Gangadhar Chetty Street

Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Road

The Tale of Two Peaks. Part 1 Doddabettahalli and Chickabettahalli are two small villages on the newly named Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Road (his parents live down the road towards Yelahanka) that connects Jalahalli and Yelahanka New Town. Doddabettahalli's claim to fame is its elevation. The Betta at 962 meters is officially the highest place in the Benglur region. A short walk to the south-west of Doddabettahalli is Chickabettahalli, named after the smaller of the rocky hills. However, these two spots are no longer the highest places in the city. Doddabetta and Chickabetta have disappeared. The twin peaks have been dynamited and cut into boulders, slabs and jelly to provide the foundation of the houses we live in. You can go to Google Earth and measure the current elevation of the place. It's now lower than the spot behind the Kempegowda Tower at Mekhri Circle. If you want to visit this place, you can take Route 401 from Yehahanka or Yeshwantpur and get off at the Jelly Machine Bus Stop. You can't miss the quarry. These pictures were shot within the bowl, the abandoned quarry, that was once the smaller peak or Chicka Betta. This schoolboy who came to check out what I was doing is Phantoosh. (A name also shared by the character in Britannia Treat biscuit ads). He's been in Benglur for 2 years now and lives with his father in his shop on the main road. The rest of the family is back home in Bihar. Phantoosh studies at the local English medium school, where he also learns Kannada. This abandoned quarry is the community laundry and toilet. It's probably Benglur's second biggest toilet bowl. The quarry at Doddabettahalli would be the largest. Here are some jaw dropping beautiful pictures clicked by friends who accompanied me and clicked pictures of the place: Renith Valsaraj Vivek Dhage

Pemme Gowda Road, Marappa Garden

Found! The prototype for most construction in Namma Benglur.

Kasturba Road

Spiderboy.

The torch tower outside the Kanteerava Track and Field Stadium serves as the pillar around which Benglur's climbers hone their skills. If you are interested, you are welcome to join them every morning before it gets too hot. 

(Safety ropes are used. This boy was just above ground.)

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Seppings Road

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Sri Dharamaraya Swamy Temple Road

The Original Bangalore Habba

It's Karaga time once again and the Sri Dharmaraya Swami Temple near Corporation, has a fresh coat of paint. While the children enjoy their summer vacations playing outside the temple, inside, priests are offering special prayers before the big annual event on April 9th. Thousands of devotees are expected to congregate here on 9th of April, in the evening, for the Karaga procession that will visit all the major temples and a dargah in the Pete area. Karaga is the one of the most important festivals in the city's calendar. To know more about the Karaga, click here.  

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Meenakshi Koil Street

Tooth Fairy?

In Benglur, when children lose their milk teeth, they throw the teeth on the roof of the house. A couple of decades back, the tooth would have been embedded in a tiny ball made from cow dung and thrown. 

See the full series called Walls of Benglur. 

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Kempegowda Road

Also see The Children of Bangalore Series.

Vittal Mallya Road

Beam us up! At UB City

Old Madras Road

Shopping cart race at Big Bazaar. See the entire series: Children of Bangalore.

Hosur Road

Muharram in Richmond Town Pic #2.

Also check out other Children of Benglure.

K R Road

Lure of Bangalore Series: The boy from Mysore making curtains out of bamboo(?).

Avenue Road

Hannebhara. Read what's written on his forehead

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.

Dharmaraja Koil Street

Halebyrohalli, Kengeri S Town

Assembly time at Krishna Chaitanya Special School.

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Rd. (Bull Temple Road)

Style boy.

PVR Road

Unlike most girls in India,
she goes to school.

What Independence Day?

St. John's Road

Surrender.

5th Cross, Cubbonpet

A school playground.