Prince’s supper of boiled beans and a story etched in stone

Prince’s supper of boiled beans and a story etched in stone
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: In A year perhaps, we will be writing letters to Bengaluru, to despise its road, to hail Silicon Valley. But no one knows with certitude the origins of the name, buried under legends and history.

There are two serious contenders for the title. The first — revolving around 13th century Hoysala prince Veeraballala — has achieved iconic status with its symbiotic themes of a beckoning light in the midst of darkness, hope, food, hospitality and refuge.

It literally spills the beans on a city full of beans as it’s all about boiled beans. The other more scientific version is a 9th century stone inscription.

‘‘The origin of the name has still not been ascertained. That has been argued about for many years,’’ says Arun Prasad, a researcher of Bangalore’s history. While Bengaluru is the point of debate, Bangalore, everybody agrees, was the name given by the British in the 17th century. ‘‘Till a few decades ago, people believed that the name Bengaluru was anglicised from ‘Benda-kaalu-ooru’. The first Gazetteer of Mysore submitted by B.L. Rice supports that Bendakaalooru might have become Bengaluru, and then Bangalore,’’ Prasad says.

The story goes that Veeraballala, who was on a hunting trip, lost his way and was parted from his retinue in the vicinity of present-day Bangalore.

After nightfall, he wandered for hours in the dark before catching sight of a campfire’s blazing light. Tired and hungry, the prince approached the fire where he found an old woman boiling some avare kaalu (a variety of beans).

The poor and humble woman welcomed the royal visitor and offered him a bowl of benda kaalu (boiled beans). Overwhelmed, Veeraballala lost no time in christening that spot as ‘Bendakaalooru’, or town of boiled beans.

‘‘However, this amazing incident does not deserve any credence since a 9th century inscription was found with the name Bengaluru at the Nageshwara temple in Begur (14 km from the City), which is three centuries earlier than the period of Veeraballala,’’ says Prasad.

‘‘The name Bengaluru is clearly inscribed on the stone inscription which dates back to 890 AD. This inscription speaks of the death of a servant of Nagattara in the battle of Bengaluru in 890 AD,’’ says the researcher.

Other stories... • Benga-ooru: The present Gazetteer says Bengaluru might have a floral origin and is derived from ‘Benga-rakta honne’, or Benga trees found here

• Vengala-ooru: Based on the strategic location of Bangalore, which located between hills, it was called Vengaluru

• Benda-kaad-ooru: A huge forest was lost in a fire, thus the area got the name Benda-kaaduru

• Benachu-kalluru: Since the City has many soft-stone boulders it was called Benachu-kalluru

• Vengadooru: This name comes from the Venkateshwara temple in present-day Bangalore. But no records supports this theory