On 23rd January, 2009, I landed in New Delhi, India’s capital, one of India’s four metropolitan cities and most importantly my fifth major Indian city to live in. It is important, because it is the 5th consecutive year, wherein I have moved to a new city.
May 2004, I completed Bachelor of Computer Engineering from Sevagram, popularly known for Mahatma Gandhi Ashram. Government of India & Government of Maharashtra, in order to maintain the sanctity of the place, declared the entire district of Wardha, a liquor free zone, only to know from some unofficial sources that of all the rural districts of Maharashtra, Wardha continues to register maximum liquor sales. In September 2005, I took admission in Ohio Manipal School of Business (Ohio spelled as O – Ha – Yo), Bangalore. Then known as OMSB.
I think and most of Bangalorites will agree to me, that these were couple of best years for Bangalore. It was called to be the Green City for amount of plantation and water bodies that encompassed Bangalore. It was called youngsters paradise for the happening but safe night life. IT had picked up but population had yet not exploded. Autorikshaws ran on Meters (which I guess they continue to do so). It rained every time the temperature rose above Bangalore’s average 27-30 degrees. In all, a great place to be in. It was here I first came across what was called as urban or modern life style. It was here for the first time one would be embarrassed to have full grown mustache, wear plain colored full sleeved shirt and again more importantly not smoke or drink. I remember someone telling me “Kaisa Engineer Hai, kuch leta hi nahi” (What kind of engineer are you? You don’t take anything). But I must thank some of my friends who never let me feel I was new.
It was here for the first time I actually saw Girls Smoke, Drink and Abuse – Maa---Bahan--- and everything. And it was only here that I realized that these were completely personal choices and individual identity was much above all this. I don’t have any disregard for anyone. In fact, Bangalore taught me to live life to the fullest, it is a different thing that I continued to have full grown mustache, did not drink and smoke, however, I did learn how to dance. Doddy’s resort’s dance floor, where most of our college party’s were held, was the first victim of my dance. When my friend Nidhi, with all her will pulled me on to the dance floor, and when after some time I started enjoying the dance, I never stopped. I jumped all around the floor, performed all the exercises that I had learnt in school, imitated every damn actor that I could remember, pushed everyone around and so on and on and on………….I must say even today where I stand..." Gane ki dhun pe mai apne aap ko thirkne se nahi rok sakta" (On the beats, I can not stop myself from dancing).
Bangalore and even more OMSB had given me a cultural shock of my life. Well, I started settling in, time passed by, almost a year and came the time for a next cultural shock. As a part of the curriculum, some of us had decided to go to France for a Joint Student Consultancy Project……contd.
