Pampa Mahakavi Road

Krishna Byre Gowda works for the constituency even after his defeat.

A BBMP Pourakarmika seeks the help of a vinyl propaganda poster of the unsuccessful Congress candidate from Bangalore South to repair her rickety trolley.

Pampa Mahakavi Road

There are real people behind these masks Vignettes from Bangalore Pride 2009 in today's Citizen Matters - Bangalore

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Pampa Mahakavi Road, Basavanagudi

Bangalore Pride 2009. The Rainbow Parade

I was just a few hundred metres away from National High School Grounds in Basavanagudi to see the beginning of the Bangalore Pride parade when I heard a song dedication from a man named Indraneel, a father, to his son Indrashish, on Radio One. The song: Ma ka ladla bigad gaya.  He said that he hoped his son got his 'hidden' message.

Meanwhile, at the starting point of the Bangalore Pride 2009 parade at National High School ground stands a line of Television OB Vans, and hordes of reporters with microphone and cameras running behind colourfully dressed people, most of them in masks to cover their identity. While there were many who wanted to be interviewed, there were quite a few of them who kept hiding from the cameras. 

Fidgeting on the fringe is a young couple, mere boys, holding sweaty hands for comfort and debating if they should join the parade for a long time. They didn't. They were put off by the media attention.

The people participating in the parade occupied a corner of the large school ground where hundreds of children and young men were playing their usual dose of Sunday cricket. They continued with their matches while looking and giggling at the colourful crowd that was congregating. Some of them came over and asked questions. They were handed over leaflets that explained what "Bangalore Pride parade" was all about. A group invited a bunch of expats attending the parade to play cricket with them. 

Also watching the show unfold were members  of the traditional Brahmin families who live next to the Chowltry (wedding hall) across the road. They watched with interest as the crowd slowly increased to a respectable number. 

At the Chowltry, where Soumya was getting married to Abhinand, the guests came out from time to time to see what was happening. And when a group of transsexuals, looking for a urinal went into the chowltry, they were chased away. 

Finally, after a delay of about an hour and half, the Bangalore Pride Parade finally started marching to the sound of drums and dancing. A colourful, long flag, held high above their masked faces provided the shade.    

Cocooned in the crowd would have been a boy named Indrashish. Marching through the streets of the city among people whom he can call his own. Here he could be himself and not what his father or Bharat Sarkar wants him to be.

 

K R Road, Basavanagudi

Curtains up! Finishing touches are being given to the new Jain temple in Basavanagudi, close to the Post Office.   

The Which Main? What Cross? The Exhibition - Is on until May 31st.

F&B Restaurant, Papanna Street, St Marks Road (on the right, soon after SBI). Ph: 080 - 40 333 888

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Bull Temple Road ಕಡಲೇಕಾಯಿ ಪರಿಷೆ

More than just groundnuts

Bull Temple Road ಕಡಲೇಕಾಯಿ ಪರಿಷೆ

Bull Temple Road. ಕಡಲೇಕಾಯಿ ಪರಿಷೆ

ಕಳ್ಳೆಕಾಯ್ ! ಕಳ್ಳೆಕಾಯ್ ! ತಾಜ್ಹಾ ತಾಜ್ಹಾ ಕಳ್ಳೆಕಾಯ್ ! ಗರ್ಮಾ ಗರಮ್ ಕಳ್ಳೆಕಾಯ್ !ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಕರಗದ, ಬಸವನ ಪರಿಷೆಯ ಕಳ್ಳೆಕಾಯ್ .

A boy selling a sack of groundnuts at the Annual Groundnut Fair.

Bull Temple Road

Cartload of Pheni!

Halli Thindi or Village Snacks is a small eatery that serves traditional Karnataka village snacks in the middle of the city.

More Thindi shots

Bugle Rock

Once upon a time this was the highest spot in the Basavanagudi area. And this was the watchtower with a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. But now, the trees of the Bugle Rock Park (Masti Iyengar Park) tower over this watchtower, providing a quiet corner for Mahesh, who lives in the same locality, a place to work on his rippling muscles.

Bugle Rock Park, Basavanagudi

Plastic people and their universe.
Caption inspired by the name of a Czech band that was born from the ashes of the Prague Spring of 1968 - Plastic people of the universe. About the band, Official site, Myspace page

Bull Temple Road

The simple toys of life.