Sunday, September 18, 2005
Bangalore, my love.
Lately the city I live in has been under a lot of flak. And not unjustly so. Bangalore is like the brilliant child you had, whom you expected would grow up to be someone you could be immensely proud of. But instead of the IIT-IIM pass out you this child should’ve been, it grows up to be a good for nothing failure, unable to live up to hopes, and almost too broken to have any dreams.
For the uninitiated (read those living on another planet), Bangalore is the IT capital of India. It was supposed to be the city of tomorrow. The model city that would keep up with every successful city in the world. People flocked in thousands for the better life in Bangalore. Businesses grew and the worthy became rich. Its success lured more people and more business. Things were bloody good! And then somewhere along the way, things started spiralling downwards.
Today Bangalore is a mess. The word ‘infrastructure’ makes most people cry and some of the more jaded ones laugh. The government is a case study in everything that can go wrong in a democracy. Population has exploded, property prices are skyrocketing and life is nothing but one long traffic jam.
But it’s still your child and you still love it.
I’m a Bangalorean. I wasn’t born one but I chose to become one. The main reason it’s my home of course is because this is where my heart lies. My then boyfriend and now husband is a Banglorean. But that wasn’t the only reason I chose this city to be my home. I really loved this city. And although today I’m one of the loudest complainers of the problems that plague Bangalore I still love it. Bangalore baby, here's why you rock!
Open a window and you’ll still see nature in all its glory. No government can stop the mad variety of trees that line our streets and how they choose to flower at different times of the year so that whatever the season, there’s always a splash of colour to lift your spirits.
The sky still looks like it’s out of a children’s storybook. The perfect blue with lazily floating fluffy white clouds. And then suddenly, out of this picturesque blue, out emerge thunderous black storm clouds that pour all over the city, leaving everyone drenched and delighted.
Bangalore accepts me for who I am. Wholly and unconditionally. No one hates me cuz I’m north Indian (a dreaded quality in a place like Chennai), not rich (not acceptable in Delhi) and not too cool (you gotta be cool in Mumbai). I can go pubbing dressed like Paris Hilton or Pavithra Hanumanthapaiya, Bangalore really doesn’t give a damn. Whatever my avatar, I can always be assured a chilled glass of draught beer and some good old-fashioned masala peanuts.
There are roads with names like Serpentine Street, Bride Street and Murder Street in Bangalore. And they still have old villas (albeit slightly rundown) with a faded 1905 carved above the front door.
People still pick each other up from the airport in Bangalore. And if it gets too late and you don’t have a car, someone will drop you. To your house, and not a taxi stand.
Despite the throngs of people that walk up and down it, M.G. Road remains one of the prettiest roads in the country. With the beautiful (original) Vidhana Soudha at one end and the lovely tree lined pavement on its side, M.G. Road is a reminder of everything that was once right with the city.
Courtesy and politeness are still practiced in this once pensioner’s paradise. Even as you sit in a crazy traffic jam at 7:30 in the evening, cursing and tuning radio channels, a fiat will slow down and let you pass first. It happens rarely, but it happens.
Bangalore truly is a cosmopolitan city. I really can’t think of any one community that has an overwhelming majority here. Our multiplexes show movies in English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam and Telegu.
The pubs, the people, the parks, the place…it all works for me. I love Bangalore and wouldn’t wanna leave it for any other city in India.
Now I’ve got to go. Got a distance of about 3 km to cover and only one hour to do it. I better get on it.
Posted by that girl in pink
| 11:47 am
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6 comments
6 Comments
- at 12:48 pm said...
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Ur mantra for making a bollywood flick is spot on. Fabulous piece Ms. Pinky!!!! : )
- at 7:45 pm said...
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Catching up on your blog after a couple of days? U rock babe!!! Keep it going need some more brain food....
Will call u!!
Macker
- at 11:01 am said...
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hey...i wanna read more!!! PLS PLS PLS PLS PLEASE post another blog! AFanOfPinkyAunty
- at 9:35 am shub said...
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lovely piece there!! am from bangalore...and can so much relate to what you;ve written...and trust me, its such a relief for once, not to have someone badmouthing it! :)
- at 3:37 am said...
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- at 1:07 am Arjun Sharma said...
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Almost cried with happiness after reading this. Feel nostalgic(even though I'm still here and have been for almost all my life). Great.
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shub said...