Life at crossroads

Bengaluru is very confusing. This comes from a person who has been staying here for over four decades.
Life at crossroads

Bengaluru is very confusing. This comes from a person who has been staying here for over four decades. Some areas are known by blocks, some phases and some stages. Over to the civic body.

Some areas are well planned, where 2nd cross comes after 1st cross, as it should. But in some places like Jayanagar, crosses and main roads are mixed up, at least that is how I look at it. What seems like a main road, which is broad and looks just like a main road should, is called a cross, and a cross is known as a main road. Perhaps, I am at fault. And it is difficult to know one end of a cross from the other. I am still figuring it out.

Worse, on one side of the road, you have fourth block and the opposite side has the address Jayanagar 9th block. Or Jayanagar 4th T Block is referred to as Tilaknagar by the locals. In fact, I have been ticked off by delivery executives for giving my official address as Jayanagar 4th T Block. They have told me in no uncertain terms that it is Tilaknagar! I meekly agreed. Now I refer to my area as Tilaknagar, though for some strange reason the post office calls it 4th T block! I am sure some other areas too are as confusing. And change of names of roads and introducing one-ways are only compounding the problem.

I always feel lost in a new location, sometimes even in my own area. If you lose your way or don’t know the way, some Bengalureans are very helpful, but some intimidating.

Which way to this famous hospital in Jayanagar, please? I can’t tell north from south. And I don’t want to rely on Google Maps, which confuses me more than I am already. I prefer to ask a person and have real-world conversation. So the next best option is asking auto drivers. You would think, they would know best.
So I told my auto driver to ask one of his brethren on the way. He did. The first one said go straight, at the next signal turn left, you will reach 7th block and then take two rights, you will be there. My automan, who was as perplexed as me, asked me if we were following the instructions correctly. For the life of me, I couldn’t make out where we were.

So we asked another auto driver, who seemed to be from the area, the way to this hospital. He said we were going in the wrong way and we should take a U-turn, then take a right near 13th cross (I thought I saw two 13th crosses!), next a left, go straight and then take another left. My auto driver who seemed to gain in confidence followed the instructions and I realised we were back at my house. That day I understood the meaning of going round in circles.

We again started as I had to be at the hospital at the appointed time. This time, I told the automan we won’t depend on his colleagues. I know how tough it is to stop a stranger and ask for directions. Come to that, these days it is difficult to spot a passerby who is not speaking on his/her phone or wearing headphones and listening to music while walking. I had no option. Stopped a stranger who seemed approachable. She wasn’t speaking on her phone nor was she listening to music. I asked her for the directions. To my delight, she gave precise directions. I thanked her profusely, and, yes, I reached the hospital on time.

Utthara Kumari B
Associate editor

uttharakumari@newindianexpress.com

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com