foundation of modernity.
- Its construction was completed in 1935. The crown prince of the Mysore state, Kanteerava Narasimharaja Wodeyar, inaugurated the completed building.
- It was named the Sir K P Puttanna Chetty Town Hall, after one of the prime movers of Bengaluru who donated âč75,000 towards its construction.
Nationalist in the mix: Sir Mirza Ismail, an avowed nationalist, was the civil engineer for the construction. He implemented Indiaâs first rural electrification programme. Interestingly, he served the dewan for three princely states – Mysore the longest, Jaipur, and Hyderabad for a year.
- In Hyderabad, Ismail attempted to negotiate a peaceful accession into the Union of India. But differences with Nizamâs opinions led to his quick resignation.
đ” Letting Carnatic musicians down
At a grievance meeting, Carnatic musicians address long-standing issues of unequal opportunities.
Story so far: On Saturday, the Karnataka Classical Music Confederation (KCMC) organised a grievance meeting for all Carnatic musicians from the state to discuss their issues. There was a consensus among musicians about a lack of opportunities for them in Karnataka, as compared to other states.
- Popular Carnatic musician Nagamani Srinath advocated for fighting for better rights and recognition by establishing a collective voice.
- The musicians flagged getting more offers to perform in other states, nepotism in Karnatakaâs music industry, and unequal access to opportunities.
The way forward: The musicians will submit a memorandum requesting that the government-funded organisations reserve 80% of their concerts for Karnatakaâs artists.
đ« UVCE-BU tussle
UVCE students were left in the dark about their living situation as university authorities struggled to get their houses in order.
Story so far: When the Bangalore University (BU) authorities asked the University of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) students to vacate their hostels by May 1, they were left high and dry.
- There are 350 UVCE students residing in BU hostels. Their living situation is currently a mystery to some who feel shut out by the officials.
- UVCEâs chairman, however, said the matter is resolved, and a circular has been issued, clarifying that students neednât leave their hostels.
History: On March 25, 2022, UVCE, previously a constituent of BU, became autonomous. But due to a financial crunch, the state government allowed UCVE to continue as a constituent for another year. With a year complete, BU issued the former notice.
đȘ¶ Be wary of pigeons
Exposure to pigeon poop and feathers can be extremely harmful to some people.
Story so far: Pigeons are an indispensable part of urban scenery, and some people enjoy feeding the fledgelings. There are reasons to be cautious, however. Exposure to pigeon poop and feathers can trigger chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP) in some people. One such story is about Prakash Dev, who is better after treatment but not fully healed.
- Dev, a PSU staffer, developed a persistent cough and low-grade sniffle. He is a non-smoker with no genealogical history of asthma. But the doctors found out he had four pigeons at home.
- His lungs had numerous nodules and fibrous scarring, making them act less like balloons and more like cages.
A safe distance: Dev gave up his pigeons to get better. While the risks of catching diseases from pigeon feathers are small, it is better to be wary. This isnât, however, grounds to be cruel to the birds.
đ Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Have you visited the cityâs Rage Room?
- Yes, I have visited the Rage Room.
- No, I havenât visited the Rage Room.
â Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
Which is the most scenic area in Bengaluru, according to you?
Reply to this email with your answers.
đïž In other newsâŠ
- The BBMPâs âhalf-hearted workâ besets the historic Kalkere Lake.
- Traffic congestion at the underpass junction in Budigere Cross irks residents.
- Teens, beware of chickenpox this summer.
- 3 Bengaluru students score 100 percentile in JEE Main.
- Read about how tapping a public phone in 2002 led Karnataka police to crack a murder case.
Thatâs it for today. Have a great day!