Goodbye Bangalore – Hello Mysore : Part 1

Finding a job isn’t easy – ask me about it, Making that portfolio, can be one of the most heart warming experiences, or one that fills you up with self doubt. After about 1.5 months of contemplation, meditation and a LOT of cleaning (I’ll get to that later), I can now successfully say I have survived the job hunt phase and crossed over to the other side.

It was an interesting experience – considering the last time I did this was 5 years back.Back then, I was a college student, living out of hostels and friend’s homes. I owned 1 suitcase that carried all my things. One of my major concerns of my first night in Bangalore was about how empty my room looked, with just not enough items to make it feel like a home.

I literally had a truck full of stuff when I left Bangalore.

The 5 years in Bangalore feels like the longest 5 years of my life, also the shortest. I already had friends when I moved to Bangalore, but it was here that I found myself. It was a whirlwind – there were times I absolutely hated the city (you can find a few blogs on that), there were times I was in love with everything about the city. Even as the people who made the city in my head started moving away, Bangalore still gave me comfort – through the dogs that live there, the landscapes that I cycled through. My work gave me access to all kinds of people living in Bangalore and reasons to visit all corners of the city. Even the one thing that the world whines about in Bangalore – the roads and the traffic became my comfort place. Whether it be an auto flying on the ring-road at midnight, or the cab im stuck in the morning – became the spaces I used to think, observe the city and just zone out from reality.

Over the years, I started proudly introducing myself as a Bangalorean in every conversation. Corner house, Cubbon Park, Pecos, Bobs, Humming Tree – any conversation about Bangalore anywhere in India and the world. I cribbed about the traffic, I bragged about the weather, I whined about how the airport is in another city. I stayed long enough in to to talk to new comers about “those days”.

My job hunt this time, has led me to a new city – not very far from Bangalore, but far enough. After 5 years of living and experiencing Bangalore, I packed up and moved to Mysore – new city, new job, starting from scratch again.

The reality that I am not going to be in Bangalore for too long hit me when I went for a day’s trip to Mysore to confirm my next home. It was a strange feeling sitting on the bus to Mysore. I have traveled to Mysore multiple times – as close as the previous week for my job interview. But all those times, it was clear – this was home, I went to Mysore as a Bangalorean. But that day, I wasn’t sure. I was going to take a look at my new home – a new home that was not in Bangalore? It felt strange.

I spent the day looking at Mysore, absorbing its vibe, trying to look at it as an inhabitant, not a tourist. And while I was super excited about this new journey I was starting out on – it didn’t feel great, I felt like I was cheating on Bangalore – it was a huge overwhelming feeling of betrayal. A few hours later, after confirming on a cute little house that would be my next home, and a little time exploring Mysore. I spent the time I was coming back to Bangalore, visualizing and mentally setting up the new house. I got lost in my planning – Where would the plants go? Where would the cot go? What else would I need?

A couple of hours later, as the bus neared Bangalore, I could see the buildings and apartments peeping from across the highway – Bangalore saying hello to me. I had thought in-order to accept Mysore, I needed to reject Bangalore. But looking at that vast expanse of the city, I realized there was never going to be a time Bangalore wasn’t going to be home. I am came back with an expanded heart – one that can take Bangalore and Mysore together. There was never going to be a goodbye to Bangalore – it will always be here, Mysore one more place to call

Cont’d – Read Part 2