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.
Jawan
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
The specs
The specs: 2019 Audi Q8
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 340hp @ 3,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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