These kind of roads are disappearing in a fast developing country like India, you are not going to see them any more.
Once Bangalore Mysore road looked like the above picture, the road was a bit broader, thick Shady trees lined up all the way to Bangalore. It was a joy ride in my childhood, until a few years ago. The picture below is Bangalore Mysore highway now. Took this picture last month, the work is still going on. All the trees are gone. Beauty completely destroyed.
I am not against development. As Chinna suggested, the old road could have been left untouched and declared a heritage road. there is plenty of land available for a new road. Karnataka is a big state. Still the bull dozers are working.
This is a Railway station.
Muthalamada, Kerala - Tamil Nadu border, but falls in Kerala. My recent discovery. Most romantic railway station I have seen. please click on the picture for a full screen view. I have posted Pollachi Pallakad train journey pictures in Blunt knife. please take a look at other stations on this route.
To our bad luck if the local politician becomes a minister, he would think of developing his place, funds are allotted, this gives him a chance to make money. This peaceful railway station will get raped, hundreds of years old banyan trees will get chopped in no time, without a thought.
Fortunately Indian Railways are very environmentally conscious, they will not allow any tree to be touched. but they give in to the political pressure. To leave the place untouched too requires a great deal of imagination while developing a place. Hope these stations don't become a victim to development.
Blunt Knife
Travel and Photography blog
I love those kinds of old timey roads Rauf. We have some of them still in Canada. Plus, there are many roads for logging, they can be dangerous but often they afford a beautiful view and adventure. Isn't it mysterious to follow a country road?
ReplyDeleteThe trees are incredible in these photos.
Don't worry byt he way about linking...but if you should like to it's very easy. I find it convenient to link all my pals because it's a fast way to go visit their blogs.
You know how you link past posts like you did in this post? Well, linking other blogs is similar. Right below your proile on this blog page you can see a list of "links" it says google news and two others with links?
Okay, so go into your blog...and instead of clicking on "posts" or "create" click on...
TEMPLATE...scroll down till you find the html that includes "google news"
The easiest way to learn to link is simply delete the "goggle news and replace with the address of blog you would like to link.
Then you will see the entire html code of how to link blogs.
Well again more wonderful photos and thanks for your great visits always love to hear your thoughts!
Candy
http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com/
Yes, I know rauf. Its so painful to even think. All done in the name of development. No easy solutions there!
ReplyDeleteIt's terrible to see irreplaceable and beautiful things disappear due to bad planning and short-sightedness. I had never seen trees like the ones you took a picture of at the railway station. They look so ancient and inspire such awe! I don't know how anyone dares consider bringing them down!
ReplyDeleteTrees! Lovely ones at that. Hopefully enough survive in the world for our children and grandchildren to enjoy!
ReplyDeleteThe more we go forwards...the more we go backwards. well i guess everything has to be balanced, huh?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful banyan trees! They
ReplyDeletehave the right to be where they are; after all they can't move. I'm feeling this closeness and oneness with nature again. I had this when I was a little boy.
It is kinda sad that the concrete jungle is eating away the beauty of nature. These pictures remind me of my childhood.
ReplyDeleteWe can't stop development Candy, I am complaining about lack of imagination and planning.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your guidance. I'll try it out Candy. I would love to have the links to my favourite blogs on my page.
Welcome to my blog Gautami. Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteNow Bangalore Mysore bus ride is non stop and it is very tedious journey. Earlier it had many stops, I used to have Maddur Vadai, Naariyal paani on the way, fruit sellers lined up all the way, the journey used to be very exciting.
Unfortunately they do bring them down without a shred of compassion Claudia. Bangalore - Mysore road had thousands of such trees lined up all the way. Now it is a 4 lane highway. A new highway was needed to cope with the ever growing traffic. Plenty of land was available for a new highway. It was constructed without any careful planning.
ReplyDeleteI'll write about the damage in a new post soon Don. The future doen't seem to be bright enough for our children and grand children. India gained independence from the British in 1947 and had 40% of forest coverage, now only 3% is left of it.
ReplyDeleteEver so thoughtful and imaginative Laila ! True we are actually going backwards. Now the State od Karnataka and tamilnadu are fighting for river waters, its like war, resulting court cases and in riots. the basic needs are no longer the priority. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have gone far ahead in technology. but people of the land are struggling for survival struggling for water, farmers are committing suicide
ReplyDeleteImemine, this is happening in a country where people worship banyan trees.
ReplyDeleteThere are some with low branches. great comfort sitting under a banyan tree Imenine.
I prefer Bangalore Mysore by train Aamir. Now I skip Bangalore, my eyes start burning and i get skin irritation on the first day, but body gets adjusted very fast. 3rd day its fine. I am scared to cross the roads, and I can't afford Bangalore any more. The technology or the electronic city is moving towards a breaking point. Last year I slept without a blanket and had a cold water bath which I never did in the past.
ReplyDeleteI have read and read of bsnyan trees. i hope to sit under/in one someday. so special......
ReplyDeleteGangadhar, If the politicians can make good safe drinking water reach people would be a great development, but unfortunately there is no money in it for them. they make money in destrying the place in the name of development.
ReplyDeletePeople worship banyan trees here Hayden, They appear in holy scriptures. A banyan tree inspired a bunch of people to have a all religion society here.
ReplyDeletei wish that it was possible to hold on to those moments and places. i realize this as i get older-i want to be little and behind my rose-colored glasses
ReplyDeletesome times I wish our lives were like a computer Miss Terri where you could undo the blunders of the past. If not, cling on to moments and hope the time doesn't pass.
ReplyDeleteI hate to see mother nature be diminished into an oblivian because of greedy ass people...
ReplyDeleteHi Cari, sorry for big typos there in my post, I never check. Railway authorities in India are very careful about environment. Its the silly politicians who are greedy. they don't care plundering and destroying the place.
ReplyDeleteHi Cari, sorry for big typos there in my post, I never check. Railway authorities in India are very careful about environment. Its the silly politicians who are greedy. they don't care plundering and destroying the place.
ReplyDeleteHi Cari, sorry for big typos there in my post, I never check. Railway authorities in India are very careful about environment. Its the silly politicians who are greedy. they don't care plundering and destroying the place.
ReplyDeletethe station reminds one of malgudi days no?
ReplyDeletethat's an awesome pic of the trees on either side of the road.
Oh yes Angeldust_xtc, very much, same atmosphere. Swamy and friends and MCC (malgudi cricket club) is missing.
ReplyDeleteI love the banyan trees too, have seen them in Florida. They also remind me of the ancient yew trees in UK and Ireland. You are right, it is an incredibly romantic train station, and there can't be anything quite like it anywhere else. I also agree that there must be creative and imaginative ways to develop areas without destroying the beauty of nature. We are terrible at this in the States, terrible. I wish I were younger and had gone into urban planning to make a difference.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThe loss of such beauty can not be justified by progress. Progress can be made with kindness to the past. If we are very lucky, some of what we have known will still be there for our grandchildren. I have a friend in the US who is making a photo record of all of the indigenous flora and fauna that he can find. I believe it is a worthy goal. ...Z
ReplyDeleteRuth, Banyan trees are fun for children. Its nature's entertainment for children. Some are huge, Nice to sleep under them in day time when its hot.
ReplyDeleteWhen funds are alotted for development politicians officials are in a hurry to make money, giving no room for careful planning and deep thinking.
Yes Zareba, this is the land which has been exporting wisdom for centuries. But the establishment takes very unwise decisions sometimes. It is very sad that we have been destroying natural beauty.
ReplyDeleteI just read a book called The Faithful Gardener by Clarissa Pinkola Estes that I think you would enjoy. It is very short (76 pages), and all about Trees.
ReplyDeleteSee if you can find it- it's a nice little treat!
The same everywhere I guess. Different landscape, but I have memories of roads/land from my childhood here in the US that parallel yours.
ReplyDeleteLovely pics..but the last pic is chumma too good Rauf!Wish I were there in the train,sipping railway kaapi, enjoying the beauty of everything around from the train window.But perhaps I would have missed it...so thanks to yr wonderful eyes and the beautiful images you capture.
ReplyDeleteSure Rachel, I'll look for it, if I don't find I'll ask my friends in US to buy it for me. Thanks for the sugesstion.
ReplyDeleteDarius, US perhaps is 5 times the size of India and less people. So the damage would be less.
ReplyDeletewhattoo e2dees, you know that the kaapee would be bad but still we drink railway kaapee. Nice to drink something hot in a speeding train with good landscape outside the window. I love banyan trees. hope they don't murder them. Thank you for sending me there e2dees.
ReplyDeletegorgeous, gorgeous pics, Poms ! Loved the railway station ! never seen one without it's concrete surroundings, and seeing this one, was really pleasantly surprised. loved the Banyan trees *hugs* for the gorgeous pic
ReplyDeleteLord Booey, its so sad I couldn't spend any time there as I was in the train. Swell place it is. Click on the picture for full screen view. Next time I'll go there spend some time but I would be stranded there as it is in the middle of nowhere, hardly a couple of trains crossing each way.
ReplyDeleteA shame to lose these lovely trees! How could anyone think of destroying such beauty? Very stunning scenery! I'd much rather drive or walk under a canopy of trees on a winding dirt road than on a highway. Great post, Rauf!
ReplyDeleteWe have to pay a price for development Patty, Politicians are in a hurry to implement their plans, so no imagination or careful planning or thinking goes into the development.
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