This photograph was taken in the latter half of 1944 on the occasion of the marriage of my maternal uncle MLN Murthy with Malathi in Bangalore.
The backdrop for the photo was our house constructed by my father Late KS Narayana Rao sometime in 1930s in Gavipuram Extension, Bengaluru. Incidentally, even now one can see the residence of Dr Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, the Jnanapeeta Award winner on the same road, the house retaining the age-old architecture.
Three generations were lined up in the photograph to mark the occasion. My maternal grandfather Late Modur Lakshminaranaiya with the Mysore Rumalu along with his two sons, two daughters-in-law, five daughters, five sons-in-law and some of the grandchildren born then are in the photograph. The daughters and daughters-in-law are standing behind their respective spouses except one daughter, who is standing behind our grandfather. Her husband was then serving as a military officer.
As I was a six-month-old baby, I am on the lap of my cousin Premalatha. My father, the late KS Narayana Rao who retired as Assistant Controller, Government of Mysore, and my mother Susheelamma and sister Nagarathna are also in the picture.
My maternal uncle MLVenkataramaiya, an electrical engineer, retired as Boiler Superintendent from MPM Bhadravati and MLN Murthy retired as Works Manager from MPM Bhadravati. Incidentally, the sons of my maternal uncles MVS Murthy and MN Surendra stepped into their fathers’ shoes, occupied high positions and are leading a happy retired life after serving the MPM Bhadravati. My other uncles also occupied high positions and retired.
As for me, I did my primary education in Acharya Patashala and moved to National High School in Basavanagudi for secondary education. After my father passed on, my mother, sister and I went on to stay at my grandfather’s house near Gandhi Bazaar. It was at this time that the popular eatery Vidyarthi Bhavan was established. I grew up with the aroma of ‘masala dosas’ from this place. I spent all my childhood here with my cousins playing games and celebrating all the festivals together. We used to buy crackers for Rs 5 and enjoy the festive celebrations.
After obtaining a degree in Electrical Engineering from Davanagere and serving HAL as Safety Officer for 26 years, I am now leading a happy retired life. My wife, GV Nirmala, retired as Assistant Director from NAL Bangalore. We have two sons, the first one is settled in the US with wife Kalyani and five-year-old son Amit and the second one is doing his MS in California. As a family, we like travelling and have travelled to a lot of places like Badri, Kedara, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
In my younger days, the City was less populated then. There was a sense of calmness and serenity about it. But now, everything in the City has changed for the worse. We are staying in Gavipuram Extension itself but in an apartment that was built after demolishing the ancestral house.
KN Subba Rao
(As told to Prajna GR)
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