Locals of Singapura, historically one of the earliest settlements in the city in North Bengaluru, have taken strong objection to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) move to rename Singapura lake that has a history of over 500 years.
Recently, the BBMP issued a public notice informing the general public to submit objections to renaming the lake as ‘Bhagawan Buddha Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar Lake Park’. Villagers have objected saying that in the city for generations lakes are identified with respective local names such as Yelahanka, Bellandur, Hebbal and others ,and nowhere are the lakes named after personalities. They have also emphasised that they have high regard for both Buddha and Ambedkar.
Vast lake
As per records, Singapura lake is spread over 66.18 acres and falls under survey number of 102 of Yelahanka Hobli of Yelahanka taluk. At present the lake is divided by a road and a portion of the lake on northern parts spreading to 16 acres have been rejuvenated in the year 2018 by the BBMP. The civic body recently sought inputs for the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for rejuvenation of another part of the lake with a grant of ₹5 crore.
“After a portion of the lake was rejuvenated, some people subverting facts requested the BBMP to rename the lake area as a park. They say 50 odd acres located on the southern side of the road is a park which is factually wrong. In 1915 itself, the survey number 102 was mentioned as a lake in the revenue village map and the same was also mentioned as a lake in Mysore Survey Settlement Register. The K.B. Koliwad Committee on Lake Encroachment too had mentioned that survey number 102 is a lake and spread over 66 acres of which 4.35 acres have been encroached upon. Overlooking these facts, the BBMP has issued a public notice to change the name as a park. There is no park located on 50 acres of land, it is also part of the total 66 acres Singapura lake,” H. said Mohan, a resident of the locality. Mr. Mohan an enthusiast in preservation of heritage and has played a crucial role in discovering an undocumented inscription at Singapura.
RTI reply
Earlier, in reply to queries under the Right to Information Act, the engineering section of BBMP stated that based on the request sought to renaming the lake, a revenue official of Vidyaranyapura sub division had conducted a mahazar. The reply states that 40 acres of land on the southern side formed a wetland and there is a proposal to develop the lake. The reply states it is also inappropriate to call the said lake a ‘lake park’.
Villagers in a letter addressed to the commissioner said that they have high regard for Dr B.R. Ambedkar and in the Kuvempu ward, a ground and community hall are named after Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and statue has been already erected. “Considering the history of Singapura , it is appropriate to retain the lake name in its original form,“ states the letter.
History of the lake
Mythic Society Inscriptions 3D digital conservation project team had studied Singapura Nalapanayaka’s inscription from 1528 CE and documented it for the first time. As per ‘Bengaluru Ithihasa Vaibhava’, a magazine on Singapura brought out by The Mythic Society, the said inscription records the donation of wetlands by a Nalapanayaka (likely an official) for partrabhoga (a religious service where cultural events such as dance, music and drama are performed for the entertainment of God). The donation was made to Tiruvengalanatha temple now called Singapura Varadaraja Temple (located close to the lake).
“From all of these, we can conclude that Singapurua mentioned in this inscription is at least 500 years old. Singapura was likely named after Singappa Nayaka mentioned in this inscription,” states the magazine.
