Beast of burden?

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.

World environment day

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.

Gardner's fortress

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

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!!!

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...

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

City of contradictions - Super Villas and Slums galore

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

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

Traffic as far as the eye can see...

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!

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!

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

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

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

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

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!

All vehicles stop at the signal - even horses!

Road repairs - the truly unique way!

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

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

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.

Growing the greens...

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?!! :-)