Kalasipalyam is today a buzzing centre of activity of all sorts, but it carries a dramatic history: 18 century Battle for Bangalore, between Lord Cornwallis and Tipu Sultan, was fought in the area.
It is stories like these about the Bangalore Fort and Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, both protected areas under the Archaeological Survey Of India, that are sought to be revived through ‘The Tiger Comes To Town’, a series of guided tours intended to familiarise the city with its history.
Organised by the Centre for Public History (CPH) at the Srishti School for Design and Technology, the walks were first researched by students of Srishti. They were taught ‘oral history’, an interview-based mode of retelling history through people’s memories of their lives. The stories they collected were then assimilated into guide material for the walks, which begin today.
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Both Tipu’s Palace and the Fort are monuments recognised by the Archaeological Survey Of India, but there was a lack of documentation around the historical significance of the structures. “People would walk in and out of the Fort in ten minutes,” says Aliyeh Rizvi, of the CPH.
Aliyeh also authors a blog, called The Turquoise Cloud, on Bangalore and its local history. Through her interest in Bangalore’s history and other engagements with the Fort, she knew there was much more to be told about the Fort and its significance. “There are motifs to be seen, so much to be analyzed… it’ll take an hour and a half at least.” And so ‘The Tiger Comes To Town’ came into being, with half-hour-long walks through the day on Friday and Saturday.
The walks are aimed at both children and adults; schools are welcomed to take their students. For now, the material is in English. “Our target for now is English-speaking schools,” acknowledged Aliyeh. “But we’re trying to translate the material.”
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The overall ethos is one of trying to reconnect with the past, in a personalised, individual way – through storytelling and physical experience rather than the dry, packaged ‘history’ fed to us in schoolbooks. “We’re interested in the presence of the past, as it were,” explained Indira Chowdhury, director of the CPH. “We’ve been taught history by our colonial masters largely – this is another way to explore.”
The guided walks are the first step in a project that extends till December, and attempts to connect the city to its history; future activities will include artistic performances and a wider reach.
‘The Tiger Comes To Town’ will take place on Friday and Saturday at the Bangalore Fort, opposite the Anjaneyaswamy Temple, KR Road, next to the Vani Vilas Hospital, and near Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, Bangalore.
Guided walks will take place through the day in batches of 8 to 12 people per batch, beginning at 10 a.m.
There will also be a Shadow Play, which will recreate the Battle of Bangalore. This will occur every half hour, beginning at 10.30 a.m.
Entry to all events is free. Contact 41114791 for details.