Was pleasantly surprised to find the Canara Bank headquarters in Bangalore chalk-full of history and memorabilia on the bank. As soon as you step into the head office on Jayachamaraja Road what greets you is a replica of their very first branch in Mangalore.
Now known as the founder’s branch, this building was acquired by the bank in 1906 by the bank’s founder Ammembal Subba Rao Pai. One of the leading philanthropists in the region, he was apparently a lawyer by profession and built the Canara Girls High School in Kodialbali, Mangalore (still functioning as on date). Being concerned about the exorbitant rates charged by money lenders to poor people he started this as a fund, which later morphed into Canara Bank.
And next to the replica of the founder’s branch is a large depiction of how bank managers did business a century ago. Apparently, the office routine back then was to hail a bullock cart or tonga, get in and keep hopping smartly in and out of it – as one provided door-to-door service by collecting deposits and handing out monthly interests’ accrued to the bank’s valued customers in Mangalore.
The bank’s boardroom also depicts this transition of the bank from the bullock cart era to the Candi branch robot era. I unfortunately did not get to see that (something to look forward to during my next visit).
And to add to the place’s charm, the bank has also created a vertical garden in the centre of the building. Every night, the headquarters’ is lit up in blue and yellow flash lights, complementing the colours of their logo. I unfortunately didn’t get to witness that too. #CanaraBank #Charm #history
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