This Saturday story walk through Indiranagar uncovers hidden narratives

For most people, Indiranagar is defined by its cafés, bustling streets and urban rhythm. But beneath its modern identity lies a layered landscape of folklore, heritage and ecology waiting to be rediscovered. On a Saturday morning, performance storyteller and theatre practitioner Vikram Sridhar takes audiences on a walk through the lanes of this neighbourhood.

With over 20 years of experience across conservation and social work, Vikram believes every urban space carries traces of the ecosystem it evolved from. “Every moder n urban space evolves from a village ecosystem in a few decades or centuries. An area like Indiranagar has evolved as a collective space over the last 50 years and a deeper look shows how it is a collective of a few areas like Binnamangala, Thippasandra and other areas,” Vikram shares.

According to him, the walk brings together the many layers that make a neighbourhood. “Folklore rests in the lores of the various people through oral narratives, emotion and visual imagery of various shops, houses and memories. Ecology rests in the various flora and fauna spread across — from the Peepal tree to the Gul Mohar to lanes covered with Raintrees. Heritage lies in both the tangible and intangible elements, from houses to institutions like Theosophical Society, Chinmaya Mission and Kerala Samaj,” he says.

Beginning at Atta Galatta, the stories move through the origins of the iconic bookstore’s name, folk myths around the Palash tree, tribal legends and lesserknown narratives around the name Indira — including Indira Gandhi and poet MG Indira. The walk also explores the connection between the Gandaberunda, the state symbol and Indiranagar.

Calling it an interactive experience, Vikram says the audience itself becomes part of the storytelling. “If someone pauses and looks at a husky or an Indie dog, I might share a tale of dogs too from my story repertoire,” he reveals. The narratives are also shaped by his own relationship with Bengaluru.

“The walks I lead emerge from my own connect, memories and conscious interaction with the area over 20 years. The narratives evolve even from the participants who add their memories of Indiranagar as residents, passers-by or visitors,” he says.

₹349. July 18, 7 am. At Indiranagar.

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