The heritage value of Cubbon Park

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru:

Since 2018, Heritage Beku has been campaigning to maintain and preserve Bengaluru's fading heritage. Their focus is to have an agile, dynamic, evolving framework to reflect citizen voices & channel it to positively impact the preservation of the city's heritage - be it built, natural or cultural.

This year to mark World Heritage Week, which is observed between Nov 19 and 25, they will be organizing a book discussion and chat with Roopa Pai the author of Cubbon Park - The Green Heart of Bangalore. Roopa told News Trail, “Most people are conditioned not to think of trees and parks as heritage.

We usually think of government buildings, temples, and palaces but trees and parks are very much part of our heritage. This is why my book has been picked by Heritage Beku as the kickoff event for World Heritage Week.” Her book is a tender yet well-researched book on Bangalore's Green Heart, one of the most iconic tracts of our city's natural heritage – Cubbon Park.

As for its importance, she said, “It has a space that has borne witness to happenings both on the City side and Cantonment side of Bengaluru for the last 152 years since it was created. It is at the intersection of the two and after Bengaluru became the capital of Karnataka, these two sides were merged and Cubbon Park became the space where both sides could meet and greet each other in a space of neutrality.

It has been the stage and backdrop for so many important events connected with our city.” This will be the only offline event of Heritage Week this year with the other events happening virtually that include Kadlekai Parishe on November 21, Maharajas & Music on November 23, and Heritage Post-Its on November 26.