BENGALURU: Bangalore, as we knew it in school and college, was once dubbed the ‘Garden City’. Today, it is envied as a booming hub for tech and economic promise. In the last two decades, Bengaluru accommodated pubs, malls, and IT parks, and created new localities. Keeping still amidst this racy din of transformation, Malleswaram held onto its over 130-year-old heart that still captures the ‘Old Bangalore’ charm.
If you speak of Bengaluru and her past, there will always be ‘Malleswaram’ in all her glory. A quaint neighbourhood that was created in the late 1800s as a zone to house city residents in a healthy manner following a plague, Malleswaram bloomed into the natural and cultural heart of what remains of Bangalore.
I went to school in Malleswaram – Sri Vidya Mandir. It was a simple structure in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but with a highly-illustrious academic heritage. Throughout my high school years, the windows of my classroom faced the Sri Venugopala Krishnaswamy Temple on 11th Cross. This sacred space was a must-visit before every test and exam to invoke the divine, to help tide over the three gruelling hours with flying colours.
Malleswaram is a microcosm of piety. If one were to stand on any terrace of a multi-storied building here, chances are one would catch a glimpse of a temple spire or two. History has it that even Malleswaram’s name is derived from one such great temple. The 17th century Kadu Mallikarjuna Temple (also called ‘Kadu Malleswara’), which sits on the busy Sampige Road, is often attributed to have given its home its name. This legendary place of worship, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is held in much reverence by locals and others alike. Then there are temples dedicated to the entire pantheon of gods and goddesses, besides a host of maths.
Back in the day, Bangalore’s school kids plied to school on dedicated autorickshaws. I vouched for this arrangement too, and my auto crisscrossed the many sylvan boulevards of Malleswaram, before reaching the school gates in about 20 minutes. It was a thrilling, refreshing ride. Malleswaram breathes its trees, for those trees give the neighbourhood its fresh air that still smells of nostalgia. Trees are so important to Malleswaram that even some of its roads are named after them. Sampige Road, the busy thoroughfare that cuts through the area, and Margosa Road, which runs parallel to the former at an elevation, are named after champak and neem trees, respectively.
Mornings in Malleswaram have always been over brisk walks, filter coffee, and a heart-warming South Indian breakfast. The idlis at Veena Stores and Sri Raghavendra Stores, the vada-sambar at Hotel Janatha, and the benne masala dosae at CTR, inspire every Malleswaram beginning. Not to forget, the tried-and-tested classics of Iyer Mess, New Krishna Bhavan, and Amrith Ice Cream, a day in the epicurean life of Malleswaram is sumptuous.
Amongst all this flora and foodie affair are Malleswaram’s cultural and educational vibes. The neighbourhood has played a significant role in the city’s intellectual, musical and artistic uplift, with its string of cultural centres and institutions. Even its schools and colleges are enthusiastic in contributing to the creative wellbeing of their students.
Over the years, shopping changed in Bengaluru. Malls and e-commerce threatened mom-and-pop businesses. But Malleswaram ceases to let her people down. I have frequented the very-famous ‘8th Cross’ in Malleswaram since childhood, to pick up cotton candy and balloons, to branded apparel and Ganesha idols. Even in 2023, this bustling shoppers’ delight continues to fascinate with the same aura of some 30 years ago.
Finally, Malleswaram’s heart beats in its residents, who are proud of its every temple, road, and tree. Each evening, Malleswaram gets lively with walkers at Sankey Tank sharing their day’s stories, children returning from school, and youngsters playing cricket, badminton and basketball in the several sports facilities here. It’s these people who have kept their not-so-big locality as that crystal ball revealing the transformation of a pensioners’ paradise into a modern swanky metropolis, while celebrating Malleswaram’s timeless roots.