Namma Bengaluru* Murals: Bangalore of a Bygone Era

Last September when I was in India, I got to fly out through the new Terminal 2 of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIAL) in Bengaluru. It was the first month of international services out of T2 and my very first time in this new terminal. There was so much to see here including some murals and installation art. One piece that won my heart was this mural of old Bangalore.

I found neither the artist’s name nor any information on the mural. However, it was beautifully done and it sure was a picture of a bygone era; a picture of Bangalore before it became the Silicon Valley of India. This mural shows a part of an uncrowded Brigade Road, an almost empty alley, a store called Namma Diary, which must be a mention of the historical Nilgiri Diary — a family-owned business that dated back to 1905 — and a salute to Koshy’s, a beloved Bangalore Cafe that’s been operating since the 1940s.

That was on the bigger stretches of the mural. There were smaller parts of it that highlighted some gardens and some countryside, if I remember correctly. And is that a statue of social reformer Basaveshwara or Basavanna?

I’d love to know more about this mural and more about Bangalore of those days, now. Anybody with anything more to share about Bangalore of these times (early 20th century), please feel free to do so in the comments. TIA 🙂

A mural of old Bangalore

And if you would like to see this mural while you are at KIAL, remember it is in Terminal 2. It’s near the shopping area.

KIAL’s Terminal 2

Talking of the new terminal of the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, let me tell you that T2 has been designed to reflect the nickname Bangalore used to be known by for a long time —“The Garden City.” Bangalore, the capital of the state of Karnataka, is now better known as the Silicon Valley of India.

Terminal 2 is a showcase of lots of native plants and trees, hanging gardens, manmade waterfalls & pools…making it a garden in itself. Then there’s the bamboo decor and installation art that have made this part of the airport an attraction.

KIAL’s T2, which was inaugurated around a year ago is said to have started domestic operations at the beginning of the year and international, in September of 2023. 

Have you been to Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, recently? 

Some more glimpses from this insta-worthy airport here: KIAL’s T2

More:
Art at Terminal 2, Bangalore International Airport
Aircraft Murals from Bangalore

*Our Bangalore (Namma means ‘our’ in Kannada, the language spoken in the state of Karnataka)

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