Bus stops and Traffic Jams

The combination of rains and flyover constructions all over my journey from home to office means that my commute time is closing in on 2 hours (one way) this week. While I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that the bunch of flyovers/underpasses will actually help ease traffic congestion and reduce commute time, I [...]

Begging or conning?

Yesterday, Samata and I were at a coffee shop near the Raghavendra Matha in Jayanagar 5th block. While waiting for our drink to arrive, my attention went towards the nearby traffic signal. As usual, I got into the mode of observing the violations that were occuring at the signal. Almost every signal turning from green [...]

Bangalore Traffic Glossary

a) Footpath

A dedicated lane for two wheelers, including motorbikes, scooters and cycles.
Only part of the road where pedestrians can (try to) walk without getting shouted at or abused – mostly.
Parking space for two wheelers
Place where one can buy vegetables, fruits, flowers and other ‘essentials’

b) One way road

Road where a majority [...]

What Chaplin stood for..

The film stars of Karnataka are going to now protest – against the protest – to install a Charlie Chaplin statue. It does not matter if the only people claiming it as having a communal tinge are the ‘anti-protesters’ themselves. Looks like appropriateness should never be questioned. It does not matter if the statue looks [...]

Why Charlie? They are making a Chaplin out of us

Recently, a film director had to give up his plan to erect a huge statue of the Hollywood personality Charlie Chaplin at a Mangalore beach. The “Vichara-vadis” are already up against the protest of the locals who have successfully prevented the idea from going ahead.
While the local leader of the BJP has denied that the [...]

Drive slow – else you could break your back!

These days, I take an alternate route to office from my home in Bannerghatta Road. After cruising through the NICE road for 8kms, I take the road connecting Hosur Road and Sarjapur Road, starting from the “Hosa Road” junction. Overall, my travel time reduces considerably if I take this stretch. Lesser traffic and far fewer [...]

Illegal activities are prohibited!

Found this in a park over the previous weekend. Read the last line!

After reading this, I am fairly confident that the authorities who put this up are aware of at least a few illegal activities that are not prohibited And I am also sure that there will be many illegal activities happening in [...]

Novel protest

Vatal Saar is at it again! The man who brought donkeys to Vidhana Soudha and beat a gong continuously to disrupt the Governor’s speech has made news once again. And this time, it is even the more bizarre.
He has served a warning that if 20,000 toilets are not built in Bangalore by January 1 2009, [...]

Weekend Yada-Yada

Having started the day really really early, my mind is already thinking of the weekend. Too many thoughts running on my mind. Peace of mind means only one place on earth for me Let me end my week with a completely incoherent set of ramblings here. Hey, don’t blame me! Being a Gemini [...]

Women’s representation in Karnataka

I am watching a program on CNN right now where Christiane Amanpour is dissecting Iran and its leader. One of the things she mentioned got me thinking. Iran, with all its problems, restrictions and strict laws, has 13 women members in its legislative assembly of 290. That makes it roughly 4.5 percent. I decided to [...]