A story of two states

Melting pot

Bengaluru holds special significance for Gairika Mathur for it is here that she met her husband Rajat. A Bengali, born and brought up in Tripura (Agartala), Gairika tied the knot with Rajat, who hails from Jodhpur (Rajasthan), in 2006. The couple belonging to culturally different states feels that they complement each other very well and enjoy each other’s rich, varied traditions.

While Gairika has been in the City for the past nine years, Rajat has spent close to 15 years now. “I met him through common friends when I came to Bengaluru for an internship in 2004,” shares Gairika, a lawyer with a corporate firm. Her husband is a software engineer with Sapient.

Speaking of the City, Gairika says that she misses the beautiful weather typically characteristic of old Bangalore.

“The green cover has depleted and of late, there has been too much pollution which has greatly impacted the weather. It’s not as cool as it used to be. Besides, the road condition and traffic also add to our woes. I come from a small place but the development is huge there. The roads are broad, the traffic and pollution are under control. Many companies are investing in the area,” she says.

But then there’s a lot that she praises about Bengaluru. “There’s great emphasis on art, music and dance here. It’s just as culturally developed as our community. Also, the people are very friendly and broad-minded like those in Tripura. They are really open to new cultures and languages. There are so many places in the City where we celebrate Durga Puja royally and go ‘pandaal hopping’ with our friends from other communities, though I occasionally miss the Bengali New Year celebrations back home,” speaks Gairika, who is also pursuing her passion as a bharathanatyam dancer.

She is quick to point out yet another similarity in cultures. She says that their staple diet is also rice and that she has always liked South Indian food. “Rajat loves experimenting with food and the best part about the City is that one is spoilt for choice when it comes to restaurants, be it any cuisine! We have our favourites like MTR and Malgudi for delicious South Indian and regional dishes, Oh! Calcutta for authentic Bengali cuisine and Five Elements for amazing sizzlers.”

Weekends are precious for the couple when they spend quality time with their two-year-old daughter Rajvika and go out with friends.

 “A lot of people say that Bengaluru has only malls but there are several wonderful places that we have around — Nandi Hills, Lalbagh, Bull Temple and others with beautiful architecture. Rajat likes to get behind the lens and we have a pleasant time unwinding,” tells Gairika. But she adds with a sigh that the fresh air, clear natural surroundings and work-life balance that’s found in Tripura is missing here. “We live in Whitefield and there aren’t many parks and lakes where I can take my child for a rendezvous with nature. Distances are large and there’s no definite time to return home. Weekends are the only time we get with our little one.”

As for Rajat, he is content with working in the IT capital of India but feels that growth across the City is not uniform. “They’re taking only one end and developing it. The infrastructure — water, electricity, transport — is getting poorer by the day. The metro construction is also slow, unlike Jaipur where it’s happened at a rapid pace,” he says. And though he has been here for long, he misses several things about Rajasthan — the winters, sand dunes, grand weddings and not to forget, the spicy food and sweets. “‘Bajre ki roti’, ‘gur ka churma’, ‘daal baati’, ‘mirchi vada’, ‘ghewar’, ‘mawa kachori’...all these delicacies have a distinct flavour back home, more so when eaten with loved ones.

The fun of ‘Holi’ and ‘Diwali’ is absent in Bengaluru and I miss visiting those traditional ‘melas’ here. Being in a big city, my daughter may not be able to experience that personal connect,” rues Rajat adding, “However, I have another vibrant family here — my friends! My roots are still in Rajasthan, but it is Bengaluru that has made me strong. It’s like a second home to me.” As Gairika sums up, “I may go to Delhi, Mumbai and other metros, but none can parallel the cosmopolitan feel of this City. I never feel out of place here. I love Bengaluru!”