The Observer Vol 21 Issue 2

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The Observer An IIJNM publication

Many Bengaluru weavers are yet to get direct benefit transfer from the state government | P 2

Vol. 21, Issue 2

https://twitter.com/ observer_weekly Epaper: https://issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs Website: http://www. theweeklyobserver.in

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Back pain, other aches becoming an issue during pandemic for people working from home | P 3

Most women in Karnataka who face violence by their husbands don’t complain to the cops

Women suffer spousal violence in silence NFHS report shows massive rise in cases

By Saumyangi Yadav

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espite a huge increase in spousal violence cases in Karnataka, most cases go unreported.

According to the latest National Family and Health Survey (NHFS), cases of domestic violence against women have doubled in Karnataka since 2016.

About 20 per cent of married women faced violence from their husbands in 2015-16; that percentage increased to 44.4 per cent in 2019-20. Despite this, the crime rate for domestic violence has decreased in Karnataka from 8.3 in 2016 to 7.6 in 2019 as per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data.

This suggests that many women are reluctant to file police complaints against their spouses. The crime rate has further decreased to 6.3 in 2020.

A large number of domestic violence and harassment cases were reported during the lockdown last year | Credit: Apeksha Priya Somya Dixit, a victim of domestic violence, informed The Observer: “I got married when I was 19. I had never met him or his family prior to my wedding. I was really young and hadn’t even completed my degree yet. At that age, I did not know whom to tell.”

She went through physical and mental torture for several years.

She also suffered a miscarriage owing to domestic abuse. Asked why she never reported the matter to the police, she said, “As a girl, I was taught that women are supposed to make compromises in

a marital relationship. Rishtey to nibhane hi hote hain (one has to maintain relationships).” She filed for a divorce after suffering from a paralytic attack because of increasing stress and trauma.

But she never filed a police complaint against her husband.

Usha, a sub-inspector at the Women’s Police Station, Basavanagudi, said,: “On an average month, a single police division in Karnataka gets 10 to 15 cases of domestic violence.” During the lockdown last year, a large number of cases of domestic violence and harassment were reported. Statistics show that an increasing number of women suffer spousal violence in silence.

Sumithra Sridhar, a lead relationship and couples therapist in Bengaluru, said: “Cases like these arise from patriarchy and stigma.

To understand this issue, we have to remove our privileged lens.

Even today, women are bound by societal rules. They are taught that they have to stay in a marriage even if they are suffering.”

Often women fear reporting their husbands because of a lack of financial independence.

Namma commuters bid adieu to Covid norms

Few wear masks; crowding is rampant on trains

By Tina Freese

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he doors will open on the left,” said the announcement, and a mob of commuters rushed in and out of the Metro. They stood in unison with blank faces staring into the abyss.

They did unconscious activities like giving each other accidental embraces and removing masks to breathe in a gulp of air. As the door opened on the left again a woman without wearing a mask entered the train scanning the seats. Her face brightened as she saw a few vacant seats that were marked “Do not sit”.

The Observer saw another woman sitting without a mask talking to a fellow passenger sitting right next to her. Some com-

A fully packed metro with no social distancing | Credit: Tina Freese muters removed their masks to reutter the words that were earlier muffled by their masks.

The distance of six feet as mandated by the state goverment inside Metro trains is a myth.

As guards on the platform whistled, The Observer saw one of them asking a passenger to pull up the mask resting on his chin. A saffron-clad sadhu passed him without a mask on Flouting of Covid norms is more common at stations which are in the heart of Bengaluru. Social distancing increases as the trains moved towards the farther ends of either line.

Ravi Prakash, Senior Public Relations Manager of the Bangalore Metro Rail Commission Ltd (BMRCL), said: “We check every passenger through the scanner, their temperature and whether they are wearing a mask.is also checked. At the stations, there are guards to ensure that people follow Covid norms, but inside the Metro it is difficult. It should be the passengers’ call; they should ensure they maintain distance. No one can push you ... to maintain distance.”

Continued on page 3

Anshul Girdhar, a research scholar in psychology, explained,: “There are several psychological as well as social aspects behind the fact that women are reluctant to report. The legal procedure is often very complicated and timeconsuming. A lot of women do not want to invest so much, especially when there is no social support from their family and in-laws.”

There is a lack of awareness, especially among rural women.

Women are often not aware of the laws against domestic violence.

They are unaware about the incentives and provisions provided by the government for the victims, Girdhar added.

The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, protects women from any kind of assault or violence, be it physical or mental, occurring within their homes. Section 498A of the IPC (husband or any relative of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) considers it a criminal and non-bailable offence. A person who is convicted under this section can get up to three years of jail. saumyangi.y@iijnm.org

News briefs Sidhu resigns as Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday resigned as the chief of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee.

In a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu, however, said he will continue to serve the party. Sidhu had taken over as the state party chief this July.

Japan set to lift all Covid emergency measures Japan is set to lift all coronavirus emergency measures when they expire later this week. Since the infections are now slowing down and the nation is trying to reactivate its economy.

India beat Spain in round 2 of women’s chess The Indian team secured its first win in the FIDE World Women''s Team Chess Championship by beating Spain 2.5-1.5 in the second pool match here.

CITY

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The Observer Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Covid-19 relief scheme has not reached all Bengaluru weavers A/cs not linked to Aadhaar, call process tedious

By Shristi Achar A

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ot all weavers in Bengaluru city have been receiving their direct benefit transfers (DBT) under the Nekar Samman Yojana, launched in July 2020 as part of the Karnataka government’s Covid-19 multiple relief measures and programs.

Under the scheme, launched by the Department of Handloom and Textiles, weavers were eligible to receive a yearly cash transfer of Rs 2,000 after applying via the government’s Seva Sindhu portal.

The state has approximately 54,000 handloom weavers and 1.25 lakh powerloom weavers, all of whom are eligible for benefit of different DBT schemes. While close to 46,000 handloom weavers and 70,000 powerloom weavers have benefited, about 63,000 (35 per cent) have not received the benefit. The reasons for this range from their bank accounts not being linked to their Aadhaar cards, not being registered as weavers, or travelling to the district office to apply for the benefit.

“To get Rs 2,000, I will have to spend Rs 10,000 to arrange for the documents, travel to the district office or to make settlements under the table. So what is the point of this scheme?” said Krishnamurthy, a powerloom weaver from

Krishnamurthy, a powerloom weaver, works on his loom in Gollahalli, Kengeri | Credit: Shristi Achar A Gollahalli, Kengeri.

Kempamma Handloom Weavers’ Society, Bengaluru, head, Murugan Babu said: “I am aware that such a scheme exists. Some of my weavers did receive it last year, but they haven’t received any this year. Some had issues due to their accounts not being linked to Aadhaar, so they have been left out. It is supposed to be an annual scheme, not a one-time transfer.”

Co-operative societies are eligible to receive a 20 per cent rebate on their products. This seems to have remained unimplemented.

The Observer interviewed some weavers outside Bengaluru too.

Srikanth Guled, a handloom weaver from Ilkal,said he received all his benefits on time.

Another weaver, Vanjre Ramesh from Molkalmuru, Chitradurga, however, didn’t see any point in

the cash transfer. “While I have received the amount in my account, my family members, who are also weavers, haven’t received it. Either way, how is this going to sustain us? It would help if they properly implement the 20 percent rebate instead” he said. “We have a GI tag on our fabric, with a good enough brand recognition and demand. Yet the number of weavers here has gone down from around 6,000 to a mere 300-500.”

Mamatha Rai, head of the Kadike Trust, Udupi, shared: “More than the state government’s schemes, we received support from NABARD, because of which we were able to revive Udupi saris and improve the conditions of the weavers here.” Kadike Trust was the recipient of the Nekara Ratna Award this year for reviving Udupi sarees, and increasing the number

of weavers in the district.

Deputy Director (Handlooms) Syed Ahmad said: “It is almost impossible to reach out to every single weaver especially due to Covid. Some 2,800-odd applicants have had issues in receiving this transfer since they weren’t linked appropriately with the National Payments Corporation of India.”

Asked about the small amount that is transferred, he said: “We are essentially in a fashion industry. We can’t buy all the fabric from weavers as agricultural produce is bought. If we did that and then the fabric goes out of trend, it would be a waste. Additionally, this scheme is meant to just boost the weavers’ morale and keep them slightly afloat.”

Though a large number of handlooms in Bengaluru are silk ones, most silk saris sold in the city come from Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh. The Observer visited several sari shops in Chickpet and found that most products were sourced from the Kancheepuram Silk Weavers Co-op Society.

D.N. Shivshankar, owner of Sri Vinayaka Silks said: “It is a brand thing. Kanchi silks have recognition amongst people. So it makes sense to sell just that.”

The Andhra Pradesh government has transferred Rs 24,000 into the account of each eligible weaver having his or her own loom for the third consecutive year under the YSR Nethanna Nestham scheme, according to CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, quoted in a Deccan Chronicle report. shristi.a@iijnm.org

9 yrs after ban, black films still in use Overburdened cops choose to look away

By Simran Sharma

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ine years after they were banned, black films are still in use in vehicles. But the traffic police say cases have reduced due to strict enforcement and increased awareness.

According to the Bangalore Traffic Police statistics, a total of 23,183 motor vehicles using black and other films were booked in 2019. A total of 28,197 such cases were reported in 2020. Between January and August 2021, 5,935 cases were booked.

Dr K. Mohanan Nambiar, a retired Chief Traffic Warden of Bengaluru, informed The Observer: “Due to the Covid pandemic situation, the traffic flow has reduced but the violations continue on account of excess speed, non-wearing of helmets, rough and careless driving, the modification of some of the vehicles and usage of thick black films (totally banned), etc.

A car with black film on windows in the city| Credit: Mrunmayee Kulkarni Implementation of rules and regulations, and traffic education, are what is required now.”

Ravi, a home guard who works for the Traffic Police,said: “I see 18 to 20 cars with such films every day. 9 to 11 AM and 5 to 7 PM are peak hours. There is a lot of traffic already. So we don’t stop cars in this timeframe as it would create traffic jams and congest roads.’’

However, an officer with the Central sub-division of the Traffic Police said the number of cases has reduced due to awareness and enforcement of rules.

Prakash Vikas, the owner of Car

Jewel Car Accessories shop on Journalist Colony Road, informed The Observer: “We do have black and sun films with all percentages of visibility. Though it is banned in the city, a lot of people come here every day for this work.”

S.K. Javed, another shop owner, shared: “More than 20 people come here every day to add films to their cars. We have sun films of all types. The Visual Light Transmission (VLT) percentage varies from 50 to 0 percent.” Motorists can avoid being fined by rolling the windows of their cars down when they are in Bengaluru.

The Supreme Court banned the use of films of any VLT percentage on the windscreen and side screens. However, a 2012 ruling of the court states that the windscreen and side windows (tint on glass) should have at least 70 and 40 per cent VLT respectively.

Rajesh (name changed), a real estate agent who has sun film on his car, said that he got it about a year ago from a shop on J.C. Road.There are 30-40 shops on the road that do the work. About 90 percent of people get it done for as it looks good.” The rest get the films for heat resistance.

The Karnataka government’s traffic adviser and infrastructure consultant M.N. Sreehari, said: “Unfortunately, there is still no good equipment available for measuring VLT. The police are busy with other traffic jobs like accidents and other traffic violations because of which they sometimes ignore such vehicles.” Bengaluru has more than 10,000 traffic junctions manned by an inadequate number of personnel. The Police should ask companies to try and manufacture proper equipment to measure VLT of car glasses. simran.s@iijnm.org

Citizen’s Voice Taliban have set the clock to dark ages The Taliban’s ban on the broadcast of IPL in Afghanistan citing the presence of “female audience and spectators” in stadiums seems to prove the worst fears the international community had: That they would be as bad as their previous avatar, if not worse. The Taliban has set the clock to dark ages. One can only wonder what the future of women, minorities and other vulnerable groups will be in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

The global community needs to be more concerned about this issue.

Vinaya K

Indian govt must help Afghan students After the Taliban captured Afghanistan, banks closed down and several Afghan students in Bengaluru lost contact with their families. Left with no money, they started online crowdfunding to raise funds for themselves. The Milaap campaign that targets to raise Rs 10 lakh will help at least 250 needy Afghan students. The Indian government should step forward and extend its support to the students.

Souptik Das

Cricket becomes gender-inclusive The Marylebone Cricket Club recently changed the term “batsman”' to “batter” to show cricket as a gender-neutral sport. This comes at a time when several media houses were already using such neutral terms. Can we now expect a full-time women’s IPL on gender-neutral lines?

Bansal Shah

Quiz 1. Name the oldest bookstore in Bengaluru?

2. Which lake is the largest in Bengaluru?

3. Bangalore is the city of gardens; name the largest garden in Bengaluru?

4. When did metro start functioning in Bengaluru?

5. Name the famous cricket stadium located in Bengaluru? ►Answers on page 3.

Around the city Married Men on Dry Day: A stand-up comedy, Artkhoj, Marenahalli 2nd Phase, JP Nagar, 6.30pm, October 2.

Stories from the Mahabharata, Lahe Lahe, HAL 2nd Stage, Kodihalli, 5 pm, September 18-October 16.

Thursday Live ft. GrooveBLR, Hard Rock Café , St Marks Road, Ashok Nagar, 7 pm, September 30.

Namma Nandi Race, The Galleria Mall, Yelahanka, 6 am, October 2 Annual Conference Asian Society of Lifestyle Medicine, Radisson Blu Atria ,Sampangirama Nagar, 9 am-6 pm, October 4-October 7

CITY

the observer tuesday, september 28, 2021

Headaches, back & neck pain rise for work-from-home people Docs: Do yoga, take breaks, get enough sleep

By Swarali Bodas

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No PaiN No GaiN: a WFH employee working in pain and discomfort Courtesy: Preeti Bodas per cent are IT professionals, shared Dr Mohan Dharaya, a spine specialist at the clinic.

“The main reasons for this rise are the work from home culture, not taking enough breaks in between, sitting in a bad posture and not doing proper exercises.”

Dr Dharaya suggests chin retraction and spine extension exercises, sitting in a correct posture, taking small walks and using good chairs. “Balanced diet is also necessary.”he added.

Dr Anuja Dalvi, founder of LiveActive Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic, Mumbai, said: “There is an increase in the number of shoulder pain cases as

well as people had to take care of their household chores when domestic help weren't allowed to come to work or weren’t available.

One must be disciplined and take care of daily routine and habits during periods of uncertainty and anxiety like pandemic.”

The pandemic aggravated the problems of Murli Janyani, a Hexaware employee who already had a history of back pain.

“Working from home for 9-12 hours a day is exhausting and has increased my back problem.

To cope with this, I used to run and attend online exercises.Our office had arranged online yoga sessions and workshops twice a

6 ft distance, Rs 250 penalty compulsory Continued from page 1 andana, a NIMHANS employee who travels on the Metro regularly, said she has seen a change in people’s habits post first wave and second wave. “Since we have seen two waves of the pandemic, and with vaccination, the anxiety has subsided. We all want to return to our normal lives. I try to take all precautions, but with a huge crowd, social distancing is sometimes very difficult.”

Another commuter said: “I avoid travelling on the Metro post Covid because people will never learn to follow rules.”

Sashi Kala, a regular commuter, shared with The Observer: “In the Metro, with so much crowding, it is impossible to maintain distance, but at least most of them wear masks.”

A guard on duty at the Kempegowda Metro station said: “There are so many people and little space. There is no way on.”

A guard at the M.G. Road station said: “I keep yelling and asking people to wear masks and

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maintain distance all the time during my shift. We cannot fine them, so they don’t care.” She comes across countless travellers flouting rules on the station.

The lack of social distancing and flouting of Covid-19 norms on the Metro could prove to be a nightmare as Bengaluru still has active cases. A distance of six feet is compulsory. A fine of Rs 250 is charged for not wearing masks inside the metro.

Rohini R, a Metro Home Guard , said there are no fines for not maintaining social distancing. “I catch at least 10-20 people not wearing masks and fine them. If a passenger is OK with another passenger sitting next to him/her, we allow them to sit. There is so much rush in the Metro. Where will they sit? she said. “Social distancing is not possible with so much of rush.”

A similar situation has beeen faced by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited. It has decided to enforce social distancing and mask wearing in its trains. tina.f@iijnm.org

This Day, That Year On this day in 1542, Explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, known as the “discoverer” of California, landed near what is now San Diego and thus became the first European to set foot on the west coast of what would become the United States of America.

Quote of the Day “A word after a word after a word is power” - Margret Atwood

Quiz Answers 1. Higginbothams 2. Bellandurlake 3. Lalbhag botanical garden 4. October 20, 2011 5. Chinnaswamy Stadium

eople working from home amid the pandemic are suffering from either severe headaches,back or neck problems.

“I have been working 9-12 hours a day since the lockdown happened. I’ve had severe headaches and back issues, which has at times lowered my productivity. What helps me cope with them is regular exercises,” Vikrant Gawande, a Mindtree employee, informed The Observer.

“Most important triggers for migraine are anxiety, stress and inadequate sleep,” said neurologist Dr Kartik Kachhadiya. He advises people suffering from these to drink enough water, get seven to eight hours of sleep, meditate and do yoga. They should take breaks regularly.

Working from home 12 hours a day since March 2020 has caused Mandar Joshi, an IT professional, headaches and chronic back and neck pain. “The main problem is, there is no office setup. I get my laptop and sit on my bed or dining table.Long working hours have caused these problems.”

Before the pandemic, approximately 150 patients used to visit QI Spine Clinic in Jayanagar, Bengaluru, daily complaining of back problems. That number has gone up to about 200. Of these, 40

day, six days a week, to help us relax and destress.

Dr Hima Janardana, a physiotherapist at CB Physiotherapy Clinic, Jayanagar, said that there has been a rise in patients, especially work-from-home people, reporting neck pain during the pandemic. “It is because of the prolonged pressure on the bones and incorrect posture. This could trigger neck and back pains. Neck pain, soreness and tightness of the muscles, mainly (those of) neck and back, are some frequent complaints patients have. Minimum density exercises like neck and pelvic bridging exercises and neck and back stretchers are… strengthening exercises.” She asks her patients to drink a lot of water to maintain hydration.

Dr Tushar Joshi, a physiotherapist at Wockhardt hospital, Mumbai, said the pandemic has increased musculoskeletal problems for those who work from home. “A good ergonomic workstation… is a must. The human body is designed to move, so keep moving; movement is medicine.”

According to a paper published in the Official Journal of Indian Academy of Neurology, “migraine is one of the commonest and highly disabling chronic neurological diseases in the world. During the pandemic and lockdown, migraine patients are facing an enormous problem in getting optimum care because of difficulty in accessing medical care, forced social isolation, and encountering a health system that is getting rapidly overwhelmed.” swarali.b@iijnm.org

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Weather Maximum temperature: 24 degree celsius Minimum temperature: 19 degree celsius Precipitation: Nil Humidity: 65% Wind speed: 26 kph Weather forecast: It will be partly cloudy and the maximum temperature will be 24 degree celcius

Team Observer

aaP staGes Protest: Members of the aam aadmi Party staged a protest in Bengaluru on tuesday against sexual assaults against women and children in Karnataka.Holding placards, they said that the state Commission for Women has not done anything to get justice for such women; neither has it ensured the safety of women in the city. they demanded the resignation of the commission | Credit: ayndrila Banerjee

Editor: Saumyangi Yadav Reporters: Saumyangi Yadav, Shristi Achar A, Simran Sharma, Swarali Bodas, Tina Freese Copy editors: Shristi Achar A, Simran Sharma, Swarali Bodas, Tina Freese Page Layout: Saumyangi Yadav, Shristi Achar A, Simran Sharma, Swarali Bodas Photo Editor: Saumyangi Yadav, Tina Freese Supplements: Arshiya Agarwal, Nitika K

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Perspective

The Observer Tuesday, September 28, 2021

SUPPLEMENT

An escape from preying eyes Escaping gazes in Ghaziabad to finding liberty in Bengaluru ,the journey has been beautiful, writes Arshiya Agarwal

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o matter what a place’s rank is in terms of women safety, harassment faced by women is persistent in one form or another.

Coming from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, I would know.

In four years, crimes against women have increased by over 66% in Uttar Pradesh. Three of these crimes -Hathras gang rape and murder of 2020, Unnao rape case of 2017 and Badaun rape case of 2021 shook the entire nation to the core.

The amount of eve teasing and staring women experience in my town requires us to be careful at every point. This is especially so when we are not accompanied by a male.

While going to college in my under graduation, the metro was the only convenient mode of transport, but the fact that it was in old Ghaziabad was a setback. Going there every morning was a nightmare for me..

The amount of stares I used to get is unimaginable.

As a result, everything about us women was controlled; from our clothing choices, our social-

This is what liberty feels like| Credit: Arshiya Agarwal

izing with people, to not being ‘too late’ returning home.

So, living in a completely new place all by myself, amid complete strangers, is very ovewhelming.I do not know how well it will turn out, how safe I

will feel here, or if it will be just like the experiences I had in my home town.All I am doing is looking forward to it.

Somewhere inside me, I have this image of Bengaluru as a comparatively safe space for

women. I always felt that the hub of high tech industries might have a more liberal approach towards life and that the thinking of people here would be quite similar towhat I’ve longed for my entire life.

This is partly because South India is generally considered to be safer for women when compared to North India. I do not know how true this assumption is because I think there is no place that is safe for women.

Also, I was in a dilemma after coming to know about some well-known Bengaluru institutions restricting women by defining the length of their sleeves and skirts and imposing dress codes that allow them to wear only kurtis and salwar kameez. This question kept coming to my mind that if the place, despite such a high growth rate and diversity, stands out to be so conservative, will I ever be comfortable here?

Although I have not been here for long and I do not fully know this place, it appears that my image of Bengaluru - that it is different from UP and that it

might make me feel a little more comfortable for being a woman may be true.

The amount of eve-teasing, derogatory words, uncomfortable staring, and other forms of harassment that are considered normal by many but are clearly not , is a little less here.

At least for me, this has come out to be true so far.

This is coming from just a month's experience. I realise that it is too early to say anything when I haven’t even explored the whole city. Yet, in bits and pieces, it does give me a feeling of home. By 'home', I do not mean a physical structure, but as Pi-co Iyer says, it is your heart and your soul, where you feel yourself the most.

All I want is for it to remain the same; not only till the time I’m here, but always. I want to feel safe and at liberty here for the rest of my stay. I would like to be free and not be conscious or controlled by anyone, in every step I take. I hope South India lives up to the expectations ,people have from it.

arshiya.a@iijnm.org

Bengaluru viewed through new eyes Living in Bengaluru since childhood but seeing it in a completely new hue for the first time, says Nitika K

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n the summer of 2000, my Tamilian parents brought their 6-month-old all the way from humid Chennai to moody Bengaluru. Ever since then, I’ve been raised not just by them, but by Lalbagh, filter coffee, Commercial Street, benne dosa, Jayanagar, bajji and this sunny-windy-rainy city. I did my schooling and higher education in this city, flanked by my fellow Bengalureans. We would talk with the same tone, laugh at the same jokes, and crave for the same raggi-mude. Therefore, traveling 18 kilometers to IIJNM seemed to be very much within my comfort zone.

But when I entered my room, I saw three girls talking in what seemed like almost alien-speed Hindi. My second-language Hindi education stopped dead in its tracks as my mind tried to do a Google translation.

“Could you all speak a little slowly?” I mumbled, “I cannot

understand what you are saying. I am from Bengaluru.”

The humans from New Delhi, Uttar.Pradesh and Patna giggled with pity and patiently explained to me how much they loved ‘sumburr.’ It took me a few seconds to realize they were talking about ‘saambaar’. And it took them a few minutes to convert ‘sumburr’ to ‘saambaar’.

At dinner, another batchmate from West Bengal said: “Oh lord! Why does this daal taste like saambaar? Why does every gravy taste like saambaar?”

I was surprised, for I actually thought it tasted quite nice! I wondered if the daal actually tasted like saambaar or if the saambaar they knew tasted like daal! But I had no time to ponder because this crowd moved fast. They were not laid back like the Bangalorean crowd I knew. They always wanted to see something new and discov-er the uncanny. It was almost as if they saw every

Fourth Block, an epitome of old Bengaluru culture | Credit: Nitika k

thing with new eye.

They would ask me, “Where is Jaynaagar?” I would then explain how it was pronounced ‘Jayanagara’ and then go on to tell them how to get there. But when they asked me what was the ‘best thing to do there’ or the ‘best food’, I blinked. I didn’t know. I, who had been a staunch Bangalorean at heart my whole life, didn't know!

It was in that moment that I realized how much I had taken this city for granted.

That weekend, I shamefully took the metro into the city. My shame made me alight at Jayanagara and I shamefully strolled into a familiarity that now seemed so alien.

I was seeing this place through the eyes of my friends from Delhi, U.P, West Bengal,

Patna, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh. It felt like a superpowerto be able to do so.

I lived every little detail with my five senses: I saw the street vendors selling their wares. I smelled the fresh scent of jasmine flowers and sandalwood. I tasted the delectable aloo buns and frothy filter coffee. I felt the pitter-patter raindrops embrace me. I heard the melodious tune of Kannada words all around.

But as I started to talk in the language, I found myself throwing out grammatical inaccuracies. I realised how ignorant my private, English-medium school had encouraged me to be.

So, with shame I caught the train back to college and with shame I walked into my hostel room. But as three smiling faces opened the door with their curious new eyes, I smiled with contentment.

“Yes,” I said, “I know where the best food in Jayanagara is.” nitika.n@iijnm.org