Bangalore: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

chillibreeze writer — Malavika

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Like most other long-time residents of Bangalore, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to referring to this city as Bengaluru. Resistance to change, one might say. I don’t know. There is something beautiful yet robust about the name Bangalore. It has solidity and stature and sounds contemporary at the same time. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about Bengaluru. I can’t even say Bengaluru with the same gusto with which I say Bangalore. So, for the purpose of this write-up, I take the liberty of saying Bangalore. I hope the politicos will forgive me.

We all know that a long time ago, Bangalore was known as the ‘pensioner’s paradise’. But today, when I look through the smoky haze on the roads and negotiate the insane traffic and noise, it’s hard to think of the place as a ‘paradise’ – it feels more like the insides of a factory!

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I see most of the city’s arterial roads dug up as part of the Metro Rail work. The once-beautiful MG Road is now unrecognizable – its pretty boulevard now absent. CMH Road is pretty much in the same state with the store owners lining the road being treated everyday to endless amounts of dust and smoke.

I try to see this in a positive light. It’s for the betterment of the city. Bangalore has never had a decent public transport system to speak of. If people go through this nightmare for a few years, the Metro Rail will fulfill their dream of a hassle-free commute to various parts of the city. All’s fair in the name of development. One only hopes that the nightmare doesn’t last too long – like the Silk Board flyover which took an eternity to complete.

It’s definitely not a rosy picture. But then I see those huge trees with their leaves and branches hovering over the road near Indian Institute of Science (IISc). I see pretty lanes and by-lanes in various localities with trees on either side and colorful flowers in full bloom in the spring.

This whole dichotomy somehow reminds me of Cubbon Park. Fresh and healthy in the mornings, replete with people of varied ages doing their fitness jig – a haven for lonesome souls and young couples during the day. Come night, and it turns into a hot-spot for antisocial elements. Cubbon Park is different things to different people. And so is Bangalore.

The city is a potpourri of different cultures and mindsets and is progressive in that sense. Bangalore nurtured the IT industry, the BPO culture, and the night-shift jobs. And yet, it has no night life to speak of, with entertainment hubs shutting shop before midnight.

Bangalore is about the history of Koshy’s and the modernity of Hard Rock Café nestling side by side. It is about the old world charm of the original Corner House and the original India Coffee House, both of which no longer exist (the originals have given way to newer versions).

Bangalore is about auto drivers who take you for a ride, both literally and metaphorically. Many of Bangalore’s auto-drivers now retort in Hindi when you speak to them in the local language, even while sporting a picture of the late Kannada movie star Shankar Nag on their vehicles.

As with most large cities, Bangalore too is a city in flux. Without the constant change, without the apparent contradictions, would it still be worth talking about? I doubt it.

Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in December, 2009. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

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—About our writer:

Malavika has professional experience in the areas of business journalism and qualitative market research. She is currently on a sabbatical from full-time employment, and being a writer at heart she's making the most of her time by doing some freelance writing. Malavika is based in Bangalore.

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