Bangalore Traffic and Diwali

I have experienced it for 3 years. The mad rush of Bangalore traffic on the eve of diwali to reach majestic/station (both are adjacent to each other in case you do not know). This year it began as a different experience for me. First and foremost, no rush in 171 bus from Koramangala stop. So here I was seated comfortably in the bus. Surprise no.1 : Shanti nagar depot having some buses going out to various places. Instant reaction from my brain: Good! They have done their home work well. Surprise no.2: Not much of traffic after corporation circle. Usually this is the place where the whole thing comes to a stop and people walk to bus stand/station during diwali break.
Surprise no.3: I reached majestic in 1 hour time which is a normal duration for Bangalore. Surprise no.4 : By the time I reached my bus platform my bus number was already marked on the list. I was very happy and elated on all this. Thinking that Bangalore has found an answer for the mad rush. The next surprise, told me the truth. Conductor was shouting "Chennai ,Chennai." Thats when I realised, seats in the bus were vacant. Which meant today was not the diwali eve which Bangalore is famous for. Diwali had begun one day earlier for me. And hence without a traffic blast.

Bangalore : Rediscovered!

On Rajyotsava day, I was served with true delicacy of the real Bangalore and its life. I went for a quiz to Malleswaram, the area which supposed to be the older Bangalore (I would say the truer one ). It had a typical small city feeling about it. No big flats, No big malls, not every third restaurant was a place where you burn half of your day's pay for a meal,(there were not much of hotels also), not a place where every guy and girl dress as if they are going to de-throne Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai respectively, not every 9 in 10 people on streets where 20 something's and the best of it a smoother and better traffic . It was the older and the traditional Bangalore at display. A nice place for dinner, New Krishna Bhawan , a place established since 1954 , where you can find all Mangalore style dosas and stuff, which you won't find in any other part of Bangalore. But as soon as I finished my dinner and went on to catch an auto, I was brought to the reality that I am still in Bangalore when more than half a dozen autowallas refused to come to Majestic. Once I reached Majestic, I was completely brought back to reality , mad rush, mad traffic blah blah blah... all which have now become a part and parcel of Bangalore life.

Chennai going the Bangalore way!!

Disclaimer: People not very well aware of Chennai will not be able to relate to this post.

With IT growth affecting all quarters and all places , how can Chennai be left behind. But what scares me is the area where the growth is happening. The so called urbanization is happening in Arcot Road, which is barely 30 ft road on each side of the road divider and is open for two way traffic. I already see the construction of a multiplex theatre , a purvankara project a prestige group project going on , on this road. Traffic is already at its peak in this road, one wonders how will this road be able to manage the heavy traffic which these structures will generate.

Is Chennai growing the wrong way? Is Chennai not learning from the mistakes of Bangalore? Only time will tell.

Have a look at the map of Arcot Road.

Bar Camp 4

As promised in one of my previous blogs, I am back with a blog about BCB 4, though late.
This happened to be my first BCB. I had some pre-conceived notions about BCB thinking it might be a place where we are enlightened in a very formal and organized way. Also, I had not registered till the previous night. So this was how I ended up reaching IIM-B at around 9 AM on both days. Climate on both of these days turned out to be at its best. Frankly and honestly I did not expect to see what I saw there. A record crowd of close to 500 people and a total informal environment. I mainly attended blogging collective talks . Apart from some sessions in start up,start up,photography and biking (cycling) collective.

Overall it was a en lighting experience and on thing is sure, I won't need anyone to call me for Bar Camp 5.

Lesser the words , the better it is.

Go thru the album.

If .. only if..

There are moments when you feel overwhelmed and lamented at the same time. You feel you could rewind your life to re-live(read re-plan) some parts of your life again. I had these kind of mixed feelings when I attended the BarCamp Bangalore 4 today.

Overwhelmed because the aroma of intelligence in the air was filling my heart with happiness, sad because I was a guest in a place where I dream to be a part of. It was a dream for me once to be a part of IIM-B. But this happened to be my first visit there.

Lets take the architecture first. (P.S :I am not a hardcore architecture analyst to give this review but just trying to put up some feelings. ) Awesome piece.. The half finished look makes one wonder if some construction is still going on or what. The big blocks used gives the building a royal look. The unpainted look gives the building a feel which cannot be matched by any ( or may be all paint was used by likes of Shankar for painting roads and mountains). The lush green campus, creepers on the walls, the rainy cold weather of the day all added to the magic. The hostel blocks are also made of the same blocks and are equally aesthetic in look. Not to mention of the infrastructure available, most of the campus is Wi-Fi enabled and each hostel room contains a wired network in addition to that.

After relishing all this for a full day, I wish life had a rewind or re-boot switch with which I can go back to the past and plan and prepare to join IIM-B again. But then, the bird in bush may be more tempting but not always better than the one in hand. And when I think which feeling is more dominant in me about the day, I would definitely say it has to be the feeling of an accomplishment of participating in such an event . How wonderful it would have been if... only if......

Details of the events and experiences will follow soon. Keep watching this space.

Cheers. :)

Click here for the album link.