Bangalore View

Mouth shut are we about the traffic snarls?

2007-07-06T09:20:00.000+05:30

Stuck in a bad traffic snarl and getting increasing impatient about the long wait, I glanced at this advertisement on the rear of an auto rickshaw.

And for the two wheeler driver and me the AD was staring in the face!

It struck a chord and had me in splits! It was so very true. Is n't it symptomatic of most Bangaloreans approach to the Traffic issues in the city (that includes me!)?

Are n't we mouth shut about the state of things?!

Incidentally, Mouthshut.com is an Indian website that allows consumers to critically review products and services.

The Bangalore Torpedo

2007-07-05T23:35:00.000+05:30

Had a long day and need a refreshing break on a weekday? Head to the 13th floor (at Barton center, MG road) and get yourselves a Bangalore Torpedo.

That is precisely what I did recently. The fresh air and great views of the city sets your mind free after a long day. And its gets better if you have a bunch of friends or colleagues to chill out with.

I was thumbing through the menu and chose to try the Bangalore Torpedo cocktail along with you know what (see picture)?! I wasn't disappointed at all! The drink didn't quite Torpedo me but it was sure refreshing and probably become one of my favorites.

The Bangalore torpedo is made of beer, gin, anise and lemonade. Of you are in Bangalore get torpedoed at the 13th floor!

STOP PRESS: Superman sighted at Bangalore!!!

2007-07-04T23:15:00.000+05:30

No kidding! This "Superman" was sighted in Bangalore! After the recent reports about UFO sightings in the city why not?! The young man with the bull adds to the classic touch!

Ok! Ok! Let me cut the suspense...
Look closer in the picture and this is what you see.... (photo below)

Superman is just a creation of "Classic Fibre works"! The flying cape made it look really authentic didn't it?! The have Vivekananda, Ambedkar and Sai Baba on their roof top!

This is a story NDTV and CNN-IBN would die for! given all the sensational reporting of late... If you report for them catch me offline to find out where? :-)

Dilkush is sure to make your heart happy!

2007-07-03T21:30:00.000+05:30

"Dilkush" - This is the mango variety I seem to like best this season. "Dilkush" - in hindi literally means "makes the heart happy". You bet! it lives up to its word. If you havent sampled your "Dilkush" mango variety this season, you sure are missing something. Head for your nearest fruit vendor.

It costs Rs. 60 a kilo. Thats about 45 bucks a piece! But is worth the tab. I didn't tell you that the mangos are large, colorful and lip smacking!

The photo above is carton full of "Dilkush"! Maybe it should have been named "Lalach" instead (means greed in Hindi).

Inflation or business greed?

2007-07-02T22:11:00.000+05:30

Bangalore is getting expensive. I happened to hop into a Shanti Sagar (chain of restaurants) in R.T Nagar (a popular residential area) . It was noisy and there was a lot of clatter from the kitchen and the fans weren't on. The restaurant managers did seem to care that the upholstery needed cleaning and upkeep.

The food was decent though. Then came to the bill. And I was shocked to see that an idli-vada (staple food in South India) was 30 Rs! And that was costlier than a plate of Pooris which is typically more expensive.

Appaling! Why are restaurant prices shooting up so much? And with the service levels and cleanliness going down.... its even more disappointing.

Guess it is a supply demand mismatch. It is simply greed of the businesses. And the Bangalorean who has no time to stand up and question. To top it all the cashier said "Sir it is 35 Rs. in Indiranagar for the same".

PMI Bangalore chapter networks PM practitioners fortnightly

2007-06-28T20:03:00.001+05:30

PMI Bangalore chapter brings together in the city PM practitioners across industries. PM practitioners meet fortnightly to share and learn as part of the PM Footprints program.

Waste Management in Bangalore

2007-06-28T19:26:00.001+05:30

Pourakarmikas collect waste every morning from every street in the neighborhood. These are shipped to the outskirts of the city in garbage trucks.

This post is made using Shozu on a Sony Ericsson 750i. Whew!

Poverty peeks at Prosperity

2007-06-23T17:11:00.001+05:30

A poignant picture of a small street girl shivering in the cool monsoon evening watches the more privileged in the city chatting over a coffee at Cafe coffee day.

These are a sign of the times. Poverty and Prosperity are ofter staring at each other in the face...

Which parota? - Try the "Weechu" Parota!

2007-06-23T15:19:00.000+05:30

The Weechu Parota is a type of flat-bread from the parota or porotta family of Indian bread. Photo above was shot at Pongal Cafe near Innovative Multiplex at Marathahalli. It is made of maida or refined flour. It is quite popular in south India and is available in some restaurants in town.

The Weechu Parota is a square shaped Parota unlike the others in the family - The Kerala or Malabar Parota (circular and layered) and and the Ceylon Parota.

A few other pictures to show you how it is made. The maida is rolled into balls in oil (as below) and kept for a while for it to soak a bit.

The skillful chef makes then rolls the maida ball a bit and deftly slaps the dough on the table in a circular motion till it becomes really a thin sheet of maida (See photo below).

It is then folded into a a square shape and placed on hot pan (see below) and cooked till it becomes brown.

And lo and behold the "Weechu" is ready! Weechu Parota is served with Kurma - a spicy gravy. If you haven't tried this you should when you get a chance.

The Weechu Parota or Parotta is not to be confused with the other north indian bread Parantha or Paratha also widely available and popular in the country.

The life and times of an auto rickshaw driver

2007-06-22T11:25:00.000+05:30

You cant live in Bangalore city without having used an auto rickshaw sometime. These autos are such an integral part of our lives. Ever wondered what a auto drivers life is like? That thought crossed my mind and I chatted up with Venu Kumar the driver of my auto.

Venu Kumar (in picture above) rents his auto and cant afford to own own. Autos are priced at around Rs. 1,25,000 and another 25,000 to get it registered and ready to run. Venu drives his auto for 12 hours a day. Makes meter earnings of between Rs. 550 and Rs. 800 a day. He needs to pay Rs 150 to rent his auto a day and another Rs. 200 for the LPG gas that runs his auto. That makes it a running cost of Rs 350 a day - his break even point. Everything he makes over that figure is what he gets to keep (approximately 200 to 450 Rs).

Venu has a family of 5 - a mom, his wife and three children. His children are in 8th standard, 7th and 1st standard at school. He is the only bread winner in his family. He admits that his eldest son couldn't study further and he had to get him to take the vocation of a tailor to help him meet his own expenses.

With earnings of around Rs. 6,000 to Rs 9,000 a month (let us assume 7,500), he pays a rent of Rs. 1500 for his rented small home in Banaswadi. He pays over Rs. 15,000 for his children's schooling a year - approx Rs. 1500 a month. That leaves around 4,500 to take care of all other expenses - food, clothing, medicine for a family of 5 for a month - that Rs. 150 a day and Rs 30 per person in the family! Thats less than a US $ or a Euro a day.

Venus says some auto rickshaws run in two shifts. 6 AM to 2 PM (at a rental of Rs 80) and 2 PM through 10 PM (rental of Rs. 120). He manages to take about 4 days off month - mostly driven by family pressures and the odd day when he is unwell. He say the money that comes in every day just goes away for expenses the same day and he is often in debt with creditors. He had a resigned look about himself when he said that. But amidst all this he manages to own a cell phone that is paid off for a year for incoming and some limited calls.

We reach our destination and I notice the meter, it reads Rs 81.

Wiser after my chat with Venu, I know what my ride's fare means to him...

Around 20% of his break even cost. He needs nine more long rides like this for a good days earnings, probably many more smaller drops
Around 40% of his daily LPG costs
Covers daily expenses for 2.5 people in his family. Half his daily family expenses.
Around 5% of his monthly expenses to educate his children.

Oh boy! I was humbled and a whole lot wiser.

I showed him the pictures I took of him on my phone and he managed a smile when I told him I would be publishing this on the internet (he knew what it meant!).

Life moves on for Venu... He is on the look out for his next customer...

Large scale road repairs in Bangalore

2007-06-21T07:19:00.000+05:30

After many months of neglect the city administration has woken up finally and is doing a large scale road repairs in Bangalore. First it was Bhaskaran road near Ulsoor, then old madras road and now 100 feet road in Indiranagar.

These road repairs did come with some minor inconveniences with half the road shutdown and commuters having to dovetail each other on a single lane (see photo below).

Surely a few days of difficulty is worth getting rid of the pot holes once and for all! Good to see tax money being put to use well. It is visibly making some difference to daily life.

Suzuki SX4 battles the Honda Civic

2007-06-20T20:23:00.000+05:30

A bright red Suzuki SX4 sedan demo car does the rounds in Bangalore traffic to tease the potential buyer. Photo taken on Koramangala inner ring road.

The new SX4 sedan is positioned to compete with the classy and wildly popular Honda Civic that has taken Bangalore by storm. The Toyota Corolla is already struggling to keep pace with the Civic which has caught the popular imagination with its new styling. The battle between these three is going to be interesting to watch!

Some interesting facts about the SX4:

Developed by automakers Suzuki and Fiat
Car was designed by Italian Giorgetto Giugiaro who was recently award the title Car Designer of the century. He has more than 75 popular car designs to his credit!
Launched in the Geneva Motor show in 2006. Launched in India in mid 2007.
Assembled in Hungary, Japan and India (Mesar in Haryana)

Priced at Rs. 7,60,000 for the fully loaded ZXi (ex-showroom) around Rs. 5,00,000 lesser than the City, it sure is going to be a force to reckon with.

Hijra trouble at traffic signals becoming common

2007-06-19T21:08:00.000+05:30

Hijras have started surfacing in Bangalore city like never before. They have invaded certain city traffic light junctions. What they do is very simple. The come from vehicle to vehicle and harass commuters. They try to touch some people, pretend to bless some, they get aggressive sometimes, sometimes they plead. They have a singleton goal of extracting some money from you.

One find it utterly disgusting when they breach a person's basic rights when they start touching people. Some commuters get hassled, some scared, some simply angry.

Obviously one respects their person right to be what they want to be. It is a personal preference. But they have no business to start bothering public in this manner. They should enact a law to bring to book these Hijras if they are a menace in this fashion.

This burely is beggary in its most sophisticated form. Mumbai is well known for this problem along with many other cities. Growth brings the city best of talent and the imported "trouble" as well.

Its almost "No entry" for the sun

2007-06-18T20:52:00.000+05:30

Bangalore is know for its green cover and trees. The green cover on some roads is so dense that the sun hardly gets a chance to get through. Its almost a "no entry" for the sun on those roads. These are things that make Bangalore the wonderful city it is.

This photo was shot at the Madiwala market road near Silk board flyover.

Bangalore View listed in "Around the World" photoblog catalog

2007-06-18T02:34:00.000+05:30

Around The World is a photoblog directory. They have listed the Bangalore View photoblog in their directory on the 16th of June. This blog seems to have met their criteria. "Around the world" has Daily Photoblogs Old and New - a guide to sites around the world.

The photoblog is listed here and mentioned in their blog here. Nice!

We are now a CDPB officially. CDPB = City Daily Photo Blog = A photoblog that posts a daily photo with narrative and context themed around a city.

Great way to begin a relaxing weekend

2007-06-17T20:26:00.002+05:30

This is the view from my breakfast table... Serene and calm on a morning.... With busy weekdays gone by my whole body was aching to relax and chill.... And this view over breakfast did a whole lot good. Guess where I was?

To tease you further check out the view below.... If only I was staying there... I was just visiting for a meeting...

I was at Ista - the 5 star hotel so close to MG road at Ulsoor in downtown Bangalore.

My first experience was great. We had a sumptuous breakfast - ranging from Rs 120 through Rs. 350 (US $3 through US$8). Must be a great location for visitors who have work in the city center.

I can surely see myself going there more often over the weekends!!!

Disclaimer: BTW I am in no way associated with Ista management or the business.

Teeing off at the KGA

2007-06-16T16:28:00.000+05:30

Young golfer tries his skills under the watchful eyes of his dad at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) on a lazy Saturday. The KGA is one of 6 golf courses in Bangalore. 3 are owned by the military, the other two are Eagleton and the historic Bangalore Golf Club.

The 18 hole Golf Course is international class, spread over 124 acres of land. The KGA was designed by the legendary golfer from Australia Peter Thomson of M/s.Thomson Wolveridge Associates of Australia who have designed more than 5 golf courses in India. KGA is among the top 4 Golf Courses in the Country. It is a flat 6,786-yard par-72 layout. Major Tournaments Held : Classic Masters, All India Amateur and the All India Ladies Amateur.

There more than 12 member categories and getting membership is an arduous task. Even Rishad the son of the world's richest men Aziz Premji (Chairman of Wipro) is wait-listed to be a life member despite a fee of Rs. 15,00,000!!! The wait-list queue for being a permanent member is 1360.

For the not so lucky, I guess its good luck with Microsoft Golf 3.0!

Further reading: Bangalore & Golf Golf courses in South India History of Indian Golf

Spicy and delivered at home!

2007-06-15T21:21:00.000+05:30

Picture this! A nice big red chilly mounted on a scooter. These are the 2 wheelers that delivery the choicest of spicy food home from Nandhini - Bangalore's chain of restaurants serving Andhra food.

These guys are entrepreneurs. They know a thing or two about the food business. They keep it relatively low cost and its popular. They don't have a web site but they sure know how to do outdoor branding!

Cops are busier than ever before

2007-06-14T20:15:00.000+05:30

It looks like the policemen are having a casual afternoon walk in city surroundings... Thats what I thought too at first glance... These were photos shot near Yeshwantpur station. Look closer in the next picture...

You will notice the policemen are escorting a criminal they just nabbed. Notice the handcuffs on the man.

If you thought only the IT folks in Bangalore worked crazy hours, change your mind. Bangalore city police have been busier than ever before. Rising due to the economic divide between the haves and the have-nots.

Crime in the city has been on the rise and at staggering levels.

Combating Tuberculosis globally from Bangalore

2007-06-13T19:55:00.000+05:30

Bangalore is increasingly becoming a powerhouse in Biotech and Pharma. AstraZeneca the global pharmaceutical major headquartered in the UK. Bangalore is one of the R & D centers for the company, in addition to their centers in Sweden, USA and Japan. The photo was taken at Astra Zeneca's facility in Hebbal.

The company operates in 100 countries, has 65,000 employees, worldwide sales in 2005 totalled $24 billion and an annual R & D budget of US$ 3.4 billion. The pharma major globally focuses on six important areas of healthcare - gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, cancer, respiratory, neurosciences and infection.

Since 2003, Astra Zeneca R & D in their new laboratories in Bangalore, India, have been focusing on finding a new treatment for tuberculosis with an investment of US$ 35 millions over 5 years.

Some important facts:

Tuberculosis is the single largest cause of adult death in the world from infectious disease. TB kills 8,000 people a day - that is 2-3 million people every year. Thats more people dying from AIDS or malaria.
The medicines now used to treat TB were developed more than forty years ago.
More than 70 scientists work in this new centre, including molecular biologists, genetic engineers and chemists.
AstraZeneca Research Foundation India as made more than 100 million rupees of Investments in Indian Science and institutions.
In India alone 0.5 million people die from TB every year (15-20% of the worlds deaths). Thats more than 1000 every day in India (i.e one every minute). Scary facts!

We need all the money we can get and our own attention to tackle this problem.

12th June - World Day against Child Labor

2007-06-12T20:11:00.000+05:30

Stop! Spare a thought for unprivileged young children.

Thats precisely what young school children of Vidya Vahini school did. They raised loud slogans and placards to create awareness against Child Labour. The energy was such it sure drew my attention, that I had to stop and take notice. Photo taken on main road past Mekri circle enroute to Hebbal.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), Child Labour is....

Work that harms children's well-being and hinders their education, development and future livelihoods.

The state of things:

Worldwide, agriculture is the sector where by far the largest number of working children can be found - an estimated 70 per cent, of whom 132 million are girls and boys aged 5-14. These children are helping to produce the food and beverages we consume.

We sure can make a difference.
Spare a thought for an unprivileged child and do something about it. What can we do?

Firefox! You can browse....Cycles not web pages....

2007-06-11T20:24:00.000+05:30

The Firefox store! At CMH road in Indiranagar a popular residential area in Bangalore. The shop's name is no coincidence. Surely intends to cash is on the popularity of its namesake browser.

The shop surely gets every passer by to take notice, even pause and browse their bike collection and accessories.... Lets not forget the key target customer is the IT guy!

Monsoon time - battle beween the clouds and the sun

2007-06-11T19:52:00.000+05:30

Its monsoon time in Bangalore with the showers getting unpredictable, especially in the evenings. While the monsoons are a blessing in general since they bring down the mercury, they pose a serious dilemma to the biker or two wheeler commuter.

To bike or not for the day is always the question!!!

When ancient traditions get reduced to beggary

2007-06-10T14:21:00.001+05:30

In the heydays, artists playing the Nadaswaram accompanied with a caparisoned bull was a tradition that was patronized by many. The artist would play carnatic classical pieces on festive days and this was considered an auspicious act. It surely kept tradition and culture alive and gave these artists a living.

Over the years with so called "modernity" these guys have a hapless future and their art form is now reduced to beggary. Their music's quality has also been reduced dramatically due to lack of patrons.

The bright lights beckon you

2007-06-08T19:18:00.000+05:30

The bright lights at the AKS convention center are a tease. AKS convention is a popular hall in Frazer Town that plays host to wedding receptions, conventions and meetings. It is mostly in demand and they charge 1 lakh (€ 1,800) to 1.3 lakhs (€ 2,400) for using the facility for a day. It can seat 700 people.

Weddings are a big deal in India. People spend their lives earnings and their fortunes on just the few days of the wedding. The Indian wedding market is estimated to be a whopping 5000 Crores (€ 916 million). Halls like AKS thrive on this mania.

Beast of burden?

2007-06-07T11:13:00.000+05:30

How much can this lady carry? Scene captured near Mayo Hall and Bangalore central mall in downtown Bangalore.

We are growing at a staggering 9% GDP and the world is watching in awe. So are we at the rocketing prices and the social divide. All the rocketing growth in the city has done nothing to better life for this lady.

Growth sadly creates a social divide between the haves and the have nots.

Passengers scramble to get on buses to commute

2007-06-06T14:53:00.000+05:30

This is one of the bigger vestibular buses of the BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) photographed near the KR puram flyover.

Passengers "mob" the bus in a bid to get in. Using public transport is a big challenge. The supply is less than the demand. This challenge of travel forces many middle class citizens to find alternate modes like two wheelers (Did you know? - Bangalore has the world's largest concentration of two wheelers) and four wheelers - compounding the problem on the roads.

BMTC stats:

4586 buses and 4258 schedules
Carry 35.00 Lakhs Passengers in a day
60,860 trips
Perform 9.11 Lakhs Service Kilometers

Bus frequencies are a challenge. Bus stops are few and far between in some routes. Bangalore has no concept of queues in Bus stops unlike cities like Mumbai. The BMTC buses have signs in kannada only and this is another challenge in a city that has attracted so many migrants due to the job opportunities.

If you commute via BMTC try this useful site from Mapunity that maps the Bangalore bus routes on Google maps.

It is a different matter that BMTC has taken many new initiatives to add new volvo buses in the city to target the middle class.

BMTC has do a lot more and faster.

World environment day

2007-06-05T09:34:00.000+05:30

Today is World Environment Day. A day we stop and introspect about the environment that sustains human life. A time to introspect on how we can treat it more responsibly for our own good. The choice is really ours....

We could have a city green and environment friendly like the photo below signifies....

(the photo above was taken at the small park in downtown Bangalore - park in front of Mayo Hall and Bangalore Central mall. Its green as green can be amidst all the air pollution of the vehicular emissions).

Or we could be irresponsible and pollute the city with effluent waste that is untreated and causes health hazards by affecting the water table around.

(photo of the great Bangalore Nala. This picture was shot less than 30 meters from the Gopal Admirality apartment complex. The stench from the Nala is unacceptable.)

Or we could cave into selfish commercial interest and pollute the city while seriously endangering the climate and weather in our city. Temperatures have gone up by 5-7 degrees in last 5-6 years. Is this what we all deserve?

(the above photo was shot on Outer ring road between Hennur road and Hebbal. This lorry is poorly maintained but used for commercial gain. The owners of this lorry have an armada of vehicles around 15-20 of them. If this isn't irresponsible behavior what is?)

The choice is really ours to make. You and me.

Don't neglect the environment! Let us make a difference in our own small way today. Or it could become too late to save it.

Sreeraj bar and their myriad of options to beat the summer heat...

2007-06-04T10:14:00.000+05:30

Numerous options that drive you crazy. Lassis, Kulfis, Shrikand, Faloodas and more...

What are you waiting for? Find ways to beat the heat!

Glimpses from the Aerosmith concert

2007-06-03T21:11:00.001+05:30

The large Aerosmith hoarding greeted the fans.

The show started with the large LCD screen splashing the Indian tricolor.

The large stage had two large screens flanking it. For most in the audience it was these large two screens that gave them a glimpse of their heroes. Some couldn't even see them since they weren't 6 feet tall! The main stage had a large LCD backdrop that keep screening live larger than life images of the band. DNA Networks the organizers could have done a better job with the sound and the live display screens could have been higher.

Steve Tyler was a bundle of energy. Scary to think he is 59 years old. Trim as a fiddle and he proudly displayed his flat stomach and his "Lick Me" tattoo. One helluva energetic bloke. His face looms over the large live screens at the venue.

It was a nice evening with the full moon for company. What a setting! The weather held itself despite the met department predicting the monsoons to start on the 1st of June.

They played anthems Living on the edge, Dream on, Falling in Love, Jaded and I don't want to miss a thing. The lights were alright, but not earth shaking. Thought the Times of India thought the effects were the best ever in Bangalore in a concert. I respectfully beg to differ.

The crowd was around 20,000. Lets wait for the official count. I felt the crowd and the energy was a lot lesser than what I saw at the recent Iron Maiden concert.

The girls went berserk for one of the numbers. Their beasts of burden (the folks on whom they were hoisted) must have had little choice ;-), they simply had to oblige!

Overall it was a great evening and a great opportunity to see Aerosmith live!

Aerosmith are in town

2007-06-02T17:38:00.000+05:30

Yes, Aerosmith are in the city. And for those of you not from the city...they are playing only in Bangalore ;-). The city has been the obviously choice for rock bands and the organizers DNA Networks. This concert in Bangalore follows a string of shows .... Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Bryan Adams, Deep Purple, Roger Waters and others in recent years.

Can wait to hear the "bad boys from Boston".

The all new pest swatter hits the streets

2007-06-01T16:07:00.000+05:30

You can have missed this! I am talking about the all new pest swatter that's hit town. You can see it everywhere - street vendors, traffic signals, everywhere. Shaped like a Tennis racquet, this gadget let you swat pests. Whats the big deal you may ask? This gadget creates a spark when a pest hit it and instantly kills it. We'll I guess it would also give one a sense of playing a game :). Note the thunder bolt shape on the gadget. Wait till the next big ingenuity!!!

Helmet worn for convenience...

2007-05-31T15:24:00.000+05:30

Some people just don't care about safety even when they carry a helmet! Check this rider out! He doesn't strap on his helmet though he is carrying one. He is wearing it but how?!! Surely not a safe thing to do given the numerous accidents and deaths on two wheelers in Bangalore.

A few years back we lost a team mate to a cruel accident on a bike. He probably would have survived if he had a helmet on. Sad, one never takes things seriously sometimes till something really goes wrong.

If you are reading this, please ensure you and your friends wear a helmet and wear it right when you ride a bike!

Growth comes with caveats!

2007-05-30T19:22:00.000+05:30

Yes, we are growing at break neck speed. So fast that it scares many! There is so much migration to the city in the quest of job opportunities from all over the country and even overseas. This is all great since the city becomes more cosmopolitan.

Along with this growth, comes a bunch of problem that we are not managing well... Inflation, Social divide (the haves and the have nots), Crime and many more issues.... The poster campaign calling for a meeting reflects that very challenge....

We got to do something serious about balanced growth soon. Else we will be caught napping ...

Gardner's fortress

2007-05-30T05:29:00.000+05:30

In the middle of a busy 80 feet road at R.T Nagar (one of the busier residential localities) at Bangalore, this vendor selling pots and garden plants has a set up in style.

A walled fortress with pots and a tent pitched in the middle with an expanse of space within under the shade of a large tree.

This is as good as it gets!

Precariously carrying LPG gas cylinders

2007-05-29T09:42:00.000+05:30

This van was carrying LPG cylinders precariously. Notice how the cylinders are fasted to the van. I saw the cylinders jostling and moving as the van moved through the steet. Gave me the creeps. Consider the lethal content they carry. Surely there is a better way to transport these around town....

Green Bangalore - Traffic signals dont get greener than this!!!

2007-05-28T18:46:00.000+05:30

Where else in the country can one find such green cover in the downtown area at traffic signal. It got to be only Bangalore (Bengaluru).

The hungry camel...

2007-05-28T17:29:00.000+05:30

Wonder if these poor beats are fed. The camel was too greedy and literally polished off the green cover on this tree, leaving only the branches!

Mango mania attacks the city

2007-05-27T19:41:00.000+05:30

City of contradictions - Super Villas and Slums galore

2007-05-27T16:43:00.000+05:30

The contradictions in the city don't get scarier than this.

If only pedestrians had a voice.... this wouldnt happen...

2007-05-26T20:40:00.000+05:30

Traffic as far as the eye can see...

2007-05-26T19:16:00.000+05:30

There are only two ways you can react to this. Get really mad and frustrated. Alternatively take it in your stride and .... make a call to catch up with a friend or listen to some music on the FM.

We are going to war.... against poverty!

2007-05-26T08:50:00.000+05:30

This was an odd sight. I could visualize a Bofors Howitzer gun when I saw this sight. It is just a new kind of war we are waging... an economic one... the economic boom is surely help address the poverty problem a bit.

Mobile invasion!

2007-05-25T09:28:00.000+05:30

Mobiles have invaded our life styles in a manner that was simply unthinkable a few years back. We are so compelled to respond to a call no matter where we are... on the road... in a meeting or even in the loo! The madness has to stop somewhere.

Street food at Bangalore

2007-05-24T20:21:00.000+05:30

Steet food may be banned in New Delhi by the Supreme court. This picture would clearly show you it is an organized ecosystem and many people depend on it.

Fisherman trawl Hebbal lake

2007-05-24T18:24:00.000+05:30

A regular sight at Hebbal lake. Fisherman trawl Hebbal lake with nets to get some catch!

Killers on the road... Slow but Steady...

2007-05-24T16:52:00.000+05:30

I was so cross when I saw this lorry polluting the road at a traffic signal. I could so enraged at what this lorry was doing. I was on a bike and I really could experience the dense smoke from the lorry (cough! cough!) that it appeared like someone had just tear gassed us for a moment. The smoke from the lorry was so dense that it affected visibility for a few feet. I literally tracked this driver down to his parking yard.

Another irresponsible business that ignores the environment out of disregard and simply greed!

We need to bring these guys to book! And wake up the Karnataka Pollution Control Board and the government.

All vehicles stop at the signal - even horses!

2007-05-19T19:23:00.000+05:30

All vehicles stop at the signal - even horses!

Road repairs - the truly unique way!

2007-05-18T16:25:00.000+05:30

I was heading to work and I saw this man scurrying back and forth from the side walk to the center of the road with a buck of dirt in his hand. This really caught my attention and I was compelled to stop and shoot him in action. He would empty the bucket of dirt in the pot hole and run back between traffic signals to avoid the traffic. His colleague was busy digging near the sidewalk to help re-fill the bucket with dirt.

I know these pot holes out here really need attention. But I was not sure whether to appreciate their quick fix or get angry about the shoddy approach. I ended of smiling and in splits. I was laughing out loud uncontrollably at the state of things.

No equipment. No gear. No boots. No hats for protection. No traffic alert signs. It is high time we got some structure around these things. Granted this is not the norm, but still...

Midnight masala @ Imperial on church street

2007-05-17T09:39:00.000+05:30

Waiters mob the cashier for bills for their clients at Imperial. This is way past midnight. Imperial is so busy at that time of the day (oops Night).... Imperial is surely an essential pit stop for a Bangalore party animal.

I bend my back to reach out to protect you

2007-05-10T20:56:00.000+05:30

At Chalukya circle near the governor's Bungalow. This tree really stretches put of the way to provide green cover for those waiting at the signal in the sun. How often, we take these small mercies for granted.

When waiting at a traffic signal is FUN!!!

2007-05-09T19:31:00.000+05:30

You would never think that stopping at a signal can be fun. It sure is at the cubbon road signal. If this greenery and color doesn't excite you what wil

Religion or Beggary?

2007-05-08T18:22:00.000+05:30

Always wondered if this was religion or emotional exploitation through religion. But surely a sophisticated form of beggary.

Growing the greens...

2007-05-07T20:44:00.000+05:30

Growing the greens, literally! It was an interesting sight to see the way Bangalore traffic dividers get watered. Picture this... a slow tractor pulling a water tank with a man sitting atop it and spraying with a water hose as he moves by slowly. See how he is perched!!! Doesn't it look like he is sitting on a hippopotamus lazily and spraying water lazily as he is passing by. It did make me smile! Did you too? Do I hear you getting even more creative?!! :-)

Exquiste weekend dine out options at Bangalore...

2007-05-05T23:25:00.000+05:30

Weekends pose great dine out options at Bangalore. Bangalore is very cosmopolitan. Bangalore offers great options for every palate, pocket and party. Great ambiance in most restaurants and dine outs. Some are pricey too and make a hole in your pocket! But its worth the fun and the experience. This one was taken from my phone camera (explains the picture quality) at one of my favorites - "Little Italy".

Wouldn't you die to work here?

2007-05-04T23:12:00.000+05:30

This is no resort. I promise! This is the view from the roof top of my work place. And of course no guess, I work in Bangalore. Wouldn't you love to work here? I do! The view from here simple relaxes my senses in my coffee breaks!

Two wheelers jostle for space on the roads

2007-05-03T19:19:00.000+05:30

The two-wheelers on the road are increasing with every year in Bangalore city and everyone seems to want independence from public transport - the BMTC buses. The first thing one does after arriving in the city is to get oneself a two wheeler or a 4 wheeler depending on one's afford-ability. This has got to stop, we need to build more public confidence in the public transport. London is a great example for efficient public transport.

The upside of the two wheeler boom is a growth by 8.55% during the year 2005-06 (source). Sales crossing 7 million two wheelers at 7,600,801 during the year 2005-06. Two Wheelers exports in 2004-05 crossed 300,000 mark at 366,724 and recorded a growth rate of plus 38% over the previous year (source). The Bajajs and the Munjals must be smiling! These numbers pale in comparison to China's numbers - they produce around 12 million 2 wheelers a year! (source).

The down side of all this is the cluttered streets with over 2,009,081 two wheelers on Bangalore streets (source), chaotic traffic, hours of waiting on the roads, accidents (majority affected / casualties are two wheeler drivers) and high pollution. If we have 2,400,000 passengers handled daily by BMTC buses and and and almost equal number of two wheelers (2,009,081) we know where the problem is!!! Remember the New Delhi experience and two-wheeler riders dying from lung cancer? We sure need to strike a balance somewhere.

Magical skies at dusk over Hebbal

2007-05-02T18:39:00.000+05:30

What a sight! It doesnt get better than this. And this is the best my camera phone could do to capture the magical skies at dusk over Hebbal (in Bangalore). The dark clouds waiting for the moment on the right over the high rises. A downpour breaking through on the left with sun light creeping through all this drama.... What a sight!

Construction 24x7 - Bangalore is always Work in progress

2007-04-26T19:12:00.000+05:30

The extent of construction in the city is staggering. This is a picture of ongoing construction at the EGL tech park on inner ring road.

Bangalore they way we like it - green

2007-04-25T10:45:00.000+05:30

What a wonderful sight! Green as green can be... I love driving by this service lane between Hennur road and Hebbal flyover. As green as it can be... Trees prividing great shade from the blazing sun... If only Bangalore could stay this way....

Pickup truck - Indian style

2007-04-24T11:10:00.000+05:30

Well seen in traffic is the Indian version of the pickup truck! These are rleatively small, but do the same job. They are slow and can irritate riders on the road.

Street smart and creative cobbler

2007-04-23T23:51:00.000+05:30

Noticed this cobbler be the curb as I was driving to work. It is hot... damn hot and this guy needs to be on the street to get his customers. See how he beats the heats. He makes a makeshift small canopy for himself and squats under it. If this isnt street smart and creative... what is? He noticed me shoot him on my cameraphone... not the smile.... Nice!

Labourers "build" other people's dreams and "cement" their futures

2007-04-20T11:39:00.000+05:30

Labourers at work forming the human chain on a scaffolding to transport bricks up the upcoming structure. It is a shame there is no minimum wages law guaranteeing their rights. These labourers live a nomadic live, live near the strutures they build, cook and raise their children on the streets... they "build" other people's dreams and "cement" their lives. No proper equipment for these folks. They rough it out eke out their survival.

Having fun in a traffic jam on outer ring road!

2007-04-18T21:54:00.000+05:30

Traffic is all clogged up on outer ring road between Hebbal and Hennur road. Note the long line up of trucks. These guys are having a ball playing cards while others sweat it out! Whoa! Note the smiles on their faces!!!

Camels in the traffic!

2007-04-13T21:59:00.000+05:30

It was a rare sight to see Camels crossing the road in peak traffic! It was quite a sight with a BTS bus passing by.

We dont need no seat belt...

2007-04-10T22:22:00.000+05:30

Commuting on a truck that carries tent and shamiana equipment for some function. We dont need no seat belt... We dont need no seat to sit... And we dont need no need to quit!

Garbage overflow but controlled!

2007-04-10T22:15:00.000+05:30

BMP Garbage van carrying garbage. Obviously overloaded but the garage is packed in suspended plastic bags. Not the best way to do this, but a whole lot better than the regular BMP open & dripping garbage vans.

Replacing street lights near Ulsoor lake

2007-04-09T22:11:00.000+05:30

It was an interesting sight to watch the operation in progress to replace the street lights. What syched me was the man perched on top handling the wires rather dangerously. Gives one the creeps.

Barcamp Bangalore 3 at IIM Bangalore

2007-03-31T22:06:00.000+05:30

The third Barcamp Bangalore - the ad-hoc tech conference - gets underway at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. I likee these large banners at the gate. Great to be part of the core team organising the event.

Traffic clogged up behind to enter Garuda mall

2006-11-26T16:56:00.000+05:30

A view of the my rear mirror show cars queued up as far as the eye can see to enter Garuda mall. Every one want to reach the mall just before a movie just live me. ;-)

Indian Banks make customers work more to get serviced....

2006-11-25T21:17:00.000+05:30

Banking in India is changing all the time. Every visit to the branch throws up more surprises. This one is a token vendor that makes a customer choose a Service (button on right) and a customer class before you get services by customer service reps. Nice way to collate statistics but still...

Barclay's Blitzkrieg campaign in Bangalore

2006-11-24T22:34:00.000+05:30

Barclay's bank has launched an aggressive campaign across the city to announce their arrival. Its blue all over town with their hoardings.

Colorful canopies at the Madiwala vegetable market

2006-11-23T16:17:00.000+05:30

Seen in cafeteria...What on earth is a "Live" counter?!!

2006-11-22T16:21:00.000+05:30

Indian Oil's new AD - Larger than life image?!

2006-11-19T16:32:00.000+05:30

India Oil's new AD campaign has their attendants tending liliput sized motorcycles. Is this great creativity or are AD companies running out of ideas? Guess it is a difficult job!

South Indian meal at Dhuxin @ Windsor Mnor

2006-11-11T17:09:00.000+05:30

Dealing with stray dogs - Bangalore style

2006-04-10T11:04:00.000+05:30

A coporation van takes away stray street dogs they have round up during the day. These dogs are a menace on the strrets. Notice the corporation van doesnt have a license plate.

Handle with care! This one's for the driver...

2006-03-27T15:35:00.000+05:30

Seen on Aiport road, Bangalore. The laden two wheeler makes one wonder if the "Handle with care" caution is more for the driver of the two wheeler than the carton itself!

Crowds watch the fun at forum mall

2006-03-23T16:33:00.000+05:30

Love is slow poison...Wife is quick poison!!!

2006-03-11T18:24:00.000+05:30

Seen in the streets of Bangalore... :-) :-)

A dog's life is better than this man's...

2006-03-05T12:38:00.000+05:30

Man asleep amidst filthy garbage in city garbage van. What are we doing at Bangalore? The divide between the rich and the poor is scary! The wealth creation due to IT is not reaching the masses. It is not making the life of the common man better. We look away when we see scenes like this. It is heart wrenching to see a man in this state? Can we provide better tools and protection? Even a dog has a better life.

Fire Crackers in all shapes, sizes and colours for the Deepavali festival.

2005-11-02T10:49:00.000+05:30

Deepavali is a popular Indian and Hindu festival. It is celebrated around the country with the bursting if firecrackers and the distribution of sweets.

Spread your wings and fly high

2005-07-24T00:08:00.000+05:30

HE MAN! - The power grids give a impression of raw power

2005-07-23T23:34:00.000+05:30

The Maharaja! if only I could do the same

2005-07-23T23:23:00.000+05:30

Liguors?! Was the billboard maker drunk

2005-07-23T23:14:00.000+05:30