Book Launch - Lalbagh by Suresh Jayaram

An event by Heritage Beku

Listen in to Artist, Curator & Author Suresh Jayaram as he walks us through his beautiful new book on Lalbagh, a space that mirrors the spiritual journey of Bangalore itself.

Suresh is in conversation with eminent ecologist & author Harini Nagendra.

Intuitive and resonant, Harini asks Suresh about the beauty of art and literature that seems to be the only tool to lift Nature, Green and the environment from the gloom & doom we find ourselves in, and chats about the process of research that this book entailed, and what next – a book on Cubbon Park maybe?

While on that, the chat moves to creating accessible information repositories for visitors or converting this book into a documentary. Who knows, these plans have a way of fleshing out if the universe conspires.

The story remains one of hope, of exploring the past and the roots of Bangalore’s most famous Garden, with all its trailing tendrils of people, sketches, snapshots and postcards – and of investing in city heritage for the future.

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/bceAqRcapFE.5pm 22 Sept 2021:

This talk will segue into a charming treasure hunt at Lalbagh based on this book, next week so watch this space and RSVP for that now!

Organised by: #HeritageBeku

About the Author & Panelist

Suresh Jayaram, Author

Suresh Jayaram is a visual artist, trained as an art historian, arts administrator and curator from Bangalore. He is the Founder of 1.Shanhtiroad Studio an international artist’s Residency.

He is currently involved in art practise, urban mapping, archiving, curation and arts education. His keen interest in environmental and urban developmental issues influences his work. He taught Art History at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, the College of Fine Arts in Bangalore and later went on to become the Dean from 2005-2007.He obtained his BFA in painting from the College of Fine Arts, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat

1990 and MFA from M.S.University, Baroda in 1992 in Art Criticism

Harini Nagendra, Panelist

Harini is an Indian ecologist who uses satellite remote sensing coupled with field studies of biodiversity, archival research, institutional analysis, and community interviews to examine the factors shaping the social-ecological sustainability of forests and cities in the south Asian context Her areas of interest include Urban sustainability, Ecology and development, Land change, Biodiversity and conservation.

Nagendra is currently a professor of sustainability at the Azim Premji University, Bangalore.[5] She coordinates the Centre for Urban Sustainability in India at Azim Premji University.[6] Larger global crisis of sustainability motivates Nagendra to research on the subject.

She was a visiting researcher at the University of California, San Diego in 1998. She was an independent researcher from 2003 to 2013.[2] She has worked in a variety of contexts in forests and cities of South Asia and globally.[7] Nagendra served as Hubert H Humphrey Distinguished Visiting Professor at Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota in 2013.

Nagendra's recent book “Nature in the City: Bengaluru in the Past, Present, and Future” (Oxford University Press India, 2016) examines the transformation of human-nature interactions in Bangalore from the 6th century CE to the present, addressing the implications of such change for the urban sustainability of fast-growing cities in the global South.

Restoration on Lalbagh Aquarium

2nd Sept 2021

Dr Jagadish

Joint Director – Horticulture, GoK

Lalbagh

Bangalore

Email: jdhpgf@gmail.com

Dear Dr Jagadish:

Subject: Request for information/update on Restoration of Historic Aquarium at Lalbagh

At the outset, thank you for all the wonderful work you and your Horticulture Team is doing across the state and particularly out two gems Lalbagh and Cubbon Park. We hope to have many opportunities to work with you and build connects and events that allow people to appreciate our city’s natural heritage better.

By the way, as I mentioned today, I had hoped that Mr. Suresh Jayaram, famous artist and historian can meet with you and present the newly published wonderful book he has recently completed on YOUR Lalbagh to you, Director and DD. He has presented the first copy to Mr. RK Kataria, Secretary – Horticulture just yesterday and he wanted to present the second set to you and the team.

I wanted to check with you regarding the historical but sadly dilapidated Aquarium. I am sure you are doing all you can but do please share in some detail what are the plans for this, focus to restore it and how if anything, we can help you as citizens.

We are always happy to support our magnificent Lalbagh, Cubbon Park (and the pretty adjacent Musical Fountain Park). Please let us know if there is anything that is needed.

Thanking You

Yours Sincerely

Priya Chetty-Rajagopal

Founder

Links: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Lalbaghs-crumbling-aquarium-may-get-a-new-life/articleshow/50751514.cms?utm_source=nyoooz&utm_medium=post

Heritage Focus at Animal Husbandry & Vet Services

15 August 2021

Maj Manivannan P

Secretary to the Govt of Karnataka

Dept of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Sciences (AHVS) & Minority Welfare

Vikasa Soudha

Bangalore 560001

Dear Sir:

Subject: Heritage Spaces at AHVS, Karnataka

Thank you for your exceptional leadership of this department and the many transformational initiatives you have led. While we completely understand that the focus of the department is naturally to optimise on animal husbandry and veterinary services, we thought it appropriate to bring to your attention some of the wonderful spaces within the AHVS umbrella that need some attention and preservation and perhaps even showcasing. There is rich history and many stories in addition to architectural heritage present. The Commissioner was also interested in this heritage.

The Queens Vet Hospital or Cantonment Super specialty Hospital on Queens Road itself is a 1908 Heritage structure going back over a century! It is important for us to celebrate and showcase impact made by this unit on the dairy and equine industry in the country, not just the city, in the last century as well as highlighting the best quality vet care to a growing city. I can share some of the links. Some of the structures and perhaps all the buildings inside require a little work and upkeep and we are happy to coordinate and provide any support or inputs to highlight its heritage status. As you might know, Heritage Beku in its Knights for Queens campaign 4 years ago, took an extremely solid stance to protect this heritage and saved over 91 trees in the premises, in addition to ensuring the balance Heritage structures were not destroyed. In the last year BMRCL has cut through the back of the hospital grounds, and demolished ( a newer) building while blocking access to the main road. Once work is over , we must ensure the resident vets house and storerooms are recovered and merged back. There are also heritage terracotta tiles , stables and a small animal block at the rear. While the focus now may be primarily a matter of the 24/7 hospital functioning, it is just important for us to be able to showcase and mainstream the back story of these historic premises into the daily functioning of the hospital and inculcate a sense of ownership and pride in it with doctors and teams, as well as with customers and visitors. It may be a vet hospital but it is also historic!

The other heritage structures include a very small SPCA at Cubbon Park, located next to the Govt Aquarium at Kasturba Road (which probably comes under the AHVS or Fisheries department), and has been leased out to Karuna for the last two decades for some odd reason. Karuna should be disallowed from using this space especially since it has gone into disuse. This small room can be easily used to have a heritage feel with posters etc and also coordinate as a rescue POC for the Park dogs. A letter to The DD, Cubbon Park, Horticulture Dept, and Cubbon Park on highlighting and maintaining this charming structure is enclosed. Given its charming 19thcentury architecture and interesting colonial history, we urge you to do whatever we can to preserve and highlight this whimsical and impactful structure that is located so well in the heart of Bangalore.

Opposite Cantonment station is another such heritage structure, earlier part of the Queens Vet Hospital, now an office to the Karnataka Poultry Federation. The rear of the scantily used building abuts the Queens Vet hospital. However small and dilapidated it may be, a little bit of work including removing of the large hoarding in front of the structure would help showcase this nearly a century old building that was originally a caretaker’s residence.

I do understand they would be other places scattered across rest of the state. The Hessaraghata guesthouse/building too has an interesting history and architectural interest, I hear and deserves active use , preservation and highlighting. It may be interesting to start listing these structures as and when time permits.

While budgets and pressure of work may not allow extensive renovation or conservation, we only request that these buildings be used well, but preserved and not altered or demolished in anyway. By bringing out and highlighting the heritage elements of several of the AHVS and Fisheries properties, it accentuates the pride not only in state history and heritage but also the origins and evolution of the vibrant Animal Husbandry Department in the state. Showcasing this in the AHVS website would also demonstrate the department’s interest in sustainability and its consciousness of its own history and origins.

We hope that this note will highlight a hitherto lesser known facet of the department. At Heritage Beku, we are happy to have a discussion with a dynamic and inclusive leader like you on any ideas or thoughts we could collaborate on. We look forward to your support for the heritage of your department .

Thanking you.

Yours Sincerely

Priya Chetty-Rajagopal

Founder, Heritage Beku