Bangalore Walks

On Sunday, I had the wonderful opportunity to go on a small tour of Bangalore called the "Victorian Bangalore Walk". It was a four hour affair, starting at Holy Trinity Church on MG Road and ending at the 13th floor - a restaurant situated at the top of Barton Center. Around 40 of us gathered on the stone steps of the church at 7 AM. Each of us introduced ourselves, and our tour guide, Arun, gave us a small introduction about himself and the whole Bangalore Walks program.
You must understand that I am a Chennai boy when I say that the winds that morning were "bitter". I've definitely endured temperatures harsher than a mind-numbing 18˚C, but it was an unsettling cold, the kind that keeps you on your toes and awake. I guess that was a good thing, considering that anything before 10 in the morning is too early for me.

The Holy Trinity Church's innocent facade disguised the years of history it contained. With tall pillars and smooth, plain walls, I did not expect much from it. Even the inside seemed ordinary - benches lined the sides and the altar was nothing spectacular. Above the altar was a beautiful stained glass portrait, but it was fairly typical.

As we started to mill around, I realized why this church was different from many others. Along the walls were engraved plaques commemorating soldiers who were posted in Bangalore. What struck me was that not a single one of them had actually died in India - they had either been killed in
Australia, Europe, or America. Now while this was interesting, the most fascinating bit of information was that Winston Churchill belonged to this regiment, and actually owned a house down the same road!
We then proceeded to climb up to the bell tower, where we had the chance to ring the bell. Unlike many churches nowadays, it wasn't digitized - a long, thick rope ran down from the top which had to be pulled every morning and evening.After that, we continued to walk down MG Road for another few hours, with periodic stops along the way.

I could go on and on rambling about what we did and the places we saw, but that would take the fun out of the whole experience.
What I do want to talk about is that programs like these are great for tourists, but I believe that they are even better for people who live here. What I learnt in four years was only a quarter of what I learnt in four hours. Not only do I have a better knowledge of the place I live in, but I love this city so much more. The noisy streets of old Bangalore no longer seem tedious and unbearable - I look at them as pages out of the story of our world.

For instance, I stood just a hand's reach from the very center of our city; in India, the original center of a city can be marked by a very distinctive landmark - the banyan tree.

I was outside Winston Churchill's house and next to one of the only surviving bungalows in the country!

I looked over a vast expanse of city - the city I call home.

As a final note, I highly recommend that everybody experiences a Bangalore Walk. It will open your eyes to a historic world hidden in the folds of modern Bangalore.
http://www.bangalorewalks.com

The Future of Our Past

A few years ago, my dad, my friend, and I went to visit the Indian Council of Historic Research office in Bangalore, where we met with the Deputy Director of the southern region, Dr. Aruni. I wasn't too sure what we were going to talk about - not being known for my conversational abilities, I was a little apprehensive of the meeting.
We ran into our first problem when we entered his office. It was an old building, a somewhat faint reminder of Victorian Bangalore. The room itself must have been the size of my hall - There were bookshelves and drawers lining the walls, but the room itself was fairly empty. After about ten seconds, we managed to locate Dr. Aruni, sitting in a far corner of the room in a large armchair, in front of a broad oak desk.

First problem solved.

Now I had to move on the the impossible task of conversing with a stranger. It is impossible to explain how difficult this is for a person like me. The mind just shuts down, unwilling to give the body any instructions on how to proceed.

Luckily, I had my dad with me, whose ability to talk exceeds all expectations. While the two of them were busy talking about, well, whatever two humans are supposed to talk about (I'm quite inexperienced in this field), I was busy staring at all the interesting curios lined against the walls. When they finally moved from the common topics of well-being and weather and politics and whatnot, the conversation finally transitioned to archaeology and the work Dr. Aruni does. At last, something I could talk about.

We faced our second problem when he stood up to show us some Colonial British bottles. While he was sitting down in his chair, it was obvious that he was short, but standing up, we realized he was vertically impaired. Standing at a towering 4' 11", we had to try our best to conceal our shock. It was quite amusing, really.

Second problem solved.

Moving on.

Dr. Aruni showed us bottles that he had recovered from city constructions. Each of them was over 150 years old, and other than a few cracks and chips, they were in pristine condition. He began telling us about the struggle just to salvage a few artifacts amidst the metro construction, and the numerous conflicts he had with the Archaeological Survey of India. Apparently heaps of relics had been found near the metro, but the workers had just thrown them away, considering them garbage. He then proceeded to explain to us how us Indians love our sport, our food, our tradition, but we care nothing for our history.

He was absolutely right.

We take immense pride in traditional indian food, our love for cricket, and our innumerable festivals, yet etched into our monuments are the names of people who find some everlasting joy in desecrating ancient buildings.

Let's look at America for example. A country with a microscopic history in comparison to other civilizations. Yet somehow every American student has memorized the founding fathers of their country, knows the complete biography of Honest Abe, and can recite Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech. And why? Because they love their country.

I ask people here about Tipu Sultan, and most of the time I get a "huh?". Nobody knows who the great Asoka was and the only reason people have heard about Akbar is because of picture stories about his famous adviser, Birbal. 

Problem number three.

For a country with a history so vast and intricate, it's quite depressing that the subject is almost neglected in schools. It's always math, physics, chemistry, or business that receives importance. History should be given the same value as all these other subjects, if not more. After all, history is what starts a country. It is why we celebrate Diwali with lamps and fireworks. It is why Indian food is so flavorful and rich. It is why India vs Pakistan cricket matches are always the best.

Mainly, it is why Indians have stood together for so many years.

When a country gives no regard to its past, its future is doomed. That's why the future of India lies in the past. Awareness of artifact destruction must be raised, and monuments have to be protected. Holidays aren't just restricted to island paradises and a continental tour of Europe - some of the best places are right here, in India. These attractions need popularity, and quickly. Otherwise, they will silently crumble, along with our country.

Third problem - unsolved.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

November 13, 1213 BC
Three shadowy figures scale down a cliff in the Valley of the Kings, Egypt. Equipped with spades and mallets, they set out in search of a tomb that in millennia to come, will be codenamed KV7.
The tomb of Ramesses II.
Three hours later and lathered in sweat and dirt, they stealthily slink out of the tomb carrying sacks filled with gold, jewelry, and precious gems belonging to the late pharaoh. They know that the contents of the sacks will keep them sufficiently wealthy for the rest of their lives.
These people are considered to be "tomb robbers".

In the year 1936, a man with a tan fedora, a leather jacket, and a bullwhip enters an ancient Peruvian temple littered with booby traps. At the end of the temple lies a solid gold idol. After carefully avoiding the traps, he scurries out of the temple with the idol in hand.
<Cue theme music>
Yep, its fictional archaeologist Indiana Jones. My idol. Coined, a "hero".

If you noticed, the differences between the first and second story is minimal. Both parties are entering  structures that are built to keep strangers out, and both are protecting objects of extreme value. But what differs a tomb robber from an archaeologist?
To be honest, there technically isn't much. The major difference is that archaeologists are legally allowed to excavate, whereas tomb robbers are "stealing". Yet the moral difference is nominal, you say?

A tomb robber sells his acquisitions on the black market almost immediately, but an archaeologist sells his findings to a museum - yet both make money out of it. They both also break into tombs and remove valuables, but archaeologists claim that they "belong in a museum!" Kudos to anybody who understood that reference!


To me, there is only one difference. It isn't how much money is made or how legal the transaction is. It all boils down to the purpose of excavation and archaeology vs tomb robbery. Tomb robbers burgle tombs for the sole purpose of money. An archaeologist does it to proudly display the intricate history of a civilization, to show off the wealth and prosperity the nation had, and to study mankind as a whole. I, for instance, want to become an archaeologist due to my fiery passion for history. The very thought of pillared palaces, marbled roads, and elaborate temples gives me goosebumps. The notion that thousands of years ago, somebody crafted the very stone that I am holding in my hands. The idea that right now, I am in the presence of history, and that at the moment, I am a part of it -
Shivers down my spine.

Archaeology to me isn't about who's the rightful owner of what, or where this artifact really belongs - it's about uncovering things that have moulded and shaped the world it is today. I don't look at Ramesses's staff as a priceless artifact - instead, I view it as an object that contains locked, secret  memories, lying there in cold decay.

So when I become an archaeologist, I know one thing for sure - I won't be driven by the riches and wealth I might find buried in the earth. It'll be the memories preserved down there that will push me. And I also know that because of this, my conscience will be clean.

It Starts with a Coin

Islamic coin dated back to Vijayanagara Empire

Copper. 25 grams. Uneven. Weird, incomprehensible markings on it.

It's a coin. Just a regular coin, used to buy things with. Nothing much, right?

Except this one's a little older than one you've probably seen. This one is 800 years old.

That's older than my grandfather, and I haven't seen many things older than him.

This coin weighs less than a battery, yet when I hold it in my hand it feels like I am carrying the burden of around 32 generations. This small, meaningless piece of metal has felt hands from the time of the Vijayanagara Empire, yet nobody pays any attention to it. And that is what breaks my heart.

We purchased the coin from an elderly lady who ran a coin stall in Hampi - each one dating at least over 600 years old. Can you guess how much it cost us?
A Grand total of 80 rupees.
That's around $1.50.
For an 800 year old coin.

Ridiculous.

How can people not embrace the value of it? It's ancient! By just glancing at the markings, I plunge into the world of my imagination and the story of this humble coin forms in my head. Who did it belong to? A farmer? A merchant? An emperor? Who knows? Even an object so small, so minuscule, has an extensive history to it.
The fact is, everything that we see or touch has a history to it. No matter how small or how expensive, how old or how valuable it may be, every object has an intricate past.
Simply knowing the past isn't worth any effort - any fool can pick up a book and memorize facts, dates, and figures. What's important is using those facts to interpret, compare, analyze, and create a pattern to have an in-depth knowledge into all aspects of humanity. With the past, we can predict the future - after all, human development only progresses by learning from mistakes.
Edison failed over a thousand times while trying to invent the lightbulb (or as he put it, created over a thousand ways NOT to make a lightbulb!)
It's investigating history that truly captivates me. I couldn't be bothered about that event which happened on this date during this time period - it's how that event has changed the course of history that impacts me. And that's why I'm so passionate about archaeology. Learning how seemingly inconsequential events have altered the course of history is absolutely fascinating. Yet when we look at the past, we rarely connect to the present. What we realize is that we observe history at a superficial level - not many notice that these occurrences have repeated themselves multiple times throughout time, and that such events may take place even now. The circumstance in the world right now is highly volatile - a tiny incident sparks massive controversy, and even a single, unnoticed person can change the world forever. And the best part?

It could be me or you.


Now I understand that you may believe that I have severely digressed from my original coin story, but truth is, I haven't. The whole point of writing this entry is so that you can observe how the smallest objects can transition into something so important. I hope these "seemingly insignificant" words makes you realize how important all of us are to this world. I believe that every single one of us can make an impact on a global scale, and I hope that someday in the future, I do too.


So if you have managed to read this far without murmuring curses or pulling your hair out at my unbearable style of writing, sit back and try to let the message I'm sending sink in.


And for those you who are wondering where this blog is headed, I'm not too sure either. I love writing about history, but every now and then I'll be adding my own "seemingly insignificant" opinions and thoughts. Thanks for reading this, and I truly hope you grasp the essence of what I'm attempting to say.