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.