Rediscovering beauty in Bengaluru

We often take things, people, and places for granted. And when we do this, we tend to focus only on the mundane or negative side of things—whether it’s people, places, or events. Bengaluru is one such victim.

We are constantly bombarded with news about the problems of Namma Bengaluru, which are many and highlighted in newspapers, social media, and on television. As a resident of this city for more than three decades, I often join the chorus of complaints when conversing with friends or relatives: The seemingly endless waits in traffic jams, the potholed roads that flood even after short spells of rain, the lack of last-mile connectivity while using public transport, and frequent power cuts with irregular and poor water supply—the list could go on endlessly. In fact, even a few acquaintances abroad identified Bengaluru easily as the city in India infamous for its traffic jams, further reinforcing the negativity.

However, a recent visit of my nephew, Mihir Bathija, from the city of dreams, Mumbai, changed my outlook, making me see this city in a new light. Being a triathlete, he often visits Bengaluru to take part in cycling events. His recent visit in November, to participate in the Nandi Epic (where he came third), opened my eyes, making me realise how I had been allowing all the negativity about the city to overshadow the positive side of Bengaluru.

“Wow! I just love the weather here,” he’d exclaim every morning after returning from his cycle ride on the highway towards Devanahalli, showing me pictures and videos of the beautiful scenery along the highway road, the mist of November mornings, the sunrise, the smooth roads, and so on. “Even a bath here is so refreshing,” he exclaimed one morning over breakfast. “Back home, one feels so sticky right after coming out of the shower,” he lamented. Being a foodie, he enjoyed the gastronomical delight of the variety of cuisines that Namma Bengaluru had to offer—be it the idlis and dosas or the assortment of dishes offered by the numerous cafés and restaurants.

“Bengaluru is such a happening place,” he raved enthusiastically one morning after returning from a run at Cubbon Park. “This city has such big and wide-open lung spaces,” he added, “with several events happening there. So many youngsters out there, cycling, running, walking, going to pet parks, and attending book readings... I’ve not experienced this anywhere else. It’s amazing,” he went on.

Listening to him bubbling over with excitement about his experiences got me thinking. It dawned on me that because I had been reading or hearing only the negative aspects of the city, I had forgotten to appreciate the beautiful little things this city has to offer.

I started looking around my neighbourhood in a new light—admiring the flowering trees in the nearby park, enjoying the cool and pleasant mornings, being delighted by the views of sunrise and sunset from my window with the sky resplendent in a glorious spectrum of colours, enjoying the refreshed feeling after a shower—things that I had overlooked, taking them for granted. Thanks to him, I have rediscovered beauty in Namma Bengaluru!