''.....requested to fasten their seat belts. We will be landing in the city of Bangalore'', a radio voice crackled as I got up from my slumber. Its nice to open your eyes and see a pretty face staring at you. ''Cotton please'', I motioned to the air hostess and peeped outside the glass....hmm red soil, demarcated into several rectangular blocks - farms, large pools of tea here and there....''must be the rains'', I thought. Suddenly there were large number of buildings, roads with cars that grew bigger and bigger - thud thud, the plane landed.
I was still alive - courtesy Jet Airways.
There I kept my foot on soil at Bangalore, a la Neil Armstrong feeling, enjoying the cold gush of wind trying to blow the hair off my head. Put my mobile ON and walked with my handbag observing the busy airport, which I learned belongs to HAL. ''Ahh! so that LCA aircraft I saw was not one of my hallucinations'', I thought, my realization broken by mobile beeping, ''AirTel welcomes you...''. Took a prepaid taxi to Peenya. ''Rs. 355'', said the dark guy, much to my astonishment, handing me a printed ticket.
''White Maruti Omni - Taxi!'', I exclaimed since my eyes were accustomed to the black n yellow premier padminis back in Mumbai. (Liked those taxis with radios). Just outside, along the airport road, my eyes widened by the castle like structure - ''Kemps'', which I realized is not a domain for the government officials as in Hyderabad, but a shopping center. My eyes did not miss the ''great black river'' (it reminded me of Worli, Mumbai), and was equally impressed by the glamorous modern buildings, a glass facade under construction, the Intel building, Shiva temple, the Leela Hotel and hmm...did I just read Oracle.....good but not quite like the ICICI, IL&FS, NSE, American School of Business buildings at Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai or the marvellous wonder- Crompton Greeves building at Worli, Mumbai.
I then remembered passing some military cantonment area, Visveshwaraya Science Museum, Visveswaraya's Industrial & Technological Museum, aquarium, few temples here n there, the glitz n glam slowly dissappearing. Then of course a vast expanse of forest region with plentiful trees - Cubbon Park!! ''Wow, so this is how a forest or a tree looks'', I thought, trying hard to remember whether I have seen any similar green patch in Mumbai. ''Of course yes, Borivli National Park has more trees'', my eyes gleamed with pride. My lens felt surprisingly fresh in the cooler weather (it turns foggy in Mumbai...pollution). Yup the buses were a bit too crowded but I liked the bus stops with sitting arrangements and standing commuters, waiting for an empty bus with empty eyes.
Then came the industrial area and Peenya and entire day spent at my office - ABB.
My wonderful day ended at a cool Bangalore nest by the name - ''Grand Central Park'' with a soothing Jazz music background at one of the sub-hotels within and of course a small halt at ''The Orange County'', also within Central Park. Then I remember entering my room and the lights went off....zzzz......zzzz.
''Yawn...oh shit! I missed the Bangalore sun'', I wondered aloud. I had this day to myself. I found a Hindi speaking Rickshawwala, who honestly used a meter, wondering if he read reviews by Asyis and Jilmil. ''Chickpet'', I said and once there, found a bemused shopper in my shoes. I wanted some Silk sarees and there were probably 100 stores out there with impressive sarees on display. I had a tough time skimming through the ultra light Mysore Silks and the glamorous Bangalore silk and the ivory Madras sarees. Picked a few...its 11.30am...now where to? Asked the store salesman who mentioned ''Lalbagh''. There iss a not-so-good area by the same name in Mumbai, but I went there all the same.
''wow...so colourful'', ''hey thats a cool one'', ''this one is similar to my childhood paintings'', ''splendid design'', I kept admiring the beautiful flowers and plants. This was the first greenhouse that I saw in reality and found it awesome. A few idlis and Dosas later, I landed up (you wouldn't believe) at Lido a B'lore theatre to see ''Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi''...LOL. Nice place with nice Baskin Robbins special scoop (company is paying..so what the hell) to cool me on a cool drizzling day. Nicer deo smelling babes on all 4 sides were more than compensating for the pathetic movie....sans Shamita Shetty with her Sharara....hot!
Evening time, and right temperament, now where to? Any guesses? MG Road...A Bandra Linking Road, Churchgate, Lokhandwala all combined and located at one spot. Pizza Corner, Pizza hut, Dominoes all 10 steps from one another. Same's true with music and branded clothes. Amazing place! I still remember that tall babe, model perhaps, in black dress that covered only 40% of her....memories can be surprising at times! And Anil Kumble circle?? (No comments...just giggles).
Had a peek at 180 Proof, Celler, High Spirits (nice name), Pecos...but settled in at Guzzlers Inc. Why? I liked the name...thats why. Sure enough Guzzled a few glasses and wondered how the other mortals could hear their mobile ring or further talk on a mobile. Cause the music was wild and LOUD. The drink and music concoction got into my head which felt like it was being split in two. I prefered to eat at a much quieter place - Oasis. Good chicken!
Now back to the Central Park, walking distance from MG Road, right? But was I in condition to walk - a lonesome boozard? Walked till Mota Arcade Auto stand. ''Rs. 75'', said one. His look was so sure that I am not going to buy that, but he stuck to his price (thick skinned fella!). Nobody dare cheat me - a drunk me. ''Rs 60'' he compromised. I said with stupid grin, ''Rs. 20 and that too because I am happy today'', knowing well that the meter on his Rick was just a box. ''Chalte bano'', he said in Hindi and believe me I did just that...right till the hotel. ''So Asyis, my friend was right, so's Amrita'', I burped on the way.
Next day was spent at ABB center where I pondered over how the city grew. My hotel was nearly full with lot of smart young Indian men, Chinks, Caucasian men & women in coats with Infosys logos on their bags and shirts.
Whats with Bangalore? Oracle setting R&D center. My company ABB India launched an R&D center, IT center and further shifted headquarters from Delhi to Bangalore. Wipro has huge setup here. Its a bit dicey with people blaming Wipro as not quite contributing to Bangalore's development and Infosys using costly Diesel Generators, increasing its software costs - all because of poor power supply from KTPC, ironical?? (BT, June 2002 issue). And amidst all the hype and glamour, we had people orchestrating street demos against Miss World, 1996 competition, outside Chinnaswamy Stadium...so what's new, now that IT is a forbidden word? Biotech?
''Bangalore has answers'', I assumed.
I spent an hour at the superb DSL internet center at Bangalore Railway Station. Now it was time to leave, but I yearned to be back, maybe to pursue MSc Engg at IISc or join ABB IIT. ''Maybe is such a hopeless word'', I hoped.
''A city like that can't perish or survive on some industries'', I thought aloud as my train started and further added, ''but Mumbai is Mumbai - nothing like it.''
