JOIN USThe gym culture in the City has taken over largely with more and more people working out hard to shed some weight. But there are still a few who prefer the traditional way of shedding weight by taking a brisk walk in the park. Motivating these nature-walkers is the Bugle Rock Park in Basavanagudi.
While most of the City’s parks are in news for their bad maintenance, Bugle Rock stands first for its rich history. Having a rocky arch, one is welcomed by the statue of a man blowing the bugle at the entrance. From the unique name to the ambience, there are historical stories attached to the park. “During the British Rule, the locals used to blow bugle to alert in times of an ambush. They used to spill ragi grains for a slippery floor that got the horses down after which, they attacked the enemies. This is why the park has been named Bugle Rock,” says VT Chandrasekharan, a retired executive engineer who is a regular visitor of the park.
“The two famous temples of Nandi and Ganesha are in the park premises. There was also a spring beneath the Nandi of River Vrishabhavathi, that no longer exists. Earlier, I used to enjoy sitting on the naturally formed rocks that surrounded the park. The park has now been improvised with all the facilities and is also tight on security. I come here every evening but I still miss the natural surrounding that was in abundance then,” he reminisces.
The legendary park is now being called the ‘Walker’s Paradise’. “The vibe you get here is different. The ambience of the park adds so much to your fitness regime,” says Gayathri Rao, another regular visitor. She adds, “This park can be called an infopark. It has so much information about the heritage of our culturally-rich State.”
The murals of Dr Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan and C Ashwath were recently installed here. One can have a glimpse of all the historical places in the State on the boards that are present here. There is a monument with murals of ‘Jnanapeeta’ winners with a detailed description of their work.
“The park preserves and boasts of the heritage of our State. It imparts knowledge that every Kannadiga should be proud of,” she says. It also has beautiful plants and trees that add freshness to your brisk walks.
“It has a different feel overall. The soothing atmosphere gives you a sense of freshness and I look forward to my evening walk here everyday. There is a homely feel to the park because of its welcoming ambience,” she adds.
Even the trees have posters of noted personalities of the State. There are also many hoardings depicting great poets and writers of the State, from Sarvajnya to Girish
Karnad.
There is a golden statue of famous writer and philosopher DV Gundappa that has been installed in the park.
“There are many regulars and we greet each other everyday. There are also many cultural programmes that take place at the amphitheatre on special occasions,” wraps up Gayathri.