India, a nation, a continent or beyond that? Manipur speaks for India's depth

India is so diverse, it will not be wrong if it is called a universe (not just a continent) on its own. Look at it Geographically, it has everything. The HimaLAYAs, Thar desert and the ocean. The features of people vary so differently when we look at them from North East to North West and Kashmir to Kanyakumari. To maintain an account of all those languages/dialects prevailing would probably an impossible task for a commoner's brain.

Here I am giving a brief introduction of one of the states in India, Manipur (a state in the North Eastern India) which on its own will speak volumes for the large and diverse nation that we are – INDIA.

Manipur with an area of 22327 sq kms and a population of less than 2.4 million is a miniscule in comparison to the huge population of over a 1000 million. Yet the state has over 25 tribes excluding the majority Meiteis besides the Muslims. Just to name a few tribes and languages Aimol, Anal, Angami, Chiru, Chothe, Gangte, Hmar, Kabui, Puimei, Rongmei, Kacha Naga, Zemei, Liangmei, Koirao, Koireng, Kom, Lamkang, Mao, Maram, Maring, Mizo (Lushai) tribes, Monsang, Moyon, Paite, Purum, Ralte, Sema, Simte, Sukte, Tangkhul, Thadou, Vaiphei, Zou, The state is dominated by the Meiteis. This is for a state of population less than 2.5 million. Each of them have their own culture and practise which are unique to them. They all have their own identity but, never look down upon any others.

They have practises which shows equality in practise. They adopt certain model code which communicates itself. For example, Meiteis wear their dresses in specific pattern to denote that they are on mourning, celebration, attending a wedding, on their way to discuss a marriage proposal etc. For a given occasion a dress code is fixed thus preventing any possibility of inequality where in there is no question of display of riches or the poor getting intimidated.

This is the story of one Great State of this Great Nation. India has many such daughters who are all unique in there own way.

My experiences, the love and affection shown by the people of Manipur and more about their vividity will be shared in another story.

Will this remain or vanish from Bangalore?

Every City has one or more tradition or festival or culture unique to them alone. Some of them might have lost a few and others are on their way to loose due to the urbanisation.

Bangalore has also had somethings like the "kadalekai parise" (peanut market) held in Bull Temple Road, Basavanagudi, "Bengalooru Doddakaraga" , "Halasuru Hoovina Pallakki", etc.

For now, the work of Metro (rail) seems to have started. This should have ideally been started atleast 15 years ago to meet the challenges the City would have faced. While Metro is most welcome, it is most likely to have its victim, "Halasuru Hoovina Pallakki".

Hoovina Pallakki means a chariot of flowers and "Halasuru Hoovina Pallakki" is a grand festival which Halasuru can boast of. Halasuru itself has a history. Some renowned places in Halasuru include the Ulsoor Lake, Someshwara Temple, etc. The "Halasuru Hoovina Pallakki" is a festival which is held in April generally during the summer vacation for schools. All the deities of various temples in and around Halasuru come out into the streets of Halasuru in decorated chariots to meet the citizens. The festival starts around 2 am (intervening night of Saturday & sunday) and runs almost till evening of sunday as almost over a 100 deities come out. Tradition has been that people contribute from "Tanu, Mana Dhana" meaning from body, soul and kind. Tanu, as one person from a family would go to any temple of his/her choice and physically work for the preparation of these chariots. They also contribute monetarily (Dhana) to their ability. Mana (soul) is ofcourse involved.

Even children prepare their own chariots of different sizes and shapes and they are also allowed to join the bandwagon. Various artists perform their art form like classical music, orchestras, dances, etc in the open for the midnight crowd around the area. Entire Halasuru remains awake during the night and day. All theatres screen midnight show, restaurants remain open and lot money temporary shops come up to meet the needs of the crowd. Each family will atleast one family from elsewhere visiting them for the festival. It is a grandeur beyond explanation for any Halasurite. I doubt if anywhere in the world such a tradition of bringing out all the deities to meet the citizen is ever held as a practise. Buses ply to Halasuru through out the night and vehicular movement on Old Madras Road is blocked between Halasuru Police Station and Adarsha theatre.

Now that Metro will pass through Old Madras Road, rumours are rife that this "Halasuru Hoovina Pallakki" may be stopped temporarily or even permanently. Will Bengalooru loose out on this. Will the future generation get to see this.

Name is Bengalooru, City is Bangalore!!!

Bangalore was originally "Bendha Kaalooru" as named by Kempe Gowda. As usual, the British could not utter it. It became Bangalore, for non Kannadigas, and Bengalooru for Kannadigas.

It is now Bengalooru, the name change has come too late, as Bangalore has hardly retained anything original. Known as Garden City, it has undergone drastic changes in the last two and a half decade. Also known as Pensioner's Paradise, has now started driving Pensioners out.

On one side of the city, Ulsoor (now Halasuru - "Halasina Ooru", the city of jack fruit, now hardly can you find a tree here) marked the end, or the start. In early 70s, the urban buses ended at Ulsoor, three double deckers, were 131, 134 and 135 to Majestic/BBS/Kempegowda Bus Station, Shivajinagar and K.R.Market. Bangalore had a very easy colour code in the then BTS (Bangalore Transport Service) now the BMTC, for those who did not know to read the names in the buses. All numbers in Blue meant that the buses were from or to Majestic. Brown meant Shivajinagar and Green meant K.R.Market. Then came Yellow boards which meant plying between non centres (excluding Market, Majestic and Shivajinagar), some e.g. where 7, 7E, 7D, 190, 133E, etc. Only rural buses to Hoskote, KR Puram or other places, crossed Ulsoor. All rural buses had names written in RED but the number code was as mentioned above. None of these codes are seen today.

The largescale migration of people into Bangalore has not left any room for it to be Bengalooru.

Once, Bangalore had other than Kannadigas, mostly people from Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Kerala and Maharastra as outsiders. Rajasthanis, Punjabis and Gujaratis were in the business. The last one and a half decade has seen large inflow from Orissa, Bengal, Bihar, North East and other states. Today, I think every Indian has a relative in Bengalooru. TOday original Bangaloreans (those staying here for over 50 years) seem aliens here.

What was farmland about 25 years ago is today Bagmane Tech Park, housing some of the world's most renowned Corporate Offices, just to mention the sea change the city saw. When we visited Munnekolalu for a cricket match in late 80s, we were treated like VIPs as we came from Bangalore meaning they were out of Bangalore.

Life in Bangalore once revolved around MG Road, Brigade Road and Commercial Street for those who wanted to hangout. The vastly open Lido, Symphony, Galaxy, Rex, Plaza, Blumoon, Blue Diamond, were theatres where the youth was desperate to be seen around (some of these do not exist anymore). We would mock them by roaming around these places in Lungi, which might today be like a fashion statement. Walking on the MG Road (parade ground footpath) was the most refreshing thing then.

Lot more to come on Bendha Kaalooru.