Bangalore - paradise lost

Bangalore- Capital of Karnataka state, in South India, is now known as IT(Information Technology) capital of India.
Kudos to some of the Indian MNCs like Infosys,Wipro,TCS, who introduced Bangalore to the world.The technology developed in this very IT city is ruling the world. It has become a global city. You name an IT company, and it is there in Bangalore!! This tech-savvy city has become the silicon-valley of India..every American MNC has a development centre here. This city has the capability of shaking world's economy. If the companies in Bangalore stop functioning just for an hour, its millions of dollars loss to the IT Godfather USA, making NYSE sensex go for a toss!! It is a perfect cosmopolitan city- we find every language,every culture,every food of the world here! This city has acquired such a name in software that, foreigners who do not know about India,know Bangalore!! In my recent visit to UK,when I told my British colleague that I am from Bangalore,he was so impressed that I was finding myself with wings in his eyes! But his very next question cut my wings..his question was "heard that Bangalore has the highest number of pubs?" I tried giving him some useful information about the city,but in vain..he was more interested in pubs/bars.."Kudukan kanas nyaag baatli ne"(thatz in Kannada, saying Drunkard always
dreams of alcohol )..

Well, fame does not come alone..it'll bring its side-effects too.As the saying goes, if there is a nose..its obvious to get cold,this IT fame is making Bangalore to be a home for western lifestyle, which is much more different from our Indian culture. The city has reached to the limit where beer bottles are easily available compared to water bottles! Peolpe drinking coke-pepsi more, compared to water! Pizza-burgers are replacing rice-roti,giving birth to weight-reduction centres!! Recently I read an ad saying " Lose 10Kgs for Rs.10000..eat whatever you want"..what a business.....they earn money in people's flesh! "Charbi utarne ki business" ;-)

After Roti, let me come to Makaan(shelter)..dreaming a 30X40 house in Bangalore is like dreaming of Vidhan-Soudha..just out of reach of a normal person! Bangalore tops the list of the costliest Real-estate cities in the world! The rent rates for a 2BHK start with 5 figures!! The rent which I pay here is much more than enough for a
family in my home-town to live a comfort life! I can buy a 40X60 land in my home-town with the rent which I pay here yearly! What else to say?

If I throw some light on other social facts, I am afraid to write! Every now and then we hear about Bangalore being in the top list of terrorist attack!! Some 2-3 incidents have proven it too..gang-wars,rowdyism,murders,robberies,kidnaps,traffic-jams,accidents etc- are adding to the fear of this city..making people live on the edge of insecurity! My father,who once loved to visit Bangalore,is afraid to come now.

This city has changed a lot in very small span of time..its totally different than the time I visited some 10years back(during my CET counseling). If you make a person to visit Bangalore,who has stayed away from this city since last 15-20 years,he/she'll be lost totally!! I have seen old Bangaloreans' eyes filling with tears when they talk about bygone days of this city ;-(

Gone are those days- which once known as garden city of India,where every road was a jogging spot with no pollution/no traffic,where there were thousands of trees for every mile,where mornings were welcomed with birds' chirping,where people used to wear coats even in summer,where life was so safe,secured,easy and inexpensive..

I just wonder,is it possible now to live in Bangalore which once known as "pensioner's paradise", just with pension? I am afraid how other non-IT people are affording to stay here!!

I know,inspite of all these I have to live here,because this city gives me my bread,it has given me much more than I deserve!!..it is a city of opportunities,if a city needs to grow,it has to compromise with some natural factors!

Just like every Bangalorean, I would be very happy if this city develops in a more organized way taking into consideration its lost pride and beauty, where all classes of people can stay happily,affording every basic need.

I wish, I get a chance soon to write again on "paradise re-gained" about this city!!

Outstanding or standing-out?

I always dream of being an outstanding person......got puzzled? I told i just dream..what goes in dreaming....it doesn't cost much,just a nap!! Dream is not a past tense for me..its present-perfect-future tense.. ;-) I dream till I breathe last..that is the only feeling where I am what I am not now!!

Let me take you to my PU college days..most memorable days of my life.The life then was so easy and fun-filled..the time had made us hardly think of future life's difficulties..we were like free-birds..only knew to fly high!

RLS is one of the best colleges in North Karnataka,belonging to KLE society and established by his highness Shri.Raja Lakhamagouda of Vantamuri.A beautiful college with an extraordinary infrastructure. A perfect place to be an educational institute..well maintained,well organized! Located at the most happening place in Belgaum- college road/Bogar ves!

As the saying goes, "All that glisters is not gold", one doesn't become the best student just by studying in the best college! I am the best example! I still repent of not being so good student..not studying upto the expectations ;-( I dream,if I could live those days again(in a reformed way)!!

Let me put my feeling aside; as I said earlier,we had a gala time during those days.Our group-Mohan,Dundesh,Shankar,Kiran,Asif,Shivu and me, knew no limitations....just being happy and making fun! We're like 7 colours of the rainbow..7 notes of music!! Always colourful..always sound!! The time and place were just made for us- bunking classes,proxy attendance,watching movies,playing cricket,bird-watching in Lingaraj college campus ;-).....jaane kahan gaye woh din!! (I'll write more about my college days in my next blog)

Let me come back to my dream of being an outstanding student ;-)..Biology and organic chemistry periods were the most torturing classes for us..none of us was having interest in those classes..we hardly used to listen what the lecturer was telling!! One unlucky day,both(bio/chem) classes were in continuous periods..our group thought of bunking..but as we were top listed in less-attendance notice..we could not bunk ;-(...however, we set our mind to attend the class. The bio class started,hardly 5 mins were over that a joke was cracked in our group,I started
laughing..inspite of my attempt,I could not stop laughing..my other group members were very "chaloo"..they were so smart in handling such situations that even the person sitting next to them could not make out what was going on!!
To my bad luck, the lecturer turned to me and told to stand up on the bench..believe me,even that could not stop me from laughing..my God..my lecturer's face was watchable!! He was so disturbed that he told me to stand out of the class..
Next was chemistry class..we used to call that lecturer as "loud speaker".His pitch of teaching was just like military orders..loud and clear.The joke cracked in the earlier class was not leaving me only,I again started laughing.I was laughing so loud that I exceeded my lecturer's pitch....he was so impatient person,within a second,he kicked me out of the class and told me to stand out!!

Whenever I recall this incident,the same laugh fills my face..what a way of making a dream true!! I was made to stand out two times on the same day by two different lecturers!! Outstanding incident..isn't it? ;-)