On the Walk to Brigade Road

Old adages are repeated more often when you visit places or address situations that deliver its worth meaning. I sense this is why the adage 'Old Is Gold' is prominently true when you visit the shops and restaurants of Brigade road in Bangalore. At the outset,let me confide: my intentions were not to write some nice words for Brigade road, but accidentally I found myself in no other choice but to use it.

Today was a day for couple of my bachelor friends, and it made more special for us because of many of our girlfriends were away or let us just say out of station. The plan was to hitchhike, play lots of games, eat at our fav den and maybe just maybe a bit of old flirting game. I was a little tired after been standing in the queue for getting the refunds for the IPL Semis, which never took place in Bangalore.

The gang had already joined in Nava Arya, a Maharastian Restro, which is located at the dead end of Brigade road. The gang had already started feasting themselves, and I did not waste much time in ordering my favorite Chole Bature and Masala Chai. Trust me readers, a chole bature worth of Rs. 30 from this place would take you to seven heavens of taste. The bature is very smooth and devoid of oil and choles absolutely yummy. As we ate, I mentioned this to my friend how this same item cost Rs.50 in the Embassy Golf Links, Bangalore.

After this, we hit upon Bowling Zone, an exclusive Bowling zone unit in Vasanth Nagar. We did some shopping in the old pashmia shops in Brigade road. The shop owners had been prominence from the last century and a visit to these shops makes you realise the reasons. Courteous, knowledgeable and helpful-the shopkeepers make you realise why shopping in India is such an interesting phenomenon. 

First, there will be the customary smile, the interest of exhibiting their products, then the routine apology of inability to show the best products, and finally a no-no to money. It looked as if the entire cycle of marketing is followed here. And, one more thing, the shopkeepers definitely know the purchasing powers of the customers.

Everywhere we went we saw banners related to IPL merchandise and products. While Empire Restaurant of Church Street invited you try their chicken biriyani and try your luck. How? by a mere purchase of biriyani and if your luck favors it you get a chance to meet player of Royal Challengers Bangalore. And, if that was not enough Nyx offers go to a length more by offering 50% discount on

alcoholic drinks during the IPL matches timings.

A visit to the Deccan Herald office in MG Road, and you can still get a chance to see a library inviting readers to browse and read. History cames alive as I scrolled through the newspaper pages of post-independence era.

Back to the present and my eyes could not stop the glimpse of a box, outside the library but right at the center of the reception bay. It read "Drop your visiting card to win an IPL Tickets." Ironically, a few days back a bomb was found in The MG Road area, which made the organisers shift their venues.

It was a day spent in the company of friends in an alley where I spent a lot of college days. But, maybe the tall buildings constructed these days decementing an India Coffee Day and metro work has taken the charm of my old Bangalore. But, the zing is and Brigade Road still beats as I could find the age old Kohinoor restaurant beating with crowds. Guess, the only thing constant is change, but you cannot change good habits for they make wonderful memories.