I’m trying not to make a big deal about the transition back to Bangalore but so much has changed in the past 3 years. And everyone I’ve met has asked me the same question, “So what’s changed in the city?” For starters, my city’s name has been changed to Bengaluru. I don’t like the name change; Bangalore was so much cooler and metropolitan sounding.
The first thing I noticed was the new international airport. Though I imagined it to be bigger, I like the order and neatness, and of course the access to the duty free stores before you walk out. The next thing is definitely the increase in traffic on the city’s roads. Our roads have been widened with fewer signals, but crowded with more vehicles than ever before; and I have to comment about the accompanying increase in road rage and honking. The Namma Metro work is chaotic, hopefully when it is finally functional it’ll make up for the damage it’s done. Volvo buses have supposedly become a handy form of public transport, though I’m yet to vouch for that myself. Autos are becoming eco friendly and hence being painted green. Their drivers however, I feel, have become more audacious and arrogant in refusing customers and reckless driving. And yeah, Bangalore’s cops have become more vigilant and tech-savvy. They carry BlackBerrys and enter a faulty driver’s information right away to a central server. And apparently, they’ve become pretty strict about DUIs and seizing licenses for repeat offenses.
From an economic aspect, I’ve realized that my small wallet doesn’t fetch me much. Cost of living has shot up beyond many Bangaloreans’ affordability. A 3 month gym membership is over 12K, a movie ticket costs twice as much, and Rs. 100 won’t buy you a decent dinner any more. Yet the nouveau riche don’t seem to stop splurging and crowding the city’s stores. Malls are filled with so many window shoppers that’s its actually quite impossible for a genuine shopper to find what he/she is looking for. UB City is finally open and is filled with expensive designer stores with arrogant shop keepers (but I really like its architecture and food court). Everyone and I mean everyone has gotten a cell phone. And the rich have gotten richer and I don’t think the disparity between the rich and poor has really reduced.
Many old school places unique to Bangalore have closed, and the HAL airplane has been removed from historic junction. We have a new Vikasa Soudha identical to Vidhana Soudha. Bars close at 11.30 pm (my dad is very happy to have me back home so early) and Empire is no longer a late-night food paradise. We now have more coffee days with more expensive coffee offerings. Moviegoers are many and multiplexes are minting money. A new trend in the theatres is to play the National Anthem before the movie and everyone stands for it (impressive)!
Thanks to all the immigrants/job seekers from other parts of the country, Kannada is being spoken far less than before. Bangalore has expanded beyond Yelahanka and Bannerghatta. Every corner of the city is becoming self-dependent; people no longer have to travel a long distance just for a nice restaurant or shopping mall.
So many fewer trees along the roads (earlier Golf Road was one of my favorite roads to drive on because of the way the sunlight made its way through the leaves of the trees that lined that road; now that’s history). In an attempt to upkeep the green image of the city, the corporation is painting fairytale waterfalls and forests along the walls of the flyover. I guess I should give them credit for trying to cover the concrete jungle mess.
All said and done, some things may never change like the lack of customer service, men constantly letching at passerby women, or the respect for a waiter’s or janitor’s job. But the good that’s come out of all the corporate mayhem is that people are more aware of their jobs and responsibilities, not taking it as much for granted as they used to before.
Of course, I’m glad that some things haven’t changed like the love and care you get from family, hot home cooked meals, my dog’s slurry kiss, petty witty jokes by my friends, and the abundance of company. All-in-all, it’s good to be back home in Bangalore!
