'We owe our story to the city

Melting pot

For some, Bengaluru is the land of opportunities. For others, it is a place where they meet people and make new ties. For Dhiraj Talukdar and Tapashi Barman from Assam, it was all these and more.

Dhiraj, who works as a SAP consultant with NTT Data, and Tapashi, who works as a software analyst with ISG, hail from Nalbari and Guwahati respectively. They live here with their 10-month-old son Ayansh.

It was while pursuing graduation at Trichy that Dhiraj heard about the many opportunities that Bengaluru had to offer. “My seniors told me how wonderful the city was. There weren’t many good colleges back home then, so I took the plunge and came here for my post-graduation course. It was a life-changing decision,” he says.

Tapashi came to the city in the pursuit of a job and that’s when she met Dhiraj through a friend.
   
“I was searching for jobs when his cousin sent my resume to him and Dhiraj called and told me that it needed to be reframed. Our friendship grew from there. We owe our story to Bengaluru,” she says with a smile.

Recollecting stories that made the city special to them, Dhiraj says that everyone, from their house owner to the neighbours to even ‘autowallahs’ on the street, has always been nice to them.

“Bengalureans have always been a helpful lot. Once, when we moved to a rented house, there was an issue with the advance amount. But the house owner lowered it for us. Also, when we moved to our new house, our neighbour went out of her way to help us and sort things out for us,” narrates Dhiraj.

Tapashi also remembers some endearing moments. “One day, while searching for a PG accommodation in Indiranagar, I asked someone for help. Later on, we became great friends and I even moved to her place for a while,” she says.

The enthusiasm of the people here have also added to the experiences, says Tapashi. “I’ve never met people who are so passionate about work. I’ve been in Delhi and other places and I’ve not seen people who are so enthusiastic about whatever they do,” she says.

The city is a mixed bowl of traditions, feels Tapashi. “I have always loved the way the people dress up for ‘Ugadi’ or other festivals here,” she says. “Since Assamese associations enable us to celebrate ‘Bihu’ and ‘Durga puja’, we don’t miss things from back home,” says Dhiraj.

“One can live their life as they want to. We love our independence here. People do not care if you try to find an auto at 3 am or visit a pub at late hours,” he says.

Safety is another big advantage here, points out Tapashi. “Any time of the day, I have always felt safe. Be it talking to strangers or going to any place, there is no fear factor,” she says positively.

Dhiraj and Tapashi like visiting restaurants like ‘Black Pearl’ or trying new cuisines. “We aren’t able to hang out much because we have a young child now. But the city has a lot to offer,” says Tapashi.

The couple love the green spaces here and go to Lalbagh Botanical Garden whenever their extended family comes for a visit.

“Though the pollution has taken a toll on the beauty of the city, the existing trees
continue to charm,” says Dhiraj.

The many ties the couple have made here make the city dear to them like none other. “We cannot imagine going elsewhere now. We have so many friends here, who are just like family. We don’t even miss our family now,” says Dhiraj.