Bangalore was my home for almost 25 years of my life and I thought it will always be home. Bangalore is my cocoon- a very familiar, comforting place. Ah! I was so wrong. I was "home" for five weeks and although I felt rushed for shopping, visiting people I care about and eating all the foods I craved for, I was ready to come "Home". I have had to re-define my idea of home.
The Bangalore I visited was a far cry from the Bangalore I grew up in. Gone was the leisurely pace that I so envied when I was studying. Gone was the familiar fresh air, thanks to vehicle smog. Gone was the typical June weather- hot in the day and rains cooling off the evenings.. its mostly sweaty now, thanks to my acclimatizing to cooler temperate weather of NW USA. Gone was the two wheeler world.. now it is mostly four wheelers and two wheelers in equal numbers, creating roads dotted with traffic jams. Gone were the shortcuts to different areas in the city, now there are one ways and no way to get out of being lost on the streets. I heard more English being spoken than the familiar Kannada. I saw more out of state(and country) people than the ones who had a history there.
So I went deliberately looking for the familiar and then realized I just needed to scratch the surface. There were still people who loved hearing someone else speak the native language; someone who knew the old Kannada songs; someone who knew the old corner food joints. The temples smelled the same- camphor, flowers, incense sticks. It felt good to hear the familiar church bells and the early morning Azaan calls.
The old Markets had the same look to them.. bulks of fresh foods next to smelling rotting ones a little distance away. A reminder than nothing lasts forever, everything is transient, so make the best of what is the now. People who will still ask you if you are so and so's daughter living in so and so place. Elders who would shower you with blessings when you bow to touch their feet- A reminder that you need to be a little lower(humble) to receive blessings in life.
The fast food places serve the same foods but the size of the servings have shrunk with a marginal increase in the prices.. There are more restuarants now that cater to the busy lot. Tender-coconuts are still a lovely treat, as are the chaat stalls. Auto-drivers are still the pain they used to be--they will go everywhere except where you want them to go and never have change. The traffic police gave out vibes that were the same- they were there to harass. Their end of the month collections are very important and they are justified in harassing individuals. The words "Adjust maadi" (just make do with what is even if its not what is comfortable or what you paid for) is still in vogue.
There seems to be marked improvement in roads and amenities but it is mostly in areas where the big MNC's have set shops, except for telecommunication. In other areas- there are still power cuts, water supply just 3 days a week, long waits for cooking gas, buses that are overcrowded, streets that are actually a pothole gallery, water lines that are open in some places, roads that seem to be in a constant state of repair and the dream of a pavement for commuters on foot a far dream. Telephone has become a part of everyone's life 10 years ago, only the elite/affluent could afford a telephone. I was surprised to see the neighborhood door to door vegetable vendor talk over his Cell phone. The streets are dotted with people who at first sight seem to be insanely talking to themselves until you realize they are on the hidden cellphone.
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