Bengaluru

We were a true-blue city supplement and thus no aspect of life in this bustling metropolis escaped our scrutiny. Being an outsider, I took some time to fully revel in the emotion that was Bengaluru but today, it is as much a home to me as my own city is. A lot of credit for my familiarisation with namma ooru goes to the articles we wrote.

The vibrant arts and culture scene was an evergreen favourite with most of the writers in the team. From the popularity of the age-old folk tradition called Yakshagana (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/yakshagana-big-in-bengaluru-students-transcend-ages-814015.html) to the whopping sums shelled out for arangetrams (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/dance-debuts-big-as-weddings-754114.html) and even a comprehensive coverage of the annual Sankranti Carnatic music festival (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-cityscape/annual-event-an-ode-to-doyen-of-carnatic-music-793812.html), we ensured that our readers were not alienated from the classical art forms even in their busy lives. The other end of the spectrum, such as film music and its never-waning popularity, was also duly covered in many articles (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/most-listened-in-bengaluru-on-apps-kannada-film-songs-770867.html). I also wrote comprehensively about my experiences at Echoes of Earth, Bengaluru’s own music festival that also holds the distinction of being one of the ‘greenest’ ones in the country (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-cityscape/city-gives-green-nod-at-music-fete-783767.html).

Bengaluru regularly made news when it topped the list in unique surveys; such as the one conducted by an extra-marital dating site (yeah, there is one like that) which found that the infidelity rates in the city were the highest. We looked at the reasons behind such a deduction (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/bengaluru-no-1-in-infidelity-792551.html) and also did a fun piece on the city ordering the maximum number of idlies online (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-cityscape/bengaluru-is-idli-capital-of-india-725848.html). The city also had the slowest moving traffic (at that time) in the entire country and we looked at the obvious and not-so-obvious reasons behind the dubious distinction (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/late-mr-bengaluru-759550.html). And did you know that Bengalureans are also among the most forgetful lot in India, with a penchant for leaving behind their stuff in metros and cabs (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/bengaluru-is-india-s-most-forgetful-city-722854.html)?

Metrolife also looked at the ground reality in connection with the many services that were regularly promised in the Silicon Valley of India, the main one among them being free Wi-Fi services (https://www.deccanherald.com/content/657155/free-wi-fi-flop.html). It was quite upsetting to find out that despite being one of the showcase cities of India, Bengaluru failed it’s women in more ways than one, especially pregnant ladies (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-cityscape/navigating-city-tough-for-moms-to-be-780392.html) and young mothers (https//www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/women-who-breastfeed-run-into-many-problems-in-city-736934.html). Like all Indian cities, our civic facilities weren’t top notch either, as we found out during a Metrolife survey (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-cityscape/public-loos-not-up-to-mark-766652.html). Even the modern, hi-tech Metro stations did not focus much on such basic aspects that would have ensured a much more comfortable journey for their commuters (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-bengaluru/metro-commuters-loo-hunt-big-680967.html).

We noticed that as the city got more and more crowded and an outing during weekends meant jostling for elbow and breathing space, even New Year parties and regular get togethers were being held in the comfort of one’s home (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/parties-move-from-pubs-to-homes-768886.html). And if you spend more time indoors, wouldn’t you want some freshness around you? Notwithstanding the notoriously small spaces that most flats and apartments had to themselves, people looked at new ways to showcase their green thumbs (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/gardens-now-move-indoors-763689.html). Those with bigger ambitions combined their love for plants with the excitement of trying something new and turned into part-time farmers (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/city-folks-go-farm-weekends-721846.html).

For those who did not want to spend their weekends drinking or digging, we laid forth other options that would make for a rewarding hobby. Scores of crafters, artists, chefs and collectors (both amateur and serious ones) were regularly featured in the many columns that Metrolife carried on a weekly basis. While doing such routine pieces, I stumbled upon interesting topics such as how archery was gaining currency among younsters in the city (https://www.deccanherald.com/content/584998/aiming-skies.html). Or how there was a photography club that was close to completing half a century of existence (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/photo-club-clicking-on-for-48-years-785290.html). And how fine art was no longer out of the reach of the common man (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/art-is-more-affordable-now-746056.html) and how it was possible to blend two genres, such as traditional miniature art with modernist European styles (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-lifestyle/a-modernist-twist-to-miniature-art-807379.html). There was also this fun piece on how corporates were taking to Bollywood dancing to reduce their employees’stress (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/corporates-jive-to-bollywood-tracks-772658.html).

For our stories, we interacted with all sections of society and frequently found ourselves in the unlikeliest of places. So while I would be navigating through the narrow lanes of Shivajinagar, peering into spare part shops, one day (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/hard-find-vehicle-spare-parts-712575.html), the next day might see me writing about a bright and cheerful hostel created from scratch by its visitors (https://www.deccanherald.com/content/571468/old-world-charm.html).

I just have to mention this fun (though dubious) story that I worked on, about a group of Bengaluru-based ghostbusters and their experiences (https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/group-claims-it-detects-ghosts-749152.html). Quite fun to listen to and write and we even got a call from a reader the next day, asking for their number! He wanted to avail their services to get to the root of some unnatural happenings in his house.