Right decision for a wrong place

Right decision for a wrong place
New Indian Express

The Mayo Hall will be converted into a historical museum dedicated to Kempegowda, the founder of Bengaluru.

"The BMP’s decision to set-up Kempegowda Art Museum is highly laudable."

It truly depicts the social, cultural and political heritage of our city. Kempegowda’s noble works as a master planner-architect would be echoed in Bangalore. But Is Mayo Hall the right place to enshrine the name of Kempegowdas and house the inscriptions of his period is a matter to be seriously thought of?

Though Mayo Hall stands as the most elegant heritage building on M G Road, it is no way connected with the Kempegowda’s regime. Neither the edifice is built by an Indian. Mayo Hall, the municipal office of the cantonment was built by the British in memory of Lord Mayo, who was assassinated in Andaman Islands in 1872.

I feel Kempegowda Museum should be housed in a different edifice in the Fort Area or the BMP should rethink of building a separate structure completely dedicated to Kempegowda at his own province of Yelahanka where he was the chieftain and was called as Yelahanka Naadu Prabhu.

(Arun Prasad, Research Head, Discover Bengalur).