A Stroll Through The Golden Age: Bengaluru’s Swarna Marga Aims To Restore City’s Rich Heritage – News18

Last Updated:December 01, 2024, 07:00 IST

The Swarna Marga, or Palace-to-Palace Corridor, is a 4.7-kilometre route that begins at Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace in Chamarajpet and ends at Bangalore Palace near Mekhri Circle. This historic stretch traverses iconic landmarks, heritage buildings, and forgotten gems

Architects and conservationists are pushing for the implementation of this project, which delves into Bengaluru’s 500-year history. Representational image/X

Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar’s proposal to develop Basavanagudi as a heritage corridor under the Brand Bengaluru initiative has reignited interest in the city’s centuries-old cultural legacy. The announcement has prompted heritage enthusiasts to advocate for a long-pending project, the Swarna Marga, or Golden Route, which aims to preserve and showcase Bengaluru’s rich historical narrative.

Architects and conservationists are pushing for the implementation of this project, which delves into Bengaluru’s 500-year history—from its founding by Kempegowda in 1537 to its emergence as India’s Silicon Valley.

The Swarna Marga, or Palace-to-Palace Corridor, is a 4.7-kilometre route that begins at Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace in Chamarajpet and ends at Bangalore Palace near Mekhri Circle. This historic stretch traverses iconic landmarks, heritage buildings, and forgotten gems.

‘A time capsule’

Urban expert and architect Naresh Narasimhan, who conceptualised the project in collaboration with INTACH, describes the corridor as a time capsule. He speaks of how the project advocates for the entire corridor to be declared a heritage zone, preventing new construction or demolition of existing structures.

“This corridor between Tipu’s palace and the Wodeyars’ palace has 53 heritage structures. Every structure has a story to tell that also captures the essence of Bengaluru’s history,” said Narasimhan to News18.

The Swarna Marga initiative also aims to bring to light lesser-known aspects of Bengaluru’s history. For instance, the significance of Avenue Road, located in the heart of Bengaluru, which was a prominent axis in the city during the Third Anglo-Mysore War, when the British planned to attack Bengaluru. The battle fought between the British and Mysoreans along Avenue Road, or how Shahji Bhonsle, father of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, received Bengaluru as a jagir from the Bijapur Sultanate and settled here in the mid-17th century. His son, Shivaji, married Saibai Nimbalkar in Bengaluru before returning to his northern territories.

Among the stories buried in time are the forgotten tomb of Hyder Ali’s maternal uncle in Kumbarpet and the majestic armoury of Tipu Sultan. Each of these sites represents a chapter in the city’s vibrant history but suffers from neglect.

Basavanagudi, one of the city’s oldest planned neighbourhoods, was designed in 1896 by Scottish engineer Standish Lee. Its unique drainage system and wide streets made it a model locality, and it was once home to peacocks and lush greenery. Today, it houses just 15 of the 800–1,000 historic bungalows once scattered across Bengaluru.

Basavanagudi and other historic areas of Bengaluru still boast architectural marvels like the Bangalore Gayana Samaja and Tipu’s Armoury. However, neglect and urbanisation have left many such treasures in disrepair or lost to modern development.

“Tipu’s armoury has been neglected and needs to be well-maintained as part of our history. People who come to Bengaluru think it’s only Whitefield or Electronic City, but there is so much to our city that is deeply embedded in history and can be permanently highlighted for the future,” said Mansoor Ali, an architect turned historian who has been conducting heritage walks to preserve and propagate Bengaluru’s rich culture.

‘Crumbling’ past

Ali, the co-founder of Bengaluru By Foot, walks through the city sharing stories from the time Kempegowda established Bengaluru to the British-era town planning, which functioned effectively until the 1970s and 1980s but has since sharply deteriorated.

“In places like Malleswaram, we have the Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, the Bull Temple, and others. The state government comes up with ideas to save such heritage structures, but they remain just ideas and never come to fruition. Ideas arise when a particular political party is in power, but once that changes, the idea becomes history,” he said.

For example, there was a move to save a 100-year-old structure that was the first residence of HV Nanjundaiah, founder-president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat. It was later donated to the government to start a government girls’ high school, and there was a plan to make it a museum in Malleswaram.

“It was the brainchild of Malleswaram MLA and then BJP minister Ashwath Narayan, but for the past five years, nothing has happened, and the project is in limbo. If the Congress, now in power, speaks of Basavanagudi and making it a heritage corridor, we don’t know what will happen to it if there is a change in government,” Mansoor added.

In 2014, the government faced public outcry over its proposal to demolish Balabrooie House, a heritage building, to construct a legislators’ clubhouse. The plan was eventually scrapped, but the incident highlighted the vulnerability of Bengaluru’s heritage. However, Balabrooie House is now set to serve as a legislators’ home, with health experts working on its interiors and structural upgrades.

Rescuing heritage

Groups like Bengaluru By Foot and Bygone Bangalore have taken up the mantle of reviving the city’s heritage. Through curated walks and social media campaigns, they aim to rekindle public interest in Bengaluru’s past.

Ali calls one of his heritage walks Houses of Malgudi, which he conducted until five years ago, covering historic areas like Malleswaram (Mal) and Basavanagudi (gudi), from which the name Malgudi originated. After the Covid pandemic, he says, most of the houses got demolished. This includes the houses of Justice Nitoor Srinivasa Rao in Basavanagudi and Villa Pottipati in Malleswaram. Ali explains that these walks aren’t just about buildings but capturing the spirit of a bygone era.

The Swarna Marga and similar initiatives face significant challenges, including encroachments, poor maintenance, and a lack of government funding. The Tipu Sultan Armoury, a UNESCO-recognised site, sits amid garbage and broken footpaths in Kalasipalyam, reflecting the neglect faced by even the most prominent heritage landmarks.

“Foreign nationals are in awe of Tipu’s rockets and missiles, but when they visit the armoury, it is in such a dilapidated condition, and the approach to it is so filthy that it puts us to shame. We have world-famous structures like this hidden behind modern-day garbage,” lamented Ali.

“The Minto Hospital, one of the premier eye hospitals in the state, and Vani Vilas Children’s Hospital, which was recently renovated thanks to funds from private citizens such as Chintalapalli Venkatamunaiah Setty, Sajjan Rao, SVS Setty, etc, suffered damage due to metro construction. A wing on the southern side collapsed as a result of dynamite used to break the ground,” Ali explained, underscoring the urgent need for preservation. “Without immediate action, we risk losing more of Bengaluru’s history. A holistic plan is required, not just for Basavanagudi but for the entire city.”

There is a pressing need for a Bengaluru Heritage Preservation Act, added Narasimhan. “Without a legal framework, these buildings will continue to disappear, taking with them the stories of the past,” he said.

Deputy CM Shivakumar said, as the Bengaluru-in-charge minister, he was committed to preserving Basavanagudi, the birthplace of Vrishabhavathi, which holds immense cultural significance. There were also demands for the rejuvenation of the Vrishabhavathi river.

Vrishabhavathi, presently little more than a dirty drain carrying sewage and wastewater from the city, originates at the Bull Temple in Basavanagudi and flows through south and west Bengaluru before joining Arkavathi near Kanakapura.

Narasimhan believes that the K-100 waterway project, which runs from Shantala Silk Junction in Majestic to Koramangala in BTM and drains into Bellandur Lake, covering 12 km, is a good example of how the Vrishabhavathi can be developed and kept free from sewage.