Becoming Bangalore: Stories That Shaped a Hometown

by Roopa Pai

What makes a city uniquely itself?

Is it its geography, history, location?

Is it its leaders, aspirations, demographics?


Or is it a palpable spirit, wrought of a combination of all these, that seeps into
the soil over centuries, and charges the air, infecting residents and visitors alike?


Two decades of exploring her hometown - and reading, writing and talking about it - has convinced Roopa Pai that the last is cities are neither born nor made, they become.

In this collection of evocative essays, she trawls the city's history to tease out bits of the Bangalore jigsaw - a scientist's quest for excellence, a maharani's foresight, an entrepreneur's vision, a chief minister's ambition, a writer's pride in
his language, and more - in an effort to trace the genesis of the liberal soul of the metropolis and its ability to offer inclusive, creative, laid-back spaces amid its frenetic growth. What emerges is a fascinating mosaic that reveals how a little sixteenth-century settlement on a hill became India's most charismatic city.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Travel

390 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 17, 2025

Reviews

[Aishwarya Maruvada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful glimpses into Bengaluru history, but it's a tad incohesive at places, as it feels like individual stories that are stitched together.

[Saraswati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learned so much that I didn’t know before about my hometown! Nice short glimpses and interesting history, stories and facts about the city and its people.

[Rahul Vishnoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

-A City Soaked In Flowers-
Review of 'Becoming Bangalore'

Quote Alert
"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝟏𝟏-𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚, 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐢 𝐚𝐬 𝐀𝐝𝐢 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐭𝐢, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐝𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲,𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐬. 𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚, 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞."

Roopa Pai has clubbed her articles published as 'Beloved Bangalore' into 'Becoming Bangalore'. She has penned small, bursting-with-wit stories that leave an aftertaste of nostalgia and affection. She has written it with so much love that you start to see the city from her eyes. Bangalore doesn't remain just a city. After reading the book, it has taken the place of a giant, fluffy teddy bear that I want to cuddle with.

Pai has written these stories around three constants- the months that encapsulate the weather, the flowers that changing seasons bring and a river of love that courses through her for her city.

The book is bursting with interesting trivia. Did you know that the city has a temple dedicated to Draupadi? That Anil Kumble took 400th wicket here. Every chapter is bookended with author's views and the feedback she received from people who read her articles. A diverse group of people, right from a headmistress of a hearing and speech impaired school to senior sales manager of Simon and Schuster India have written to her.

It's the power and prowess of an author that even a non fiction book can contain so much emotion. I now wish to revisit Bangalore and roam around in all the spots Pai had earmarked so I can revel in the love she feels for this city.

[_booksagsm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roopa Pai’s Becoming Bangalore is more than just a book—it’s a love letter to a city that is both chaotic and charming, ever-changing yet deeply rooted in its past. As someone who has never lived in Bangalore, I found myself drawn into Pai’s world, experiencing the city’s rich history and vibrant culture through her eyes. Structured around the city’s seasons and marked by its iconic flowering trees, the book paints an evocative picture of Bangalore that feels both personal and universal.

Pai’s storytelling is immersive, whether she’s tracing the transformation of Whitefield in "It’s Whitefield Ho! Via Namma Metro" or recounting how Bangalore became India’s first electrified city. Her deep affection for the city shines through in every chapter, making even a newcomer like me feel a connection to Bangalore’s bustling streets, fragrant gardens, and rich traditions. The blend of history, personal anecdotes, and cultural observations makes this book an engaging and insightful read.

Becoming Bangalore is not just for those who have lived in the city—it’s for anyone curious about what makes a place truly special. Pai’s ability to weave history with nostalgia and a touch of humor makes this a delightful journey. Whether you’re reminiscing about old Bangalore or discovering it for the first time, this book offers a heartfelt and beautifully written exploration of a city that continues to reinvent itself.

[മോസിൻ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of 75 easy-to-read (short) essays on the history of Bangalore, which where originally written as newspaper articles by the author. Along with the interesting stories, Roopa Pai's adoration and respect for the city and its peoples (the immigrants, the natives, the rulers, and so on) make this a lovely read. And as mentioned in the last piece, we also get to see how seemingly unrelated stories feed into each other with overlapping ideas and personalities.

I think this would make a neat and fun primer for anyone interested in knowing more about the city, before involving themself in a more extensive and detailed history. However, I'm not sure if Becoming Bangalore would be as fun / appropriate for a reader without a little familiarity with Bangalore.

On a side note, I'm becoming a fan of compilation books sourced from newspaper columns; they tend to be both interesting and effortless to go through, which is soothing when other reads are heavier in content. (Last collection I had read of a similar nature was BN Goswamy's Conversations: India's Leading Art Historian Engages with 101 themes, and More)

[Archana A · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Force of habit is one thing, but old Bangaloreans have a real penchant for retaining the use of old names for streets and neighbourhoods, never mind that they hard back to a colonial past."

I was born, raised, and now living in Bengaluru. It is the only city that I have for a major chunk of my life. I am indebted to Bengaluru as it has given me everything unconditionally. Being a core Bengalurian at heart, I know how important this book is to me.

This masterpiece doesn't deserve my review in mere words. The author Roopa Pai has so beautifully crafted the soul of namma ooru in the form of short stories. I didn't know a lot of historical facts about my own city, and this book was just the right dose of literature that was needed to nurture me. No, I don't have a favorite. Every single story is close to my heart.

I could feel the happiness from inside as I was reading these. Never to forget mentioning the beautiful, intricate, and meticulously crafted book covered by the amazing Priya Kuriyan. Having said that, if you haven't lived in Bengaluru at any point in your life, then there is no point, as you will be unable to appreciate this, obviously.

[Subhashini Raju]

Becoming Bangalore written by Roopa Pai @roopa.pai

Published by @hachette_india

Becoming Bangalore, the collection of love letters from a Malleshwaram girl @roopa.pai to her ever-evolving city - a lyrical journey through blossoms, history, and belonging.

From the golden champaca, the fiery gulmohar, to the vibrant African tulips, Roopa brings alive the scents and sights that earned Bangalore its title as the Garden City.

She beautifully weaves in the story of the Tigala community - people of Tamil origin, the city’s first gardeners - whose care and devotion made these gardens flourish. Their legacy continues every April during the Draupadi Festival, when color, music, and faith fill the streets, reminding us that Bangalore’s roots run deep beneath its modern facade.

Told with Roopa’s signature warmth and curiosity, this book is a celebration of the soul of Bangalore - its people, its petals, and its pulse.

I loved the illustrations by @priyakuriyan

Book pick for the month of October ‘25 @kahaani.box :)

@roopa.pai
@priyakuriyan
@hachette_india

#book47of2025
#becomingbangalore
#goodreads
#bangalorewalks
#bookreviews

[Vijay Chengappa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bangalore, like many other cities that have become famous in the last couple of decades, suffers the fate of being described in association with reductive descriptions like 'IT capital', 'Silicon Valley of India', 'Amazing climate' or 'Traffic Capital'.

However, Bangalore easily has an active history of over 3-4 centuries with folks of multiple cultures having found their calling her, or just passing by. And Ms Pai does a wonderful job of picking up on Byzantine such stories that dot every building, dish, establishment of this wonderful city.

It bears to mind just how many different great minds put their lives and efforts into the building of institutions, whose existence and functioning we take for granted today.

We got the pleasure of knowing about this book through a launch event that happened at BIC bookended by Ms Roopa herself. That session, like this book, was full of wit, interesting tidbits, humor and her infectious joie de vivre that make this book an absolute must-read for every Bangalorean worth their salt.

[Sindhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a delightful read! I’d highly recommend it to anyone who’s lived in Bangalore or is curious about how one of India’s major cities came to life and evolved over time. Roopa does a fantastic job taking the reader on this journey—making it both effortlessly informative and thoroughly enjoyable. The trivia, in particular, is absolutely toe-tingling!

That said, I couldn’t help noticing how the book leans a bit too positive at times, glossing over certain complex realities. For instance, there’s a chapter about the origins of a specific caste group in Karnataka that seems to celebrate its traditions without much reflection on how caste continues to shape social hierarchies today. In my view, this lack of critical context makes the narrative feel less inclusive of the broader societal experience.

Still, the writing and research are truly impressive. It’s a fascinating read that left me in awe and definitely deepened my appreciation for the city and its layered history.

[Vi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved how it allowed me to connect to the city i live in. every page had a fact that blew my mind or gave me so much context of the geography and culture of the city. loved how it gave me knowledge of events i do not want to miss ever again, and of flowers/fauna I never want to not recognise. beautiful cover, illustrations, and structuring. do think that it was a tad bit extra in it's romanticization of the some aspects. a fair bit of critical analysis, that was hinted at here and there, but was perhaps missing because of the short form limitations and privileged lens. Still deeply enjoyed, and am excited for the long list of things i have to explore!

[Manoj · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first picked up Becoming Bangalore: Stories That Shaped a Hometown by Roopa Pai, and to be frank, the beautiful cover played a big part. The design immediately feels familiar — it mirrors the iconic yellow and grey stone markers found on every “Main” and “Cross��� in the city. For a Bangalorean, that visual is an immediate handshake, promising a story about home.
Pai’s style is undeniably charming — a heartfelt “ode to the city” that feels like a warm, guided heritage walk in print.

Read the entire review on Medium.

[Hema · Rating 3 out of 5]

Newspaper column converted into a book. Loads of tid-bits about the Silicon Valley of India. Right from 1500s Kempegowda's time to 2024's BLF, it covers everything about the places, but hardly about the people.

Also, adding 75 pages of the reader's comments to the 310 page book is a HORRIBLE decision.

[Nanditha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Various short stories on how Bangalore came to be. Eminent people and their connection to the city, that is.. just wonderful, even with all the roads known for horrendous traffic. A happy read since stories hide in every nook and corner of the place.

[Pranave Nanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely compendium of columns dishing out some very interesting trivia on a city I call home.

The breadth and accessibility of information is fab, and I'm sure it took considerable time and effort getting it together.

[Prayash Giria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published as a newspaper column, this compilation of anecdotes about Bangalore’s history and historical figures makes for fun and informative reading that adds much depth to any visit to a city that’s often disparaged for not having as much gravitas as India’s other metropolitan cities.

[irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is so enjoyable. I thought I knew a lot about Bangalore, but Pai manages to squeeze a lot of facts into a tiny space (they're the newspaper columns she used to write) and it's still fun and interesting. love it!!

[Adithya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love how the writer articulated the history of the city. I'm a huge fan of how she kept the chapters small but didnt miss any details pertaining to how the city took shape