I had expected that I would hate leaving Bangalore. But I have actually been looking forward to leaving this excuse for a city since the time I got to know that I have been transferred.
Don't get me wrong. There are a lot of things that I like about this place. The climate for one. The fact that it is a cheaper place than any other city in India (or abroad) I would want to be in. The fact that there is one really nice book-shop on Church Street here (as against none in most other cities). But those should not be the best reasons to like a city. The main reason why one should like a city is its people. And I think Bangalore scores quite low on that count.
The people of Bangalore have still not been able to come to terms with the fact that their city (or erstwhile overgrown village) is not the same Kannadiga-dominated place it used to be 10-15 years back. They still expect people to learn Kannada, not realizing that the city has developed and grown because people from other parts of India have come to work here. Bangalore, unlike Mumbai or Delhi, is still uncomfortable with its cosmopolitan-ness, and I doubt it'll be able to come to terms with it in the near future. It's sad, because the city deserves better natives.
Kannadigas are an inherently insecure people, perennially worried that the more identifiable Madrasis (Tams), the more interesting Mallus or the more successful Gults overshadow them. They actually do. I wasn't aware of a distinct Kannadiga culture till I came to Bangalore, and I am not sure it can still be called one ("distinct culture") just as yet.
The recent spurt in ill-treatment of women hasn't endeared the Kannadiga "culture" to me particularly either. Bangalore, or at least one section of it, has had this elitist hangover from the Brit times, which is fast diluting in the face of the BJP-backed core Kanndiga ideology.
Karnataka is slowly taking over Bangalore. Bangalore is dying.
The verdict on whether Mumbai scores over Bangalore would be settled one year from now.
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5 comments:
While I agree with your view about the points that shouldn't be the reasons for you to 'like' a city, it's not entirely true that Bangalore isn't comfy with its cosmo status as Bombay or Delhi. The same kind of elements exist here who can match a typical MNS cadre in Bombay. True, a lot of people don't like the influx, and are worried about the declining Kannadiga numbers. But honestly, the learn Kannada thing isn't quite different from Delhi where you're expected to know Hindi (imagine a person knowing only English and Kannada), or in Bombay where although at the moment you can speak in Hindi, but the MNS clamours for Marathi. And let's not even talk about getting around Chennai. As far as the pub attacks go, they certainly aren't Kannadiga culture - even the attackers claimed it was a Hindu thingy. But you got one thing spot on - Bangalore is dying. All the best in Mumbai.
I think that you are judging people too harshly. What is your opinion based on ? TOI/Bangalore times ?
Ill-treatment of women is hardly a phenomenon local to Bangalore/Karnataka. Its pretty much there all over the country, so its something that we, as a nation, have to work on.
A Bihari in Mumbai ... not sure that its a wise choice, esp. with assembly elections coming up! KRV is the proponent of Kanndiga ideology (whatever that is), not the BJP.
Kannadigas as I have known them are the most accepting and peaceful group. They are simple and unassuming. Bangalore is one city where you can be born and live your entire life and not know a word of Kannada. So i think yor rants against this beautiful city are completely unwarranted. You should realise that this garden city was the most unpolluted and green city with peaceful people before the IT revoluton broke out. It is quite natural then for peple who lived a major portion of their lives here before this revolution to feel some level of discontent that it has now become one of the most polluted and traffic infested places in the world. Ask yourself this question, apart from cashing in on the benefits this city gave you lived here, what did you do for the city in return. What did you do even in the smallest possible way to make your and others lives a little better? If your answer is noting, then you don't have a right to complain, and this great city has no qualms about losing people like you. Adios !
And talking about culture, looks like your time here was wasted if you haven't visited any of the umpteen historical places in and around the city. But then you were probably too busy making money here. Have a good life!
this blog has been written by you about an year ago....but i too share the same opinion like urs...we are based at bangalore and once upon a time i was very much in love with the city....but then things kept on changing there and from a good city it started getting overcrowded with too little ways of extension unlike other metros like mumbai or delhi..and yet instead of making ways to make it more accomodating for people getting into the city...the localites especially the kannadigas wants reservations to be made for jobs etc. which isn't there in any indian states as of now...if you don't want to go out of your boundaries yet you claim to be peace loving and welcoming people then why did you stage a "dharna" in front of office like IBM sometime back...is my question to those people..
if its your city then make it a better place...don't try to cover up the shortfalls of it by giving some stories...
i have been in mumbai for a while for some work and i didn't find any difficulty here with either my language or to which state i belong to....mumbai is for all and so should b'lore be....a bunch of people cannot defy the culture of the place ever..its there...and it will be so...
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