Kirtana Kumar’s Bangalore Blues narrativises the sleepy charm of Old Bangalore.
Story so far: In her book, ‘Bangalore Blues’ Kirtana Kumar captures stories about the city’s past in a dialogue-heavy narrative. The old Bengaluru’s sleepy little existence, nurtured by old retirees who enjoyed tending their gardens, is a stark contrast to the city’s current busy and hustling esprit de corps.
- Some stories are set in the Old Bangalore Cantonment fenced by Jayamahal, Cooke Town, and Richmond Town. The author makes more than hundreds of references to old landmarks and popular personalities like Shanbhag of the Premier Book Shop.
- Picasso Pulao and Mary Mary Quite Contrary provide anecdotes of social classes colliding. Tabula Rasa zeroes in on caste discrimination.
Behind the book: Kumar is a theatre artist who wanted to write about real-life characters that don’t get written about much. The book follows the journey of diversity and cosmopolitanism in the city through the charms and qualms of Old Bangalore.