'The City is very welcoming'

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.

It has been 10 years since Ritu and Manish Jain moved to Bangalore from Jaipur with daughter, Vidhi, now 11, and son, Adish, six, in search of business opportunities. The couple insist the City isn’t what it used to be.

 “Language was a big barrier for me as I found it difficult to communicate with vendors, autowallas and bus conductors. But I have slowly picked up and am more comfortable talking in Kannada now. Through language, I can understand the culture too,’’ adds Ritu.

“Initially when I moved in, I found it difficult to adjust to the South Indian culture. We are used to more sweets and chaats, which was missing in Bangalore,” says Ritu.

“Now, we mostly hang out in Malleswaram, Jayanagar and Rajajinagar as these places  have the charm of old Bangalore. One can find anything here from food, clothes, art items and pooja articles to accessories. Some of the food spots that we like are Janta Hotel, Krishna Bhavan and  CTR in Malleswaram, where we get golden crispy butter masala dosa and watery chutney. It is just amazing!” says Ritu.

While the parents have their preferred hangouts, the kids have their favourite places in the City too. “My favourite hangout is Mantri Mall because there is a lot to do there. I can play games
and even go to the Scary House or catch a movie. So it’s a fun place,” says Vidhi, who goes to Baldwin Girls’ High School.
 
 The couple have a lot to say about the City’s roads. “Bangalore roads are in a pathetic condition. They are uneven and full of potholes. It’s very difficult for people to drive on them. Walking on them is just next to impossible.”

Ritu adds, “They City has become very polluted. I used to drive on the roads here 10 years back but now, I have stopped because of the traffic.”

Talking about the work culture, Manish, who has a garment business in Malleswaram, says, “In North, the woollen business blooms only during the winter. But here in Bangalore, warm clothes are in demand during the rainy season itself. The business culture is pretty much the same only. But the sales differ.”

On being asked, if Bangalore is a safe city, Ritu say, “It used to be safe but not anymore. After the rape incident in a high profile school, even the children are unsafe. It’s very scary to leave the child alone. We trust the school authorities and it becomes their responsibility to take care of the child till the time the child is in the school.”

Manish adds, “The government has woken up and is doing a good job in protecting the children. In the same way, they should also ensure the safety of women.”

“People in Bangalore are very educated and broad-minded. The City is very welcoming and warm to people from outside. Any city has its pros and cons and I think the best thing about Bangalore is the amazing climate — I just love it. It was all the more reason for us to settle down here,” sums up Ritu.