The life here..

Posted on by Parul Thakur
Picked as a "Tangy Tuesday" read on October 21, 2014
Picked as a “Tangy Tuesday” read on October 21, 2014

Over the past couple of days, I have been some 2300 kms away from Bangalore. Not that I was born or brought up in a metropolitan like Bangalore but over the last 13 odd years, I have moved away from the city I was brought up which was a small one. Sitting back and reflecting on a pleasant Sunday evening about so many things at this place, I feel the difference and I know it’s not just the way of living. It’s just different.

There is far more simplicity around – the children playing on the streets, the ladies chatting on the porch, the vegetable vendor and women out of their homes to buy the freshest vegetables, the local mom & pop store – it all seems so different and simple. When in Bangalore, I see kids playing and that is the only common element. People like me buy groceries online or drive up to a super market, and most of the people there do not know who their next door neighbor is. You meet them at some parties or clubs and then back home you don’t even know how they are doing. Strange yet true!

Children playing a board game..
Children playing a board game..

I see the kids here running up to the local grocery store to buy a mini chocolate and asking the shopkeeper to put it under the household’s credit. No credit cards and no swiping machines. I see that during power cuts, people coming out of their houses and asking each other if it’s a power cut or something wrong with their power line. At every creak of the door that’s open, I see my SIL wondering if it’s our gate or someone else’s. I hear the chants of bhajans from the nearby temple and I feel at peace. That train’s siren reminds me that everything that comes, goes at some point in time and that we are all in a journey.

I find it good when I see people walk up to a household and ask for just two onions as the vegetable vendor is yet to come and the local street market would be up only the next week. I see that no helmets, no seat belts, no one-ways and no driving lanes. I see how every eye is on you when you walk out of that door. I love the smiles and the familiarity around. I love that though I visit once a year, everyone knows me.

The vegetable vendor ganged up by ladies..
The vegetable vendor ganged up by ladies..

Life in every city is different and I know my time here for this year will be up in less than a week. I will take back this experience and may be smile at my next door neighbor when I see her around. I will try and know more about people who I see everyday without invading their space.

Though I must say I long to go back to the same coldness yet the place I feel warm. I long to go back to my space and the place I call my home! Home is where the heart is and for long 9 years, it’s my old Bangalore.

The life here is different and it’s not mine..

Linking this post to the Write Tribe Pro Bloggers Challenge – October (Post #10). A pledge to write daily or at least write more than September 🙂

This post was picked as a Tangy Tuesday read by BlogAdda on October 21, 2014. 

36 thoughts on “The life here..”

  2. Heart warming to see simplicity of life and children playing card board game and not hiding behind social media. There is still hope in thus charming life made of human warmth. Love this post:)

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  4. Forget city and a village, i couldnt adjust to being at my place and then staying at my parents place which I felt had changed from what I used to remember.. both in the same city just about 1 hour apart.

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  7. True thoughts. You have also spent many years in a v small city i. e your home town . you can honestly judge the difference . Its true that where one lives ,that place becomes heaven for him . Regarding small cities I think , though they are simple, not knowing latest technology, backward but they are affectionate and full of warmth . At least they know their neighbour . There is an old saying that at the time of difficulties your next door neighbour is your relative to help you.
    Your “home sweet home “. concept is the Best

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    1. Yeah – Home is where the heart is!
      We can find good neighbors in big cities too. It’s just that may be we never tried or may be never had the time to take interest. Sometimes, it’s selfishness on either parts.

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  8. Wonderful post Parul. I can so relate to this 🙂 If I have to add, I might say people here in the city I live, are never content, and are always short of something despite having a lot, be it time, sleep, money or whatever, But there, you can find peace, smile, contentment, appreciation for little, and a helping nature 🙂 That said, each city has its own ambiance and at the end of the day it is the people around and city that with time turns into your home 🙂

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  12. Sometimes it’s better not to know our neighbors, unless we want to lose hope in humanity 😛 I think living both small towns and large cities are almost the same. Ppl in cities also socialize: via FB, Blogs, etc.

    Destination Infinity

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  14. I’ve never really lived in a small town but have grown up in a large colony which is almost like a small town in itself….a complete community where everyone knew everyone and life moved at 10 km/hour.

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  15. “most of the people there do not know who their next door neighbor is”- Ah what a relief.
    “ask for just two onions as the vegetable vendor is yet to come”- some ppl never are born leech. Good thing is half of them can fake closeness and fool you.
    “how every eye is on you when you walk out of that door”- could it get more pathetic? :-/
    “I visit once a year, everyone knows me.”- it’s not just me, even my anchestors didn’t see Tyrannosaurus rex… yet I know the guy 😛
    “I will try and know more about people who I see everyday without invading their space”- what a coincidence Parul, I too enjoy meeting new people you know 😉

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  16. I liked “That train’s siren reminds me that everything that comes, goes at some point in time and that we are all in a journey”. So true is this.

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    1. Thanks Jaya!
      The place I was living while I was in that city was near a railway station and the train’s siren was heard every time and it was never annoying 🙂
      Thanks for stopping by my blog.

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  17. I know what you mean, in a roundabout way. I grew up in a big city, Delhi but now I can’t imagine living in that city. I go back there to visit family, and two weeks is all I can take. And there was a time I used to say that I could never imagine living in a small town. I now live in an almost rural area, and love the quiet it offers, though the best part is that it is close to a very cosmopolitan but small town, so I get the best of both worlds. Big city life – that doesn’t feel like home at all to me today. How we change and grow! Isn’t that interesting?
    I like how you end the post. Simple and telling.

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    1. Everything changes Beloo and that is very interesting. I am sure you are experiencing a totally different world. From the vivacious Delhi to a versatile Ashram. It must be soothing. Thank you so much for stopping by!

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