A woman's post detailing her experiences of living as a North Indian in Bengaluru has ignited a heated debate on social media. Posting under the handle Shaani Nani on X (formerly Twitter), she recounted the difficulties she encountered during her 1.5-year stay in India's Silicon Valley.
In a series of tweets, she described harassment from auto drivers who questioned her presence in Bengaluru, given her North Indian origin, and pretended not to understand her when she spoke in Hindi or English. "I was so engulfed by the negativity around me," she wrote.
Reflecting on her time in Bengaluru, she said, "I was working in Bangalore for 1.5 years. Married in Punjab, I wore chooda for the entire year as it is part of my tradition. It was evident I was from North India."
"What harassment it was to commute in an auto from my flat to the office and back. The audacity of local auto drivers to strike a conversation on why I was in Bangalore when I belonged to the North, asking if I was learning Kannada, if I liked anything apart from the weather, demanding more money because I was newly married, and pretending not to understand a word when I spoke in Hindi or English. I had a very bad experience with the local crowd there."
She also recounted a frustrating encounter with BESCOM (Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited) customer support. "Once, I called BESCOM to complain about a power cut, and the guy ended the call saying, 'No Hindi, no English, only Kannada.' They only want to take care of the problems of Kannada speakers," she wrote.
The woman mentioned being overwhelmed by the pervasive negativity and found the weather depressing. "It would rain all the time. We couldn't go out. If we wanted to go out, we couldn't find cabs. If we found a cab, it would take hours to reach anywhere due to the traffic and waterlogging. I was stuck in my house," she lamented.
These experiences led her to relocate to Gurugram. "I decided to quit my job as I was so homesick. I feel such a drastic change of energy after coming to Gurugram. I take long walks, eat good food, and can travel wherever I want. No awkward conversations with auto drivers," she noted.
The post quickly gained traction, amassing over 2 million views. Reactions were mixed, with some users sympathising with her plight, while others found her comments offensive.
One user shared a similar experience: "Almost Similar Experience. Only difference, I'm in Noida instead of Gurugram. The place where I live is so welcoming and almost feels near to home. Bangalore sometimes feels like a foreign land. Yes, the weather sucks here but not the environment!!"
Another user countered: "I am from North India too, been living in Bangalore for 3 years now! Never faced any problem. I feel safe here, never been catcalled, never been robbed. Guess you're in the wrong Bangalore. Because locals don't treat you like you've mentioned."
A third user commented on the broader context: "Well in the first place no one forced you to go to Bengaluru or any other place. It was your choice. Yes, jingoism towards non-Kannada tends to be high there, no harm in trying to adjust and learn a bit of the local language. What the auto drivers do is wrong, absolutely. However, of late, an air of Hindi imposition has stirred up sentiments towards their own language, especially in Bengaluru. With or without anyone, Bengaluru lives on, and with or without anyone, India lives on."
Another user offered a perspective on learning new languages: "No harm in learning a new language. In the Army, we pick up the language of the troops we command. It is common to see an Officer from Chennai serving in the Sikh Regiment speaking very fluent Punjabi & vice versa. They feel very proud about it. However, it should not be done under any pressure."
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