Society

A few months ago, on 7th July 2013, more than 400 citizens of HSR Layout gathered on the Agara Lake bund for a walkathon and clean-up drive. Ever since the Lake Development Authority (LDA) took back possession of the lake in Apr 2012, various individuals and groups of people had been trying to draw the attention of the authorities towards the deteriorating state of the 98-odd-acre lake, through letters and representations. This was the first visible collective activity on the part of the public, with citizens making personal contributions to hold the event. Agara Lake is one of the rare…

In August last year, several individuals and groups working to save and protect different lakes of Bangalore met to exchanges notes and see how they could help one another. A report on this meeting can be read here. After interactions over the past year, Arbind Kumar Gupta and Balasubramanian Thirunavukkarasu, the two gentlemen who initiated this meeting, felt that the way forward was a formal platform - one that could bring different lake groups/trusts and social organizations/NGOs in Bangalore together, represent the voices and concerns of people of Bangalore, and work with government agencies for rejuvenation of lakes in Bangalore. The two…

In August last year, several individuals and groups working to save and protect different lakes of Bangalore met to exchanges notes and see how they could help one another. A report on this meeting can be read here. After interactions over the past year, Arbind Kumar Gupta and Balasubramanian Thirunavukkarasu, the two gentlemen who initiated this meeting, felt that the way forward was a formal platform - one that could bring different lake groups/trusts and social organizations/NGOs in Bangalore together, represent the voices and concerns of people of Bangalore, and work with government agencies for rejuvenation of lakes in Bangalore. The two…

In India, as in other emerging economies, the physical development of the city is influenced by the everyday practices of its people. The Urban spaces are continually transformed by social, cultural, religious, political, economic and other practices. Currently, these practices intermingle with each other and with the streets of the city in a random manner. The formal plan of the city finds it difficult to account for these everyday practices due to their changing nature and because they have not been sufficiently documented or analysed. To understand this phenomenon, a series of workshops with architecture students comprising of both conceptual…

In India, as in other emerging economies, the physical development of the city is influenced by the everyday practices of its people. The Urban spaces are continually transformed by social, cultural, religious, political, economic and other practices. Currently, these practices intermingle with each other and with the streets of the city in a random manner. The formal plan of the city finds it difficult to account for these everyday practices due to their changing nature and because they have not been sufficiently documented or analysed. To understand this phenomenon, a series of workshops with architecture students comprising of both conceptual…

She’s naked, covered with ashes, her hair matted with snakes in them, a garland of skulls and freshly cut heads around her neck. She laughs like madness herself, dancing to the chaotic rhythm of death, dragging a corpse behind her which she licks with her blood-red tongue from time to time. Now imagine meeting her in the middle of the night on a dark lonely path. Here’s an old description - a dhyana mantra of Guhya Kali, one of the forms of Kali. The tantric text is called Tantrasaara and is written by Krishnananda Aagamavgisa. “She is dark as a great cloud, clad in…

She’s naked, covered with ashes, her hair matted with snakes in them, a garland of skulls and freshly cut heads around her neck. She laughs like madness herself, dancing to the chaotic rhythm of death, dragging a corpse behind her which she licks with her blood-red tongue from time to time. Now imagine meeting her in the middle of the night on a dark lonely path. Here’s an old description - a dhyana mantra of Guhya Kali, one of the forms of Kali. The tantric text is called Tantrasaara and is written by Krishnananda Aagamavgisa. “She is dark as a great cloud, clad in…

All the chaos and disturbance of urban living quietly gets washed away when you stand in front of a lake and allow its spirit to engulf you. For some time now, Bhaskar and I have been feeling the call of lakes. It is a call which could not be ignored anymore. Introduced to lakes by Ramesh Sivaram (Visit to Kaikondanahalli lake), our journey began very recently, with baby steps taking us from one lake to another, trying to understand what ails our lakes and what can be done about it. This writeup is an attempt to document our learning and…

All the chaos and disturbance of urban living quietly gets washed away when you stand in front of a lake and allow its spirit to engulf you. For some time now, Bhaskar and I have been feeling the call of lakes. It is a call which could not be ignored anymore. Introduced to lakes by Ramesh Sivaram (Visit to Kaikondanahalli lake), our journey began very recently, with baby steps taking us from one lake to another, trying to understand what ails our lakes and what can be done about it. This writeup is an attempt to document our learning and…

Ever since our volunteers heaved the dead tree down the slope and onto the lake bed it has been a favourite perch for some bird or the other. Mostly though, it was only for mynahs and a stray kingfisher. Some days ago, our gardeners set the tree upright and planted it firmly in the ground, well above the water mark. In the recent downpour, however, the level increased to such an extent that the dead tree was exactly as we had wanted it to be - in a foot or more of water. Since then it has become a perch for Little…