SLUICES OF KEMPAMBUDHI TANK

Ascribed to the period of Kempe Gowda I, Kempambudhi is one of the very few surviving huge lakes of the city. Many elders of the locality recall that it was popular as Moti Talab of Bengaluru, as any object thrown could be seen going down due to crystal clear water of the tank.

In this tank, there were two sluices positioned at different heights at a distance of about 20 feet. They were not only water outlets but were built artistically with beautiful relief figures at the top. They also reveal the advanced irrigational techniques adopted in the city, several centuries back.

Each outlet has four tall stone pillars. In the inner portion of the roof, to the centre, is a hole. About five feet above the ground, attached to the pillars, is a thick stone slab with a hole in the centre. Below this, on the ground, is a circular pit. The pit, the hole in the stone slab and the hole in the roof are all in a straight line. Perhaps, an iron rod like devise used to be put through these holes with one end attached at the roof and the other end to a valve. The upward and downward movement regulated the flow of the water. Both the sluices with the same technical arrangement were inter-connected with underground tunnels. From the first outlet at the lower level of the tank, starts a lengthier tunnel running diagonally towards the tank bund. Another one such tunnel starts from the outlet at a litter upper level and runs to the tank bund and perhaps both were joined at one point to run as one unit. The purpose was to allow water to go to the fields from the first tunnel when inflow was less and if the flow is heavy perhaps both the outlets were in use.

The tunnels are buried under a thick layer of mud and wild growth of weeds and bushes make it impossible to go even near the sluices.

TCM ROYAN ROAD

Today, many important roads of the city are under the process of white topping. But more than seven decades back, a cement concrete road was inaugurated in the City. The Goods Shed Yard Road which connects Mysore Road to City Railway station was perhaps the first cement concrete road built in the City by Bangalore City Municipality and it was inaugurated by Dr. TCM Royan, Minister for Public Health and Education on August 3, 1946.

A plaque with these details and also carrying the names of Safi Darasha, the Municiple Commissioner, P Shivashankar, the President, and R Madhavan, the Municiple Executive Engineer, exists at the base of the compound to the edge of the road near the junction. Though an important page of the city’s history, it is hardly seen as it is at the ground level of the wall. Dr. T.C.M. Royan was also known for philanthropy.

There is a circle in his name on First Main Road Chamarajpet and attached to the circle is Dr. T.C.M. Royan and Louisa Royan Maternity and Child Welfare Centre.