That evening was the first time I discovered Bengaluru and why the youth refuse to go anywhere else than this city that comes alive on a weekend. But if you want to figure out what Bengaluru offers, a fraction of it really as there are plenty more reasons to live in the city, you will have to spend a few minutes at Church Street, off Brigade Road that matches any upmarket road in the world in terms of everything it offers – from ‘branded-ness’ that surrounds the arena to the typical street thingies that make a place distinct – well nearly distinct – with its old world charm and modernism in fashion.
My trip down the fashionable and the most happening of the places in Bangalore on a weekend – Church Street and Brigade Road – was made more memorable by the presence of SV Krishnamachari, a hard-crore journalist who spent a couple of years at Deccan Herald – that has Church Street as its backyard – who kept educating me at every step – with the history, geography, and culture of the place. He later spent a considerable number of years working for the Reuters Bureau in Bangalore.
‘Aal eej sell’
Yes, a leisurely stroll across Church Street, taking in everything packed on both sides – with vendors vending from sweetcorn to an assortment of sodas to “branded- imitation” goodies to all the fashion accessories that maketh the modern Bangalorean and a wide array of eatables made from cuisines from across the country, and the world – yes you will have the world served on your plate.
A watering hole here and a watering hole there and watering hole everywhere it seems. And this is perhaps the reason why cheerfulness is all-encompassing – young bubbly and energetic crowds inject their own energy onto the place, and it is, believe me, contagious.
As one began slowly walking from Brigade Road onto Church Street, as one negotiated through the milling weekend ‘celebrators’, Krishna began to relive his nostalgia that was also to make a certain colleague of his from Hyderabad jealous! The poor deprived Hyderabad colleague comes in on a Saturday morning just to take in Church Street and push off in time for embracing Monday blues in ‘Nawabon ka Shahar’.
Now let me recall how the evening went.
Of melody, pop, and rock
After the smell and aromas of a wide variety of cooking inviting us in every which direction, one fought the urges these smells induce, and moved on purposefully to lazing around, doing nothing but take in everything. And for me it was the first time at this place – though I have fleeting memories of having seen this road once in my life before – soaking in everything.
And then there was this soft melodious golden oldie wafting across. An old gentleman was selling hand-made violins and playing tunes of songs he knew was the only marketing technique he knew. It used to work so well in the past, but now times have changed, and technology has meant a death knell for people like us, he lamented but was game and up to any challenge.
[Also by the same author: A diehard Sholay fan’s journey into Gabbar’s den – THE NEWS PORTER]
Does he know any new songs and tunes?
Even the new one for him is many years old. But the melody of the songs from yesteryear is absent today and “aajkal ke ganon mein voh baat nahin.”
Presenting a contrast was this guitar-strumming young lad belting out Arijit Singh songs in Hindi to a foot-tapping audience eager to join in when he was singing a familiar song. The phone was out instantly, recording him, and even following his Instagram account on the spot, as the youngish and the young at heart audience was swaying and clapping to the music.
Koshy’s city’s ancient watering hole
Wait, there is even more. This is only half done – as we head out to the ancient watering hole – Koshy’s, the most famous one here, the one that had most of the media and press corps as regulars at all times of the day, and night. Minimal, functional furniture, dim lighting, an easy-going ambience and the culture of the place, and general benevolence of allowing you to be what you are, are what draw people to this old-fashioned restaurant that also has a bar attached to it.
On our return from Koshy’s the walk was even more enjoyable as more acts were out there. If there were painters displaying their wares, arts and artists too were performing to catch the maximum number of eyeballs.
It was when we thought we had seen all, there were four musicians from Mizoram, who call themselves Sweetbarz, belting out Beatles and other olden goldies to modern pop and rock music, and singing Mizoram folk songs to introduce their music to the other parts of the country.
Promos galore
This performance on the roadside is to promote their concert, a ticketed event, happening over the next weekend.
As one turns onto Brigade Road, on a weekend, the place is all decked up like a bride, in finery and flashing lights and with colourful decorations. “No, there is no festival. It is the festival of marketing that is celebrated very weekend here on Brigade Road and Church Street,” Krishna declared as a matter of fact.
Now I won’t write and tell more.
You see, listen, watch, and tell if the place is not what I described it to be.
Especially, do look at the way Stand Up Comedians are marketing their show that was to be held after an hour or so. “Please there is a stand comedy show happening. One and half-hour show, Rs 300 per person. It is about to start,” is how the comic speaks into the camera phone, and then turns to the flow of motorists and yells across a general invite to the public travelling in their cars and SUVs.
What’s more interesting is there was the response from the “potential customers” shouting back that yes, they are parking and…
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