Google Local Guides: Pinning stories to coordinates in a pandemic

When I started contributing as a Google Local Guide at the start of 2020, I was looking forward to a year of trips. I wanted to travel to distant places and contribute to maps, in the hope of helping fellow travelers just as other local guides had helped me with their reviews and tips in the past.

2020 turned out to be everything but that. I couldn’t travel. However, after a month of lockdown I realized I could still contribute by helping out local businesses — by adding them on maps. Visiting places took on a different meaning — I was following safety precautions but collecting stories as well.

Like the story of a couple who have a small tiffin center on the way from the Kempegowda International Airport to Bangalore city. You know how they say, that the main ingredient in food is the love with which it is prepared? Well, this place does justice to that. We were driving back early in the morning from the airport and stopped to have tea at this place. When we saw hot steam rising from the white fluffy idlis, we couldn’t stop ourselves from ordering breakfast. Next thing you know, we had eaten around 4 idlis, 4 dosas, 6 puris and 8 vadas amongst the three of us.

The couple who runs the place is extremely loving and hospitable. They told us how they make their food with good oil, and it’s the same food they and their kids have. As he spread another dosa on the hot tawa for us hungry kids, he told us how he goes to work after breakfast is served, and then his wife handles the lunch. The lady told me how her sambar was famous, and after licking our fingers clean, there was no doubting that! The sweetest thing of all was how they were initially explaining to us how to eat and what to pair with what; because they thought that we were not locals!

If these weren’t enough accolades to their center, they were immensely charitable. When a little girl came to him with less money, he gave her more idlis than she could pay for. You could see it in the smile on his face — it was not out of pity, but more out of happiness.

Stories like these make me happy that my contributions earned me a place in the top 1% Local Guides in Bangalore in 2020. I also leveled up from Level 4 to Level 6 last year and got myself the expert photographer and novice director badges.

Though I don’t know what 2021 is holding in store for us, I do know that there is more to be explored and discovered in one’s own backyard, if only we are willing to open our hearts to it.

If you would like to have their delicious breakfast, find the place on Maps here:

Sri Maruthi Tiffin Centre, Meenakunte Hosur, Bengaluru, Karnataka 562157 https://maps.app.goo.gl/GKCpyvofkUiYc1D9A

PS: After all that gluttony, and some tea to wash it down, our bill came to only Rs.160.

If you would like to add a local business, it’s a very simple process: