I Heart Bangalore

Home is ?
I have a friend who told me sometime back that he does not have a place to call Home. I figured that is natural for so many of us who have lived in different countries, cities or towns over the years. I have moved too. Stayed away from India for a long period of time. But summer vacations always included one month in Delhi and the other in Bangalore.
The latter being my obvious choice of place of residence while I studied to get a degree.

I Heart Bangalore.

I have always felt welcome and never an outsider. I know the roads well enough to not get lost. I take pride in letting everyone know that it is a wonderful city to visit and settle down in - but if you're going to crib about the autowallas and food then please stay away. I may not know Kannada but I'm still accepted and get my way with Hindi.
Bangalore to me is where I actually grew up. Learnt life's lessons and developed a street smart sense of survival. Whether it was staying away from parents on Byrasandra Road with the girls, or travelling within the city to satisfy one's craving of food - I've enjoyed it all.
When it rains, the smell of the earth makes me smile non stop. The weather in Bangalore gives my heart wings and it feels wonderful. Sigh - ness !
Whether it's rock pubs, happy hours, free entry for ladies, bollywood nights, ladies nights - Bangalore is heaven for the out of townies who would like to just get high. You can enter anywhere with slippers as well ! I can wear my rocksters or oshos and enter The Beach without feeling underdressed.
I can walk on Church Street with the girls at 9:00 pm singing songs. The autos - green & yellow or the black & yellow do not take you for a ride unless you act stupid. Yes the charge is higher after 10:00 pm. But it is these very same autos that have taken 6 girls together from Indranagar to Jayanagar and not charged extra !

Bangalore is about the benne masala dosa at CTR, MTR, Vidyarthi Bhavan, Adiga's and Maiyas. It is about the mad weekend rush to have an Andhra Meal at Nandhini, Godavari, Nagarjuna, Bheema's or RR. It is about catering to the Chinese craving young crowd at Popsies, Chung Wah.

Bangalore is about not losing one's identity through the rapid and sudden development by retaining and maintaining what it has always stood for - Peace, Love, Unity and Joy !
The India Coffee House, Corner House, Airlines Restaurant, Koshy's, Fanoos, The Only Place, Purple Haze, K.C Das have been examples of this.
In this city, noone is in a big hurry and everyone takes their own sweet time to do what they please. We are not constantly on our toes. We are laidback. Not lazy. Maybe a little slow to have understood the need of better public transportation but not lazy !

Jayanagar is one of the most well planned localities in Asia while Indranagar is one of the most posh. Where Whitefield is slowly becoming the next hub, Koramangla rose from the dust to become the most sought after area to reside in. No matter where you stay, you will never find yourself lonely. It's against the city's culture.

You can choose to study at Mount Carmel College with only girls, St. Josephs that lies at the heart of the city, Christ University that has one of the biggest campuses or R.V Engineering, National College, Jyoti Nivas, etc. The list is endless.
You may visit Mysore, Hampi, Mangalore, Kerala, Chennai by road from the city and enjoy yourselves.

A Punjabi can say "what da ?" and fit in immediately. People are referred to as Macha and every word ends with the "oo"sound. You can speak like Yoda and nobody will laugh at you. You don't have to walk around in designer shoes carrying designer bags because we all love the street shopping at Commercial street and Brigade Road.

No matter how much I say I would like to run away, I know that deep down I always want to back. This is where - my parents got married, my grandparents retired, my family lives, I graduated (twice), my daddy was creamted. This is where I hope my friends and I will get married (if ever). This is where I want to be.

Bangalore makes me a happy child. For me this a city of joy, tears, heartbreaks, mendings, life, love, family, familiarity, identity, traditions and culture.

Home is Bangalore !