I’m Jayalakshmi. Though I was born in Kerala, my life really began in Malleswaram. I was just a year old when we moved to 1st Cross, and that’s where my earliest memories are rooted.

When I was about eight, we shifted to what I think was ITI Colony. But after I got married in 1960, when I was 18, we came right back to Malleswaram. It’s as though life kept pulling us back here, and I’m glad it did.

We lived in Gayathri Nagar for a short while as we were building our own house. The site was just under 60 by 40 feet and cost me ₹15,000 at the time– imagine! In 1971, we built our home, a modest ten-square-foot house. From that day on, we’ve never moved. That has been our home ever since.

My children were both born in ITI Colony, but they grew up in Malleswaram. They went to Cluny Convent School, just like many kids in the area. The neighborhood had everything you needed– good schools, a strong community, and a deep cultural character.

One of my favorite memories is of going with my father to pay the electricity bill. We’d take a jhatka gadi from Malleswaram Circle. Back then, there were rows of them lined up. No autos, no taxis, just horse-drawn jhatkas. And off we’d go to 18th Cross to settle the bill. Simple times, but so full of charm.

We’ve truly enjoyed Malleswaram like anything. In Bangalore, if you ask me, there are three real places that define the city: MG Road, Shivaji Nagar, and Malleswaram. Malleswaram is one of the oldest and most beloved. And we’re still happily living there, holding on to all those memories.