Whitefield and Mahadevapura are two localities in the eastern side of Bangalore. We live in Hoodi which is in between Mahadevapura and Whitefield. These places are famous for one of the largest concentration of IT companies in Bangalore. These companies are located in ITPL (now called ITPB: International Tech Park Bangalore), EPIP (Export Promotion Industrial Parks), Sigma Tech Park, HP's Campus, EMC Corporation's campus etc. Several lakhs (hundreds of thousands) of people work in these IT companies located in Whitefield and Mahadevapura.
I first went to ITPL in October 2002. At that time, these places were considered outside of Bangalore City limit. At that time, we considered Marathahalli in one side and Indira Nagar in the other side (at most extended to CV Raman Nagar) as the end of the city. ITPL was in the middle of nowhere! At that time, it was not even in my wildest dreams that one day I would start living in those areas.
In five years time, so much have changed in and around ITPL. ITPL became the symbol of this area. People started calling this place as ITPL. It reminds me of those days in 1990s when Colgate and Surf became synonymous to toothpaste and detergents. The city expanded much beyond Marathahalli and Indira Nagar/C V Raman Nagar. We bought an apartment in late 2008 in Hoodi and moved there in early 2009.
When we moved there, there were only two small malls - Cosmos Mall at Brookefield and Big Bazaar near ITPL. Not sure if I can call Big Bazaar as a mall. Nowadays I consider Big Bazaar as a poor cousin of the new trendy malls. Perhaps it was ok to call Big Bazaar as a mall in 2007 or 2008. Both Cosmos Mall and Big Bazaar were owned by Future Group. There was no multiplexes. We had to go to the crammed Garuda Mall in Magrath Road or Forum Mall in Koramangala for a cinema.
Things have again changed so much in next three or four years from 2008. As I write this post, there are total 7 malls in Whitefield and Mahadevapura. There are 4 more upcoming malls. Then there are 2 more malls in the vicinity. I think this area has the largest concentration of malls in Bangalore.
Malls in the vicinity
You may ask: do you really buy in malls? Yes, we do buy at malls. We buy monthly grocery, weekly non-veg (fish, chicken and sometime mutton), cloths, baby care, shoes - all in malls. Here also, the perception of malls have changed a lot in last decade. First time I saw a mall in my life named (Rave3) was way back in 2001 in Kanpur. (I watched Mansoon Wedding with some of my friends from IIT Kanpur in the multiplex there). I now think it was a small mall (perhaps smaller than Cosmos Mall); but at that time, it was big enough for me. But the mall that caught me awestruck was the Centrestage mall in Noida which I visited in 2004. It was really a big mall at that time. At those times, malls were a place only to hang around - watch movie, eat at McDonalds, KFCs and sometime accompany your girl-friend or spouse; but not a shopping destination as things were considered expensive in malls. The stores at malls didn't give any sale or any discounts. So we used to go to Commercial Street in Bangalore or Sector-18 market, Sunehri Market, Indira Market etc in Noida or Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Market, Chandni Chowk market etc in Delhi. The perception as Malls as expensive place to buy has changed later. The stores at Malls have started giving large discounts. Then we realized that malls have become a one-stop-solution for many of our needs. There is ample parking space (unlike traditional places like Commercial Streets) in the malls. When your wife purchases her cloths or shoes, you can buy groceries or vegetables of non-veg or buy liquour at MRP (e.g., Madhuloka stores). Your kid can play with various toys. After all these shoppings, you can have a lunch or dinner in a food-court at value prices or you can go to a restaurant too (which may be a bit expensive compared to the food-court).
These malls have have generated lots of jobs and many thousands of people are employed here. But at the same time, some people say that it may affect the livelihood of small shop owners. I'm not sure about this.
Now we don't go to Commercial Street or Marathahalli to buy clothes or shoes. We don't go to HAL market to buy fish or vegetables. We just go to these malls. Happy shopping :-)
I first went to ITPL in October 2002. At that time, these places were considered outside of Bangalore City limit. At that time, we considered Marathahalli in one side and Indira Nagar in the other side (at most extended to CV Raman Nagar) as the end of the city. ITPL was in the middle of nowhere! At that time, it was not even in my wildest dreams that one day I would start living in those areas.
In five years time, so much have changed in and around ITPL. ITPL became the symbol of this area. People started calling this place as ITPL. It reminds me of those days in 1990s when Colgate and Surf became synonymous to toothpaste and detergents. The city expanded much beyond Marathahalli and Indira Nagar/C V Raman Nagar. We bought an apartment in late 2008 in Hoodi and moved there in early 2009.
When we moved there, there were only two small malls - Cosmos Mall at Brookefield and Big Bazaar near ITPL. Not sure if I can call Big Bazaar as a mall. Nowadays I consider Big Bazaar as a poor cousin of the new trendy malls. Perhaps it was ok to call Big Bazaar as a mall in 2007 or 2008. Both Cosmos Mall and Big Bazaar were owned by Future Group. There was no multiplexes. We had to go to the crammed Garuda Mall in Magrath Road or Forum Mall in Koramangala for a cinema.
Things have again changed so much in next three or four years from 2008. As I write this post, there are total 7 malls in Whitefield and Mahadevapura. There are 4 more upcoming malls. Then there are 2 more malls in the vicinity. I think this area has the largest concentration of malls in Bangalore.
- Forum Value Mall: Located in Whitefield, its USP is that it has all Factory Stores. Ample Parking space. Fame cinemas multiplex.Food court, McDonald, KFC, MTR, Toscano, Rajdhani restaurants etc. Rs 20 parking fees (non-refundable) for 3 hours.
- Phoenix Market City: One of the newest mall that opened in late 2011. Huge mall, one of the biggest in Bangalore. Located in Mahadevapura on ITPL Road. Many Reliance stores - Digital, Time-Out, Trends, Footprints etc. Many brands from value range (Maxx) to high-end stores. PVR coming here. Parking fees Rs 20 (non-refundable) every two hours!
- Hyper City: Located at Kundalahalli. Very good grocery, vegetable, non-veg market. Parking fees Rs 20 (non-refundable from last two weeks)
- Park-Square Mall: Located at ITPL (yes, at ITPL, facing the road). The latest mall to open here. Opened in December 2011. Huge Reliance Mart store. Big Reliance Trends too. Multiplexes coming soon. Stiff Parking charge of Rs 30 for two hours.
- Cosmos Mall: One of the older malls. I visit there for Pantaloon, Liliput, Chef Bakers and Modhuloka. Parking is 15 (refundable).
- More Mega Mart: Located in Outer Ring Road Mahadevapura.Cheapest place to buy groceries, vegetables. fruits, chicken etc. Modhuloka too is there. No parking fee. Because of the new flyover that came up, the entry through the service road is a bit chaotic.
- Big Bazaar: Located very near to ITPL. Parking is difficult. Visited only two times in last 3 years.
- Forum Mall: Coming up inside Prestige Shantiniketan near Hoodi
- Inorbit Mall: Located near Sathya Saya Baba Hospital and SJR Tech Park in EPIP area, behind ITPL (Inorbit Hyderbad is the largest mall in South India as per the company website. I've seen the H'bad mall and it is really huge)
- Total Mall opposite to Forum Value Mall: Somehow I don't like the Total Malls. All very crammed.
- VR Mall: Just next to Phoenix Market City. (I may be wrong in the name)
Malls in the vicinity
- Total Mall in the Outer Ring Road opposite EMC office.
- Gopalan Signature Mall: Will open in Benniganahalli, Old Madras Road, just across my office. Some of the major attractions here are going to be Spar, Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle . (Other Shoppers Stop, LifeStyle and Spar are in Koramangala or near MG Road).
You may ask: do you really buy in malls? Yes, we do buy at malls. We buy monthly grocery, weekly non-veg (fish, chicken and sometime mutton), cloths, baby care, shoes - all in malls. Here also, the perception of malls have changed a lot in last decade. First time I saw a mall in my life named (Rave3) was way back in 2001 in Kanpur. (I watched Mansoon Wedding with some of my friends from IIT Kanpur in the multiplex there). I now think it was a small mall (perhaps smaller than Cosmos Mall); but at that time, it was big enough for me. But the mall that caught me awestruck was the Centrestage mall in Noida which I visited in 2004. It was really a big mall at that time. At those times, malls were a place only to hang around - watch movie, eat at McDonalds, KFCs and sometime accompany your girl-friend or spouse; but not a shopping destination as things were considered expensive in malls. The stores at malls didn't give any sale or any discounts. So we used to go to Commercial Street in Bangalore or Sector-18 market, Sunehri Market, Indira Market etc in Noida or Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Market, Chandni Chowk market etc in Delhi. The perception as Malls as expensive place to buy has changed later. The stores at Malls have started giving large discounts. Then we realized that malls have become a one-stop-solution for many of our needs. There is ample parking space (unlike traditional places like Commercial Streets) in the malls. When your wife purchases her cloths or shoes, you can buy groceries or vegetables of non-veg or buy liquour at MRP (e.g., Madhuloka stores). Your kid can play with various toys. After all these shoppings, you can have a lunch or dinner in a food-court at value prices or you can go to a restaurant too (which may be a bit expensive compared to the food-court).
These malls have have generated lots of jobs and many thousands of people are employed here. But at the same time, some people say that it may affect the livelihood of small shop owners. I'm not sure about this.
Now we don't go to Commercial Street or Marathahalli to buy clothes or shoes. We don't go to HAL market to buy fish or vegetables. We just go to these malls. Happy shopping :-)
4 comments:
You are correct about the malls affecting the livelihood of small shop owners. This has been a huge problem in the west. The worst part is the way the big malls deal with suppliers as well. A grocery chain will demand heavy discounts from farmers and the result is small farmers livelihood is also at risk.. But I suppose we will still see more and more of those coming soon in India.
Thanks for sharing so useful post.
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That’s great post. In Bangalore we can find multiple number of malls and it has been increased in Whitefield area.
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