Bangalore: From Nostalgia to Disillusionment
As I stepped back into Bangalore, a city I had longed to return to, my heart was hopeful. However, the reality that greeted me was a stark contrast to the Bangalore I once knew. Seeing garbage strewn across the streets and the overpowering stench of filth left me not just disheartened but deeply disappointed. The absence of sidewalks and the incessant honking of vehicles from all directions only added to my dismay, a painful reminder of the city’s drastic transformation from the one I once called home.
Fifty years ago, Rajkumar and I would wake up every Saturday and eat breakfast at Nilgiri’s restaurant on Brigade Road. After eating piping hot idlis and coffee, we headed to a movie theatre, Rex or Plaza. These theatres screened English movies, and we would watch several movies week after week. In the evening, we ended up in Thoms’cafe in Fraser town. The restaurant had a ‘jukebox’, where one could play a music record for a quarter of a rupee. We loved Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar’s romantic numbers. We headed home after eating a Samosa and a cup of hot tea. Sunday would usually be a rest day. I managed all my expenses within Rs 400/ per month( my salary those days) and saved Rs 50 monthly. We used bicycles to go from one point to the other.
Walking in the city streets is a nightmare now. I have a tremendous fear of stepping out of my sister’s home. I never know — I could a two-wheeler cod me or come under racing care. Senior citizens can not cross the zebra crossings. Gone are the days when young passers-by helped older people and people with disabilities to cross the roads. There are no rules to follow. Even if there are a few rules, no one follows them. Breaking a rule has become a birthright here. Filth is everywhere. The ‘garden city’ no longer has gardens, and the foul smell is pervading. For instance, the once beautiful Cubbon Park is now littered with garbage and the iconic Ulsoor Lake is polluted. Restaurants in different formats have sprung up with skyrocketing prices. When someone asked me to describe Bangalore, I always said that if I threw a stone, it would hit a ‘software’ engineer, but now I would say it would hit a garbage heap. The once vibrant community spirit, where people from all walks of life came together in the parks and cafes, has been overshadowed by individualistic pursuits and the pursuit of wealth.
Who is responsible for the gradual deterioration? Some blame improper planning, and some blame the IT industry, which has brought rapid urbanization and a surge in population. The blame game is pervasive — the commoner blaming politicians, the politician blaming the common, the commoner, and the commoner. It would be a massive effort to ‘resurrect’ the city. When I visit next, I am sure the city will plunge deep into further deterioration.
