Our Malleshwaram Eighth Cross

CROSSING PROBLEM
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Our Malleshwaram eighth cross abounds in everything-from coriander leaves to diamonds, , nursing homes,etc etc,; Also, pantheons at every corner, but the hereculean pedestrian--crossing is akin to Everest-climbing! Time was when I could keep the cooker on stove and bring the vegetables from the eighth cross before the whistle could sound, but now…..
it takes almost half a day ! You raise your eyebrows? Ask any Malleshwarian, or take a stroll around the eighth cross mentioned, I bet you will sigh with relief on reaching home with all bones intact.
Speaking about myself, I have to manoeuvre two traffic roads before reaching the aforesaid destination. Our requests for police—supervising falling upon deaf ears, many an elderly person takes it upon himself
to fill that post by pointing his walking stick threateningly towards the speeding vehicles, and monitering the tense groups. Yes, we always cross in groups, sometimes the old ladies squeezing between husband and wife! Our footpaths are always being beautified, with the result- stones, debris all around, deep trenches before every shop challenging the elderly customers wedged between
the devil and the deep sea. “ What can we do? A few months back bunch of workers descended without warning, dug all the area briskly, and vanished before we could question! Now, many of our workers also find themselves in the pit at nightfall when electricity goes off…….(Let alone pedestrians). To whom are we to complain?”----The shop-keepers, many of them senior citizens themselves, groan, and add,--“Each time the plastic-surgery of our footpaths are atlast done with,
we find it a step higher, forcing the old to beg for a helping hand!
All talk of ‘consideration for the senior citizens’ is mere humbug!”

I could not help agreeing, being a victim like many oldtimers of our
once- convenient Malleshwaram. The situation is even worse as one goes down,
where all Gods and goddesses reside amidst competitive-cries of fruits,vegetable- vendors,
hawkers, hoot of cars crawling along the narrow lane, and whiz of auto in a spree of hit and run! Sudden arrival of an elephant with mahout on top creates various sorts of commotions; Devotees of Ganesha prostrate before it, buying plantains, etc and offer with prayers while those with greens in hand scamper immediately.
As I stood watching all this with nothing in hand(except a writer’s mind),I felt a
soft touch; Turning around, beheld a frail lady in her eighties, beseeching my help in crossing. I who usually take the help of youngsters (being in seventies)
did feel flattered, and taking hold of her trusting hand, crossed her slowly, gently, while the tottering, yet smart lady stopped all the rushing vehicles with her raised hand!
Perhaps her old form helped me also? After depositing her in an auto, I felt
strangely rejuvenated ; Now, come to think of it, was God testing me?
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Nuggehalli Pankaja

Address:
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N.Pankaja,

Apartment no-102, First floor, 19/1, ‘SHRI LALITA’, 4^th Main road, MALLESHWARAM, BANGALORE-3.
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T.Phone no-41535377(This article was published in METRO of Deccan Herald
on 5th January, and naturally liked by Malleshwerians. Now, with 'flyover' programme,situation has worsened!)

Dear Mrs Pankaja,

A really nice piece. And among the 'sick hurry and divided aims' of bustling traffic, rutted roads, dug out destinations,Gods nestling among gourds- you have captured the softness of a human heart and touch. And managed to turn back aging too. Such a piece clearly shows the touch of a master.

respectful regards
Vidya

Dear Pankaja
Malleswaram came alive before my eyes as I read your piece !

Ondaanondu kaaladalli swargadanthidda namma malleswaram eega heegaayithalla !

Westerners jobs are being bangalored. As a price paid for that privilege, Our once-upon-a-time paradise is becoming unbangalored !

VS

Dear Pankaja ma'am,

I could not help laughing at the thought of crossing that Margosa road or Sampige road before reaching 8th cross! I have grown up in that area,my parents still live on 8th main, 9th cross road. So invariably i visit 8th cross, and of late i find it so difficult to cross....i have sometimes opted to take an auto even though it is so close.....and the crowd....my God it seems to be ever increasing. But all said and done , my heart has flown now to Malleswaram amd i feel home sick!
A lovely writeup ma'am, and i guess we have to be like that Old lady who crossed by showing her hand....i have seen many a senior citizen doing that!That was so sweet and brave of her!

Dear Pankaja,
That was a very nice article. It brought back fond memories of my days when I used to work in Bangalore and I used to stay in a w.w hostel near Navrang theatre. Almost every saturday /sunday evening was spent strolling 8th cross, shuttling between the KanakaDurga temple to Shankar Mutt to the 11th Cross Krishna temple, eating masala dosai in Janata hotel and shopping for dress suits at Vee Pee sons, the list can go on and on.
When I went back last year (my inlaws live in Rajajinagar), the crowd was unbelievable, I used to think Margosa road was more quiet and peaceful, and I used to ask the autos to go to NAvrang through Margosa Road via Deviah park but then as Sudha mentioned that road has become "uncrossable" too. Gone are the good ol' days when Malleshwaram was famous for being the quiet, conservative area of Bangalore, it was almost the only last remnants of "pensioners paradise", that is gone too..

-Vidya

Dear Pankaja ma'm...

A post with a title like that was compulsive and I had to respond! A lovely write up with a touch of heart and will definitely go unnoticed by all those who need to make a note of it!!
Tough crossing or not, I now want to desperately cross those roads, sooner than later! All those names, Margosa rd, Sampige rd, Navrang theatre, Rajajinagar...hmmmm.
There was a time when Navrang was newly built and we went all the way from Gandhinagar to watch a movie. It was like an outing, we thought it was so far and so quiet and lost out there! My parents then moved to Rajajinagar and some years back, on one of my visits, I questioned as to whereabouts of this theatre. My family had to laugh and said that we must have passed atleast half a dozen times right by it, how come I missed it? Well, I do not recognize the present day B'lore anymore. Gandhinagar, where I grew up, does not even exist and if it does, it is unrecognizable.
Banglaore too is now Benguluru, Bendhidha ooru and Bendhutha idhe ee ooru!
All the same, I am thankful to all the Bangaloreans here:)

L, Kamla

Dear pankaja
I grew up in malleswaram. we lived in 11 nth cross mvm behind krishnna temple.My childhood memories , my school and danceclass ,big houses
and lot of trees. Though it is not the old mvm,I still love malleswaram.
love to all malleswaram friends
subbi

Dear Vidya,Vidyasarada,Sudha,Vimur,Kamala,

I was thrilled to notice that there were so many knowing our Malleshwaram well! Each of your epistle made interesting reading! For all I know, you may be in other parts of the world at present, but our once placid-now noisy Malleshwaram with its famous eighth cross binds us. People who have left Malleshwaram in disgust are yearning to come back,but find it difficult to procure a house even for rent! Many who had to shift far, make it a point to come all the way just to purchase some items from the same shop they were used to-here! What is the secret of M's charm?-I wonder. Speaking for myself, I have given such lectures to the policemen now posted in the Margosa-circle, they dash to my service and reverently escort me to the courier opposite! Incidentally, a humerous piece of mine titled-'Flyover satyagraha' is appearing in 'Mangala', a popular Kannada weekly, next
friday(It will be dated 14.2.2007,I think)The editor liked it very much, it must be good;Inspiration? The present traffic-mess atr Margosa-circle due to Flyover programme. If any of you know Kannada, and can get it, can you convey your opinion?
Nuggehalli Pankaja

HI EVERY BODY
I know kannada,I will see the issue and reply.
subbi