If it pours, we’ve had it in our city

If it pours, we’ve had it in our city
If we had a Mumbai-like monsoon, we would all drown
rajanbala


Reading about the heavy monsoon rain in Mumbai has made one wonder what would happen to our dear city if it was subjected to something similar. Only those who have experienced the rain in the western metropolis would understand its intensity and the damage it can cause. But Mumbaikars look forward to it because once it has come and gone, the city is all spruced up and they would have stories to exchange about how bad it was in their respective suburbs.
Having lived in Mumbai for a decade and experienced the monsoon, one remembers the varied experiences. One heavy shower in our city is a guarantee that just about everything would be thrown out of gear. And nothing has really changed year after year. Maybe it is one of the reasons why the monsoon came late to the city.
The British, who created the city, had modest plans for its development. No wonder it soon gained the reputation of being a city of gardens and later as a pensioner’s paradise. Now old-timers cannot recognise their beloved city because they have been forced to sell out and move while the gardens seem to be disappearing unless forcefully maintained like those in Cubbon Park and Lalbagh. The city, the recent occupants tell us, is in the grip of change and making vast progress. There is plenty of money and even though the IT industry is struggling, and land and real estate prices falling, we as Bangaloreans do not seem to be unduly worried about our civic shortcomings. We do not have a monsoon like Mumbai does and so why worry.
LIVE AND LET LIVE
Mumbaikars would tell you they are blessed because of the monsoon and take their travails in their stride. But they know that when the monsoon goes away life would return to normal, which is tough, competitive and rewarding. This is one of the reasons why the crime rate is comparably low in comparison to our city, if one takes into account the population and the size of that great city. People are just too busy there minding their businesses and making a living. At the same time though, they show concern if their fellow beings are in trouble. Their attitude to life is one of live and to let live.
Can we pay all these compliments to our city? We have a great advantage in having wonderful weather most of the year, which is why the British in their wisdom chose to make it a cantonment. What would our city have been without the British? But then have the later rulers understood the needs of the city and gone about making improvements which were absolutely necessary. The truth is, they had no idea of what was required to be done. Why is it the city which had wonderful and many lakes has now just a few because the land sharks have been permitted to proliferate?
The boy who was drowned in a storm-water drain became an issue because one news television channel decided that the authorities had to be brought to book. But nothing really happened. The chief was changed and was replaced by another who does not seem to be any better. If we had a Mumbai-like monsoon, we would all drown!
If it pours, we’ve had it in our city
If we had a Mumbai-like monsoon, we would all drown
rajanbala


Reading about the heavy monsoon rain in Mumbai has made one wonder what would happen to our dear city if it was subjected to something similar. Only those who have experienced the rain in the western metropolis would understand its intensity and the damage it can cause. But Mumbaikars look forward to it because once it has come and gone, the city is all spruced up and they would have stories to exchange about how bad it was in their respective suburbs.
Having lived in Mumbai for a decade and experienced the monsoon, one remembers the varied experiences. One heavy shower in our city is a guarantee that just about everything would be thrown out of gear. And nothing has really changed year after year. Maybe it is one of the reasons why the monsoon came late to the city.
The British, who created the city, had modest plans for its development. No wonder it soon gained the reputation of being a city of gardens and later as a pensioner’s paradise. Now old-timers cannot recognise their beloved city because they have been forced to sell out and move while the gardens seem to be disappearing unless forcefully maintained like those in Cubbon Park and Lalbagh. The city, the recent occupants tell us, is in the grip of change and making vast progress. There is plenty of money and even though the IT industry is struggling, and land and real estate prices falling, we as Bangaloreans do not seem to be unduly worried about our civic shortcomings. We do not have a monsoon like Mumbai does and so why worry.
LIVE AND LET LIVE
Mumbaikars would tell you they are blessed because of the monsoon and take their travails in their stride. But they know that when the monsoon goes away life would return to normal, which is tough, competitive and rewarding. This is one of the reasons why the crime rate is comparably low in comparison to our city, if one takes into account the population and the size of that great city. People are just too busy there minding their businesses and making a living. At the same time though, they show concern if their fellow beings are in trouble. Their attitude to life is one of live and to let live.
Can we pay all these compliments to our city? We have a great advantage in having wonderful weather most of the year, which is why the British in their wisdom chose to make it a cantonment. What would our city have been without the British? But then have the later rulers understood the needs of the city and gone about making improvements which were absolutely necessary. The truth is, they had no idea of what was required to be done. Why is it the city which had wonderful and many lakes has now just a few because the land sharks have been permitted to proliferate?
The boy who was drowned in a storm-water drain became an issue because one news television channel decided that the authorities had to be brought to book. But nothing really happened. The chief was changed and was replaced by another who does not seem to be any better. If we had a Mumbai-like monsoon, we would all drown!
If it pours, we’ve had it in our city
If we had a Mumbai-like monsoon, we would all drown
rajanbala


Reading about the heavy monsoon rain in Mumbai has made one wonder what would happen to our dear city if it was subjected to something similar. Only those who have experienced the rain in the western metropolis would understand its intensity and the damage it can cause. But Mumbaikars look forward to it because once it has come and gone, the city is all spruced up and they would have stories to exchange about how bad it was in their respective suburbs.
Having lived in Mumbai for a decade and experienced the monsoon, one remembers the varied experiences. One heavy shower in our city is a guarantee that just about everything would be thrown out of gear. And nothing has really changed year after year. Maybe it is one of the reasons why the monsoon came late to the city.
The British, who created the city, had modest plans for its development. No wonder it soon gained the reputation of being a city of gardens and later as a pensioner’s paradise. Now old-timers cannot recognise their beloved city because they have been forced to sell out and move while the gardens seem to be disappearing unless forcefully maintained like those in Cubbon Park and Lalbagh. The city, the recent occupants tell us, is in the grip of change and making vast progress. There is plenty of money and even though the IT industry is struggling, and land and real estate prices falling, we as Bangaloreans do not seem to be unduly worried about our civic shortcomings. We do not have a monsoon like Mumbai does and so why worry.
LIVE AND LET LIVE
Mumbaikars would tell you they are blessed because of the monsoon and take their travails in their stride. But they know that when the monsoon goes away life would return to normal, which is tough, competitive and rewarding. This is one of the reasons why the crime rate is comparably low in comparison to our city, if one takes into account the population and the size of that great city. People are just too busy there minding their businesses and making a living. At the same time though, they show concern if their fellow beings are in trouble. Their attitude to life is one of live and to let live.
Can we pay all these compliments to our city? We have a great advantage in having wonderful weather most of the year, which is why the British in their wisdom chose to make it a cantonment. What would our city have been without the British? But then have the later rulers understood the needs of the city and gone about making improvements which were absolutely necessary. The truth is, they had no idea of what was required to be done. Why is it the city which had wonderful and many lakes has now just a few because the land sharks have been permitted to proliferate?
The boy who was drowned in a storm-water drain became an issue because one news television channel decided that the authorities had to be brought to book. But nothing really happened. The chief was changed and was replaced by another who does not seem to be any better. If we had a Mumbai-like monsoon, we would all drown!
If it pours, we’ve had it in our city
If we had a Mumbai-like monsoon, we would all drown
rajanbala


Reading about the heavy monsoon rain in Mumbai has made one wonder what would happen to our dear city if it was subjected to something similar. Only those who have experienced the rain in the western metropolis would understand its intensity and the damage it can cause. But Mumbaikars look forward to it because once it has come and gone, the city is all spruced up and they would have stories to exchange about how bad it was in their respective suburbs.
Having lived in Mumbai for a decade and experienced the monsoon, one remembers the varied experiences. One heavy shower in our city is a guarantee that just about everything would be thrown out of gear. And nothing has really changed year after year. Maybe it is one of the reasons why the monsoon came late to the city.
The British, who created the city, had modest plans for its development. No wonder it soon gained the reputation of being a city of gardens and later as a pensioner’s paradise. Now old-timers cannot recognise their beloved city because they have been forced to sell out and move while the gardens seem to be disappearing unless forcefully maintained like those in Cubbon Park and Lalbagh. The city, the recent occupants tell us, is in the grip of change and making vast progress. There is plenty of money and even though the IT industry is struggling, and land and real estate prices falling, we as Bangaloreans do not seem to be unduly worried about our civic shortcomings. We do not have a monsoon like Mumbai does and so why worry.
LIVE AND LET LIVE
Mumbaikars would tell you they are blessed because of the monsoon and take their travails in their stride. But they know that when the monsoon goes away life would return to normal, which is tough, competitive and rewarding. This is one of the reasons why the crime rate is comparably low in comparison to our city, if one takes into account the population and the size of that great city. People are just too busy there minding their businesses and making a living. At the same time though, they show concern if their fellow beings are in trouble. Their attitude to life is one of live and to let live.
Can we pay all these compliments to our city? We have a great advantage in having wonderful weather most of the year, which is why the British in their wisdom chose to make it a cantonment. What would our city have been without the British? But then have the later rulers understood the needs of the city and gone about making improvements which were absolutely necessary. The truth is, they had no idea of what was required to be done. Why is it the city which had wonderful and many lakes has now just a few because the land sharks have been permitted to proliferate?
The boy who was drowned in a storm-water drain became an issue because one news television channel decided that the authorities had to be brought to book. But nothing really happened. The chief was changed and was replaced by another who does not seem to be any better. If we had a Mumbai-like monsoon, we would all drown!