Streamlining Cubbon Park Process for Crowds

26 Dec 2024

Ms Kusuma

Deputy Director

Cubbon Park

Bangalore 560001

Dear Kusuma,

Thank you for your dedication to maintaining and enhancing Cubbon Park. Your efforts in keeping the park vibrant and accessible are truly appreciated. In view of the recent issue with Cubbon Reads and the previous blow up with Skaters Group, I would like to offer some suggestions to improve visitor management and public engagement, which I believe will support  core mission and enhance the park's reputation. While your focus in the preservation and flourishing of a green horticultural heritage park, it is still a public space and beloved by all.

Suggestions:

1. Clear Rules and Communication: 

 - Publish a clear set of rules (ensuring they are valid, genuine and people friendly) on the website and display them at main entrances. Well written & clear notice  boards are key. 

 - Ensure that security personnel are well-informed about these rules and the reasons behind them. This will enable them to enforce regulations consistently and professionally.

2. Enhanced Security:   

- Evaluate the current security agency and consider upgrading to a more professional service or investing in comprehensive staff training.. Training and being empowered is key. We can help on this,    

- Well-trained security personnel can de-escalate situations and prevent public relations issues. 

-increased CCTV spots and crowd management via CCTV feed .

3. Rule Justification: 

 - Clearly communicate the rationale behind park rules (e.g., restrictions on photography, dogs, etc.).    

- When visitors understand the reasons for rules, they are more likely to comply. Show pics of litter on Monday morning that staff clean up, so the amount of litter created by holiday crowds is understood

4. Additional Staffing:   

- While acknowledging budgetary constraints, consider the benefits of additional staff, particularly at a managerial level, to oversee park operations, stakeholder relationships, and day-to-day issues.

- Look at volunteer group like NCC, Rotary, Plog Army or Ugly Indian on peak holidays

5. Crowd Management:   

- Explore the possibility of deploying home guards or BBMP Marshalls on weekends and busy days to manage large crowds effectively. An experimental drone could be a good idea

6. Website /Media Updates:   

- Keep the website , Facebook and Instagram current and informative.  

 - Proactively communicate any changes or updates to key partners like Cubbon Park Walkers Association, We Cubbon Park, and Heritage Beku to foster collaboration.

7. Permission Process:   

- Review the practicality of the current permission process for groups of 20 people or more.    

- Consider allowing certain semi commercial activities like guided walks, which can boost tourism.

8. Park Maintenance: 

 - Address the need for improved CCTV, building maintenance, and painting.   

- Share staff roles and responsibilities to facilitate communication.

9. Improved Communication and Equipment:   

- Implement a walkie-talkie system for security personnel to enhance coordination.    

- Ensure all guards have access to written rules and circulars, either on their mobiles or in printed format.

10. Activity Board Updates:   

- Regularly update the activity boards at the UB City entrance and Bandstand to inform visitors about upcoming events.

11. Clarity and Positive Messaging:   

- Clearly define, list rules and penalties for non-compliance, and communicate them in a friendly and collaborative manner.

-Involve public – plogging, clean up exercises , suggestion box etc etc     

- Instruct security personnel to avoid escalating issues without informing senior staff.    

- Reconsider rules that may be perceived as unnecessarily restrictive.    

- Share positive messages about the park's environment and amenities to create a welcoming atmosphere. Have a nice day, The weather is great 18 Degrees, AQI is 70 etc

- Have interactive engagements that support loyalty

–Stress  Bandstand revival is widely appreciated. We can organise and suggest a photography contest and a sketch/painting short story. A tree numbered treasure hunt etc

Conclusion:

By implementing these suggestions, I believe Cubbon Park can become an even more welcoming and inclusive space while maintaining its natural beauty and biodiversity. 

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Priya Chetty-Rajagopal

CC: Shyamla Iqbal, Secretary, Horticulture , Dr Jagadish and others

Beaulieu - Back to Front Heritage with #HeritageBeku on 12 Dec 24

We had a wonderful walk through Beau Lieu for BlrHubba, but the rain did play spoil sport! Also people were looking for the actual building in these pictures, not the back view that you actually see from Palace Road.

Here are some articles and snippets about Beaulieu that will help us apreciate this beautiful place more

Bengaluru's Beaulieu: This ‘beautiful place’ was home to a Briton, a Princess and a Dewan

Now, it is the office of postmaster general of Karnataka.

Divya Shekhar, Economic Times

'BENGALURU: Beaulieu is among the most unassuming heritage buildings in Bengaluru. Through its history, it was home to a British civil servant, a royal princess and a Mysore Dewan, before becoming the office of the postmaster general of Karnataka.

Historian Arun Prasad says Lancelot Ricketts, the original owner of place, built the estate across 24 acres. “Ricketts was born to Elizabeth and Richard Ricketts in 1831 in Bengaluru. His father served in the British Army based in Madras.”

The name Beaulieu is derived from two French words — beau (meaning beautiful) and lieu (meaning place). It was, perhaps, inspired by the majestic palace gardens back in Ricketts’s hometown in England, an essence of which he tried to introduce here.

Located on Palace Road, the entrance porch has a flat arch on the north and south sides, with three flat arches in front. In the late 1800s, when the building was built, it was located at the centre of a vast piece of land right next to Cubbon Park.

Lancelott Ricketts held many key posts in the Mysore administration. He mastered the Kannada language and was appointed the first editor of the Mysore Gazette published in 1866, in both English and Kannada. It was more like a regular newspaper that published government orders, according to Prasad. “He went on to become the director of Lalbagh gardens in 1880 and was known to experiment with horticulture and gardening at the estate,” he said.

The man is known to have conducted experiments in growing potatoes and sea island cotton in the estate, which also had a flock of sheep. His attempts were so successful that a particular variety of potato produced in Karnataka was named ‘Ricketts’.

Ricketts became the director of agriculture and statistics in 1887. He also served as the inspector general in the department of forests in 1889, before retiring in 1900. According to Prasad, it was at the time that the estate was purchased by the then dewan of Mysore (Sir TRA Thumboo Chetty) on August 25, 1900, on behalf of Mysore princess Jaya Lakshammanni with the personal funds kept aside for her.

Ricketts died in 1901. Documents in the State Archives indicate that at the time of sale, Beaulieu had a bungalow, farm and sheep sheds and fields.

The princess married M Kantaraj Urs, who succeeded M Visvesvaraya as the dewan of Mysore in 1918. The underpass in front of the estate was once called Kantaraj Circle.'

https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/bengalurus-beaulieu-this-beautiful-place-was-home-to-a-briton-a-princess-and-a-dewan/articleshow/62926437.cms

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Deccan Herald 2011

The Legacy of the British Raj

The building houses the office of the Chief Post Master General of Karnataka Circle and is located on Palace road, opposite Maharani’s College.

The structure and its name evokes a lot of interest, not just for its architecture but also for its name and original owner.

The name Beaulieu is derived from the Latin Bellius Locus, meaning ‘beautiful place.’ It has its origins in the farm house called Beaulieu abbey built in England in 1204 AD on the land donated by King John.

It was built for Cistercian monks whose order originated in France. It was set on a vast plot with gardens and well-kept lawns and walkways overlooking a river called Beaulieu. There are a few other places called by the same name in England: Beaulieu village, mill, and estate.

Lancelot Ricketts was the original owner of Beaulieu. Ricketts was, in fact, born and brought up in Bangalore and was baptised in the City on September 20, 1832. He built the building at the centre of vast grounds abutting the Cubbon Park, and named it Beaulieu, perhaps in memory of his native farm house of England. The Beaulieu estate of Bangalore was built across 24 acres originally.

Ricketts occupied important posts in the Mysore commission from 1860 to 1900. His association with Mysore was so deep that he learnt Kannada and mastered it. He was appointed the first editor of the Mysore Gazette founded in 1866. It was published in Kannada as Mysore Rajapathra.

Ricketts worked hard to conduct official business in Kannada. The credit for the same, though, goes to Lewin Bentham Bowring, then commissioner, but the devotion with which Ricketts worked to improve the quality of the Gazette cannot be ignored. He was appointed the Registrar General of Assurances for both the Mysore and Coorg state in the year 1868.

Love for horticulture

In 1874, Pears, commissioner of Nandidurg division, reports, “Experiments on paddy by Ricketts in his garden are successful. He laid trial plots of potato and cotton in his garden.” It shows that Ricketts had turned his estate in to an agricultural experimental plot.

During his stay in Bangalore, he was deeply involved in the activities of Lalbagh. More than two times he held charge of Lalbagh, first as its Director from September 17, 1880 to November 11, 1881, and then as its curator for three months starting January 29, 1887.

In 1888, Ricketts was made chairman of the Agricultural Trade Fair Committee and successfully conducted the Trade Fair at Mysore. Ricketts was also the first Inspector General of Police of Mysore State when he was appointed in the newly created post on November 1, 1885. He was also appointed Director of Agriculture and Statistics in 1887.

In 1889, the government appointed him Inspector General of Forests and Plantations. During his tenure, he directed the head of the Garden Department to standardise cultivation of vegetable crops, particularly the potato. He even conducted experiments on the vast stretch of land around his house. His estate of 24 acres, 12 guntas was an apt space for trials on cotton and potato.

He had a flock of sheep on his farm. Cameron, who was the Superintendent of Government Gardens, in his annual report of 1890 recorded thus, “Mr Ricketts retained his lease of the Cubbon Park for sheep grazing...Mr Ricketts has conducted experimental cultivation of sea island cotton in his farm, which was very satisfactory and the valuation of the cotton produced there is of higher value.” These documents show how meticulous  Ricketts was in his work.

His experimental work on potato yielded good results. A particular variety is called ‘Ricketts’ in his honour. This variety is still popular in areas where potato is cultivated in the State. Ricketts retired in 1900 and owned the said estate till then.

A document preserved in the State Archives indicates that Cameron, Superintendent of Lalbagh and Cubbon Park, was directed by the government to bring up the sketch of the stretch of land near PWD stores and Government press as claimed by Ricketts.

These documents indicate that the Beaulieu, having “possessed a bungalow, farm sheds, sheep sheds and fields measuring 24 acres” was purchased by the Mysore government.'

Walk The West End with Heritage Beku.. 11 Dec 24

Links

Deccan Herald https://www.deccanherald.com/content/270930/125-years-old-still-retains.html

The Hindu https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/a-walk-that-takes-you-through-125-years-of-history/article3745248.ece 

Bangalore Mirror 2014 A  walk to remember 

There’s a lot for history buffs to discover at this sprawling 125-year-old property

Shivani Kagti

'It’s a slightly cloudy September evening as we meander through the 20-acres of vast green spaces, featuring centuries-old trees, in the heart of what’s fast becoming a concrete city. We are at hotel Taj West End, with a glass of champagne in hand, to experience 125-year-old history. The Art of Afternoon Tea is in progress — it is basically your evening cuppa in vintage colonial style: complete with dainty sandwiches, scones and bite-sized pastries and a guided heritage walk showcasing the colonial beginnings within the premise.

Highlights from the heritage walk:

A 166-year-old rain tree

Our first stop is an expansive rain tree which is older than the property and has been around since 1848. “The base of the tree is so wide that six-seven people have to stand around the trunk and join hands to cover its expanse,” says our guide for the evening and senior horticulturist SLV Prasad, adding that it’s the second oldest rain tree in Karnataka. Apart from this tree, which incidentally, is home to several eagles, are the four stubby Cycad trees at the entrance which are about 150 years old.

Colonial & gothic styles

Under the canopy of the substantial rain tree stands the second oldest structure on the property, which is referred to as the 1905 block. Built in typical colonial style, a point of interest are the teakwood windows, which follow two patterns — colonial and gothic styles (with the more accentuated arch). Apparently, the windows were built in two different styles to divide the load more evenly across the structure apart from the visual appeal factor. With the windows partitioned into two (another typical design element at the time), wooden ventilators or slats are attached to each window which can be adjusted from the inside. On a cool day, like most days in Bangalore, there’s no need for fans if the slats are opened. As we walk the marble-tiled corridors, it’s easy to imagine a cigar-toting Winston Churchill, one of many famous visitors, treading the same path when he was here as a war journalist. “We even have a rare smiling photograph of the former British PM standing next to an elephant at the grounds here,” adds Prasad.

A touch of Italy

As we cross several more patches of green — particularly stunning are an aquatic garden and tall tamarind trees — hidden amongst the foliage one spies the oldest structure here. Started in 1887 as the Bronson’s West End, this building was originally a 10-bedded inn. Later, the owners, a British couple by the name of Bronson, took over a second building that belonged to the Secretary of the Race Club and then a third building which belonged to the Grenadier Guards, an elite regiment that was stationed in Bangalore at the time. Located in the heart of the current premises, it now houses a spa but the exterior has been preserved to retain the old world charm. At the entrance, there’s a patch of Italian mosaic tiles that has been preserved from the time of the Bronsons. Incidentally, the original structure was built by an Italian architect.

The wisdom of monkey tops

At a time, when we are fast losing most of our colonial hang-ups and heritage, including some beautiful Victorian style bungalows, it has becoming increasingly rare to spot some of the inherently charming features of this type of architecture — tiled roofs, distinctive gables, dormers, monkey-tops, trelliswork and intricately carved fasciae. Prasad explains how the monkey-tops (the triangular arches with a steeple on top) were originally built to keep marauding monkeys away. “The uneven and angular structure made it difficult for the monkeys to grab hold of anything or sit,” says Prasad. As we troop through the heritage bungalow, navigating a 100-year-old rosewood staircase, we chance upon several brass chandeliers that have been here since the early 1900s. Two pairs of 60 to 70-year-old hand-painted door frames (now gracing the walls), intricately hand-drawn maps of peninsular India, an unusual Tanjore painting and a pair of Ming vases — all dating back to the colonial era — are casually strewn across the hallways.

A royal heritage

Taking a breather from the architectural tour, we are led to another spacious garden, the 11,000 square feet Prince of Wales lawn, named after the royal personage when he visited in 1962. As we take in the gulmohar, pine and rain trees that populate the park, it’s easy to visualise Dame Peggy Ashcroft, sitting on a cane chair here reading a book or two, while filming for David Lean’s A Passage to India. Adjacent to the gardens, is the Muneshwara temple which was part of the original plot. Not wanting to hurt local sentiments, the temple was kept as it is. “A few years ago, during a storm, a tree fell upon the temple. The tree broke but the temple was more or less intact,” adds our guide. Behind the lawns, is a herb garden and nursery. Don’t be surprised to run into a stray turkey or guinea fowl while surveying the area.

A lost art

At the end of the tour we are led back to where we started and there in one corner is a reminder of another lost art — letter writing. Standing proudly on one side of the porch is a first-generation postbox that has been here since 1887. Used by soldiers during World War II, Prasad shares this amusing story of how miscreants would steal letters from the letter box during wartime. “They would attach chewing gum to a thread and drop into the postbox to withdraw letters. They would keep whatever was relevant and discard the rest. This way, many letters never found their way to their destination.” Given that every day, at 4 pm, the letter box is cleared by a postman, we are encouraged to mail a postcard. It’s tempting, and perhaps, this is the best way to end a walk that truly takes you back in time.'