This post is a response to this one, in the superb Churumuri joint blog.

I have also lived in Shankarapuram, in fact, a stone's throw away from Ranga Rao road. At least four generations of my family have lived there. A 100 year old coconut tree planted by my great-grandfather stands testimony to that fact. Recently, my neighbour a 105 year old gentleman, who played soccer with my grandpa in the 1920s on the National college grounds, passed away.

And I bring that up because it is on topic.

I disagree that it was the IT boom that changed Shankarapuram. Old gents like my neighbour and others, who owned (what in today's terms) are vast plots in Shankarapuram, have unfortunately passed on. Their children, grandchildren, who no longer subscribe to the joint-family system, for practical reasons, have had to sell those homes. Well, given the prices of such central properties, the only people who can afford them are builders. They buy them, demolish the ancient homes and build flats.

My Shankarapuram, a pristine area of bungalows, carnatic music, madhwa sangha meetings in nearby Chamarajapet, kacheris during Ramanavmi, still exists for those who want to live that life.

But the bliss of the quiet, civil life is no longer available. It has become a hustling, bustling neighbourhood, and for that I blame greedy local authorities, who have given permits to these builders to build flats in a neighbourhood where trees and bungalows flourished. I do not dislike growth- or as they call it in the US, urban sprawl. However, this sort of unplanned growth is disquieting. I had invoked Joni Mitchell when I had faced such a shift here, in the Bay Area.

I do not think Mr. Murthy is to blame for this. Au contraire, it is the inept administration, that milks us of our hard-earned money which, has to own up to the majority of the blame. And you and me, for not protesting enough.