Saturday, May 17, 2014

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 !

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