Bengalis in Bangalore

I'm a Bengali. Bengalis are those unique creatures from the "Mamata fighting CIPM" land, who possess some typical characteristics which distinguish them from the rest of the crowd. Not the typical red bordered white saree clad women as shown on the television, nor the jostling at the fish shops.  Bengalis have certain certain cells in their grey matter, that dictates their behaviour in the crowd.

I've been in Bangalore for almost 2 years. My daily commutation by bus to my workplace has made me experience something about the Bengalis in Bangalore. Would definitely not extrapolate to all the bengalis in Bangalore, but is applicable to lot of them, including me at time.

Being in a different state(Karnataka) where one would not hear "Dada(elder brother)" , "Didi(elder sister)" and "Boudi(sister-in-law, elder brother's wife)" around, Bengalis tend to think that they are the only one among the crowd, whose cryptic language would enable them to express their thoughts and gossips aloud.


Unaware of another Bengali's presence, Bengalis tend to speak aloud. The other day, a young lady sitting just behind me was speaking over the phone. I couldn't avoid eve's dropping to her interesting talks.

"Ki hoyechhe go?(What happened dear?)"........."Tumi shara din kothai boloni (You didn't talk to me the whole day)"(passionately)........."Tumi personal life aar professional life ke alada rakho (keep your personal life and professional life separate)"(tone becoming harsh).........."Na na na, aamio chakri kori, tumi ekai shob korona( No no no, I too work, you doesn't do everyting alone)" (this time much harsher, I knew a verbal combat has commenced....a short pause..."tomar ma khali aamar dosh dekhe(Your mother always finds fault in me)" (typical grudge against her mother-in-law like a typical wife)......"Aami office theke beriye porechhi, aashchhi bari(I've started from my office, coming home").

The lady rose and got down at her destined bus stop.

I was sort of enjoying it. It gave me peculiar sense of self-esteem of  "I am the only one whose could decrypt her encoded words among the fellow passengers".

I spotted a rugged looking man the other day. "Is he a Bengali?", I thought. Soon he proved me right. He received a phone call and started his conversation, as expected, in Bengali. "kemon haagu hochhe?(How was your stool?)"......"Shokto na norom?(Hard or soft?)"....."Koto baar hoyechhe?(How many times?")"...."Ki ronger? Holud na kalo kalo?(What was the colour?Yellow or blackish?)"....He kept on enquiring.

Talks on various issues have penetrated my ear drum on several occasions. Lectures on cooking, discussion about in-laws, generalr talks about daily life, second hand bike for sale, instructions of  taking regular medicines, availability of good maachh (fishes), colloquial chatter about hot babes, and even colour, texture and frequency of stool.

One common thing about all these conversations is that they are all monologues. Bengalis discussion all of them over their hand held devices.

If you are a Bengali staying in Bangalore, beware!!! The next time it might be your conversation published on my blog. Always remember that you'r not the only one.