Prof Murthy was born on May 10, 1931 at Hirekogalur in Channagiri taluk of Davanagere district.
Bengaluru :
Noted historian and writer Prof M Chidananda Murthy passed away in the city on Saturday morning. The 89-year old scholar was being treated at a private hospital for age-related issues. His cremation will be held with state honours on Sunday. He is survived by a daughter and a son.
“His wish was that he should not be buried, but cremated. We are just doing it,’’ Prof Murthy’s son Vinay Kumar told The New Sunday Express.
Prof Murthy had worked for protecting monuments of Hampi. He had stated that a few people had been destroying the monuments looking for treasure, believed to be hidden there.
He along with Prof L S Sheshagiri Rao (who passed away recently) had submitted a report to the government on Kannada which played an important role in according the classical language status to it in 2008. Renaming of Hyderabad-Karnataka region as Kalyana Karnataka was one of his demands, which the state government met recently.
Prof Murthy was born on May 10, 1931, at Hirekogalur in Channagiri taluk of Davanagere district. A post-graduate in Kannada from the University of Mysuru, he was greatly influenced by writers like Kuvempu and Pu Thi Narasimhachar and historians like S Srikanta Sastri. He obtained his doctorate from Bangalore University in 1964 for his thesis ‘A cultural study of Kannada inscriptions’.
He authored more than 25 books in Kannada. He is known for criticising the then-Siddaramaiah government’s decision to introduce Tipu Jayanti and accord a separate religion status for Lingayats.
Prof Murthy who had headed the Kannada department of Bengaluru University was a recipient of Kannada Rajyotsava, Nadoja and other awards.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Prof Murthy’s death. “Dr M Chidananda Murthy was a doyen of culture and literature. His passion towards Kannada language was noteworthy and so were his efforts to preserve unique aspects of our rich history. His demise is saddening. Condolences to his family and admirers,’’ Modi tweeted.
Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa who visited Prof Murthy’s residence on Saturday told reporters that the scholar had worked for the identity of Kannada and the state. “When I was the CM earlier, I had requested him to become an MLC, but he declined citing his old age. He was a straight forward person. Whenever he found someone twisting history, he would react,” he said.
He never used a computer
In the era of Internet, Prof Chidananda Murthy preferred handwritten communication. Whenever he wanted to convey his message to an individual or organisation, he would just use a pen and a paper. Prof Murthy taught epigraphy (inscriptions) at Bangalore University. Noted writer Baraguru Ramachandrappa, one of his students, said, “Even during the typewriter era, he would prefer writing with hand. In fact, he would teach me how to make notes during my PhD. Whenever he read books, he would take notes”, he said. Prof Murthy neither owned a typewriter nor did he use a computer. Noted writer Siddalingiah said whenever there was an issue related to the state or its language, Prof Murthy would write to persons concerned. His handwriting was clear, he said.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Ashwini M Sripad / Express News Service / January 12th, 2020
Sustained efforts are underway to mobilise trainees from villages in and around Bijapur, Davanagere and Chikkaballapur.
The plants are priced between Rs 100 and Rs 2,000 Meghana Sastry
Bengaluru :
The Association of People with Disability (APD) is displaying a showcase of plants, flowers and herbs nurtured by differently-abled professionals and trainees of the organisation at their 21st garden fair. The 10-day fair will conclude on November 24, with proceeds from sales going towards the livelihood training of people with disabilities.
The annual fair has been organised for over two decades now but the focus remains the same: To groom the abilities of the disabled folk in order to help them sustain a livelihood. Nataraja C, senior coordinator, APD, says, “We have displayed plants section-wise basis with fruits, herbs, flowers, indoor plants, outdoor plants, succulents and cacti. We also have an orchid stall this year.” The plants are priced between `100 and `2,000.
Sustained efforts are underway to mobilise trainees from villages in and around Bijapur, Davanagere and Chikkaballapur. The organisation identifies families with differently-abled members and motivates them to stand on their feet through a six-month course on horticulture. The differently-abled men are also provided hostel facilities during the course, which involves a variety of activities and treatment for individuals who require support with their disabilities. “Our involvement in arrangement of plants and dealing with customers during the plant fair sales gave us a practical understanding of horticulture sector. It was truly a knowledge enhancing program and the fair has uplifted our life standards through the horticulture intervention,” says Beeresha CD, trainee.
The fair also saw a string of workshops on kitchen gardening and herb and terrace gardening. It will close with a workshop ‘Oota from Thota’, which translates to food from your garden and focuses on the organic food essentials one can grow and procure from their garden.
The fair will be held till November 24 at the The Association of People with Disability, Jeevan Bhima Nagar.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / November 23rd, 2019
Coming from an art background, he feels happy on having various cartoonists such as B G Gujarappa inspire him to make a mark in the world of cartoonists.
Bengaluru :
As an artist from Karnataka, Y S Nanjunda Swamy feels honoured to be a part of the Indian Institute of Cartoonists this year. His exhibition on caricatures will witness a number of caricatures made using different art techniques along with fine drawing styles.
Coming from an art background, he feels happy on having various cartoonists such as B G Gujarappa inspire him to make a mark in the world of cartoonists. He also says observing many senior cartoonists and their works is what has inspired him to deliver detailed works that range from a variety of familiar faces of musicians like Lata Mangeshkar, sportsmen like Rafael Nadal, politicians, actors and poets.
“As a cartoonist, it is not work, it’s art and I love the fact that I have so many cartoonists that have inspired me and helped me accomplish,” says Swamy, who is the winner of multiple awards such as International Caricature Spirit Contest, Traditional Caricature Art Contest and Vyangya Tharanga Caricature Contest. This year, his aim is to grow more as an artist and focus on art techniques.
The exhibition is on from Nov 9 to 23 at Indian Cartoon Gallery.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Sukanya Mitra / Express News Service / November 05th, 2019
After 30 years of retirement, 91-year-old NS Dattareya feels fit enough to come back to the ground.
NV Dattareya and his son Murli go for a 5km run every morning. (Photo | EPS)
Bengaluru :
NS Dattareya, a 91-year-old man, who recently ran the 5km ‘Run for Unity’ marathon in the city, has become an inspiration not just to policemen and citizens. Netizens have taken to social media to heap praise on him as well.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru East, Isha Pant, tweeted a picture of the nonagenarian on the day of the run, calling him an inspiration. Soon, several people, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao, reacted to the post and lauded Dattareya for his zeal and passion.
Dattatreya developed an interest in marathons and walkathons in January this year. After his first race in January, he started urging his son, Murli, to participate in more and more marathons with him so that they could inspire youngsters. S
Soon, they both started a routine of running 5 km every morning.
Dattareya maintains a healthy diet that includes as many greens as possible. He said that his record of fitness goes back to his school days, when he a part of the football team. However, when he joined State Bank of Mysore as a manager, he could not keep up with sports.
After 30 years of retirement, he feels fit enough to come back to the ground.He runs 5-10 km daily, but he ‘cheats’ on Mondays. With more than 50 medals and 10 trophies in his kitty in less than a year, 5km is no big deal for him. As an athlete, he has covered distances of more than 20km in one go.
“Every weekend I search for places where I can run,” he said. Dattatreya will represent India in the 21st Asia Master Athletics Championship in Malaysia on December 2 this year.“Everywhere, we are able to feel the energy, josh and love, which is nothing less than motivation,” he said.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Rhia Cyril / Express News Service / November 04th, 2019
Rajendran aka A Raja of Chamundeswari Watch Works | Photo Credit: K Murali Kumar
In an age where replacing is considered more convenient than repairing, mechanics of timepieces are slowly becoming irrelevant
It is tempting to say that Kamaraj Road is untouched by time. For you find here: little stores with hand-painted signboards, over half-a-century-old houses with wooden doors opening out to the streets, stray cattle and street dogs lazily perambulating in its narrow arterial lanes, petty shops selling obscure sweetmeats in plastic and glass jars among other things. But these are mere remnants of the past. Like a fading, half-torn poster of Kamal Haasan from the 1980s on a concrete wall on the road, these too shall, one day, cease to exist.
If you wander through the road, you will find some places housing fascinating objects of history hidden in plain sight — it is necessary to do this by foot as it is near-impossible in this congested, one-way to stop your vehicle and search for these spots. A wooden reclining chair outside Sakthi Antique Clocks & Furniture catches the eye. The shop’s cramped interior has four chairs, a table and about 30 wooden timepieces, predominantly pendulum and cuckoo clocks, occupying the walls. The proprietor, Mahesh and the repairer, Ilyaz Ahmed, occupy two of the four chairs. Like a scientist probing a specimen through his microscope, Ilyaz, at his table, inspects a wristwatch with his loupe. This is his third year at Sakthi and his fifth workplace in 55 years as a timepiece technician.
“This is all I know,” says Ilyaz. At 13, he joined Aero Watch Company in 1964. He was not a watch-repairing prodigy. “In my next job at Everjoy, there was this man called Sampangi, whom I consider my teacher. He would rap my knuckles with forceps if I made a mistake.” Those raps, he says, made him responsible. “I was not educated. So, if not for him, I would have been a rogue.”
Aero Watch Company, Everjoy and Sampangi do not exist today. Analogue clocks are not any more a necessity. It is an age where replacing is considered more convenient than repairing.
When asked if he likes his job, Ilyaz responds, “Yes, there is 100% satisfaction.”
Pieces of novelty
Akshay Pillai, 38, has a fascination for old things. Paintings, cricket memorabilia, fashion designs, typewriters… He collects them all and considers them a novelty because they would be unfamiliar to an observer belonging to this generation.
Akshay’s most cherished collection are the clocks. When he was 19, he had stepped into Chamundeswari Watch Works, a repair-cum-sales shop in Sivan Chetty Garden Street, on Kamaraj Road. Intrigued by its display of clocks — in various sizes and shapes — it was his gateway into the world of antiques. Its owner A Rajendran, known as Raja, showed the curious teenager one clock after another, some of them dating back to the 18th Century. He told him collecting antique clocks is not just for millionaires; he could, too, if he wished. So, Akshay studied antique clocks, catalogued them for auction houses, and, eventually, started collecting them.
Made in France in 1920, the skeleton clock has its workings laid bare | Photo Credit: K Murali Kumar
“Before industrialisation, there were only handmade clocks. A clockmaker took care of the mechanism. Then, it would go to the casemaker. If you wanted some metal engravings, it went to a blacksmith. So, it involved at least a couple of people’s work to produce a clock.”
Clocks were rare. Sometimes restricted to royalty. “In India, it was a status symbol. The maharajas of Jodhpur had them.” If you owned them towards the end of the 18th Century in Great Britain, you had to pay taxes.
Clocks were mass-produced following industrialisation. The invention of the battery-powered, auto-oscillating quartz clocks in the 1920s spawned millions of them after a few decades. Until then, clocks needed to be wound, adjusted during warm and cold weather and serviced occasionally. They needed a repairer.
Still winding
Chamundeswari Watch Works (CWW), consisting of centuries-old clocks, appears unassuming from the outside. Its flex name banner has a typo. Chamudeshwari, it reads. An eatery next to it, Sri Krishna Fast Food, sells veg fried rice for ₹40. Despite the bustle outside, Raja, CWW’s proprietor and repairer, works on a watch, listening to ‘Naanamo’ from Aayirathil Oruvan, a 1960s MGR film.
Like many residents of Kamaraj Road, Raja is of Tamil descent. Before the road was renamed in the 1970s to commemorate K Kamaraj, the former Tamil Nadu chief minister, it was known as Cavalry Road. British soldiers from the Cavalry regiment stayed there. Later it became a hub of moneylenders and traders from Tamil Nadu. Raja’s father Anandan worked for the Indian Telephone Industries while moonlighting as a wrist watch repairer. When Anandan started a shop in 1967, Raja would watch his father with fascination as he opened the case of a watch and worked on its tiny spiky wheels and springs.
Raja took over from his father and expanded CWW from a modest wrist watch repair centre to a reasonably big shop that sold and repaired antique timepieces. It has clocks of many sizes and types, spanning centuries, from different parts of the world. The fine creations of pre-industrial clock-makers from all over Europe continue to tick in a narrow lane in Bengaluru.
The shop’s history is rich. But Raja isn’t. His father left him a house and a shop. With these, has managed to make ends meet. But clock repairing is not a lucrative occupation. His wife says he hardly gets customers. “Today we had no one… but he continues to do it because he likes it,” she smiles.
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As a collector, it is scary to see these repairers fading away
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Quartz has simplified and depreciated timepieces. “In Quartz watches, you just need to replace the machinery or the battery. It is a five-minute job,” Raja says. This work fetches him ₹50 to ₹100. Whereas, he would earn about ₹500, servicing a mechanical watch. “Mechanical watches are complex. They have an elaborate machinery and need to be serviced regularly. But they stay for a long time.”
“The reason why clocks from the UK and other places abroad come to Raja is because it is very expensive to repair them in the UK,” says Akshay. According to recruiter.com, a watch repairer in the United States usually gets an average wage of between $24000 (about 17 lakh) and $36000 (about 25 lakh). That is perhaps more than Raja’s lifetime earnings from repairing clocks.
“There are only a handful of repairers of antique clocks left in Bengaluru,” says Akshay. Raj Kumar Chandrashekar Chettiar, 58, a fourth generation clock repairer from Hubli and Mohan Kumar, who runs Praveen Watch Company, are other names that Mahesh of Sakthi Antique Clocks & Furniture mentions. “As a collector, it is scary to see these repairers fading away.” Ilyaz, however, is optimistic. “There was Dilip Kumar in the beginning. Then came Amitabh Bachchan and now Shah Rukh… God will send someone.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> MetroPlus> Society / by Praveen Sudevan / October 28th, 2019
Balkrishna Doshi speaks exclusively to Metrolife about why great Indian architecture hasn’t percolated down to our dwellings, and how technology is robbing us of our intuition.
Doshi has set up a foundation to promote affordable housing in India.
The Indian Institute of Management in Bengaluru celebrated its 46th Foundation on Monday, and unveiled a plaque in honour of its architect Dr Balkrishna Doshi. The legendary Doshi has worked closely with master architects such as Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn. His iconic design for the IIM-B campus is hailed across the world.
During his visit to Bengaluru, Doshi, 92, delivered a lecture titled ‘Between Encounters and Dreams’ at IIM-B.
The Padma Shri awardee and Pritzker Laureate has been instrumental in establishing the Vastu Shilpa Foundation for research in environmental design. The foundation has done pioneering work in low-cost housing and city planning. Metrolife caught up with him for a chat just before the celebrations.
Why do you think Bengaluru has not been able to retain its architectural charm?
Very simply, we are charmed by other cultures and technology and pursue personal interests. We don’t want to bother about environment or society. It is not just in Bengaluru but all over. When you use technology and tools, the personal rapport is reducing. When everybody is busy in their own world, then naturally the real world is not there. How many hours of the day we are using mobile phones and other technology… we really have no time to chat. We don’t talk casually. A few years ago, we would meet friends and talk about things we felt were important to us and then you carried the conversation home. But today, that world doesn’t exist. We have now found alternatives which may be technology and not human and that has become an essential part of our lives. The human values and concerns, ecological concerns, where are they? All the time we are busy.
What are your suggestions to make Bengaluru a better place in an architectural sense?
Why just architecturally, I think it should overall be a better place! How do we improve ourselves if we cut the trees, if we take the foliage, if we don’t go to the gardens and if we don’t have the time to reflect on our natural wealth but widen the roads and move around in cars? In fact, we have never taught people from childhood the real meaning of virtues like togetherness, or ponder over something that is nourishing. Why do people still go to temples? Because it is where they think there is some connection. Now we go to the temple, but our mind is not there. The trees are cut, roads are widened and landscapes are changed; are we gaining anything or losing?
Karnataka has a record of great architecture, right from Badami to Belur – with temples that are beautifully structured. Why didn’t this sense of architecture come down to ordinary folks? Why do you think our cities and homes are so miserably designed ?
When we look at a temple, it is the intangible, an inner calling that we look at. One tries to connect from the inside. Now there is a disconnect. Today, we have become materialistic and technologically oriented. Technology has taken over our spiritual content – the intangible one – where there was reverence, inquiry and an attitude to do things. What is our focus today, what are we searching for and what would it be that would make us the happiest? These are things we don’t want to ask now. We want to do greater and faster production but what about our villages and towns that are gradually shrinking? Ecologically, the natural resources also have depleted, where is the place to remain ourselves? We think it is progress but we are forgetting that progress is connected to something higher and not just restricted to material progress. This is a major problem in planning and architecture.
Which city do you think is architecturally the most pleasing?
Well, the cities in the south are better. Of course, Varanasi is there, but that’s also dying. I did a project there, so I visited it often. Suddenly, there is a wedding procession and the public is still; then after some time, in some other place, the procession of a dead body is making its way and people stop and give way. I have always wondered how Varanasi never had a problem. That city has an underlying meaning to it.
His design vision for IIM-B
‘One of the things that I tried to do at IIM-B was to reverse the order. The IIM campus talks about nature, leisure, casual walks and one’s relationship with nature and the cosmos all the time.’
Quick takes
On what cities are losing:
One of the essentials we had was the gift of intuition, thinking about reverence, togetherness, humility and concern for others… I don’t think they are there anymore.
On being celebrated in films like ‘Ok Kanmani’:
That was by chance (laughs). It was Mani Ratnam who did this and it had nothing to do with me. The more time passes the more reflective you become, so I wonder.
But what I try to do is to find a way to look at time as one of the major elements and energy as another. So, if I can find a way to fuse time and energy and look at production as a meaningful thing, then those projects become important. So, everywhere, I would like to save, recycle, readjust.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> MetroLife / by Surupasree Sarmmah / DH News Service / Bengaluru – October 29th, 2019
The statue of Sir Mark Cubbon, Commissioner of Mysore in the mid-19th century, is on the move again. Its new home will be Cubbon Park, which is named after him.
The Lord Cubbon statue outside the High Court | NAGARAJA GADEKAL
Bengaluru :
The statue of Sir Mark Cubbon, Commissioner of Mysore in the mid-19th century, is on the move again. Its new home will be Cubbon Park, which is named after him. The statue, located near the back gate of the Karnataka High Court for some years now, will be shifted in front of the bandstand in Cubbon Park within two months.
According to Rajendra Kumar Kataria, principal secretary, horticulture department, there was a long-time request from the High Court to shift the statue, and ever since, the department had been searching for the right place to relocate the statue sans damage. “We needed to decide on the place and also required a group of experts to have it shifted without any damage. The work has been allotted to the Public Works Department (PWD), and we have also given a letter stating that there should be no damage to the park property while carrying out work,” said Kataria.
This is not the first time Sir Cubbon is being moved — the statue was first installed in the Parade Ground in 1866, then moved to the front of Attara Kacheri, and later behind it.
Kusuma G, Deputy Director of Cubbon Park, said that about 20 days ago, they had received orders to have the statue moved. “The orders had come from the High Court and the horticulture department identified the spot in front of the bandstand. The PWD started work a week ago and we were told that it will take about two months for work to be completed. An expert team has been called upon to move the statue.”
Meanwhile, the battle over the relevance of the Cubbon statue continues. Members of the Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association (CPWA) have been celebrating the birth anniversary of Sir Mark Cubbon every year since 2012, by visiting the High Court and garlanding the statue. Now, they are more than happy with the statue being moved.
But a set of protesters which doesn’t wish to see statues of British officers, is demanding the removal of Cubbon’s statue. “Most of the people didn’t know that Mark Cubbon’s statue is located near the back gate of the High Court, where no one was allowed, and now with it being shifted, everyone will know about it. Lord Cubbon’s contribution to the city is immense,” said Umesh Kumar, advocate and CPWA president.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Iffath Fathima / Express News Service / October 29th, 2019
Meet Gajendra, who has been doing artwork on glass for over 13 years; give any empty alcohol bottle to him, and he will turn it into a piece of art.
Bottles crafted by Gajendra Siddalingappa Meghana Sastry
Bengaluru :
They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure and Gajendra Siddalingappa has made this his philosophy of life. Give any empty alcohol bottle to him, and he will turn it into a piece of art.
What used to be grey goose vodka bottles, Kingfishers beer bottles, has now turned into an abstract looking planter, clock or an ashtray. Gajendra says,”By far, my bestseller has been the ones that are made out of Morpheus brandy bottle. In my last exhibition, a lady picked 10 of them.”
But how does he do it? “The empty bottles are placed in moulds of different shapes and are placed in a furnace for 24 hours at the temperature of 750 degree Celsius. The bigger bottles are kept in 750 degree Celsius and for smaller bottles it’s 550 degree Celsius. It’s a 24-hour process because if the furnace is opened before time it will start getting cracks,” says Siddalingappa. All the moulds that are used are made by Gajendra, but sometimes he himself can’t predict the shape of the final product. The reason could be quality of the glass or sometimes the placement or reasons that he also can’t explain.
Gajendra has been doing this for more than 13 years. After his matriculation, he lost his father and was forced to take up odd jobs to support his family. One of the jobs that he did was, working in a glass cutting factory. One day he came across a clock made out of a melted alcohol bottle, which his owner had brought from Singapore. He was so fascinated by the piece that there was no turning back for him. “Every morning I wake up and think about what new to make out of these empty bottles,” says 43-year-old Siddalingappa, who sources the empty bottles from a factory in Peenya.
This born artist also made a special mention about his employer who has given out his garage to him to use it as a workshop. “I work out of a space that is supposed to be my employer’s garage. He has given me full liberty to experiment with what I do,” says Gajendra, who makes around 12 -15 pieces month. Depending on the pieces the price ranges from ` 250- ` 2,500. He has exhibited his work all across the country, and is gearing up for an exhibition in Hyderabad next month.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Monika Monalisa / Express News Service / October 26th, 2019
Aakarsh Shamnur, an urban professional, along with other like-minded people have been providing solar lamps for the daily use of street vendors in the city.
Bengaluru :
In this festive season, when a myriad number of lights are seen in the city, a solar lamp devised specially for street vendors stands apart. In an initiative started on Deepavali three years back, 30-year-old Aakarsh Shamnur, an urban professional, along with other like-minded people have been providing solar lamps for the daily use of street vendors.
Aakarsh is an architect who studied B Arch from RV Engineering college and did his masters in Urban Management and development from the Netherlands. Through the year he designs buildings and engages himself in other architect-related work. However, during Deepawali, he supplies solar lamps to street vendors.
“Every time I saw street vendors working in the dark, I wanted to do something for them, that is when this idea came up. They contribute a lot to the urban economy and help us get fresh items at our doorstep,” he said.
A stall is lit up with the solar lamp that was gifted by Aakarsh Shamnur; (inset) Shamnur gives a solar lamp to a vendor | Express
The solar lamp can run for ten hours and these lamps were first distributed in Jayanagar. With the help of crowdfunding, Aakarsh started making more lamps and helped vendors work in the light.
At present, street vendors use petromax or kerosene lamps, which cost them more. Solar-charged lights can help save cost and is a healthy alternative. “So far we have distributed around 250 lamps in Karnataka. We are also distributing such lamps in Chennai and Kolkata this year. All the lamps manufactured in Bengaluru,’’ he said.
Earlier, we used to give one lamp which would cost Rs 1,500, now we are giving two such lamps per vendor, which cost Rs 3,500.
This Deepavali, he insists people come forward and provide financial aid to this endeavour, “I am allergic to crackers and these days many prefer cracker-free Deepavali. So instead of buying crackers if they give us money, it can be used to make solar lamp and help vendors,’’ he added.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / October 27th, 2019
After the success of mango delivery, the postman will now deliver figs, pomegranate and guava at your doorstep.
Picture for representation purpose | Express
Bengaluru :
After the success of mango delivery, the postman will now deliver figs, pomegranate and guava at your doorstep. The Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Limited (KSMDMCL) in association with India Post, will arrange for the fruits to be picked up directly from the farmers and sent to your home. The department will also supply live phalaenopsis orchid plants neatly packed.
“Our mango supply scheme, started this season, was a big hit and it benefitted both farmers and the consumers. We were appreciated from both ends. We want to encourage other farmers too and help with supply of good quality, farm-grown fruits to the consumers directly,” said Dr C G Nagaraju, Managing Director, KSMDMCL.
He said the consumers can be cent per cent assured that the fruits will be pesticide-free and very fresh and tasty. As there won’t be any middlemen, the beneficiaries will be both consumers and farmers, he said.
The booking of the orders have started for which the consumer has to register with their address and phone number on http://karsirimangoes.karnataka.gov.in . And once the booking is made by paying online, a message is sent to the farm owner who then brings the order to the General Post Office.
“The farmers are also trained on how to do the packing and also when to harvest the fruits. Along with their own storage spaces we also have packhouses in Maadhikere from where the packages will be dispatched to respective post offices. We have tied up with the postal department and they have been very encouraging,” he said.
While the price will be very close to market rates, the director said that there will be extra charges only for the packing and the courier.
The department started the supply of guava on October 4; pomegranate and fig will be supplied from November 18. The fruits will be delivered on every Tuesday and Friday.
A box of seven guavas will be Rs 160 and a box of 2kg pomegranate will cost Rs 300. The farm-fresh fruits will be procured from Ballari, Kolar, Bengaluru Rural and Chikkaballapur to begin with.
Interestingly, the live orchid flowering plants of different varieties including phalaenopsis orchid or Moth orchid will come in flower pannicles which can be used as table plants too. Two sticks will be packed safely in the pannicle and the plants can even grow indoors and will have excellent life, the officer said. The flower plants will come from Alur in Hassan.
One of the consumers who had ordered mango from the service expressed happiness and told TNIE, “I would be more than happy to order fruits and it’s exciting to know that even orchid plants will be delivered to the doorstep. Mangoes were really delicious with no trace of pesticide in it. I will register today itself,” said Deepthi Nagaraj, a homemaker.
The department which is limiting its supply to consumers in and around Bengaluru as of now, plans to soon extend the services to other tier-two cities.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Chetana Belagere / Express News Service / October 06th, 2019
