On a Saturday night in autumn, a handful of us gather next to Cubbon Park metro station in downtown Bangalore, the capital of India's southern Karnataka state. The sky is inky blue and a cool breeze blows frequently, carrying subtle hints of rain. The monsoon is retreating, with rains holding for the moment.
The busy traffic junction in front of us is winding down. This is probably a good thing since we are about to embark on an unusual journey – seeing Bangalore – really “seeing” it – at night.
From the docking station nearby, each of us picks a Yulu bike, an app-enabled electric mobility vehicle that feels like a toy scooter. A trial reveals it to be noiseless, smooth and easy to manoeuvre. “It’s safe and the fastest you’ll be able to go is 25 kilometres per hour, so enjoy,” says leader Prathyush Mandar of Gully Tours, a boutique experiential tour company behind the Midnight Trail of Bangalore.
The tour starts slowly. Behind Mandar, we head out hesitantly in single file into sparse traffic, trying to acclimatise. Round the corner, about 300 metres away, is the first stop, in front of Vidhana Soudha – the seat of the state government and the city’s most famous building.
By day the large granite building, depicting a melange of South Indian architectural styles, is striking. At night, lit from within and silhouetted against the dark sky, it is breathtaking.
In front, lit bronze statues of Bangalore founder Kempegowda and 13th-century saint-philosopher Basavanna add to the dramatic scene. Normally, the wide streets and pavements are full of vehicles, tourists and vendors. At this hour, there is hardly any traffic, very few people and a lone puffed-rice seller who doesn’t seem to be doing much business.
As we gaze, Mandar briefly explains its history and that of Karnataka High Court, a Pompeii-red building across from it, which is shrouded in darkness. The incessant noise of the day has given way to long bouts of silence, perfect for soaking up the buildings’ majesty.
In the stillness, I see a trio of fruit bats silently swooping around nearby trees, their large wings much darker against the sky. It is both eerie and fascinating.
I reluctantly clamber back on to the bike and head east with the rest. Suitably acclimatised to the vehicle, I open up the throttle and love the feeling of whizzing by with the cool breeze on my face.
Soon, we are at the next stop, near the busy Balekundri Circle. A Parsee fire temple hides in plain sight, something I hadn’t noticed before despite passing by thousands of times. We skirt around it, since it is out of bounds for non-Parsees. Mandar places it in context of Bangalore’s history, quizzing us and engaging the group with insightful questions and cheerful banter.
We zip around the city’s Cantonment area, which is replete with colonial history and names such as Cubbon Road, Union Street and Plain Street. We stop frequently, either at a historical venue or because the skies decide to open up.
Mandar uses the stops to regale us with mythical stories surrounding the city’s name: “A wandering king was fed boiled beans by a poor woman and named it Bendakaaluru – literally, the town of boiled beans, which got simplified to Bengaluru, the city’s local name. In reality, it’s just a story.” He shares snippets of royal and colonial history, its label of Pensioners Paradise owing to its salubrious climate and laid-back attitude, and its gradual rise as the country’s tech capital.
We often stand and stare at silent edifices – St Andrew’s Church, military establishments, colonial-era houses on Kamaraj Road and crossroads with ornate doors, embellished facades and monkey tops (a colonial architectural element to deter monkeys), such as the 1916 one dedicated to British theosophist and founder of the India’s Congress party, Annie Besant.
As the witching hour approaches, traffic is all but non-existent, far from the bad rap Bangalore attracts for its congestion. It is surreal to zoom around silently, the streets filled with dappled shadows thrown by yellow street lamps and avenue trees (gulmohar, tabebuia, jacaranda and rain trees). In between, we stop to refuel.
At Santosh Chat House on Union Street, a small but popular street food vendor, we tuck into hot and spicy mixed chat and vada pav (spicy mashed potato fritter in a square bun). Elsewhere, milky masala chai on Dispensary Road is perfect during a downpour.
We dodge rains and join MG Road, downtown’s most popular 2.5km stretch. It’s past midnight and there’s some traffic, but nowhere near the daytime rush. By now the bike is my friend and I gleefully push it to maximum speed, passing the 140-year-old colonial Mayo Hall housing civil courts.
Our last stop is Lake View Milk Bar, a storied, century-old institution and old haunt, where we slurp on ice creams – chocolate for me. The place is so popular that even past midnight, it is crammed and we jostle for space under the outside patio, buffeted by whiffs of sizzling brownies and hot chocolate fudge. It is nostalgic and blissful.
More than three hours later I head back to where we started, passing the towering St Mark’s Cathedral. On my right, Chinnaswamy Stadium, cricket’s bastion, looms large. On match days, it reverberates with cheering fans and its brilliant floodlights are seen from afar. On this night, it stands dark and silent, a brooding presence. On my left, the beloved Cubbon Park, now pitch-black, is equally as gloomy.
A bit unsettled, I hurry along. Soon, I am back at the docking station and we bid our goodbyes. But the night’s moving montage of my city, in an entirely different light, lingers. And I feel richer for it.
Match info
Manchester United 1
Fred (18')
Wolves 1
Moutinho (53')
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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ABU DHABI CARD
5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions; Dh90,000; 2,200m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap; Dh70,000; 1,400m
6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden; Dh80,000; 1,600m
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige; Dh100,000; 1,600m
7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige; Dh125,000; 1,600m
8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1; Dh5,000,000; 1,600m
Netherlands v UAE, Twenty20 International series
Saturday, August 3 - First T20i, Amstelveen
Monday, August 5 – Second T20i, Amstelveen
Tuesday, August 6 – Third T20i, Voorburg
Thursday, August 8 – Fourth T20i, Vooryburg
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Who: France v Italy
When: Friday, 11pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
The%20team
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'
Rating: 3/5
Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro
Writers: Walter Mosley
Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins
SWEET%20TOOTH
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Conservative MPs who have publicly revealed sending letters of no confidence
- Steve Baker
- Peter Bone
- Ben Bradley
- Andrew Bridgen
- Maria Caulfield
- Simon Clarke
- Philip Davies
- Nadine Dorries
- James Duddridge
- Mark Francois
- Chris Green
- Adam Holloway
- Andrea Jenkyns
- Anne-Marie Morris
- Sheryll Murray
- Jacob Rees-Mogg
- Laurence Robertson
- Lee Rowley
- Henry Smith
- Martin Vickers
- John Whittingdale
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
ANDROID%20VERSION%20NAMES%2C%20IN%20ORDER
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)
Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)
Saturday
Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Sunday
Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)
Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)
Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)
Scorebox
Dubai Sports City Eagles 7 Bahrain 88
Eagles
Try: Penalty
Bahrain
Tries: Gibson 2, Morete 2, Bishop 2, Bell 2, Behan, Fameitau, Sanson, Roberts, Bennett, Radley
Cons: Radley 4, Whittingham 5
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Honeymoonish
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Most match wins on clay
Guillermo Vilas - 659
Manuel Orantes - 501
Thomas Muster - 422
Rafael Nadal - 399 *
Jose Higueras - 378
Eddie Dibbs - 370
Ilie Nastase - 338
Carlos Moya - 337
Ivan Lendl - 329
Andres Gomez - 322
