Lakeviewing time as it goes by

Lakeview was started in 1930 by James Meadow Charles. Back then, only three flavours of ice cream, vanilla, chocolate and raspberry, were sold in carts that were cycled around the city. In 1947, the Britisher decided to move back to England when India got its independence and sold his business to a 19-year-old local named Vrajlal Jamnadas. He was just out of college then and enamoured by ice creams. He bought Lakeview as well as the carts and the recipes. Anish Vakharia, Vrajlal’s grandson runs the business currently with his mother Kalpana. In 2011, Anish, a cricket enthusiast, joined the family business. He had grown up with Lakeview. He would come to the store and run around and have fun. Back then there was no traffic. So, it is not just about Lakeview but a whole experience of growing up on MG Road. The first Lakeview branch was set up opposite the Ulsoor lake, where currently stands the glossy 1 MG Mall. The lake used to be clearly visible from the parlour, hence the name of the bakery. In the 1970s they moved to MG Road, where they still operate from. It is only in the past few years that Lakeview opened two more branches in other parts of the city. For the older generation, coming to the place reminds them of an era gone by, it was a place they’d have their first date or a honeymoon spot they’d often visit. Over the decades, Lakeview has expanded its menu to include snacks such as cutlets, sandwiches and fruit salads, apart from their signature ice creams. Bengaluru’s expansion in the last two decades, has been unprecedented. Many old businesses have faded giving way to newer and capitalistic stores. The old establishments that have managed to survive the changing trends are an inseparable part of the city’s rich cultural history, but face cut-throat competition but the memories that Lakeview has given its customers will live forever. 

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Anoushka David

 

 

 

Pearls of Ashgabat

Ashgabat is the name of the city I live and it is the capital of Turkmenistan. It is the city with around 1 million population and it is not very old but it has its history. I will talk about the railway station and the biggest hypermarket closed recently.

The railway station is probably one of the oldest building in the city because there are even rumours that says the whole city is built around that. According to some sayings Russians came to Ashgabat first but there was no city, they used that place as a station on their way to east and that is how life started around the railway station It is very obvious that it is an old building. Turkmenistan was under USSR for long time but the railway station was built before that. It is in the residential area and because of that the buildings near it are also old but if you walk little bit you can see the difference. Huge and white marbled buildings, University campuses, amusement parks and theatres are all around it now. And the railway station divides the city into two important parts. One side is the modern part with only apartments and skyscrapers and other part is mostly residential detached houses. Unluckily the building is renovated now but it still has it 19th century vibe.

One of the other important building is a hypermarket which is called YIMPAŞ. It is a market chain in Turkey which is not very famous in Turkey but it was most famous in Ashgabat Turkmenistan. Even though it is little old it has a beautiful modern structure which will never get old. I used to love the restaurants in it and I also remember going there as a kid, it used to have a huge playground for children. It was located in the centre of the city which makes it better. YIMPAŞ was also famous with its foreign regular customers. Almost every foreigners who has been in Ashgabat for couple of years will do their shopping from there. It is closed recently but the building is still there and when I pass by it sometimes it reminds me the old days.

The whole city changed a lot after I left the country in 2016 it’s been through long modernization period which is good in a way but it slowly destroys the old Ashgabat and builds new one.

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Gold and Dust

Many years ago, when Bangalore was still a sleepy little Colonial town, back when, you could walk freely around Richmond Town and even play ` Seven Tiles ‘ in the middle of the street, without being touched by the vagaries of fate – uneven footpaths, speeding cars and multi-tasking drivers skeetering dangerously around corners while chatting on their mobile phones. It was a time when moss grew on damp walls in a brilliant peagreen fuzz and every house had a garden that lovingly sheltered fruit trees ( mango, passion fruit, star fruit, gooseberries, avocados ) from raiding parties consisting of catapult wielding naughty neighbourhood children.

In 1799, following the defeat of Tipu, the British felt the need to establish a military base in this part of South India and took a closer look at Bangalore, nestling on higher ground, with an existing walled city, fort, and weather that was beautiful. In 1809, the new town was built subsequently and consisted of the Cantonment which included Shoolay, Blackpully (now Shivajinagar), The Parade Grounds (M.G road area), St.John’s Hill, Fraser Town, Benson Town, Cleveland Town, Cox Town, Richard’s Town, Ulsoor, Murphy Town, Richmond Town, Langford Town, Austin Town…and the City area, including the ` petes ‘ ( Nagarthpete, Balepete, Chickpete, Mamulpete etc) . Overcome by a wave of nostalgia, bungalows were given British names on gate posts and at street corners – Alexandria Street, Wellington Street, Berlie Street.

Across Bangalore Cantonment, there soon emerged two predominant styles. One was the classical bungalow, with its stately columns, flat roof and wide portico running along the length of the house. The other was defined by the `Monkey Top’ with its characteristic A shaped pointed hood and canopy of clay tiles over a window with flat slats above shuttered windows. Each slat ended in a small, intricate, embellished detail. This feature was very well suited to the climate of Bangalore and protected the house from uninvited sunlight in the summer months and surreptitious rain during the grey monsoons. Often, there was a complementary, harmonious colour palette – white walls, terracotta coloured tiles and slats that were usually painted Bottle Green.

Not so long ago, these bungalows along with the traditional architecture in South Bangalore ( Basavanagudi area ) and the fifties style Art-Deco buildings that came later gave Bangalore a clear architectural identity. Today the city sits swathed in anonymity as it morphs into a concrete jungle devoid of beauty and inspiration.

Jagan B Panicker (17BVC14002)

Mother of Rava Idli

Brahmin Coffee Club was established in 1924. The business was running fairly well, until a rice shortage hit India in the World War II. Yajnanarayana Maiya the founder decided to replace rice used in Idlis with Rava, and this experiment has now created the popular dish, ‘Rava Idli’. In 1960 when Brahmin Coffee Club shifted to it’s current location near Lalbagh and its name changed to “Mavalli Tiffin Rooms” (MTR) and it stands in the same spot even today.

The first MTR I visited was in Dubai, UAE. The ambience there was such that entering that place was the equivalent of entering the city of Bengaluru. Years later after I shifted to Bengaluru, I got to visit the First MTR. My family friend whose initials are coincidentally same as the restaurant name, Mr. Muralidhara TR shared with me about how MTR was a decade ago. There wasn’t much change in there, after all it is the same old building standing still in Lalbagh as a landmark to travellers. And when I say there isn’t much change, it even includes the employees working there who would on average say they have been there for 35 odd years. MTR has their own patented recipes which only the family knows.

Those who take a walk in the morning in lalbagh , sip a coffee here regularly. It is not just a random coffee, it’s authentic filter coffee served in silver cups which is one of the specialities of the restaurant. It has been a hangout spot for veteran bangaloreans, and every regular customer would have a story to share about this nostalgic place. Visiting MTR, Lalbagh Road would be a journey back in time .

 

Aamer Faiz

17BCA41023

Grand Majestic Mall

Standing tall and beautiful among the clamour of Majestic is the Grand Majestic Mall. The mall promises to deliver one-of-a-kind shopping experiences by combining the finest facets of an international-standard mall such as central air-conditioning, elevators, escalators, a food court, and recreation and gaming zones.
It has been 25 years since theyopened this shop and 50% of the customer base is of repeat customers. They know what they get here is markedly cheaper than what they would get in a mall.They are confident that they will be able to retain them from Fashion Fabrics. Also the proximity to Kempegowda Bus Stand is an added advantage, as a lot of commuters are also their customers.
At the Grand Majestic Mall, one can enjoy all kinds of shopping experiences – right from electronics, fashion, culinary purchases, and a lot more. All of which can be had in a safe, pleasant, hygienic environment. The mall boasts of over 2 Lakh people walking it on a daily basis.

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Bangalore Club

Well, Bangalore Club is one of the oldest and finest clubs in Bangalore that has stood over time to tell it’s legacy. Bangalore Club was established in 1868 as the Bangalore United Service Club in the tradition of the colonial clubs for the officers of the British Empire. Many great leaders have been a member of this club in the past including Winston Churchill during his stint in India since 1896.

In 1946, the club was opened up to civilians and from then was known as Bangalore Club. Bangalore Club Central Building blends the British Empire notions and grandeur of the 21st century. It is one of the few places in Bangalore that has kept up with its old traditions and hasn’t lost it with the change in the pace of time. Bangalore Club has expanded with time but has never failed to stick to its colonial roots.

The architecture of Bangalore Club is British oriented but with the pace of modernity. The Mysore room and the men’s room are places in Bangalore Club that preserve the antiquity of the place and has a very colonial touch to it. Even the main building of the Bangalore Club the waiting area has a British touch to it and blends the past with the present. The waiting area is surrounded by old teak wood and souvenirs from the colonial times reminding us of the historical past.

Even the waiters are very courteous and disciplined and following the etiquettes taught from the colonial times even today in this generation. Even though Bangalore club has expanded from what it was in 1868 it has not lost it’s colonial roots and has still kept it intact, it has been able to sustain a balance with its tradition even in contemporary times.

Bangalore Club is a world unto itself, one with graciousness and elegance blending the historical past with the modern present.

Riya Mathew

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Hard Rock Cafe

The Bangalore Tract and Book Society building of the Bible Society, which is now Hard Rock Café, has stood the test of time despite the extensive transformation around it

The Bible Society building located on the corner of Mahatma Road and St. Mark’s Road is almost always a sight for sore eyes with its vintage stone outlook amid the concrete jungle that surrounds the area at the heart of the city. It’s impossible to miss this colonial structure which has become a landmark location for anyone strolling or driving down the arterial MG Road.

Established in 1912, the building belonged to the Bangalore Tract and Book Society which was the auxiliary to the London Religious Tract Society. The purpose of the organisation was to prepare and circulate Christian tracts and school books as well as stationary for schools, according to their official report.

It also later produced Bibles and other Christian material, including the first complete Kannada Bible. Often a hub for old timers who used to frequent the library the building housed during Bangalore’s garrison city days, the structure remains unchanged despite the decades of rapid transformation the area around it has undergone.

The heritage monument is now home to Bangalore’s music and night life lovers’ paradise – the Hard Rock Café that took over the building in the last decade. Without changing or remodelling the classic old look of the building, the Café has put up a range of music memorabilia from it’s collection to adorn the walls that once had shelves decked with books.

The Kannada Bible in a single volume was made available for the first time in the year 1860. In the interest of the Kannada speaking people and their increasing scripture needs, the Bangalore Branch was accorded a degree of autonomy in 1875 to function as an independent unit. This marked the birth of the Bangalore Auxiliary dedicated to provide scripture for all the Kannada speaking people and to circulate scripture in all languages spoken in the Mysore province.

The British-style gothic European building has the name Bangalore Tract and Book Society etched in stone and is a high-roofed slopped structure with a frontal edifice for the names that gives a bungalow look to the classic building. The 9,000 square foot area is broken into three sections – two main halls that are now Hard Rock Café’s bars and an open courtyard.

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The Opera

Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, was said to have been founded by Kempe Gowda I, who built a mud fort in 1537. The years have been kind to Bangalore and it has seen drastic changes that only a few have had the opportunity to see. It went from a small town to one of the largest cities in India and one of the fastest growing cities in the world. With more than 200 software companies and more than 200 lakes, Bangalore has become one of the most sought out places for people looking for a place to both relax and earn a steady income.

At the heart of the city lies “The Opera”, which was said to have been built around the early 1900’s. The original building was constructed by TCW Skipp. The Opera can be considered as one of the few landmarks that grew with the city. During its time, the Opera House was a popular place for expats and the European population. The who’s who of the day would have attended events here. But with the lapse of time, the Opera House on Brigade Road became a thing of the past, slowly forgotten and withering away with time. Even on the busiest street it slowly became invisible.

This was noticed by Bengalureans who soon raised a voice and demanded the restoration of the old heritage building. The restoration was soon taken up by Samsung which converted it to what it calls its largest mobile experience centre in the world.

The Opera House was an entertainment house, and after the recent restoration, it still is an entertainment center and will continue to be one for the forseeable future.

-Solomon Lamkhothang(17BCA41006)

Shree Sagar(CTR)

It is one of the oldest South Indian breakfast place in Bangalore.It is located in 7th cross margosa road,Malleshwaram.It was first named as CTR and now it is named as Shree Sagar hotel.CTR stands for Central Tiffin room.This hotel was started by Y.V.Subramanyam and brothers(Y.V.Srikanteshwaran,Y.V.Krishna Iyer and Y.V.Ramchandran) in the 1920’s.It serves only vegetarian food.The main attraction of the place is masala dosa which is served with butter.Other famous dishes are Idly-Vada,Poori-Saagu,Kesaribath,Maddur vada and filter coffee.It has won awards including the Times Food Guide for best Benne Masala Dosa in Bangalore.The restaurant was renovated in 2011 to add more capacity.

Experience of my mom: Back then in 20 years this hotel was famous even at that time and Masala Dosa costed around 12 rs and Benne Masala Dosa costed 15 rs.Now the same cost rs 50 with the same taste which was served that time.

When I went to this place it was the worth the hype which people have created.Indeed u will get the best masala dosa.It was served well and they manage people really well.

The ambiance and the food remains the same irrespective of time.This place is always rushed and difficult to get the seat there .

Timings is from 7.30 to 12.30 PM and 4 to 9 PM.

If you are in Bangalore and in search of South Indian food then CTR is place to get mouth watering dishes.

By:Jayanth.P.N

Reg no:17bca41008

The Lake That Became a Sports Stadium

In the heart of Bangalore, behind its well-known indoor stadium, is a tiny, nondescript water body. This small water body is the only remnant of what was, a century ago, one of Bangalore’s largest and most prominent lakes, Sampangi Lake, which constituted a major part of the city’s water supply.

Oral histories of elderly residents indicate that the lake acted as an urban commons, supplying water for drinking and domestic uses, and supporting horticulture, fishing, brick making, laundering, and pastoralism.

Another very different group of users found this lake valuable, these were British residents: owners of lakeside bungalows, polo players, and those walking around the lake for recreation. Conflicts arose between the two and the British polo players asked the colonial government to drain the lake so they could play polo on the lakebed. The British Resident also considered draining the lake to save the adjacent bungalows and brewery from flooding. In response, 49 horticulturists (Vanhikula Kshatriyas) petitioned the Mysore king, pleading that the loss of water would affect their orchards.

Despite the Mysore king writing in favor of the local horticulturists, the lake was eventually drained and used to play polo in the early twentieth century. Local livelihoods such as brick making were banned because these created unsightly pits.  Guards blocked entry to the lake, restricting the access of local communities of fishers and washers. These communities migrated away from Sampangi Lake to other parts of the city. New communities of weavers immigrated into the neighborhood and filled this gap, practicing livelihoods that were not dependent on ecosystem services from the lake.

With traditional users migrating away from the lake and new populations settling in, the lake began to be perceived as a hazard to life (on account of incidents of drowning), and a health hazard. As Bangalore grew into a twentieth-century city with an aspirational modern identity, the lakebed was converted into the Sri Kanteerava indoor sports stadium. The landscape around Sampangi now retains little of its former ecological and social importance. Only the small rectangular tank of water remains, because of its centrality to the Karaga festival.

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Cris Benjamin