There is always a sense of time travel and nostalgia when we see a photograph of Bangalore that once was. City-based Babu Ajaz's calendars evoke a sense of nostalgia. Businessman Ajaz, who collects old pictures of Bengaluru in both digital and physical formats, has come up with a digital calendar with the theme of heritage schools.
Being a large city with a rich heritage, Bengaluru has several spots to pick from. But it’s not always easy for him to choose a theme. "Last year, I visited my daughter’s school - where I studied too - to pay the fee. Since the place was quiet with the school having been shut for so long, I found that the flora and fauna itself had changed. Flowers had blossomed on a tree that I remember never bearing any," says Ajaz, an alumnus of St. Thomas High School, Whitefield.
The site was a pleasant surprise for him because he had never seen this happen. "I thought if a small thing is making me so nostalgic, making a calendar with old schools will bring back so many memories for many old Bengalureans," he adds. After collecting pictures from various people from old Bengaluru groups on social media, he finally went ahead with the plan.
Although he had many more than just 12 photographs, the deciding factor of the photos that would make it to the calendar was whether the old buildings were intact. "That's the reason I didn't list my school," he adds. The idea turned out to be a hit when he posted it on various social media groups. "A teacher commented on the post that he had taught in eight out of the 12 schools I had listed," says an excited Ajaz.
Although many have reached out to him asking for a hard copy, due to low photo quality, he hasn't been able to get it printed. "Moreover, if I make a hard copy, then there are additional costs associated with it. I don’t want to make it a business," says Ajaz, who shares the digital copy with anyone interested in wanting one.
Schools of Bengaluru
January: Fort High School, Chamrajpet
February: East West School, Basavanagudi
March: Attibele Govt School, Anekal
April: National High School, Basavanagudi
May: Bishop Cotton Boys' School, Residency Road
June: St Teresa Girls' School, Anandapuram
July: Sacred Heart Girls' School, Museum Road
August: Mitralaya Girls' High School, Mission Road
September: Tunbridge School, Tasker Town
October: Rao Bahadur Municipal School, Ashok Nagar
November: Model School, Chamrajpet
December: Middle School, Basavanagudi