Commercial cab drivers are said to be protesting in and around few parts of the city and preventing the employee cabs of different companies from commuting to various places as per schedule.

It is said that as a part of the benefits, the cab drivers are not eligible for accident benefits which they think is an important aspect considering the amount of accidents that transpires.
There ware some disturbance reported earlier in the morning though the situation seems to be under control.

Undoubtedly, this is the right time for the auto drivers to make some extra money. Isn’t it? However, car pooling should be a good thought.

Not sure if this strike is going to continue for some more days. Any idea?
Is there some other reason for the strike?

Venue, Gothe-Institut Bangalore @716, CMH Road witnessed an interaction with four participating artists ( photographers) who are part of the workshop that was conducted by German photographer Andrea Künzig and was designed to document the changes wrought by urbanization in Indian cities - through the lens of photographers from the South Asian region.

(more…)

- Celebrations of the 6th International Jawa Yezdi Day on 13th July at Cubbon Park, Bangalore at 7am

The International Jawa CZ Yezdi Day is an annual celebration of those 250 cc Jawa & Yezdi bikes that were sold in India from 1960 to 1997. They are popular for their reliability and low maintenance costs. They were manufactured at the Ideal Jawa factory in Mysore.

To commemorate the 6th International Jawa-Yezdi Day, the Jawa – Yezdi Club of Bangalore is organizing a rally. The following is the route: Cubbon Park - MG Rd - Brigade Rd - Richmond Circle - Lalbagh - Corporation Circle - Mysore Rd - Chennapattana Coffee Day and back

Get-together at 7.00am
Flag Off at 8.00am (Sharp)

For more info, pls contact: Lokesh-9880033994; Sam-99451 44774; Brian-9886101005

I guess I conducted my first two “celebrity” interviews….first, Lillette Dubey and then, yesterday evening, Girish Karnad .

Both of them are very articulate people, and having organized my questions well, I got quite a lot of info about them, and wrote a curtain-raiser to go with this “reminder” post for Metblogs, to follow up for the earlier announcement of Girish Karnad’s new play, which is being staged today and tomorrow.

You can see the curtain raiser….

click here to see it

with my photograph of Girish, too.

Here’s another one I took of him yesterday:

This photo comes with its own funny anecdote. For the first photograph, he didn’t smile, so I said, “Just think of ‘The Wedding Album’ and smile!” At this, he looked very startled and asked, “Have you already seen the play?” “No, I said,”why?” “That’s the first line of the play!” he exclaimed. “It’s ‘Think of the wedding and smile a little!’ ”

So do go and watch the play, which promises to be intriguingly interesting! It’s at 7.30 pm both days, at Chowdiah Memorial Hall.

Just came across this Airport Transfer Service for BIAL. Since the New airport is far from the city and current Airport Transfers are very expensive for the families or individuals with lot of luggage. This service claims to make airport Transfers less expensive and still provide the required luxury while taking customers to and from the airport. They will pick up the customers from the Airlift pickup points and drop them to the airport and vice versa bring them to the city from the airport.

(more…)

- “HAaL ya B(IA)haaL!!”

May 22nd 2008, yes that’s the date! Just a day before HAL is pushed to cease domestic travel. Despite formal position of the civil aviation ministry is that metros require two airports likes of Mumbai and Delhi….

In an interlocutory petition filed by social worker B Krishna Bhat, Bangalore City Connectivity Foundation (BCCF) and advocate G R Mohan, SC sought the details regarding the meeting’s held involving the Chief Secretary and other senior officials on April 19 and May 12, it is learnt that in these meeting they found it impossible to retain the HAL airport.

(more…)

Now that the May 23rd 2008 takes all commercial flights off HAL airport, after the great ‘fixing’ of the protests to keep it open HAL is finally set to rest, an article written by Mr. R K Mishra about this episode in todays times highlights the same…

The new airport is all set to put holes in the pockets of the travelers under UDF charges and roaring taxis that will clinch out few more hundreds, that’s the story now!! The infrastructure starving city is now getting hoaxed by this new ‘arrangement’ by and between few that would churn many closing the HAL airport…uhhhh!
(more…)

Here’s the poster for the Car-Free Day

Do join the initiative if you can….

The car-free week is already on and will culminate in a cycling meet on April 27th.

bhisheka Krishnagopal wrote:
Date: Tue, 22 AApr 2008 11:42:00 +0530
From: “Abhisheka Krishnagopal”
To: prashanth178@yahoo.co.in
Subject: Training Programme on Bio-Resources’

Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), Bangalore chapter is organizing a free ‘Vacation Training Programme on Bio-Resources’ from May 6th to May 26th 2008.

Funded by Department of Bio-Technology, Government of India, this program consists of lectures and interactive sessions with eminent scientists and experts in the field of biology and bio-resources, visits to research institutes, orientation to skills required for field-biology and out-door camps.

Students who have appeared Class X examination in 2008 from recognized schools in Karnataka are eligible to apply.

For application forms and other details visit http://atree.org/vpbr_0508.html or contact 98806 12474.

Last date to receive completed applications is 28th April 2008.

You may also contact:

Abhisheka Krishnagopal for any clarifications

Those who belong to the “mainstream” are often unaware of some events that touch the lives of those who belong to the “fringes”.

I was walking down the Jayadeva flyover when I noticed these posters:

Here’s the English one:

and the Kannada one:

I had never been aware at all that there was this kind of initiative to give some voice to some of the minority groups in our city. Unfortunately, the posters do not clearly specify where the venue is (I do not know where Bannappa Park is) and so might have lost a lot of their effectiveness in getting a gathering there.

I wonder who organized this rally and cultural event, and how it went.

Life is tough enough when one belongs to the “normal” category; I can only imagine how it must be if society in general does not accept one, and one faces derision and castigation at every turn….many people handle it by not being open about themselves. Those who are honest enough to declare themselves as being “different” are those who face the maximum difficulties.

I saw the posters too late to attend the event; but they made me think a lot about the human condition, and tolerance, or the lack of it, in our society.