These pictures were shot on March 21 2020, the day before Covid-19 lockdown. My high school friend Anil and I met at Cubbon Park’s Corporation Circle gate for an early morning walk. The sights brought back primary school memories… when I was in VII standard, our class had represented our school in the year’s Kannada Rajyotsava function at Kantirava Stadium. After the function we had walked into Cubbon Park and found a spot to rest around this very place. Back then the paved foot-path wasn’t there.
The little red structure was a kind of nursery to as I remember. There was a collection of potted plants including hanging pots.
On Google Maps this structure is marked as Fern House. Probably this was once a fern nursery hence the name. As you see it’s basically a mantapa with mesh screens on it’s sides. Once could call it a greenhouse too.
Anil and I approach the greenhouse for a closer look. On the grill framework was a cover of creepers. On these platforms were rows of potted plants, can’t remember what plants but surely it would be show plants.
There still are flowering creepers here. I think it was Anil who noticed the engraved slab on the lintel.
That’s the inscription, it’s in Kannada which reads as: ಸುಂದರ ನಗರ ಗೌರಿ ಮಂದಿರಂ ~ Sundara Nagara Gowri Mandiram. Also there’s a date.. 23-3-1___ ..the year’s numerals are unclear. I feel this is a XIX Century structure so the year could be 1884 CE. The name raises a question if this was a temple originally. Quite possibly yes. On the other side of the road is an active shrine named Sri Dakshinamurthi Devastana.
Close to the fern house is a tree with a kinky trunk. The formation is unique, never had I seen such a trunk. Wondering what caused the tree to take that form.
After a relaxing walk, we headed to Kantirava Stadium, not for sport but for snacks. There’s a self-service eatery within the stadium premises which is not crowded at this time of the day. We chatted and snacked for a while and headed home. For the next month and half the entire country was locked down to contain the spread of Covid-19. A totally new experience for the urban world.
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