Bangalore has been my second home after I left the beautiful mountains and till today after visiting most of the cities in India, I think this is the place for me.
The objective of this review is to give an overview about the city from an outsider-who-has-become-an- insider’s point of view.
Why are we talking about this place so much ??
Because it is on the verge of being a software corridor to the world.
Because it is a small town with so much activity and one can travel from one end to the other end of the town without making a plan a week ahead.
Because its cosmopolitan and everyone goes ga ga about the climate.
Because Bangalore is happening, technologically and aesthetically.
Because you can chill out in this place without continuously running after money or career.
Why would you come Bangalore ?
Bangalore is identified by the software industry. Bangalore has a very good infrastructure to aid the growth of the software industry and well thats how it is contributing to India having a stronghold in the global market. But there are many other areas one can focus on instead of software.
Firstly if you are looking for a career, you can try your luck here. You will get into something, that I can assure you. Bangalore is propagating bio technology along with software and it boasts of a lab which is one of the seven labs existing in the whole wide world.There are many options you can try here.
For one interested in arts one can spend time in Nrityagram and enhance one’s creative abilities.
For one interested in Foreign languages you can pursue the studies in the corresponding institutions.
Software is no longer a must, it has become a choice now. A choice to work endlessly or manage your work in such a way that you can have fun too.
Benefits of this place
Well people here come to work and have a better lifestyle.
The cost of living is reasonable. You would not have to travel very far to reach office everyday. And if your office is located in a remote area you would have company nuses coming to pick you up and drop you.
Supermarkets and malls reduce the time to shop. Besides that you have markets which will supply you with fresh vegetables and fruits in abundance all the year round.
Banking is convenient with Citibank starting the telebanking and then the internet banking facility.
You can utilise your free time doing many things. It works out better if you have friends, of course.
1) You could go pubbing to different pubs
2) You could catch recent movies if you are a movie buff
3) You could go parasailing when the season is on.
4) You could go camping or trekking with friends or colleagues.
5) you could visit different restaurants to have a taste of the varied cuisines available in Bangalore.
6) You could go on short trips to Udipi, Hampi, Chickmangalur, Sravana Belagola, Mysore, Ooty, Kodaikanal, etc over the weekend
7) You could go bowling in Megabowl, Alley 65, Amoeba, etc.
8) Shopping in fun in Bangalore. Peep into Lifestyle and you will find a lot to browse. For people who have mastered the art of bargaining, you could try Commercial street.
9) For book lovers, you can immerse yourself in new paperbacks in our libraries like Eloor LIbrary in Infantry Road or British Council Library.
10)You could hang out with friends in the coffee bars like Barista, Coffee Day, etc.
11)Last but not least you could go to awesome rocks shows which have been the latest craze about Bangalore recently.
These are just a few of the many things you can do.
Bangalore is NOT a tourist spot. However you can chill out in this place without having the thought that you have missed visiting some places.
There are some places for which you could take some time out for. The Shiva Temple in Airport Road which boasts of a huge statue of Shiva. Its a beautiful sculpture and you should go to see this just to look at the structure.
Tipu Sultan’s palace is supposed to be a tourist place but then I havent been there personally. You could visit that.
If you are interested in architecture you can visit Vidhana Soudha. The best time to visit this place is on Sunday evening when the whole place is lit up with lights and it is a sight to see for yourself. It is supposed to be a replica of the Mysore palace.
The climate has been an advantage for Bangalore but it is not the same anymore. But you can still enjoy the fresh breeze and walk in the parks when you are free in the evenings.
If you are visiting this place for a week or so, check yourself into a good hotel like Hotel Ajantha or Hotel Brindavan in MG Road, or Hotel Adarsh Palace in Majestic.
Disadvantages and how to cope with them
Transportation is somewhat of a disadvantage for the newbie but hey dont lose heart, you just have to get used to the place.
Bus service is good if not excellent. If you know the bus routes it would be easier to get around.You can get the bus routes from the Bangalore guide book.
Autorickshaws are not a menace if you how to handle them. Tell the auto where you are going and establish the fact that you are paying by meter. You have to however pay one and a half more than the normal rate if you are commuting after 9:30. Do not make the mistake of jumping on the auto and telling him where to go without making sure of the rate.
If you are working late call a taxi over the phone. Bangalore has the concept of Radio Taxies and the numbers are available on the Yellow Pages. If you are stuck dial 3333333 , you would get the number of any important organizations you want to communicate to.
Crime rate is quite high but only in some areas. So unless you are looking out for trouble, dont walk on the lonely alleys wearing short skirts or heavy jewellery. Keep to the main road as much as possible and always see that your house that you live in is secure.
Traffic is very high at peak hours like 9:00 to 10:00 and 6:00 to 7:30. You could
get in the office a little early;
get out of office half an hour late to avoid the main
traffic;
get familiar with alternative routes;
take shortcuts if you know the roads well.
Choosing an acommodation could be frustrating as you might be duped by the agents so do a research on what area you can live in and search accordingly. Go through Ad Mag and Free Ads which have all types of classifieds possible printed.
Power cuts are a major problem and well hopefully if you are working in a company with generators you will not feel the pinch as its for only a few hours in some areas.
My thoughts
In Bangalore life is worth living as you can afford to strike a balance between your personal life and professional life and that a big advantage for me !!
PS: If you are visiting this place for the first time, do buy a guide book to this place from the railway station or any book shop . This will help you go about the city better.