‘Things have changed’: Bengaluru entrepreneur shares what he misses most about the city. Silver oaks, fiery gulmohars, everlasting spring…

Synopsis

Bengaluru's transformation from a Garden City to a modern metropolis is noted. The city once offered a calm atmosphere and pleasant weather for residents. Tree-lined avenues and unhurried life defined Bengaluru's earlier, unforgettable avatar. Nostalgic residents recall peaceful neighbourhoods now feeling commercial and congested. This shift reflects a longing for simpler times and familiar neighbourhood feelings.

Cities are living, breathing spaces that evolve with every passing decade. As skylines rise, roads widen and technology reshapes everyday life, the quiet charm, familiar neighbourhoods and slower pace that once defined a place often give way to a faster, more modern identity. While progress brings new opportunities, it also leaves many longing for the memories woven into tree-lined streets and simpler times. Bengaluru entrepreneur Akkshye Tulsyan recently echoed this sentiment in a post on X, reflecting on how Bengaluru, fondly known as the Garden City, has transformed over the years and what made its earlier avatar so unforgettable.

In the post, the entrepreneur shared that a drive along Cunningham Road brought back memories of his childhood and reminded him of a very different Bengaluru. Long before it emerged as India's technology capital, he recalled, the city was known for its calm atmosphere, pleasant weather and unhurried way of life.

Bengaluru’s wide, tree-lined avenues, shaded by towering silver oaks, vibrant gulmohars and blooming jacarandas, gave Bengaluru its iconic Garden City identity. With barely any traffic, mornings were marked by a refreshing chill, the quiet whirr of bicycles, the occasional passing bus and the aroma of freshly brewed filter coffee drifting from tiled homes.

The Bengaluru entrepreneur also noted how some of the city’s famous neighbourhoods such as Malleshwaram, Basavanagudi and Cantonment once felt like peaceful retreats. Bengaluru’s cool climate and timeless charm created an everlasting spring-like ambience. Akkshye Tulsyan’s heartfelt write-up was quick to strike a chord with users who shared their own thoughts on the matter.

Agreeing to the Bengaluru entrepreneur, a resident commented, ‘Malleswaram was pure bliss. Friendly and self-sufficient. Lived there for the first 25 years of my life but now I find it has become too commercial and congested. No place to even walk.’ Echoing a similar sentiment, another wrote, ‘Nostalgia hits differently with old Bengaluru.’ ‘I have been to Bengaluru only once, and I loved it. I am not sure if I go today I will feel the same thing,’ admitted someone else.