BENGALURU: Bengaluru may not be spoken about as much as Delhi, Kolkata (then Calcutta), and Mumbai (then Bombay), with respect to the Indian freedom struggle. However, the city does have its share of local nationalists, fighters and more who stood up against the British empire and Maharajas who submitted themselves to colonial rule.
In an effort to reminds us of our roots, Bangalore Tours and More is taking citizens to sites associated with the freedom movement on the 72nd Independence Day. “We were part of the Kingdom of Mysuru and may not have created as much ruckus back then. However, there were people who stuck their neck out during Civil Disobedience and Quit Indian movements. Activists were thrown into jails or were executed but not a lot of Bengalureans know about this,” says Praveen, co-founder of the company.
Giving an example of a spot that will be part of this tour, Praveen says, “Bannappa Park in Cubbonpete used to be a site for protests and satyagrahas against the colonial rule. There is a war memorial there, honouring those who laid down their lives for their nation. You have to see it, to believe it.”
“August 15 is treated as just another public holiday. How do we get in touch with our roots? Definitely, not through pubs or malls. Knowing the legacy, will make people value the city we live in, be it, immigrants or locals,” he says, adding that a lot of research has gone into the conducting this day-long heritage tour. It starts and ends at Cubbon Park, near Vidhana Soudha. There are six to seven spots which participants will visit on foot or by bus.