'We Make Bangalore What It Is'

'We Make Bangalore What It Is'

It all began with a traffic jam on the Christmas eve of 2001 when I came to Bangalore to visit my dad. The bougainvillea laden MG Road,  the Christmasy air all around, the winter chill, the radio stations roaring the joy of festivities. That was my first tryst with this city and boy, it was love at first sight. The following summer I shifted here for good.

Over my time here, I witnessed the transition of Bangalore- the sleepy town, the old man’s paradise to the highly proactive city filled with ambitious youngsters. Today, Bangaloreans have a clear standpoint on issues, be it AAP or LGBT rights. And Bangalore not just has an opinion of its own but the courage to stand up for it.

This rich-poor city, with its host of opportunities guarantees a square meal for anyone ready to put in some hard work. From a daily wage worker to the corporate bandwagon, everyone leads a comfortable life. Now you don’t see that happening everywhere.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say a lot has changed about Bangalore over the years. There was the famous Indian Coffee House on M G Road which for some strange reason topped my chart of favourite places. It had absolutely nothing swanky about it. Now I ask myself- was it the rusting board outside, the waiters with their white  and red uniform , the mutton cutlets or was it the coffee that cured the tiredness of book hunting at Bookworm (yes! they have books stacked till the ceiling), just a few yards away. And one fine day the  landmark Coffee House was gone with just the questions remaining, becoming one of the many things that have changed over the years.

Oh! I almost forgot to complain about the potholes, overpriced autos, traffic woes yada yada yada.  But give the city a chance and you’ll see it work its magic on you before you even realise it. It all started in a traffic jam for me and here I am singing songs of its greatness.

Living the true 'moving forward' ideology,  it has welcomed the changes that came its way. Dynamism is what it stands for.  When I say 'IT', it's 'us' who makes the city what it is perceived today. So pat on the back , but we still have a long way to go.

(The reader is a resident of C V Raman Nagar)

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