Karaga Kunte Neglected at Cubbon Park

We do need to do something about it soon. We hope Dept of Horticulture takes this up asap. The article by Y Maheshwar Reddy In Bangalore Mirror 11 Feb.

Kargada Kunte is historically important spot in Cubbon Park, but just 4 years after it was developed by BSCL, it lies in ruins today

The pathetic condition of the Kargada Kunte, a historic pond in Cubbon Park, reveals that the authorities do not care about the quality of developmental works. The Bengaluru Smart City Limited (BSCL) had taken up development of Karagada Kunte in 2021. The historical pond was also developed by the Department of Horticulture and Public Works Department in 2012.

Many people who visit Cubbon Park said the pond now looks like an abandoned waterbody in a remote rural area. Granite steps on the western side of the lake are in dilapidated condition and most of them have collapsed.

Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association president S Umesh blamed the horticulture departmentofficials for this situation. “They just make money but are not bothered about Cubbon Park. I have already complained to them about the pathetic condition of Karagada Kunte. I demand the authorities reconstruct the marble steps without any delay,” Umesh said.

Suresh Jayaram, an author of Bangalore’s Lalbagh: A Chronicle of the Garden and the City, suggested that the authorities implement sustainable measures to ensure there is water in the pond.

“Karagada Kunte is a historical place. Author-ities must take suitable measures to retain and save this historical place,” said Jayaram. Urban strategist Vinod Jacob said that heritage buildings and gazebos constructed by the British remain fully operational at the park today, a stark reminder of our current lack of due diligence in quality control and vendor selection. “For public works in a heritage park, we must prioritise top quality materials and workmanship,” he said.

Priya-Chetty Rajagopal from Heritage Beku said that Karagada Kunte has historical significance. “The horticulture department officials must look into the matter and fix the problems,” she said.

Another shocking sight is the unutilised concrete benches installed near the Karagada Kunte. A locked gate prevents visitors from using the benches that were installed by BSCL. Horticulture Department Deputy Director (Cubbon Park) Kusuma said Karagada Kunte assured BM of prompt action. “I will take measures to reconstruct the marble steps of Karagada Kunte. All the problems will be fixed in a month,” said the Deputy Director. The Thigala community has been celebrating the Karaga festival along the Karagada Kunte in Cubbon Park in April every year. During the festival, the pond is illuminated with colourful lamps.

Will the authorities concerned fix the problem much before the Karaga festival? We wait and watch.

Article Link : https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/history-neglected/articleshow/128181629.cms

The Week That Was, at BLR Hubba!

This year, Heritage Beku came back in full swing for the 2026 edition of BLR Hubba, the city-wide festival which takes place from 16th to 25th January. Having over 300 events spanning various venues around the city, it is a celebration of the city and its heritage, while also channelling community engagement and collective appreciation for everything this city has to offer. Our contribution to this celebration was a series of walks in various venues around the city, and a collaboration with Heritage Beku’s Revival Series at Cubbon Park Bandstand. It was a whirlwind 10 days filled with positive interactions, enlightening conversations, and enthusiasm for the future!

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Cubbon Blossoms Walk

On theme with this year’s Heritage Beku calendar based on the works of Rumale Chennabasavaiah, the prolific artist often dubbed as the “Van Gogh of Karnataka” due to the  uncanny similarities in painting technique, The Cubbon Blossoms Walk with art historian Dr Pramila Lochan and Ms Shabala Devi was held on 16th January 2025. It was a technicolour morning, with the walkers keenly listening to the history and legacy of Rumale Chennabasavaiah. For that morning, we stepped into his shoes and traced his path around Cubbon park, placing his physical paintings where he had once sat and worked his magic. We saw the Gulmohars he painted, the statue of King Edward that he had brought to life with pink and blue hues, and reminisced the erstwhile bamboo groove section of Cubbon park that Rumale was fond of. Guided by the memory of his personal philosophies and frugal life, it was a journey back in time with those who knew him best. The winter sun in Cubbon coupled by the fascinating stories by Dr Lochan and Ms Devi, the Blossoms Walk was indeed one for the books.

Left to Right: Ms Shabala Devi, Dr Pramila Lochan, Priya Chetty-Rajagopal

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The Lalbagh Unfolded Walk with Suresh Jayaram

The Lalbagh Unfolded Walk with Suresh Jayaram on 17th January 2025 began at the foot of the serene Lalbagh hill, one of the most well-known nature landmarks in Bangalore. We were very lucky to be led by the iconic Bangalorean Suresh Jayaram, the author of bestseller book ‘Bangalore's Lalbagh’—a chronicle and anecdotal narrative of the city and its oldest garden— the walkers were guided with a plethora of information and trivia on the formation of the city’s natural history, from the nomenclature of ‘Lalbagh’, named after Hyder Ali’s mother, to the links between nature and the industrial development of mining in Bangalore. There were deep insights on the globalisation of species of trees which was also taken up by experts such as Gustav Krumbiegel, the pioneer of urban planning in the city and of ‘serial blossoming’ in the city’s flora, and Mirza Ismail, the city’s biggest advocate for natural spaces and parks in urban places. The walkers were guided to roads lesser travelled in the garden: visiting the groves of the remaining tamarind and eucalyptus trees, the quarry at the periphery of Lalbagh, and paying homage to the 250-year-old White Silk Cotton Tree at the West Gate! The Lalbagh Walk was a holistic package of retrospection, discovery, and humility, bowing to wilderness at the heart of the city.

Pictured: Suresh Jayaram

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Bandstand: Samvada by Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography (NIKC)

On January 18th, the Bandstand came alive with the rhythms and grace of the Natya Institute of Kathak & Choreography (NIKC). Established in rather unconventional times, the Institute lives and breathes dance, standing as a platform of remarkable stature and achievement. Deeply committed to protecting and nurturing the legacy of Indian culture, NIKC simultaneously pushes the boundaries of dance education and performance, while consciously inhabiting the public domain through movement. Their presentation was a vibrant collection of Kathak sequences that undertook a linguistic journey across Kannada, Awadhi, Hindi, and Sanskrit. Performed by the Bangalore-based, internationally travelled ensemble, each piece unfolded like a shifting mosaic, illuminating the many layers of the country’s cultural spirit. Original music, evocative costuming, and intricate choreography converged to create a shimmering visual landscape, performed by Ramya Nagaraj, Keerthi Kumar V, and Roopa K, under the guidance of the renowned choreographer Madhu Nataraj. The sequences included Ganeshaya Namaha, Kahe Rokat, Samvad – “Tell me, she said”, a poem by Sally Atkins, Udaravyragyavidu, and Jhinjhoti Tarana. Madhu Nataraj’s brief yet articulate introductions gently wove each segment into a seamless whole, while interactive interludes invited the audience to participate. One of the most joyful moments of the morning was when the audience was encouraged to clap along to different taalas, an invitation they accepted with great enthusiasm, turning the Bandstand into a shared rhythm of collective joy.

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Walk The West End: Guided Walk of Taj West End

The ‘Walk The West End: Guided Walk of Taj West End’ on 20th January 2025 has been a staple of Heritage Beku, spearheading this experience of Bangaloreans. Guided by Mohamed Musavir, head concierge of the prestigious hotel, it was an ode to the one of the oldest heritage places in Bangalore. From its beginning as the Bronson West End in 1887, its pivotal role in the film ‘Passage to India’ to its present day function, it was a portal across time and lived history. We were also graced by the presence of P K Mohankumar, who once served as the General Manager at the hotel. His insights on the shifts in architecture over the decades, and his service to renowned guests such as King Charles III, it was very special to hear the perspective of someone who has been in the room– or rather the hotel— where it happened. He also Other pivotal locations in the property such as the Muneshwara temple, the Chambers, the oldest post box Bangalore, and a volcanic rock that connects to the gneiss rock in Lalbagh, add richness to the hotel’s pedigree. Ending the walk with Taj’s signature high tea, the intimate experience of being guided around the property will be cherished for the days to come.

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Bandstand: Parisarada Hadugalu by M D Pallavi

January 24th witnessed the much-loved voice of the Kannada music scene, MD Pallavi, whose performance titled Parisaraḍa Hāḍugaḷu was a soulful ode to nature, poetry, and memory. Her bhavageethes, cherished across generations, found a perfect home in the early morning calm of Cubbon Park. She began with Bendre’s Mudala Maneya, a song that tenderly describes a serene morning where sunlight enters a home and gently fills it with warmth—an image that felt almost uncannily aligned with the soft 8 AM light filtering through the trees around the Bandstand. She went on to sing Mankuthimmana Kagga by D. V. Gundappa, followed by Nanna Shalmala, composed by the revered C. Ashwath, which captures the character of the Shalmala river flowing through Uttara Kannada. Jogin Jalapatha, written by J. P. Rajarathnam, beautifully portrayed the grandeur of Jog Falls in his signature Ratnana Padagalu style. At one point, Pallavi invited the audience to sing along, and the response was immediate and heartfelt. Requests poured in—Yede Tumbi Haadidenu, Deepavu Ninnade, Shravana Banthu, Yaava Mohana Murali—each received with warmth and applause. The morning was further enriched by the presence of Ms. Kusuma, Deputy Director of the Department of Horticulture, and Dr. Rajeev Gowda, former MP, who joined the audience in celebrating the performance.

Pictured: M D Pallavi and Praveen D Rao

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Bandstand: Songs of Nature by Karthik Hebbar

On January 25th, the Bandstand hosted Karthik Hebbar with his performance titled Songs of Nature. Known to many through his widely loved social media series Songs from Amma’s Kitchen, Karthik has carved a unique place for himself in Bengaluru’s arts ecosystem—as a singer, composer, theatre director, and a committed queer activist. Despite slight delays in the schedule that morning, the audience displayed remarkable patience and resilience, choosing to stay back and wait, a quiet testament to the trust and affection he commands. When he finally began, the wait felt entirely worth it. Karthik opened with Mudala Maneya, offering his own reflections on the song before moving into stories and music that flowed effortlessly between the personal and the poetic. He spoke about the Kaajana, the Rocket-tailed Drongo, explaining the reason behind its name before singing Kuvempu’s song dedicated to the bird, drawing gentle smiles and nods from the audience. He continued with Toogu Manchadalli Kuthu, a lyrical exploration of Radha and Shyama’s love, and concluded with Deepavu Ninnade. Throughout his performance, Karthik reflected on the rare privilege of singing amidst nature, observing how time seems to pass differently when one is surrounded by trees, birds, and an attentive audience. His words resonated deeply, especially in that moment, as the Bandstand once again became a space where art, environment, and community met without hurry.

Pictured: Karthik Hebbar

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It is always a special time for us, the BLR Hubba, because with each year our horizons broaden. And this year we reach newer heights of community engagement: from fawning fur-buddies to awestruck adults, all of our attendees took back memories from this year's line-up. It was the week that was, and what a week it was.

Authored by:

Chetana Agnihotri

Apeksha Narayan

Photo credit: Apeksha Narayan

Vignettes from Cubbon Park

By Ankita Gupta

Imagine strolling through the largest expanse of greenery in your city. Now imagine a natural interlude that allows you to look beyond or reflect inwards, gather in a friendly group or retreat in solitude. Even in imagination, this space provides a momentous getaway — breaking away from the monotonous work-time continuum — and just being.

Virginia Woolf once wrote that ‘to escape is the greatest of pleasures.’ To me, Cubbon Park provides such a pleasurable escape.

Cubbon Park is definitely not one of your run-of-the-mill parks of Bengaluru. It’s so large that the eyes cannot see all of it at once. In fact, it used to be over 300 acres in size.  Each of its trails reveals a different view, fringed with teeming leaves, trees and flowers.

Patches of its history

Shri Chamarajendra Park, fondly referred to as Cubbon Park,is the green lung of Bangalore. The park was incepted in 1870to turn wilderness into order. It was created to transform the rocky and gravelly terrain surrounding the Attara Kacheri (Secretariat) building into a lush green public space. It has as much history as the notable buildings that surround it.

Following the death of Tipu Sultan, the Commissionerate System was implemented. Cubbon Park was created by the Mysore Commission. It was designed by Robert Sankey, the then British Chief Engineer of Mysore. Its master plan was drafted to ensure that the major landmarks surrounding it were linearly aligned in a one-kilometer stretch.

Initially, the park was called Meade’s Park, after John Meade, the acting Commissioner of Mysore at the time. It was later renamed Cubbon Park, in honor of Sir Mark Cubbon, the longest-serving Commissioner of Mysore. As Bangalore expanded, so did the park. It hosted the nearby Vidhana Soudha and served as a public ground for walks, events and protests.

Long before Sankey laid eyes on it, the site of the park was held as a sacred space by the public due to its cultural significance. It held the Uppuneerina Kunte, a saltwater tank, where the ancient Karaga festival took place. Sacred water from the tank was offered at noon in Gange Puja, to honour Draupadi, in this 250-year-old festival.

Architecture in Cubbon Park

The park was not an abstract spatial creation. It had significant ambition to fulfil—transforming a former thicket into a structured landscape with terraced gardens, ornamental walls and tree-lined pathways. Its design instilled a Victorian-era ‘gardenesque order’ into the rocky outcrops, tree coppices, bamboo groves and grassy expanses by introducing tiered lawns, parapet walls and axial paths acting as a visual linkage to the civic buildings surrounding it.  

The park has buildings in the Grecian style of architecture. The Sir Seshadri Iyer Memorial Library or the State Central Library is home to over 3,140,000 books, and its shelves are packed with everything from periodical publications, books in braille, academic books, research material to rare periodicals.The carved pediments under the roof are inspired by classical Greek architecture, the Tuscan and Corinthian columns in its entrance, Jack-arch-style arches in the roof that use imported metal rods and angles, supported by strong centring, andopposite this a Madras-style terrace with wooden rafters. The upper storey is made up of a series of arched windows for natural light to enter.

Entry into the park occurs through six gates, with pavements and trails upgraded under recent Smart City interventions. There have been massive efforts towards rejuvenating the ponds and wells in the park, turning it into a hydrological asset. Even the culverts that span these water bodies have been thoughtfully designed.

Even as colonial structures are being wiped out in India, the majestic statue of Queen Victoria erected over 100 years ago still stands. It still retains pride of place.

Other statues like that of Major General Mark Cubbon, Sir K. Sheshadri and the Chamarajendra Wodeyar statue have their place of honour too. The park stands as a testament to multiple identities and time frames coexisting.

Exotic trysts

Magical creatures dwell in the park. It is home to endemic as well as indigenous trees. There are over 6,000 trees in Cubbon Park- a majority of which are not native to Bangalore.

It has a silver oak tree imported from Australia. Then there are Gulmohar, Baobab and ‘Umbrella’ trees from Madagascarand Jacarandas from Brazil. There are also behemoth rain trees and Royal Palms brought in from the Caribbean. This flora turns the park into a polychrome wonderland in the blooming season.

Reportedly, the park holds a 20-million-year-old fossilized tree gifted by the Geological Survey of India. A large water pond that once existed near Attara Kacheri has now been transformed into a bamboo island, surrounded by bamboo thickets, dense trees and a grassy expanse. The Maharani of Bajang, Nepal has even donated a fairy fountain to Cubbon Park as a legacy to her pet parrot.

The park plays host to a wide variety of fauna too: The rare ant species Dilobocondyla Bangalorica has been found nesting in Cubbon Park. And then there are the numerous avians — egrets, herons, kites, parakeets. If you look closely near the undergrowth, the water body or even up at the sky, then you see a ‘Golden Oriole’ or a ‘Greenish Warbler.’ On a very lucky day, you may even spot a ‘Red vented Bulbul’ or the ‘Asian Paradise Fly Catcher.’

A people’s place

The park offers a treasure trove of activities for children: from toy trains to puppets and storytelling. A growing community of bibliophiles- Cubbonreads, have started a movement of silent reading and book discussion in the park. Then there is Poetry in the Park, for the bards of the city who come and exchange the poems they have written. Anyone with a book can sit and join them. There is Cubbonwrites for the writers, Cubbonjams for the musicians, Cubbon Knits for crochet and knitting enthusiasts, Dance it Out for hip hop, bhangra and classical dance sessions. There is something for everyone.

The park is dotted with cyclists, joggers, yoga and fitness enthusiasts. There are designated play areas for kids. There are community events like flower shows and cultural festivals. Whether you choose to be in solitude or be a part of a group, the park caters to this.

The park overall elevates the mental health of its visitors by providing a safe, green space with a social connect. It is where ritual visitors enjoy their regular walks, people meet and share confidences with their friends and both children and adultsgather for outdoor recreation. It improves the living standards of its citizens.

Balloons are banned in the park. So is outside food.

The park as a space for inclusion

The park is open to all free of cost.  It is public participation which has made it thrive.

Where plural identities can co-exist.

Cubbon Park is an expression of Bangalorean culture. Like an age-old citizen, the park has stood as a witness to the colonial era, rapid urbanization and ever-changing government policies.

The park is a communal gathering space. Ergo there is a strong local commitment towards safeguarding it.  It remains unscathed to this day because of the active support and participation of the locals. The collective voice of the people echoed to save the park when the Karnataka Governmentchose to build a 10-storey annex in the park.

The park faces a slew of challenges. It has shrunk in size to a ballpark of 196 acres due to surrounding developments. The park faces an onslaught of building construction proposals such as a multi-storeyed annex for government buildings or a 2.5-acre private art gallery. These propositions, if realized, can result in eyesore edifices soaring from heritage and biodiversity loss. Activists have rightly questioned the implementation of such plans without chopping down trees or paving way to further constructions in the future.

The park has seen many ups too. On March 22, 2021, observed as World Water Day, the Cubbon Park Rejuvenation project was proposed towards the revival of ponds for ground water recharge, rainwater recharge wells and canal repairs, to take care of the parks’ water needs. Cubbon Park now has around 74 recharge wells. In 2022, under the Bengaluru Smart City project, the paths, ponds and overall Cubbon Park landscape received an overhaul worth Rs. 34 crores.

In response to the citizen’s call for action towards protection of the park, the Deputy CM has promised no new construction within the parks’ boundaries, paired with a Rs. 5 crore development grants for its preservation. The Horticulture Department has been working for the advancement of CCTV security, QR coding of trees and banning of photo shoots, reels and outside food.

Meanwhile, the list of do’s and don’ts has gone up with many regulars having to face the ire of park officials and guards. Due to these tighter restrictions, Cubbon Park risks becoming a controlled bureaucratic enclave, rather than a common civicground. This has increased the need for greater public participation in the decision-making process related to the park.

In January 2025, the Cubbon Park was opened to vehicular traffic on early mornings on weekdays and alternate Saturdays. Due to its vicinity to important roads like MG Road, Kasturba Road, Queens Road and Cubbon Road, there have been calls to allow traffic movement post 10 AM too. In a way the park has slowly succumbed to the needs of motorists.

Cubbon Park is not another piece of real estate. A park that has been conceived in public interest, that is paid for and maintained by public funds should be answerable to the public.

Preserving the pastoral beauty of the park

At a time when cities are infamous for decaying ecology, Cubbon Park is an endearing reminder of why Bangalore is known as a Garden City. It acts as a cooling body for the urban heat island and a lush ground for biodiversity. It provides a quiet nest in a noisome urban sprawl, that is everexpanding like a black hole.

Cubbon Park still perseveres in a city whose green cover has contracted to a mere 6.8% of its area. Every further acre lost would result in direct loss of shade, ground water recharge and carbon absorption having a detrimental effect on public health. An air quality study in Cubbon Park by Heritage Beku, has reported an AQI of 80-120, which is moderate to unhealthy. Through-traffic and construction are the miscreants here. Such poor health of ambient air, in a place where people go to get some fresh air, is appalling. It is reason enough, to not harbour any ideas of taking motorized vehicles through the park, just to save 1.5 minutes of commute time, or to take up “special construction projects” under the cloak of ‘public interest’.  

In a place where property taxes and gentrification areincreasing each passing day, the park still furnishes an irrefutable rationale for the government to protect it. It cannot be a petri-dish for continuous experimentation. More than a century and a half after its founding, Cubbon Park serves as a reminder of how citizens can come together for the places they love most.

Most people traverse it, enjoy it and don’t give it a second thought. It should never be taken for granted. In the face of neglect and dereliction, it is our duty to visit the park as often as we can, to speak of it, and to compel the government to do more for it. For there is a lot to be done. From cleaning the swamps to providing more visitor services, there are many avenues towards betterment. Only in doing so can we acknowledge its priceless heritage.

The park has long served as a bond between us and our beloved city, and it is our duty to pass on its wondrous experiences to our children, so that they can play in it, love it and help protect it.

By tending to the park, we tend to ourselves.

About the writer:

Ankita Gupta is an architect by degree, a project manager/ consultant by profession and a writer by interest. She likes to connect with people through the written word. She delights in reading, designing and globetrotting.