Weathered cities and old buildings have always captivated me. So last month, while in Goa I was delighted to come across one such city. Just out of a grueling overnight bus journey from Bangalore, I was hungry and in search of a good café. Panjim Bus Stop was overflowing with touts peddling rooms, bikes, cars, everything on rent! I needed a short break to refuel myself. And, headed away from the crowd towards the Blue Tokai Café, in the nearby Fontainhas area. A stroll led me to a lovely toy-town bridge. The low, curving bridge had pretty yellow trimmings and artistic arches. A sign elaborated its history: The Patto Bridge is…
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Urban Sketching – Bible Society Heritage Building, Bangalore
Urban sketching at MG Road, near the Bible Society building. A watercolor of a heritage building in Bangalore.
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Cantonment Railway Station – An Illustrated Travel Story
Urban Sketching At Cantonment Railway Station Last weekend, our Urban Sketchers meet was at the Cantonment Railway Station, Bangalore (BNC). While most of us were geared up to sketch amidst the bustle and chaos of a typical Indian railway station, what we found was a place of astonishing stillness. The arched walls and green rooftops look as though they simply stood still and refused to move to make way for Bengaluru! A group of Railways employees was conducting a Swachh Bharat survey. They asked us a few questions and moved on to complete their round of the station. A train with a vivid red engine stood by the platform the entire time…
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Food Trails in Hanoi Old Quarter
As we hit the streets of Hanoi Old Quarter, it was like entering a magical world. Being Indian, we found the noise and chaos quite familiar and non-threatening. Tiny food vendors on the pavements, the fragrance from each corner, the array of small seats with locals munching on sunflower seeds and sipping never-ending cups of ice tea created an atmosphere quite unique. Some of the roads were packed with backpacker abodes. Millions of things and lives coexist on these tiny lanes, enjoying the coexistence, enjoying the cacophony. Food is an integral part of Vietnam travel. In Hanoi, like all other Vietnam cities, there are very few billboards. What catches…
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Urban Sketching: Siddhaih Road, Bangalore
The Urban Sketchers Bengaluru meet in the first week of August was all about automobile repair shops. We met across Urvashi Theater. A relic from the single screen theater era, this theater was famous for its great sound system. K. C. Nanjunde Gowda, a film producer and prominent businessman of Karnataka, constructed it during the 1970s. Before multiplexes became popular, this was a hep place where college students would hang-out. We walked along the Siddhaih Road and found a nook where we could gather and sketch. The turnout was very good with some newcomers and a guest from Portugal. We also had a few goats who ambled around quite comfortable being sketched! I…
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Dust, Noise, and Colors – Urban Sketching at Russell Market
Russell Market was an assault on the senses – there was movement everywhere, a cacophony of colors and shapes, making it impossible to decide what to sketch. I was walking around the Russell Market area in mid-July with my fellow urban sketchers. A cool breeze kept us company, as we walked around looking for sketching points. We met at the auto stand, opposite St. Mary’s Basilica. And walked up to Russel Market. An old, peach-colored building, with Indo-Islamic style turrets and arched windows, greeted us. As I walked in, abundant flower and fruit shops greeted me. The market building also offers pet shops, gardening equipment, dry fruits, toys, groceries, and many other…
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Urban Sketching – Karnataka High Court – Art is in Session
Last night’s rainfall washed all the trees and buildings in and around Cubbon Park. The heart of my city was in vivid mode. We met at the Karnataka High Court for our weekend Bangalore Urban Sketching. The two-storeyed, red building with white highlights stood out amongst the greenery all around. This building was constructed in 1869 for the Mysore High Court. It housed the eighteen public offices of Mysore Government, earning it the name of Attara Katcheri.
