Once upon a time in Mangalore…

The lighthouse still stands but now competes with tall buildings.

Circa 1970s, as was common in Mangalore (now Mangaluru) it was raining cats and dogs. The raindrops, like pebbles, were hitting my umbrella, the legendary ‘Stag’ brand with a rattan handle. I was trudging in foot-deep water. Soon, it became knee-deep with water flowing force fully and I walked against the flow. It stopped raining and the streams on the flooded streets disappeared as suddenly as they had started.

As a young boy, I made it a point, every day to and from the school, to visit the highest point of the Lighthouse Hill, from where one could see the sea and on the edge of it, ships and fishing boats. Ship spotting and counting were an interesting routine for most boys my age. But for me, it was the most beautiful spot in the whole town.

The peak itself was historical– it was here that a few persons, who had rebelled against British rule, had been tried and later hanged. The iconic lighthouse was the main attraction. There was also music played and one could hear the sound of the light music from the old horn speakers. Particularly on holidays, there were more people to catch the sun setting at the edge of the sea with multi-colours, normally red. Even otherwise, the spot attracted a steady stream of visitors for its tall trees, stone benches, and food carts. Different people came –school children in groups and newly weds.

Another iconic structure was the legendary ‘Jyothi’, single screen theatre. I must have visited this several times to see Kannada and Tulu movies, all the shows. Since we stayed very near to this (stone throw away distance), we used to frequent for a second show and walk our tiny home. It was also a place where I used to meet my friends studying in different colleges. There was also a bar from which one could hear the band tunes of Hindi, Tulu and Kannada songs during late nights.

I recently visited the place. The iconic Jyothi has been demolished. The hotel that served ‘Ambade, Parand Podi and Hot Chai’ is no longer there. But the ladies club still stands there. The roads are laid anew and are smarter. Now you don’t have to pass through the rain water. Atop the light house hill, you do not see the sea now as huge buildings that have come up now block the view. You cannot count the ships and boats. The sunset view is the preserve of the beach. There are no takers. The whole place is deserted, but for a few. I felt as if I have lost something and then I remembered Mary Hopkins Once Upon a Time… Those Were the Days…