BANGALORE AS A MELTING POT OF MULTI CULTURES (Pages 131-136) by Ms. Santoshi B. R. in THE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SPECIALIST / ISSN: 2350-1499 (Online); 2350-0751 (Print)

Bangalore has always had a reputation for being a pensioner’s paradise. For many decades, Bangalore has been a beautiful destination for travel as well as settling down. It comprises of the locals and people from neighboring southern states, Anglo Indians, the descendants of the British population who settled in the cantonment area with big palatial homes, big gardens and big hearts. During that time, the major languages spoken were Tamil and English apart from the local language Kannada with a smattering of other regional languages. Over the years, with the establishment of the IT and BT sector, Bangalore has witnessed a rapid, unprecedented growth in all directions: vertical and horizontal with the city expanding beyond its capacity. There is a continuous influx of people migrating to Bangalore from the rural areas of Karnataka and from various parts of India and abroad. The city has seen people migrating and settling in Bangalore for employment and better opportunities: these migrants who speak Hindi, Bengali, Marathi and others. As a result, there is a serious concern regarding the fate of the local people, local language and culture. A day may come when Kannada might become a minor language with other language people having an edge in the socio political and economic affairs. It’s not just the languages with its variety of dialects but also their culture which has also seeped into the local culture. This transition has not been taken very kindly by a lot of locals who resent the influx of people who are still referred to as “outsiders”: the outsiders who refuse to adapt to the local culture and language and who deprive the locals of their right to employment. This write up is an observation of a very concerned local who has been witnessing the drastic changes in the socio cultural, economic and political spheres. Keywords: Bangalore, Multicultural, Kannada, South, North, Outsiders.