"B" for "Bangalored" :)

Getting "Bangalored" actually means losing one's job to India or that you are outsourced to India. Mostly Americans use it . It actually means that people are laid off in US as their jobs are moved to Bangalore, some times not necessarily Bangalore but to India or other parts of Asia. This word is even added to the dictionary  (Check "here" ). This word holds good as I see many Americans and other foreigners in "White" Field , the area where I currently am residing! I wonder if this area is named after them :)

The purpose of giving the title "Bangalored" to this post is not to discuss jobs, IT or outsourcing but its just a simple fact that I loved the term and in a  way it applies to me too even if I am not actually laid off. I resigned my job in Hyderabad post marriage and moved to Gurgaon and later got Bangalored as my husband got an offer here. I am still trying to get a job in the "Silicon Valley" of India . From dawn to dusk and till midnight I keep checking my mails and apply to every possible opportunity which suits my profile. In the meantime I have worked as content writer with few online magazines and am glad I am actually using this time qualitatively to write! I am still in two minds whether to plunge in to a new career or go back to the same old world of "0s" and "1s" . Anyway I am drifting away. The purpose of this post is to tell you about my likes and dislikes about Bangalore so far !!

The Yummy Bisibelebath

The very first tryst with the "Garden city" happened when I finished my intermediate. I had to give an entrance test - KCET for admission in to medical and Engineering colleges.  I was just trying my luck in Karnataka too if at all I don't score well in Andhra Pradesh :) It was actually a fun trip after long and I instantly loved the city , the greenery, Bisibelebath, Vangabath (all kind of baths ;)) , kathi rolls , hatti kaapi and the frequent drizzles . I visited Vidhansaudha, Leela palace, Lalbagh, the scenic Cubbon Park , some other parks and Visweswarayya Museum. Spent a whole day in the museum and absolutely loved the experience. I finished my exam and was clueless about my performance but flashed a happy dent smile when I came out of the exam hall as I had no further obstacles to enjoyment . Trip to Mysore and Ooty were good. We enjoyed the royal "Mysore Palace" , "Nandi" , "Chamundeshwari hills" in Mysore. The trip was bitter as we got the bad news of my Grand mom's death when we came back from Ooty . We didn't even cross check if we packed every thing. The journey was tough , sad and that was a death in the family which impacted me a lot as I bade bye to my granny before leaving to Bangalore and was expecting to go back and spend some days with her but never in my worst of the nightmares did I think that it was a final good bye! The slightest memory of that day makes me feel like going back and giving her a proper hug before I left but unfortunately it was a bye which lasted for a second as we were getting late!

Second time I went to Bangalore with friends during my Engineering 3rd year and enjoyed to the fullest. I can write few stories describing each and every detail of the trip. Hence not going in to deep details :) Only thing I can say is I made new friends with whom I talk even now. We roamed , roamed and romanced the roads! We did boating in Ooty , enjoyed getting clicked in Botanical gardens and strolled at Dodabetta peak. The trip felt complete when I visited with friends.

Boating in Ooty

Mysore Palace

As my first job- training was in Infosys Mysore I had a gala time visiting places , tasting new cuisines and buying Mysore silk sarees . Infosys Mysore and Bangalore Development centers are also must visit places if you can make it. Its not an exaggeration if I say they beautify the city little more and Infosys Mysore can compete with Mysore palace as it is humongous and looks equally royal!

Bengaluru is a happening place with so many places to visit in and around the city. I shifted to the city in January and my experience so far is good but once you start staying in any place for long you come to know the pros and  cons .

One of the many buildings of Infosys Mysore Campus

Few things which I liked and disliked most in Bangalore are like below.


What  I Like!

• Greenery all around. Where ever you go  the roads will be flanked by trees on both the sides.

• Many places to visit during weekends and holidays.Few national parks, hill stations like Coorg  ,many famous waterfalls like Shivana Samudra, Jog falls, Hogenakkal (which is called Niagara of India) are few to name. I visited Hogenakkal  and it was marvelous.

• There is a mixed culture even if there are few who always give priority to locals! You can actually see people from every nook and corner of India in Bangalore.

• Great place to shop. I shopped for a whole day in the Commercial street. The malls are worth visiting and prices are reasonable and Mysore silk Sarees are tempting. Sandal wood and hand loom products of Karnataka are quite impressive.

• Food is good. As I am a South Indian I might be a bit biased here but I am sure any North / East / West Indian or a non-Indian will not  regret tasting few delicacies like Bisibelebath here.

What I dislike!

• I hate Bangalore traffic. I have been to Wonder-la which is an amusement park in the outskirts of the city and it took me nearly 2 1/2 hours to cover the journey of 1/2 hour. In peek hours travelling on Bangalore roads is a night mare. You should plan your journey accordingly. You can actually see people going to offices who start working on their laptops in buses!

• The roads are narrow and almost every road is one way. Hence it is all congested.

• The skyrocketing rents and other prices in general. The norm followed by residents here to give away nearly one lac as advance if you want to move to a decent apartment or individual house and a one month rent is deducted as charges to paint the house . It is absolutely ridiculous.

• Language is a pain here. I still manage as I can speak in Telugu. Most of them don't understand Hindi and it is tough for few to communicate.

• Its no more pleasant like before :(. Pollution , too many buildings , malls and gated communities whatever might be the reasons the air is not fresh and cool like before and the never ending power cuts make it worse. Still Bangalore is lot better than many cities!

That't all for now folks . So I am Bang-a-lored and I hope I won't be banged or lured and I feel I am back to Bangalore with a bang :)

PS: I don't own Images. All are googled
This is my second post for "A to Z blogging Challenge 2013" !