Memories of old Mysore

Star of Mysore columnists K. Vijaya Kumar and Dr. Javeed Nayeem keep the unique culture of the evening daily newspaper vibrant.

Reading K. Vijaya Kumar’s suggestions in SOM recently regarding Kuvempu’s house Udaya Ravi, my thoughts went back to my school days when I used to cycle along Vinoba Road, also known Yelwal Road. Being a student of history, I was keen to know why it was named so. I found out with a lot of thrill that President Dr. Rajendra Prasad addressed the Gramdan Conference at Yelwal (Mysore) on Sept. 23, 1957 and that President Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, members of the Planning Commission, Praja Samajwadi Party President Ganga Sharan, Jaiprakash Narayan, Joint Samajwadi Dal representative Z. Ahmed and Namoodripad were also present along with Gulzarilal Nanda. In memory of this great event, Yelwal Road was re-named Vinoba Road.

I am very sure that many Mysoreans would be equally thrilled to know that Chakravarthi Rajgopalachari visited Mysore after landing in a small aircraft at Mandakalli Airport in 1950s.

Another interesting piece of history is about Sayyaji Rao Road in Mysore and Chamarajendra Road in Baroda. There are many more interesting historical facts about Mysore. Perhaps the venerable Professor A.V. Narasimha Murthy and other columnists will continue to keep the readers of SOM delighted.

One Road Two Names

I am reminded of my school days(1960s) when we would spend some time in the bus shelter quadrilateral built by a philanthrophist by name Papaiah Setty, diagonally opposite Vontikoppal Police Station.  This quadrilateral was converted into a triangle "Ball Park" after the Bus Shelter was demolished, Lion Papaiah Setty's name obliterated and the park trimmed to widen the Princess Road(KRS Road). 

None of the descendants of the philanthropist Papaiah Setty protested the re-naming of the bus shelter.  It was just called "Ball Park" because cement balls were used to construct a fence for the park.  After the said "Ball Park" was modified the second time, and the cement balls removed, in the not very distant past, it was named Chikkanna Dasa Circle by one group and B C lingaiah Circle by another group eventhough it is neither a circle nor a quadrilateral but a triangle.  

The Corporation authorities have maintained a studied silence in this matter for all these years lest their action to remove any one or both of the name boards would tantamount to stirring a hornet's nest.  

I would rather suggest that whichever group is interested in perpetuating the name and memory of a great soul should undertake to maintain and upkeep the circle/square which they wish to be named after such a person.  The best example can be seen in Bangalore where the Ramakrishna Square is re-modelled and beautifully maintained by the Ramakrishna Math.  This maintenance/upkeep stipulation cannot be extended to roads and localities for obvious reasons !

A Mysore colony in Mumbai

The first mono rail system in India, the Mumbai mono rail is a marvel to behold. With aero dynamic design it seems so unreal, rather surreal. Once inside the spick and span coach  the nostrils are not assailed by the stench emanating from Dharavi; Climate Control will handle that issue.

The first phase runs for 8.9 Kms between Chembur and Wadala.

While dozing off in the salubrious interiors of the gleaming coach, I woke up startled and read "MYSORE" in bold letters through the window. Blimey, where am I, I thought for a moment rubbing my eyes in astonishment. I was restless till I found out that MYSORE COLONY is a monorail station more than a thousand kilometres away from the real, original, one and only Mysore railway station. 

Mono or the metro they can never beat the retro if nostalgias are criteria.