Bangalore and its rootlessness

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The stars went out one by one,
The candle flickered in a gust of storm,
The melting wax stopped on its way down…

Its weird but these words flash across my mind when I think of myself in Bangalore.

Hopelessness? U may say so.

But I call it rootlessness. A rootlessness that is not only in me but something that is reflected in the larger reality of this city itself. It may be a case of the observer’s state of mind interpreting that which is being observed. Again, it might not be so.
Different faces, identifiable as belonging to different communities throng the city’s streets. Diversity is good, but where is that one trend that can be identified as belonging purely to Bangalore? Well ok, there is the language but the diversity is so great that no three people speak the same language!

One comes across youngsters in large numbers in malls and theatres – this phenomenon is the same, I guess, across all states. But one jarring difference is the lack of large families at these places. I was at Inox last Saturday, a weekend mind you and on top of that a sales season at Garuda, but families… where were they? Oh of course the fledgling families were there, the newly-weds or the newly-become parents kinds who are also evidently born of an uprooting from their native place.

The mingling of cultures are good, even biologically so, but I mourn the lack of a sense of belonging.

The lone candle stands,
Its wick blackened with the flame that was,
And yet a reminder of the potential it still is.

Comments

Kandarp said…
Hey....beautifully written...

But who is rootless? Is the city rootless?
Or Is it you, who is trying to esablish new "roots" in a new place......
11:23 AM
The Wise Man From Hell said…
rootless in bangalore? that is indeed sad...m an easterner at bangalore myself, but somehow never see myselfas rootless. THat word somehow seems to throw up negative connotations...

and in today's matrix-like world, where everything and everyone is connected (at least those that need to be are), being rootless is not the same melancholy that it was, say, in the pre-Internet, pre-global, pre-digital, pre-cellular times...

cheers!
11:53 AM
The Wise Man From Hell said…
rootless in bangalore? that is indeed sad...m an easterner at bangalore myself, but somehow never see myselfas rootless. THat word somehow seems to throw up negative connotations...

and in today's matrix-like world, where everything and everyone is connected (at least those that need to be are), being rootless is not the same melancholy that it was, say, in the pre-Internet, pre-global, pre-digital, pre-cellular times...

cheers!
11:53 AM
Anonymous said…
after a long-long time u have written.... nevertheless it is as good as always..:).

But u r not settling there forever na so dont get worried so much...
1:37 AM
Himani said…
rootlessness is not only about being in touch with the people that matter.... rootlesnes can also be associated with a place, a culture.... kandarp has got me right... I was talking about the city at large. There is no one group of people you see on the road whom you can call pure Bangaloreans. That is in a way good as it shows to what a great degree a mingling of cultures and genres has taken place but I would love to see and feel the flip side of the coin...
6:56 AM
Anonymous said…
i dont think Bangalore is rootless..think its you..its ur state of mind that is rootless..you see what you feel and not feel what you see!
12:05 AM
Anonymous said…
you only see wot ur eyes want to see... talking abt no 3 people talking same language... Well language isnt impt! whats impt is how u communicate!!! yes im a bangalorean.. im inbangalore since 19yrs! and i feel that its better then any other state! its d most friendly city!

and i completely agree with the other anon above my post!!
8:50 AM
Anonymous said…
well...to the anon above...himani doesn't say for once that the city is not friendly. I can compeltely understand the rootlessness she is talking about....In bangy for instance bangaloreans are less than 41 pct..rest all being from other cities...so the sense of belonging that himani is probably used to considering she is from kolkata can only be understood by someone who has seen kolkata and its very strong pervasive sense of culture.
9:25 AM
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