Caught in a cultural web: Website on Malleswaram set for launch
For architect and resident Suchitra Deep, Malleswaram has never been just another Bengaluru neighbourhood. Having lived here for more than three decades, she carries its stories, memories and architectural quirks in her daily life. This familiarity has now blossomed into her brainchild malleswaram.org, a digital archive that showcases photographs, oral histories, maps and community narratives that capture the essence of this old Bengaluru neighbourhood. Deep says the idea came about organically, as she explains, I wanted to contribute to the neighbourhood I lived in for so long. I started with the traffic, civic amenities and mapping of the area. However, I realised there was hardly any documentation, so I began photographing and recording the neighbourhood. The curious attempt eventually led to the formation of Malleswaram Social, a community group, in 2016 and later, collaboration on a neighbourhood engagement grant in 2019. Through workshops, walks and memory-sharing sessions, Deep gathered stories that oozed the emotional and cultural richness of the locality, but somewhere she felt it wasnt enough. I wanted to do a more thorough job, she says. What began with a grant to write a book supported by IFA (India Foundation for the Arts) in 2024, evolved into the idea of a website, one that would keep growing rather than freeze the material into a single printed volume. I thought, why not start a website with an embedded e-book? A website allows one to update information, and can be accessed by everyone, she points out. Suchitra Deep, architect On the website, visitors will find an interactive map anchoring the documentation. Deep and her team have mapped about 70 iconic landmarks, more than 100 Art Deco houses, and are currently tracking the few surviving early 20th century homes. It also features a wide collection of oral histories stories from senior residents, street vendors, auto drivers, women entrepreneurs and others whose voices rarely find space in traditional histories, she says, noting that future additions will include a blog and a community corner. What surprised her during her research was how extensively the Art Deco style had spread through Malleswaram and adjacent regions, something she had sensed as an architect but had never mapped so closely. She was also surprised by the enthusiastic response to her heritage walks, which drew participants from across the city. Amidst the challenges of limited funding and a lean team, community members and volunteers opened their homes and hearts and connected her to residents, making the documentation easy and possible. People were very supportive many opened the doors of their houses for photography, and residents helped us connect with people willing to share their stories. Her architectural expertise also allowed her to analyse buildings in depth, understanding their materials, dates and styles. A bustling Malleswaram market For Deep, malleswaram.org is a labour of love and a race against time, as she hopes the platform becomes a living, evolving repository, a place where anyone seeking Malleswarams stories can find them, preserved with care for generations to come. With the website set to be launched on November 23, she shares, It will be a full day of activities: heritage walks, panel discussions, sketching sessions, live music and workshops by local groups. Looking ahead, Deep hopes the platform becomes a living archive. We are losing our history very fast, and malleswaram.org is an attempt to capture whats left for posterity. It aims to become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in Malleswaram its streets, buildings and people, she signs off. (malleswaram.org is set to have its soft launch at Rotary Hall. For details, visit: malleswaram.blr on Instagram)
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