As I wrote last week, my childhood memories of Bangalore evoke lots of greenery dotted with charming colonial buildings. Today, as we spent a day in the central part of town, I saw glimpses of the old world charm even amid the glass and steel structures and the rather ugly overhead metro line that has completely ruined MG Road and is now soon to ruin the Vidhan Souda area as well, visually at any rate!
The trees stand testament to better times and still dominate the city’s visual landscape. Trees with enormous spans line every road. We caught them today in bloom, and the champa and gulmohar were particularly eye catching. Driving by Ulsoor Lake, I had a pang of nostalgia and regret and then instantly thanked providence that the trees, the water, the ferns and the flowers are surviving the cruel thrust of human habitation. In some ways, the development of this city has happened such that much commercial and residential space has been created within central Bangalore. That makes it a vibrant city. If traffic could be managed better and intelligent, sensitive redevelopment options explored, much of the city’s charm could be retained.