First published Dec 14, 2008By Shobhan Bantwal
The author was showcased as Stars of Belgaum earlier on this blog.
As an ex-Belgaum resident, it is both heartening and heartrending to see how my hometown has changed from a sleepy, rural town to a teeming city over the past three decades. When I pay those rare visits from my United States home to Belgaum, I no longer recognize the old Ramdev Galli, Khade Bazar, Tilakwadi, and Bogarves neighborhoods. I do not see some of the beloved old landmarks that were an integral part of my childhood of the 1950s and 60s. Even the old homestead, where I grew up in the Cantonment area, looks rather decrepit. But my deceased parents’ souls still seem to linger there.
The ever-growing businesses and multiplicity of educational institutions and healthcare facilities are no doubt assets to the local economy and the shift towards globalization. Apparently businesses in every sector are booming, providing a healthy income for many. There are posh, eye-popping mansions lining the suburbs that were non-existent back then. All this glory to a former Belgaumite is indeed uplifting. Needless to say I want my hometown to prosper and flourish.
However, the special flavor that was Belgaum seems to be lost forever in the economic and political shuffle. The town used to be an unexpectedly quaint mix of pleasant weather, bucolic vistas, cultural pursuits like music, dance and drama, upscale social venues like Belgaum Club, the golf course, the military party circuits, and unparalleled varieties of dew-fresh produce. Today it looks like any other medium-sized metropolis filled with innumerable commercial ventures, smoke-belching automobiles, schools and colleges, hotels and restaurants, and movie theaters. Even the citizens appear more aloof.
When I was a schoolgirl at St. Josephs School, there was a small circulating library called Oliver’s Library, which lent out books for a monthly membership fee. It disappeared a long time ago. Outside the Military Mahadev Temple, the dhoti-clad man who sold Arlipaakh, a spicy and crunchy combination of churmure, shev, and a secret-recipe lump of spices, was an institution by himself. Is someone carrying on that tradition today? I sincerely hope so.
One of the special delights from my childhood was visiting the neighboring sugarcane farms to drink fresh sugarcane juice and buy a fresh mound of gool – incredibly sweet and bursting with flavor when used in cooking and laddus. I am not sure if that particular simple pleasure is available to Belgaumites anymore.
While I yearn for the pastoral Belgaum of my girlhood, I applaud the Belgaum it has become today. My heart swells with pride when I observe how far it has come and made a place for itself on India’s map. I eagerly envision my next visit to Belgaum and sampling some new pleasures it has to offer even as I reminisce about the old times with my family. No matter what, Belgaum is still my home.
I send them all cyber-blessings and good wishes from my humble home in New Jersey. Long Live Belgaum!
Bio: Shobhan Bantwal was born and raised in Belgaum — a pukka Belgaumite. Marriage in 1973 to a man who lived in the United States took her to New Jersey, where she continues to reside with her family. Shobhan is a published novelist with two novels to date, THE DOWRY BRIDE and THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER. Two more novels are slated for publication in 2009. Her primary job is working for the New Jersey State government.
Website: www.shobhanbantwal.com
This article was first published on Dec 14, 2008 and hence the name Belgaum. Currently the city has been renamed as Belagavi.
I completely agree with Shoban. It is quite painful to lose landmarks with which we are attached. I live in Belgaum and each time a landmark disappears I get the feeling ' oldies move the new needs place'. New is welcome but it imitates any metro and doesn't have any distinct personality like the old ones.
I might not have seen three decades worth of development, but I have seen Belgaum change from the sleepy paradise that it once to something I find hard to relate with at times today. But yes, at the end of the day, I love to call it my home!
Belgaum is moving forward and becoming a big city but still the distinct small town charm exits the fresh air the greenery around . The organic vegetables and jaggery. The fresh buffalo milk are all to die for.
Mr Editor, plz Check why they are cutting age old trees around VTU, Its almost done now,
I asked a guard, he said they are making a Zoo Park there… Not sure of it.. Plz check…
I too observe belgaum has changed from it old looks from Bogarves,kirlosker road,gadgadi bavadi at hutama chouk,everything had changed.Even though I have grown during all these years at Belgaum,I feel that I have lost something in the city which cannot reclaimed.Now only memories remained for those olden days.
May lknow your former name?is it shobhana koppikar?are you lingrajian?
yes
Yes, Saudamini. I remember you very well and how bright and talented you were. I hope all is well with you and your family.
Dear Mam even today u can enjoy aalipak near subhash studio tilkawadi
Thank you all for your kind comments to this old article that I wrote and the editor very kindly re-posted on this blog. Despite living in the United States for the past 42 years, my heart still belongs to Old Belgaum (now Belagavi).
i’m nearly 10 yrs nw outside of country..really mam i miss my city…planning to go back n settle there …i wanted enjoy..all dishes of bgm…i wish would do that..take cr..shoban jii.
I am also a true Belagavi lover…grown up did schooling and completed graduation from GSSCollege..living outside Belgaum since 1979 have same feelings. Each one has attachement towards certain things which
were integral part of life of his life those days.
Military Mahadev temple being common to all…Allepak was later sold in proper restaurant called PopInn managed by Military was very famous. We started tasting pop corns along with Kabbin halu and Allepak. We all lost those rice fields between 1st gate to Military Mahadev temple. Congress road was famous for evening walks and meeting place.
At RPD Corner Chittaranjan hotel was a landmark which is no more..Pawar Shoe mart..on RPD road was famous for Kolhapuri chappal.
Congress Bhavi has become Gandhi monumemt i think.
Hardly there used to be any traffic on road. We used to travel entire city on cycle.
Speciality of Belgaum was cycle on hire…we used fight for new cycles !
I dont think that system no more exists and all have two wheelers.
I can keep writing…it wont end as it unfolds my memories.
Whenever i hear of Belgaum i become sentimental, because its my home town.
Change is bound to happen since as city’s Demographics gets changed, landsmarks gets renovated, city grows and infrastructure are added. Also social norms and practices gets changed but author likes to stay in a capsule of old time line. Cash up on our old and extinct social evils by writing books on dowry. Bring negative publicity on Indian culture. Where as present reality is different. Author needs to embrace the present time, sice it’s a fact on ground.
I totally agree with the author. Belgaum should not lose its unique identity. A blend of Kannad marathi Goan culture. A cool cozy pleasant atmosphere. Talkative belgaonkars. Red soil…huge green trees…heritage looking old buildings in Tilakwadi like Lokmanya granthalaya on Khanapur road. Just unique in every sense.Try to preserve this heritage town of our own.