Keeping Kempegowda alive in B’lore’s heart

Keeping Kempegowda alive in B’lore’s heart
Deccan Herald

Efforts are on to chronicle the life and times of Kempegowda and the legacy of Yelahanka Nada Prabhus.

It appears that only lip-service is being paid to perpetuate the name of Kempegowda, the founder of Bangalore, which has now become one of the most recognised cities in the world.

On the one hand, there are self-styled voluntary organisations which have been lobbying to name the proposed international airport at Devanahalli as “Kempegowda International Airport.” On the other hand, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike indiscriminately presents the Kempegowda awards annually.

The Kempegowda Study and Research Centre (Chair), instituted by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) at the Bangalore University has been collecting data on the life and times of Bangalore’s founder and on the Yelahanka Nada Prabhus.

The Chair’s co-ordinator M Jamuna is reluctant to give any details of grants made by BMP, but she said grants were made only once when the Chair was established in 2002.

The Chair’s challenge is to get materials and sources relating to Kempegowda, about whom not much is known. A research project on ‘Kempegowda and Yelahanka Nada Prabhus” is on, and has four editors working on it in the areas of literary sources, folklore sources, inscriptional sources and architectural and sculptural remains. In all, four volumes are proposed to be brought out.

Another major research project is on the “Irrigation system of the Yelahanka Nada Prabhus”, besides research projects on the irrigation system of the times, stratification study of Bangalore and architecture of minor dynasties of Karnataka, among other things.

It is ironic that Bangalore which is known for information technology has very little information on the rule of the Yelahanka Nada Prabhus. The rule which stretched over hundred years has not received the attention of the scholars.

The vital role played by the Prabhus in the politico-economic and cultural life of the people around Bangalore compels an intensive research into the various aspects of their lives and times.

Research in this area is important if Bangalore is to be promoted as a City of culture, history and heritage.

History has to be seen and felt by the visitors to the City and by the common man, rather than confine it only to books. Towards this end, the Chair during 2004-05 undertook a documentary film on the historical sites of the Yelahanka Nada Prabhus and undertook the preparation of the CDs of the sources (primary and secondary) and studies on Kempegowda and Yelahanka Nada Prabhus.

Another major contribution of Kempegowda is “Bangalore Pete” characterised by names of places like Chickpet, Balepet and Gollarpet, which continues to be the hub of commercial activity. The BMP has plans to widen the roads in this area. However, in many old cities of western countries such heritage areas are made vehicle-free zones or pedestrian zones.

There has been a hue and cry about neglect of Kempegowda’s fort in Magadi and a demand to declare it an archeological monument. Any monument which is 100 years old is deemed as an ancient monument under the Ancient Monument Act and the same applies to Magadi Fort, which is over 400 years.

However, in some quarters such as the historians, it is felt that declaring the fort as a national monument will not ensure its safety. The task of protection, preservation and exploitation of tourism potential of the vestiges of Kempegowda’s legacy should be handed over to a trust, they feel.