Bengaluru: Frustrated by the rising number of potholes in east Bengaluru, residents of Bharathinagar on Saturday (September 27, 2025) performed a unique ritual, praying that potholes do not claim more lives.
While such symbolic protests have been staged in other parts of the city before, the Bharathinagar Residents’ Forum went a step further—treating a pothole as a deity and conducting a full-fledged pooja. Around 20–25 members gathered on Webster Road, decorating a pothole with chrysanthemums and rose petals, and even hiring a priest to chant mantras.
‘Patchwork repairs won’t work’
Surendra Ravi, president of the residents’ forum, said there are nearly 100 potholes in Cox Town alone, with most repairs proving temporary.
“The potholes reappear within days of filling, highlighting the poor quality of the civic body’s work. This patchwork approach clearly isn’t working,” he said.
He further alleged that civic agencies only acted under media and public pressure, not out of initiative.
Injuries and citizen action
Several residents have reportedly suffered injuries because of potholes. In response, the forum has begun its own pothole-filling drive, vowing to continue unless the civic body takes meaningful action.
“We performed a ‘Homa Pooja’ to the ‘Pothole Gods’ in desperation, hoping it might protect us from injury or death. Beyond that, we will continue to fill potholes ourselves,” Mr. Ravi added.
The symbolic protest comes even as civic authorities step up patchwork repairs across Bengaluru, with critics warning that long-term solutions are still missing.