'We've never felt out of place here'

Bangalore has always embraced people from other States who come here in pursuit of a better life. Those from diverse linguistic backgrounds, who are settled here, share their unique culture and talk about their experiences in this city.

Jayant Nath and his wife Priyanka Goswami moved to the City a decade ago. Looking back, they say that they have settled down here pretty well.

Originally from Assam, it is work that brought the couple to the City. Jayant says that it is the salubrious weather, lifestyle and the warmth of the people that drew them here and make it their home. “The shift was of our careers. The City has offered us many things — job, good lifestyle and warm people. We have fallen in love with it,” observes Jayant who runs his own business establishment. 

Priyanka is an interior designer and decided to get back into a full-time career after their daughter Preesha Nath turned a little more than a year. Priyanka thinks Bangalore is a city of opportunities and offers women a chance to build their career.

 The couple confess that it wasn’t easy to start life afresh in a new city but it didn’t take them too long to settle down. “Things were conducive. Every business has it own challenges but those challenges were not at all city-centric,” he states. Priyanka thinks the strength of the City lies in its cosmopolitan nature. “We have never felt out of place here,” she says. 

Jayant and Priyanka have explored the City and experimented with some of the food joints. “We have our favourite food spots. We are total foodies and have tried all kinds of cuisines, including continental, South Indian, Chinese, Thai and Mediterranean,” states Jayant. He adds that they make sure they follow a balanced diet, complete with lots of greens and fruits.

“We never skip our regular exercises and concentrate on staying fit,” he avers. The couple don’t believe in planning their weekends. “We hang out with our close friends and our weekend outings largely depend on what we are doing then,” feels Priyanka. 

Like every Bangalorean who cribs about the traffic congestion in every stretch of the City, Jayant and Priyanka feel that the traffic is getting worse by the day but they seem optimistic that the government will find a solution to it.

 “We agree that the traffic is getting worse but we truly love the other aspects of the City so much that we are ready to live with some of the flaws,” shares Priyanka. Life in the City has become a little chaotic, they agree, but they believe people can work together to revive the City’s lost charm.  But Priyanka is concerned about the increasing cases of violence against women in the City. “When I drive to my workplace, I am comfortable but whenever I take an auto, I am always in a hurry to get back home before it is too dark. I thought Delhi was the crime capital but now I feel Bangalore is slowly becoming unsafe,” Priyanka signs off.