South Parade Road (M G Road) In British-era Bangalore, 1910 Postcard
An interesting 1910 postcard of South Parade Road in Bangalore (Bengaluru). The elegant avenue that is today known as Mahatma Gandhi Road (M G Road). Dominating the scene is the impressive Prince of Wales Building. Constructed in honour of the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the future King George V and Queen Mary, to Bangalore in 1906.
The structure featured long arcaded verandahs, ornate balustrades, and spacious upper-floor offices. Making it one of the city’s most distinguished commercial landmarks of the early twentieth century. A close look at the shopfronts reveals period signboards including a Dental Surgery, B P Annasawmy Mood & Co., C. Baggala & Co., and J. B. Forster. Offering a rare glimpse into the thriving businesses that once catered to Bangalore’s cosmopolitan colonial community.
During the British era, South Parade was the social and commercial heart of the Cantonment, shaded by rows of large rain trees and lined with fashionable department stores, cafés, bookshops, hotels, tailors, theatres, and specialty retailers. It was a favourite promenade for European residents while also attracting affluent Indian merchants and professionals. Over the decades, the avenue evolved into modern M G Road, yet it has remarkably retained much of its historic prestige.
Several heritage institutions still survive nearby, including the legendary Koshy’s Restaurant, while historic cinema halls and colonial-era commercial buildings continue to remind visitors of Bangalore’s layered past. Although sleek glass-fronted towers now dominate parts of the skyline, vintage postcards like this preserve the charm of an era when horse-drawn carts, wide arcades, and strolls defined one of India’s most celebrated streets. Click image to enlarge.
Did you know – the name South Parade apparently referred to the location of the street, which was south of the military parade ground.
