bengaluru

Last weekend, I was at Bangalore - my first trip. A few thoughts on the way back.

• I was very afraid to ask directions in Tamil, even by accident. Nothing happened really. But, very afraid - yes!


• Every person not earning their livelihood by IT thinks, that, the reason Bangalore "has gone bad" is the IT industry.(Unless, you are talking to a non-IT person with a sound investment in Real Estate). Every IT person either thinks that Bangalore has become better because of IT -or- blames the politicians for lack of better infrastructure. Every politician, by virtue of not being an IT person, blames of-course, the IT industry. So, there it goes - a full circle.


• I found the houses relatively smaller. Probably, because I live in a relatively bigger house in Hyderabad. Are the houses smaller in Bangalore, relatively ? -or- Are the houses relatively bigger in Hyderabad ? My friend thinks they live in smaller houses in Bangalore. Probably, they are inspired by the Japanese. Or They just have the problems of Japan - Too little space with Too much development.


• There is a stark contrast between the citizen classes in the City. For example, the Shopping crowd at MG Road/Brigade Road, consists of the affluent and the pretend-to-be-affluent crowd, where as, shopping crowd around the Majestic Bus station is made of the penny-wise, pound-wiser gang. The contrast jumps on your eyes like power-point slides - so quick and ugly. The difference is right at your face(at least my face), and it questioned my urban livelihood and existence.... again!.

My friend asked, if I would be interested to move to Bangalore. Well, I really don't have any reasons to move there. Also beyond any logical reasons, I neither do have the desire to do any living there. So, it goes.

quotes from elsewhere

A quote a came across while reading the article An American in Chennai over at Rediff - a story about an American, who came to Chennai.

The appalling poverty rattles Paul. The sight of people living, eating and defecating on the streets they call home was gut-wrenching. "I saw a mom, dad and 2 kids sleeping on the street. No one should have to live this way," he muttered sadly.
...
Paul drifts back to thoughts of the streets of Chennai and shakes his head. "How is it that such smart people can allow this to happen?"

I have thought about this question. I think it is easier for smarter people to be indifferent. Smart people just devise a philosophy on convoluted logic and believe thats how things work. On the other hand, not so smart people stop thinking and do something about it.
Another quote from BBC on an article about India and globalization.

...ask 25-year-old Devika, who works at a call centre in Mumbai, whether her life has been changed for the better because of the free market and she will give you a resounding yes.
...
"I don't need to depend on my parents for money, I don't need to depend on a husband for money. I can choose to get married later if I want to. I may not even need to get married. The opportunities that have opened up for me are mind-boggling."

I wonder if India could become like Japan, where the population is shrinking (or Europe, for that matter). I guess, we will soon have the problems of a developed country.