Time Lapses

In the days before the COVID-19 pandemic, any trip to the heart of Bengaluru’s Brigade Road and Church Street would involve wading through a sea of young people thronging pubs, cafes and stores. With curated street art, rental bikes, concrete footpaths and a metro connection over the ever-jammed but well-lit street, this neighbourhood seemed to have one foot in the future. But, beyond this facade of an urban global fantasy, the heart of Brigade Road continued to be in flux.

Then came the pandemic. Down came the shutters, and Bengaluru’s migrants—both rich and poor—retreated as the city came screeching to a halt. Traffic eased up, parking became easier to find, even though you could not really go anywhere, and the glass storefronts of high-end