Karnataka and Bangaluru is in central southern India. Home
to India’s silk capital Mysore, burgeoning Silicon Valley’esque city, Bangalore,
and whiling away in the rocky alcoves north the temple filled town of Hampi.
I have broken the post into two so you can see what I got up to over a couple of cups of tea.
Mysore – MySilk
I took a taxi with 3 savvy young professionals on Sunday of
Easter all heading back to work at HP and Samsung in the countries Tech cities
of Hyderabad and Bangalore respectively. I tried to bargain for a room at the
Park Royal (simply because I fancied saying I had stayed there!) not a chance!
Settling down the road I made a home for myself in Mysore for a couple of days
enjoying the cooler climate (I guess about 28C).
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| Mysore Palace Gate.... I was a bit slow for the Palace shot! |
I started at the cities Palace lit with 10,000
lights and as I entered the Palace grounds, large rain drops started to cascade
down and as I took the lense cap of my camera, the lights flicked of, right on
queue. The night will be remembered as my first drowned rat impression. A hot
shower was carefully negotiated – something I have now learnt is a commodity in
India. I returned the following day to see the Palace which was a classic
Maharaja palatial museum of trophies and ornaments – over exaggerated since a
fire destroyed the building in 1897.
The following day I enjoyed walking the streets of Mysore a
largely untouristy town with a market of narrow alleys with plastic household
goods, shoe shops, regular boring things that make me appreciate normality!
Hiring an auto for a few hours I headed out to the Railway Museum which was
great fun. Kids would love being able to drive all the trains parked up. It
steps you back in time to an English gentry which bought one of the largest
employers in the modern world into play…the Indian Railways.
I headed to the Government run Silk Factory. If I could have
taken my camera in I would have been hours but for over an hour I walked around
the factory. Talking to the workers who showed me generously their work, stepping
me through the process of silk threading to silk weaving, talked about cricket
with me, twinned gold thread around my wrist and laughed in their work, slept
on the job amongst thundering looms and read the newspaper or ate snacks. It
was an absolutely brilliant work place which continued to fuel my love for
silk. And remembering this was a government run operation gave me a real buzz. I
went to the shop and bought some of their beautiful fabric (boring plain stuff
in reality) – which I have sent home to make god knows what with!
Bangalore – an ExPat adventure
An overcrowded bus deposited me in Bangalore in a bus
station which broke my spirit a little. Using my new found trick, “Find MG Road”,
I hailed an auto and made for the centre of town. Here I found a refreshingly
nice hotel in Brigade Street (the Oxford Street of Bangalore) with moth balls
in every possible corner of my room and an excellent internet connection. HELLO
TECHNOLOGY IN INDIA!
While in Bangalore I took the approach of Ex Patriate –
eating delicious food all three nights at UB City a high rise office block with
exclusive stores below…even the staff at Burberry treated me with respect in my
Havianas – yeah that’s right I have white skin, it means I have bundles of
money. Watch me spend it! (Or just ask to try on the dress I just had made from
their design in Veitnam ;0)
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| Bangaluru Palace - a homely affair |
The Museum of Modern Art was an absolute highlight for me. I
have seen so few galleries and museums in Asia and this air conditioned well
curated gallery was a refreshing afternoon activity and education into style of Bengal School of Art developed during the Raj years.
My auto driver insisted on me seeing the government
building, unfortunately I was unable to take any photos due to terrorist
threats the building is now under heavy security. The following day whilst walking
in Cubbon Park I met an elderly man taking his daily constitution – he professed
to be the son-in-law of the architect. He was a real character and I am sorry
not to make more of a note of his story – but if you fancy visiting him he
lives at 25 MG Road – say you know me. He was able to give me a small insight
into the post-Raj view of life in the city. Educated in Britain he was a man of
yesteryear for sure. The major road developments and the failing businesses
were all part of his repertoire and he knew a lot of locally important people. He
himself I believe would be one of the wealthiest men I will meet in India –
owning some of the land and buildings in downtown Bangalore.
I also took in a few blessings at The Bull Temple and Doddha
Ganesh Temple. Their names explain their deities and were a gentle start into
Hindu blessings for me as I settle into my stride here in Hindustan (India pre-independence).
Tipu Palace was a less noteworthy stop. As an open air Palace it has been
weather beaten and the most interesting thing I was shown was a piece of art in
their small museum where the eye of the subject looked like it followed you as
you moved. Curious indeed.
I spent 3 hours at the Post Office one day…it was a tiring
endeavour with all the packages needing a hand stitched calico bag. I think Tom
got the most elaborately presented tie ever known! Shame the only paper I had
to write a note to him was an envelope!!!
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