Once filthy Nandi lake has been rejuvenated
The Hindu
The project had begun in 2018
Restoration and rejuvenation of Nandi lake in Chikkaballapura have been completed following a comprehensive conservation exercise that commenced in 2018. The exercise was carried out by United Breweries Limited (UBL) and United Way Bengaluru (UWBe), a part of global NGO United Way Worldwide.
Nandi lake was filled with construction debris, garbage, and weeds. The rejuvenation of Nandi lake, and restoration of Kalyani and Gunduthopu (community forest) at Nandi village was taken up to arrest the degradation of the Nandi eco-system and around 50 water bodies in the area.
Hampi, the UNESCO-recognised historical site, was the capital of the Vijayanagara empire from 1336 to 1565. Foreign travellers from Persia, Europe and other parts of the world have chronicled the wealth of the place and the unique cultural mores of this kingdom built on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. There are fine descriptions to be found of its temples, farms, markets and trading links, remnants of which one can see in the ruins now. The Literature, architecture of this era continue inspire awe.
Unfurling the zine handed to us at the start of the walk, we use brightly-coloured markers to draw squiggly cables across the page, starting from a sepia-toned vintage photograph of the telegraph office. Iz, who goes by the pronouns they/them, explains, “This building is still standing, though it shut down in 2013,” they say, pointing out that telegraphy, which started in Bengaluru in 1854, was an instrument of colonial power and control. “The British colonised lands via telegraph cables, something known as the All Red Line.”
The festival in Bengaluru is happening at various locations, including ATREE in Jakkur, Bangalore Creative Circus in Yeshwantpur, Courtyard Koota in Kengeri, and Medai the Stage in Koramangala. The festival will also take place in various cities across Karnataka including Tumakuru, Ramanagara, Mandya, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Hassan, Chitradurga, Davangere, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru.