In the city & lovin' it!
Many tourists and outsiders are moving to Bengaluru to fulfill their dreams and feel that there's lots more to the city than just pubs.
How many times have you heard people complain about the traffic and the weather. They will also crib about how little the city has to offer? Instead of whining endlessly, why not do something about it?
Thankfully, many tourists are seen wandering around with backpacks, not giving two hoots about the heat that seems to be having us huffing and puffing. The city seems to have a constant influx of tourists, especially from abroad. So what is it that they find most fascinating? We find out.
“When I came down from Dubai a few years ago, I was most excited at the sight of so many bikes because in other countries, four wheelers are the only means of transport and if somebody owned a bike, they were seen as a badass!” explains Aashrit Ponappa, a student. “Bengaluru is right now only known for its pubs, which is really sad, because it is so much more than just some ‘pub city’.
When I was in the city I attended a number of Carnatic music festivals and it was so amazing because that kind of music is unique to the city and can’t be found anywhere else. But for some reason people here are bent upon being like the west. They don’t understand that you can get drunk anywhere in the world,” he says.
While some visit the city for it’s culture, others do because of the atmosphere here. “People in this city are more open. When I first came here, people accepted me without any inhibitions. I never felt like an outsider here. Apart from that, there are so many parks! Every neighbourhood has at least one park where people can just chill out if they don’t want to do anything else. It’s like there is one tiny part of every neighbourhood that is peaceful and calm among all of the congestion,” says Yasmin Paul, a Delhi-ite who is looking forward to returning to the city.
So what is it with Bengalureans? Have we started taking our city for granted? “That is true,” concurs Adira, a photographer, adding, “I’ve been to the aquarium, the theme parks, the film city and heard that there are now arenas for paintball and laser tag too! I’ve been having a blast, going to all of these places. I’m looking forward to going to the Snow City and Go Karting arena next time I visit.”