Source: Deccan Herald
BANGALORE, INDIA, JUNE 9, 2001: According to a rough estimate prepared by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) there are at least 1,000 unauthorized roadside Hindu shrines in Bangalore. Shrines erected on footpaths, parks, and public thoroughfares are mushrooming all over the city. Roadside shrines, a strange phenomenon, endemic to Bangalore, are supported by the generosity of the public. Not only are they patronized, but these temples, within a year of consecration, draw a huge number of devotees. A shrine often begins as a tin shed, upgrades to an asbestos roof, and in no time has a concrete roof. The BMP is trying to limit these shrines, and has even demolished a few, but faces strong public resistance.