Stories behind the area names in 'Namma' Bengaluru
Most of the roads in Bangalore have European names as the main city roads and areas were planned and built by the British. But somehow over the years the significance behind the names have been lost.
Till 1948 MG Road was known as South Parade
Mahatma Gandhi, Sir Mark Cubbon, B.R Ambedkar apart from being historic personalities also share the distinction of having roads named after them. After having lived in Bangalore for quite sometime, most of us always tend to wonder about the origin of names of neighborhoods that we reside in or have visited. Though most of the roads have been named after historic greats from across the world, some seem to have lost their identities over time. People living in Yeshwanthpur or Sadashivnagar in Bangalore would not know, why their areas are known by that name.
In fact not many even know the hidden stories behind the names of some of the prominent areas that is frequented by a large part of Bangaloreans. Most of the areas in Bangalore are named after the British monarch who reigned over India for the greater part of its most dominant period. Delving into the origin of the names of places is an interesting but a difficult task as there is no definitive compilation of these names and the story behind them. In a bid to throw light upon the origin of these names, we bring to you stories behind some of the most prominent areas in Bangalore.
Mahatma Gandhi Road – There are vast eat-outs, shopping centres and book houses on MG Road. It is one of the most popular shopping destinations in Bangalore and attracts a large amount of tourists every single day. It runs east from Trinity Circle to Anil Kumble Circle and has the famous Parade Grounds on the other side. Till 1948 the road was known as South Parade and was later renamed as Mahatma Gandhi Road post-independence on 26 February 1948.
Cantonment Area - The lovely and serene Cantonment area which still represents Old Bangalore was initially named Civil and Military (C&M) Station. It was home to the British Military Garrison and the names given to the roads in the area were according to the military arrangement and campus. Thus, there was Artillery Road, Brigade Road, Infantry Road, Cavalry Road.. Though some names have been changed for certain roads and circles, old-timers in the city still tend to use these names. Since a large part of the British soldiers stayed in the Cantonment area, they heavily influenced the colonial style of architecture which is still seen in some of the houses today.
Lavelle Road – The posh and uptown Lavelle Road which is now home to many International fashion brands was named after an Irish soldier Michael. F. Lavelle, who re-discovered the gold mines in Kolar. It is claimed that mining had completely stopped until M.F. Lavelle applied to the Mysore Government for the exclusive privilege of starting mining in the Kolar district. It is said that he made a living out of the riches he made from the gold mines.
Residency Road – Residency Road is a posh residential locality admired for its good houses and seemingly straight roads. In the earlier days the house of the British resident of Mysore was located on Residency Road and that’s how the name came to be. Around 1883, three new extensions were added to the Municipal area of the region - Richmond Town, followed by Benson Town and Cleveland Town – all named after British aristocrats.
Jayanagar – Jayanagar is considered to be one of the largest planned residential areas. It is home to prominent names like Infosys co-founder, N R Narayana Murthy and late actor Vishnuvardhan, this area has wide roads, well planned layouts and good public transport facilities. The area came into existence in 1948 and is named after Maharajah Jayachamrajendra Wodeyar, who was the 25th and the last Maharaja of the princely state of Mysore. He was a noted philosopher and musicologist who richly contributed to the field of science and music.
Malleswaram - Malleswaram is one of those areas in Bangalore which still retains the old world charm and can be called as one of the most prominent cultural hubs in the city. The area got its name after the Kaadu Malleshwara Temple in the old Mallapura village which was built by Venkoji, the step brother of Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1669. However the area was founded by an aristocrat named Sri Venkatranga Iyengar. He envisioned a locality of affluent who would lead a rich and cultured life and suggested the area of Kaadu Malleshwara be converted into a locality.
Basavanagudi - Basavanagudi is one of the oldest areas in Bangalore which is surrounded by lush greenery and stands out as one of the coveted constituencies in the city. The name ‘Basavanagudi’ refers to the Bull Temple that is located there, which is a monolith statue of the Nandi Bull. The temple was built by Kempe Gowda in the 16th century and the statue has been carved out of single granite rock. Basava in Kannada, means bull and gudi means temple, hence the name Basavanagudi.
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