I will take it personally

I am sick and tired of all the "Bangaloreans" whining about the culture degradation and population and pollution and bla bla bla.. For Christ's sake, will you can it already and find it in your brain (no matter how remote) to channel some rationalism?

My entire life, I have never stayed in one place. My father was in the Army and I moved a lot. A LOT! I never had a real home. I made home wherever I was. I never had a problem adjusting to the people and picking up languages. I never felt out of place. I always felt at home. Because everywhere I went, it was my COUNTRY. And no North Indian was biased against me because I was a South Indian (or what they like to call "Madrasis"). That never got in my way because I always found a way to prove I was good (I don't mean to sound pompous. But you have to understand the pressure of constant change and coping and getting people to accept you).

But you know where I have felt the most out of place? In my own part of the country. South India. Bangalore.

When I moved to Bangalore, I always thought of this place where no one will feel out of place. Because there are all kinds of people here. It was thought of as a veritable melting-pot; of cultures, languages and people (Indians and expatriates). It symbolised all the true shades of secularism, not just its literal religious implications.

I know 4 year isn't a very long time to say much about a place. But I do know when an attitude starts to stink. It takes no time to realize that!

When people cried "culture degradation", I admit that most educated people realised it was all a political gimmick. But can someone "cultured" tell me which part of our culture professes beating up women? In my opinion, all the inflow of culture and ideas has only made the stand of the WOMAN in the India, stronger. Uneducated minions of political buffoons (like Muthalik), the whole lot have the IQ of a fly. They can never begin to understand what a powerful woman is. They never got slapped hard enough by their mommies when they were little. Let me point out that retaliation for the whole episode was started by a NON-Bangalorean. Nisha Susan, a journalist form New Delhi.

Then people cried "population". So can someone please tell me who opened the gates of Bangalore to let in the Conglomerates and MNCs? Im sorry, I don't have the intelligence to match the great economically driven Governments. Oh wait a sec!! I do have a little intelligence. So the answer is - The Government. When they wanted people to work for the BIG companies, who gave them the OK to bring people in? The Government. When the State was rolling in money and middle class ruled, who clapped their hands? The Government and WE ALL DID. But when the city couldnt take its explosion anymore, what did the geniuses in The Government do? They sent hooligans to beat up anyone who didn't speak Kannada and stood outside a club (which by the way, they gave the permit to run). And made the outsiders look like the culprits. I heard this somewhere and i think it holds true here - "The Devil's biggest trick was to convince the world he didn't exist". BUT HE DOES. And he is in all those who point fingers at others for mistakes they didn't anticipate.

Then the people cried "language". Kannada. I have a lot of respect for all who speak the language. And as I said earlier, I have always been in places where I did have to learn the language of the state. I have done it before. I'm doing it now. But when will the people learn to respect their country's national language. Hindi. I accuse all states who haven't made the effort to learn it. And all people who condemn it. I am an Indian before I am a Tamilian or Kannadiga or Malayalee or Bihari or whatever. And I wish people would realise that. I am scared to speak in Hindi to an autowala for fear of which one will turn back and start lecturing me on how outsiders have ruined their city.

Then the people cried "pollution". Which city in the world isn't battling pollution? But its the choices we make that makes the difference. We live in a big BIG city. And getting around is hard. No one wants to take public transport because of its sorry state. Everyone has a bike or a car. But our choices affects the environment. My friends made fun of me when I spoke of buying the Tata Nano. Its a brilliant car, efficient design and effective in terms of mileage and exhaust. But everyone wants the Big car with the muscle and close to nothing mileage.

If I didn't have the job I have now(Thanks to the MNCs) and sat at home all day, I would never have come to Bangalore to degrade their culture and add to their population and made money (for me and them). If I don't have the money, I wouldn't plan on buying the big car which added to the pollution. So there you go! The answer to all your problems is... a screeching Economic halt. (Drum rolls please! We have a eureka moment here! )

But wait a sec, people still want the money! What a pickle! (Stop the Drum rolls!)

This city is a tiny little speck in a huge country called India. And I support whatever steps we must take to make this city better. But if someone points a finger and says "Outsiders are the problem", then that's no lesser than any other form of racial terrorism. I'm an part of the problem just as much as the next guy. My life is just as difficult. But I do not agree with this whole new way of breaking the whole country up into little pieces in the name of culture, language, and whatever other criteria they can come up with. This is my way of speaking up. I have put it out there on the internet as a record.

I will not kiss Bangalore's butt JUST because im not from here. I will call a spade, a spade! I am presently a part of this city and cannot contribute to the solution for the city if people like me are treated as part of the problem (Added after comment from "Bangalore Resident" who clearly missed my point)


This little excerpt from the book "A Thing Beyond Forever" by Novoneel Chakraborty will probably sum up the "Outsider" perspective better than anything I have said before:

A conversation between an MBA and a 'struggling actor'. The MBA advises the struggler to first get a job and this is what the actor replies:
"Have you ever seen a star studded sky?

Why, yes.

You may like the star just above your head or the one in the right or to the left perhaps but you got no right to question why the star to the left is in the left.

I believe the point of our living is to find the coordinates where we know we belong and respect it irrespective of whatever difficulties or humiliation we encounter."

P.S: If you are reading this sentence, Thanks for sticking around and listening! :)