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Cunningham Road – the downtown of Bengaluru

Cunningham Road – the downtown of Bengaluru

It’s a different feeling altogether when you know the place you live in or work out of is indeed a piece from history. When you discover this valuable information when you scout around for property, especially a new home, it can encourage you to make your decision faster to clinch the best deal. Because not everybody is fortunate enough to be able to celebrate that historical significance the location of their home or office brings with it.

Bengaluru’s brush with history

It will interest you to know how deep Bengaluru’s historical link runs. Just notice the names of roads, neighbourhoods, and landmarks in your city. They each have a story to tell. Let’s run you through some prominent ones – Cunningham Road, Brigade Road, Lavelle Road, Whitefield, Frazer Town, Cox Town, Cubbon Park, Sankey Tank, Balabrooie Guest House, Russell Market, and the list gets longer. What they have in common is the British era-spanning a 90 years. And while there have been horror stories, there have also been a few heartwarming stories of some British officers who did a lot of good for the local populace. This is evident in how in Bengaluru, the locals honored their good work by naming the roads, localities and buildings after them.

The flavor of Cunningham Road

Anyone who’s new to Bengaluru will mark their diary with a visit to Commercial Street, Brigade Road and Cunningham Road. Each of these has a distinct flavor. While Commercial Street is for street shopping and bargains, Brigade Road is for the brand conscious shopper with top retail outlets having their footprint in this busy link road connecting MG Road with the southeast neighbourhoods of the city. And Cunningham Road stands out for its meld of colonial and Indian cultures. Named after  Francis Cunningham, an officer in the Madras Army. In 1850, he was placed by Lord Ellenborough in the Mysore commission and posted in erstwhile Bangalore where he stayed for the rest of his career in India. He was known for his hospitality and for maintaining a large private library. As Secretary to the Mysore Commission and a deputy to Sir Mark Cubbon, the Chief Commissioner at Bangalore,  he is credited with the development of Bangalore including the Horticultural Gardens at Lalbagh and the Balabrooie Guest House.

This quaint road sports a few British and Indian heritage buildings which include Hatworks Boulevard and the royal Marthanda Varma house. Hatworks Boulevard was once the Imperial Hatworks during the British era and was known for its headgear made for the British and Indian armed forces. This 180 year old house is now a sophisticated retail outlet housing many a style boutique, art expos, and open to air café area amidst quiet green surroundings. The British custom of tea drinking is recreated in the sprinkling of tea places brewing the choicest of Earl Greys along with the perennial faves from Darjeeling and Assam.

Royal location

A gem from recent regal history nestles amidst the vibrancy of Cunningham Road. This is the imposing abode of Ravivarma Marthanda Varma, from the Mavelikkara lineage and descended from the royal family of Travancore. He was a prominent neurosurgeon, one of the pioneers of Indian neurosurgery and the founder director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences.

Sharing this strategic location with royalty are a number of modern commercial buildings and apartment clusters dotting Cunningham Road. Prominent among these edifices is HM Geneva House, the flagship office of HM Constructions, a leading developer in the city with many a landmark property to their long list of accomplishments. Taking its name from the Swiss city denoting global diplomacy in the UNO Head Office, HM Geneva House proudly adjoins the palace of His Highness Marthanda Varma. HM Geneva House is presently offers the most strategic location and fully furnished office spaces of 1500 sqft to 3500 sqft. Whether it’s for a corporate which wants to move in immediately or for another looking for a built to suit space to customize it according to their taste, HM Geneva House has the best of furbished and bare shell options. Because, at this strategic location, royalty and business make for a powerful combination.

Give us a call on 808 811 5555, today.

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