BANGALORE: Bangalore can surprise you with its sudden mood swings. Right after you cross Brigade Road, where the city is caught in its utmost ‘yuppie’ mood, you reach Markham Road that exposes an inthe- corner-but-content residential face.
Markham Road and Magrath Road form a part of Ashoknagar.
A resident who claims his family has been living in the area for a 100 years now seems to be all praises for the area.
“There are churches, temples and mosques -- some of the oldest in the city -- in this area. People from all communities have made Ashoknagar their home because there is a lot of communal harmony here.” Inside the crooked lanes of Ashoknagar, the houses and the places of religious worship co-exist in a peaceful manner.
“Most people here are religious and mornings are usually a busy time for the residents,” says a resident of this area, who runs a hardware store.
Ashoknagar is a part of colonial Bangalore and it shows. “Most people here are well-conversant in English,” the resident points out. St Patrick’s church, St Joseph’s College, Garuda Mall are some important landmarks in this area.
“As a young boy, I remember practising driving on this road. After what is now Garuda Mall, the road was closed. There was a lake there. Now the mall has come up and on the other side too there are some malls,” says another resident. He says that though these are signs of changing and a more developed time, it has brought in a lot more people to the area and made it almost crowded.
Though earlier there have been water and power hiccups, as of now the residents do not have any complaints in this department. “The only major problems we have is road safety and cleanliness.
Because the roads are narrow and connect to important junctions, there is a need for more road humps. There are educational institutions all around the place and so the children should be able to cross roads without fear,” says the resident. He goes on to say that people dump garbage on the main road and it does not get cleared soon enough.
Inside the heart of this heart of the city lies almost a small town of irregularly built houses, where accommodation and PG facilities are available at relatively lower prices. The famous hangout spots in this place are The Olive Beach and the malls flanking the area.
All in all, Ashoknagar, is a spot tucked away in the middle of a lot of activities of Bangalore.
seena@expressbuzz.com