We have attempted to draw some inferences pertaining to Bangalore’s environment and its economy at the turn of the nineteenth century, the eve of “Cantonment Bangalore” from various archival sources. An important source on the landscapes in and around Bangalore is Francis Buchanan’s Journey. Another interesting source were the sketches by Home in his “Select Views in Mysore: The Country of Tippoo Sultan from Drawings Taken on the Spot” which provide interesting clues to what Bangalore’s landscapes may have looked like; surprisingly it may not have been quite like what we might imagine. The conclusion we arrive it is that while Bangalore may well have become “greener” in the Cantonment and post-Independence era while the forests in Bangalore’s vicinity may have witnessed the greatest damage.
