Bangalore in 1946

[Cooldude]

Hi folks, lets take a trip into the past. Here are some images of Bangalore city, generations old, that were apparantly lost in the pages of history. The photographs below are from the days of the Raj, when namma Bangalore (Kannada for “Our Bangalore”) was a small cantonment town. The year was 1946.

Below is the popular Brigade road. The left hand side building is still standing, and housed the Ashok Electricals & the Post Office. Now it is the Lee and Luis Phillips showroom. The road hasn't got any bigger, but the traffic and the crowd definitely has.

[Cooldude]

Here's the South Parade road, today popularly known as M.G. road. The building seen below is the Higginbothams bookstore, which looks dilapidated on the present day.

[Cooldude]

The picture below is of Hosur Road. The present day Electronics, IT and BPO Hub.

[Cooldude]

The Town Hall area of the city...

[Cooldude]

This strong stone building is now only known as the Oriental Building( presently houses the LIC) and is at the intersection of MG Road (then called as, South Parade) and St. Marks Road. There apparently was a large circle at this junction as can be seen in the photograph. The road seen below is St. Marks Road.

[Cooldude]

This is the Mayo hall. It sure looks much more regal than what it does today. It houses the Courts and was apparently also one of the main Police Station jails. The staircase shown in the picture doesn’t exist anymore, and the view is supposedly that from Residency Road.

[Cooldude]

The City market. The license plate on the car below that shows BAN565 suggests that there were under 1000 cars in Bangalore in 1946 or maybe in the entire state (then known as the state of Mysore).

[sarv_shaktimaan]

nice pictures Cooldi pai.....i saw these in some forwarded mail sometime back...seeing these pics, i have to call up home now (B'lore)....i miss mummy and daddy....:cry:

[Cooldude]

nice pictures Cooldi pai.....i saw these in some forwarded mail sometime back...seeing these pics, i have to call up home now (B'lore)....i miss mummy and daddy....:cry:

Yaar Sarv Bhai, I always considered Bangalore as my second home. I studied my engineering there in the early 90's. Man it was different & a lot more peaceful than it is today.

These photographs too gave me nostalgic memories. :(

[2gud]

Excellent pictures man! That picture of Hosur road really shows the roots from which the great indian IT dream grew!! :D:D And that Puttannachetty hall looks like the only building in a desolate place in those times and as on today it is the only place where there is some open space in a crowded surrounding.

Actually it would have been good if the pictures show the same places as on today!

[sarv_shaktimaan]

Yaar Sarv Bhai, I always considered Bangalore as my second home. I studied my engineering there in the early 90's. Man it was different & a lot more peaceful than it is today.

These photographs too gave me nostalgic memories. :(
ditto same here.....B'lore is home...also my family is staying there now....i too did my engg @ B'lore...
just dont get me started on the good old days in B'lore....have hundreds of memories and stories....

[2gud]

Time for some investigative analysis :D:D

Those photos which are having scooters cannot be from 1946! All you guys who just believed that these photos are all from 1946 are just plain gullible:whacky:

First scooter in India was introduced in 1972, a good 26 years later.

[Cooldude]

Time for some investigative analysis :D:D

Those photos which are having scooters cannot be from 1946! All you guys who just believed that these photos are all from 1946 are just plain gullible:whacky:

First scooter in India was introduced in 1972, a good 26 years later.

Yes Pooh bear dude.... You could be right!! :eek:


The first scooter launched in India was "Vijai Super" by Scooters India Limited. The public sector undertaking Scooters India Limited -- formed in 1972 -- is situated near Lucknow. SIL, which bought over plant, machinery, design, etc from Innocenti of Italy, has the world rights on the trade name Lambretta, Lambro and Lambrittini. In 1975, the company started its commercial production of scooters under the brand name of Vijai Super for the domestic market. In the same year, it launched Lambretta scooters for the overseas market.


Nonetheless, not all photographs have questionable dates. Others could well be of that era as claimed. ;)

[YedaAnna]

nice pics CD pai. today's bangalore doesn't do justice to these pics. in fact bangalore was great until 5-6 yrs ago. yeh ayetee shytee aaneke baad blore ki waat lag gayi. government isnt helping either. :(

[JaiSpeaks]

The City Market .. Does it read Beef and Poultry Market ....

[AmthaLal]

Good pics CoolDude.


But did the had Auto-Rickshaw in 1946? And that also same look as current models?:eek::eek:


Man.....O....Man those auto's have not changed....:D:D