Writer's Corner: Roopa Pai on ‘Becoming Bangalore…', a tribute to her hometown, captured in print

Indian Express

6 days ago

Many books explore the history, culture, or overlooked facets of Bengaluru. But in terms of its breadth, eclectic range of knowledge, and accessibility, Roopa Pai's Becoming Bangalore: Stories That Shaped A Hometown is a standout.
Spanning 75 different articles, the book, launched this January, offers glimpses into almost every chapter of Bengaluru's history – from the Vidhana Soudha and the humble vegetable locally known as 'chow chow' to the city's lesser-known connection to Chhatrapati Shivaji. Each section comes with a personalised introduction by the writer—and contributions from readers who share their memories and musings.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Pai says that the foundation of the book began in 2021 with a fortnightly column on the city written for the Hindustan Times. Pai, the founder of Bangalore Walks, which conducts guided walks, says, 'For a long time, I had been sending people links on WhatsApp to read the column. I realised it was something that people enjoyed reading as it came in small, concentrated bites.'
Prompted by readers who expressed interest in reading all the columns in one place, the idea of a book began to take shape, says Pai, who pitched the idea to publishing group Hachette India, which usually partners with her on books for children.
It was not an easy task, says Pai. 'You start thinking, it is already written, so how long could it take? But I ended up writing 25,000 words more than the columns themselves in little bites, which had to be punchy and intriguing enough for people to want to read,' she explains.
Another concern was on how to format the book. The subjects did not lend themselves well to classification by topic, and the columns were not restricted to a particular time or space. After a great deal of back and forth, Pai had a brainwave. 'What defines Bangalore is its flowering seasons – which flowers are in bloom in which season,' she says.
The key dates in each column were then chosen to connect to a specific flowering season, like the gulmohar flowering from March to May. An intense editing process followed, and 75 columns were chosen.
'Online, it is impossible to tell how many people have viewed it, which ones went viral. When people not on the mailing list say they have read the column that someone sent to them, you know that it has gone beyond the usual reach. But now (with the book) I find that a lot of young people have enjoyed it…a lot of people who have said they want to read this out to their dad or mom, as they would enjoy it. It has brought up a lot of nostalgia for people from the city, and a lot of wonder from people who are outside,' says Pai.
'People are always trying to find out what it is about Bangalore that draws them…it is difficult to pin down the magic. That is why everyone says the weather; otherwise, they don't know what to say. The weather is just the backdrop. But would you go and live in another city with great weather if it did not have everything else?' she asks.