Dharmambudhi Kere - Revisted! :P

No, this was not another ride to an undiscovered lake like my earlier ride but it was a rather nostalgic visit to Majestic/KempeGowda Bus Stand! :P (The existing bus stand was built on Dharmambudhi lake in 80s) The Majestic Bus stand is hardly 1 km from my house, but ever since i have become mobile on 2 wheels, i had stopped bothering about our great BMTC public mass transport system or formerly known as BTS Bus service. I had visited the bus stand just last month, when i had given my Karizma for repairs last month, i had gone to Bus stand to catch a bus to Katriguppe, to go to Sai Motors. But it has almost been more than a decade since i had walked on the elevated walkway in Majestic Bus stand.

I happened to be there today as i had to go to KG Road for picking up some clothes from Raymonds showroom with my friend Girish, who's getting hitched this week. It was gonna be too much of a hassle to take my Karizma to crowded Majestic area, find a parking space and to park and not to worry about the bike! So we decided to go by bus instead! The Raymonds showroom is just below Santosh theatre on KG Road, so after getting down from bus in the Majestic bus stand in some platform, we took the elevated walkway to cross over to the other side. I distinctly remember that last time i had walked "over" the bus stand was when i was a kid, with my parents, i don't remember exactly when, but i just know that it's been more than a decade since i had seen the famed "semi circle" shape of the bus stand from top.

Took few pics from the "view" point" :P reclaimed part of my childhood, somethings never change in Bangalore, no matter how much the city progresses. The walkway had the trade mark paan masala spit marks, Cig stubs, dirt and dust and not to forget, hoards of hawkers selling all kinda wares! Even the Subway, which connects to KG road is full of hawkers and stinks like public toilet! the whole place has the infamous defamation of walls by Small posters, which range from "Astrologers" to "Sex doctors" :O to "Wanted urgently" type ads. After we were through with picking up Girish's Reception clothes, we took a loong stroll in Majestic area, specifically KG Road. Changes are that the famed "Burma Bazaar" is no more, the whole rickety building is being demolished to make way for one more Junk-mall building with glass and AC. The Infamous "Sangam" theatre, which used to screen only Adult movies :P in those pre Cable tv-internet days, has made way to a swanky "Sangam Mall"

Only occupant of Sangam seems to be KFC chicken eatery outlet, most of the mall is empty and yet to be occupied, commercialism of bangalore is trying hard to catch up with Majestic area, but the old city is refusing to loose it's charm that easily, get in to the bylanes of chikpet and surrounding areas, you can see and smell old Bangalore of 1980s and earlier, even today! After recharging my nostalgic batteries, boarded a rickety battered BMTC bus and came back home. Want to get back to real bangalore? make a quick dash to the crowded Majestic Bus stand and spend a day in the surrounding areas, amidst the organised chaos all around you, you won't believe that you are in the famed and hyped Silicon valley, the land of Forum mall-garuda mall-Eva mall and what nots! :P