BANGALORE: Wobbling on Veerapillai Street in Shivajinagar is a hoary 120-year-old mansion that also passes off as a garbage dump. The building is dying, one wall at a time. Rajshekar Shetty and his wife Shobha have been living in this ancestral property for 61 years. They have defied their age and ignored the condition of this house in their resolve to take their last few breaths here.Probably the oldest house on the street, ‘Kandan La’ is nicknamed ‘Banglow Mane’ by the residents of Shivajinagar back in the antiquated days. The two-storey building seems big on the outside but the space inside is smaller than an average bedroom. The first floor is too dangerous to use and the BBMP has asked them to move into another house in their own safety. However, unable to afford rent in any other place, the couple live here, loyal to their souvenir. The aged couple were happy to recall a Bangalore they were familiar with as against a Bengaluru. “Bangalore was sparsely populated and everyone was friendly with each other,” said Rajashekar. Now, the couple is forced to deal with a commercial Shivajinagar, which is too crowded with people who hardly spare a glance at this building.They however understand that this crowd gives them the business that is sustaining them with adequate money to fill their stomachs but not enough to renovate the house. They sell ‘bhel puri’ in the corner of this street.Shobha, now over 50 years old, said, “Around 50-60 people used to live in this mansion. We were a large joint family. But now, our relatives do not come here even to check if we are dead or alive.” As we walked around the house, it was hard to believe that so many people were once able to live here comfortably. The house showed no sign of life except for the plants growing from cracks between the walls. The garbage strewn on premises by the street vendors added to the notion of no life. The windows and doors remained closed for a mere touch might rattle the building.The house is still under the name of Subbiah Shetty, Rajshekar’s grandfather and the ownership is now under litigation. Yet, the couple do not want to abandon this ‘Banglow Mane’ for they say that they too have been abandoned by their family.
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