From Tiptur to Nandini Layout: A Bangalore Boy

My name is K. R. Manjunatha. I am originally from Tiptur, but I was born and studied here in Bangalore. I live in Nandini Layout but spend most of my time in this area. I have been working in Malleswaram since 1996—that's nearly three decades now.

The Same Place, Different People

Traffic has increased over the years, there are jams everywhere now, but Malleswaram as an area remains the same—it's still nice to be in. The place hasn't changed much, but the people have changed significantly. Life has become much busier now, and people tend to keep to themselves more. Earlier, we would meet senior citizens regularly—they used to walk in the park, gather together, and there was more community interaction. After Covid, it's become very less. We don't find them all together like before. People have become more isolated.

A Man of Many Skills

To ride autos is my job, and it is like any other work. I like any work that I do, so I approach every job with love and interest. Riding autos is not the only thing I can do—I can handle 4-5 different types of jobs. I have worked in various professions and still do some of them alongside this work. I have worked in an office, helped in my father's hotel, which still continues in our village, done catering work, and taken up various small odd jobs. I believe in keeping multiple skills and sources of income.

Values Before Grades

When it comes to respect, I believe respect should be given to all. I respect you, you respect me—that's how it should work. The youth must understand this, and they must be given proper guidance. I believe we should go to schools and spend time with children, teaching them values. Teachers must give valuable lessons to students. In our time, out of eight classes, four were dedicated to values and only four were for academic subjects. We have grown up with respect instilled in us.

I think I have a lot of knowledge, but haven't been able to nurture it fully. I studied in two schools and got the best education. Even now, government schools are good. My child is studying in a government school. I encourage him to study page by page, as much as he can absorb. No one can study a 100-page book all at once—you are not a computer, after all.

From Auto Stands to App Stands

The auto stand concept is slowly disappearing. It's becoming an "App stand" now! There is an auto sangha (association), but no one stays committed to it. Everyone is just flying around, doing their own thing. These auto stands will all be removed soon—they won't exist much longer. Maybe just for another year or two.

A Place That Calls You Back

I like all the places here, I love this whole area. Malleswaram and Sadashiva Nagar are places that make you feel like visiting again and again. I come here all the time, even when I don't have customers. There's something special about this place that draws me back. I don't know what will happen in the future. The city is changing, technology is changing how we work, and people are changing too, but I'll continue to adapt, just like I always have. After all, I've been here since 1996, and Malleswaram has become a part of who I am.