Serene Bengaluru of the Past: Rare MG Road photograph from 1950 stuns netizens; reminds of a simpler time
A nostalgic photo of Bengaluru’s MG Road from the 1950s, shared by 'Indian History Pics' on X, has gone viral. The serene vintage image contrasts sharply with today’s bustling, traffic-congested city, sparking astonishment and reflection among social media users.
Bengaluru: When people think of Bengaluru today, the first thing that often comes to mind is the hashtag #PeakBengaluru. The city, which once was known for its calm and charm, has undergone an extraordinary transformation from an ordinary town to India’s leading IT hub. But this rapid growth has come at a cost.
Bengaluru has lost much of its natural beauty and tranquility in the process. What was once a peaceful city is now bustling with constant activity and overcrowding. Traffic congestion has become a daily ordeal, with vehicles stuck in gridlocks for hours on end. Social media posts regularly lament the situation, describing how it can take hours in an auto-rickshaw just to travel five kilometers.
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Amidst all this, a nostalgic photograph of Bengaluru's old MG Road recently surfaced on social media, leaving users astonished. Many found it hard to believe that the serene scene in the picture was once part of the same bustling city they know today.
The photo was shared by the 'Indian History Pics' handle on X (formerly Twitter), with the caption: 1950 :: Car Parking On M.G Road , Bangalore.
1950 :: Car Parking On M.G Road , Bangalore
( Photo - ) pic.twitter.com/MFEK898zcb
The image captures a peaceful street lit by neon lights, with vintage cars parked alongside cycle rickshaws resting quietly. On the opposite side of the road, old buildings stand illuminated, adding to the charm of the scene. According to reports, the picture is sourced from the archives of Deccan Herald.
Bathed in a magical glow of light, one viewer commented that it almost seemed like snow had once fallen there. Another reminisced that even in the 1980s, the place remained just as beautiful. Some described the vintage photograph as reflecting a rural charm, while another called it the “Paradise of the South.”
One user noted that MG Road in Bengaluru was perhaps the only street in India with a garden on one side and buildings on the other. Another compared the scene to what America looked like in the 1950s and 60s.
Some lamented the impact of urbanisation, particularly the Metro project on MG Road. “Then the government decided to build a Metro line in the middle of it and destroy its beauty," one user commented, reflecting on how the once-picturesque avenue has changed.
In a similar case, an old photograph of Bengaluru’s Majestic bus terminal, captured on a “cloudy morning at 9:05 am” back in 1994, went viral on social media in January 2025.
Majestic bus stand in on a cloudy day in 1994 at peak hour 9.05 AM
What did we do to this city? pic.twitter.com/ZGdpdgSxrk
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