Jun 20 2026 to Jun 20 2026 4 p.m.

Price: This is a free event and open to public. Book/Buy

Where

BLR Design Centre

6th Floor, 46/1, Church St, Haridevpur, Shanthala Nagar, Ashok Nagar Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001

Event Description

Cubbon Park is Bengaluru’s political, cultural, and social axis. As a lifelong chronicler of the city, Jayaram embraced Lalbagh not just as a lung space but as a marker of the city’s evolving identity. Today, Cubbon Park is more than a public space; it is an emotion and a battleground for the soul of Bengaluru amid rapid urbanisation. Through this project, Jayaram wishes to map its shifting landscape—a palimpsest of history, conflict, collapse, and recovery. Through vivid ethnography and historical cartography, Citizens’ Perspectives and Many Visions for the Future captures the multi-layered narratives of Cubbon Park as an emblem of urban nature, culture, and citizen-led resistance.The book unearths these forgotten narratives by exploring the park’s deeply contrasting identities. It traces its origins from native farmlands and sacred groves sitting at the cusp of the traditional pete and the colonial cantonment, while examining the stark physical and psychological shift from a morning jogger’s haven to a nocturnal, shadow-filled cruising spot. It captures the hidden stories of gardeners, the homeless, and the LGBTQ+ community protesting surveillance and gentrification, as well as the artists who fought for the Venkatappa Art Gallery (VAG). Ultimately, it documents a space caught between the chaos of destructive political rallies and the serene, self-sustaining sanctuary witnessed during the pandemic. Spread over 300 heritage-rich acres, Cubbon Park represents the open-hearted, cosmopolitan spirit of Bangaloreans. By democratically gathering voices from all walks of life—from the grandeur of Vidhana Soudha to the diligent rose gardener—this book frames the park as a vital space for dialogue, reflection, and resistance against greed. It is a testament to our shared heritage, amplifying a collective, urgent chorus: “Leave the park alone.” About the Author: Suresh Jayaram is an artist, art historian, arts administrator, and curator from Bangalore. He is the Founder and Director of 1Shanthiroad Studio/Gallery, an international artist’s residency and alternative art space in Bangalore, India. As an art historian, his keen interest in Modern and Contemporary Indian Art resulted in a curated show of Karnataka Modernism at the NGMA, Bangalore, in 2017. Jayaram works at the intersection of curation, education, and visual art, distinguished by his unique research into Bengaluru’s botanical past. His book, Bangalore’s Lalbagh, examines the city through the lens of environmental history and colonial legacy.A former Principal of the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, he is a dedicated educator who writes to make contemporary art accessible and to advocate for the preservation of local heritage. More than just a cultural critic, Jayaram is an active cultivator of the arts, employing history to contextualise contemporary practice and question the evolving nature of the urban experience. Panelists: Suresh Jayaram | Author Naresh Narasimhan | Mod Foundation S Vishwanath | Urban Planner Ninan Joseph | Book designer Moderator: Amritha Ganapathy | Mod Foundation