Article Written By EIH Researcher And Writer
Bhavya Saini
Bengaluru or Bangalore, also known as the Silicon Valley of India, has had a rich cultural as well as historical heritage. From the glorious rule of the Cholas, to the influence of Vijayanagar Empire, to the conquest of Marathas as well as the Anglo-Mysore wars between Tipu Sultan and the British, Bangalore has witnessed it all. The city continues to hold its significant position as a social, economic and cultural centre in India through all these years and has emerged as one of India’s largest IT hubs. Yet despite all its historical glory and modernisation in the contemporary times, the city has lost its grandeur in the race of keeping up with the fast-moving world of ours.
With the advent of a digitally-paced economy, Bangalore has also adapted to the demands of the era by becoming a digitally-paced city itself. The city which was once known for its lush gardens and beautiful forts is now popular for its high-rise buildings and tech parks. It has become the ideal city to live for the tech-savvy generation whose world functions on the rectangles within their hands; the one that hopes to get the most basic things within a single tap. Despite these advances, the city meets a critical eye for its congested roads making it the world’s second most congested city after London. A traffic index report published by Dutch location technology specialist TomTom said, “On average, it took 29 minutes and 10 seconds for Bengalureans to cover 10km in the CBD area during 2022.” Apart from this, the city suffered the worst air quality index this winter season as per the Centre for Science and Environment. The research conducted by the organisation revealed that while Mumbai and Kolkata were the most polluted cities after Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru recorded the fastest worsening of PM 2.5 levels. “While Delhi’s winter air quality hogs all the eyeballs, the rising winter air pollution in other mega cities including Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, does not get adequate attention,” quoted a CSE official.
Yet despite these odds, the city could be seen blooming with what the social media called, “cherry blossoms” in the early 2023. People spotted various areas of the city covered with pink Cherry Blossom-like flowers as early as in January 2023, which are most famous in Japan. With these sightings, the internet flooded with pictures of the beautiful trees serving as a treat to eyes in the Silicon Valley leaving netizens in great wonderment. However, these may not be what they seem. The trees belong to the species Tabebuia Avellaneda or the Pink Trumpet trees. The Karnataka Tourism also took to social media sharing beautiful glimpses of the Bangalorean roads covered in the pink hues. These trees blossom every year around spring between the months of January and March and were originally planted by the British in order to keep up with their homesickness in the city as they reminded them of “the Spring season back home”. The trees are in their full glory around the month of March and can be regarded as an exotic species which can be traced back to South America. The flowers have a trumpet-like shape (thus, the name) along with yellow throats. Even though the British rule has ended, these flowers continue to enslave us with their beauty and mark the arrival of spring in Bengaluru every year.
Pink Trumpet trees in Bengaluru. Picture Credits: Twitter/Karnataka Tourism
These Pink Trumpet trees of Bengaluru reminds one of the Hanami Festival in Japan where the Cherry Blossom trees are seen in their full glory during the springtime. The Hanami Festival celebrates the beauty of the springtime by appreciating and soulfully observing the beautifully bloomed Cherry Blossom flowers. The festival which has become culturally synonymous with Japan, due to its roots, is also observed in other countries like the US, Australia and many other parts of the world. The Cherry Blossoms act as a symbol of renewal and hope as the participating people come together to sing and dance and this tradition dates back to around a thousand years! The beauty and tranquility of these Cherry Blossom flowers are observed to put the mind at ease and relax with the rejuvenation of nature.
In a country like Japan, which is just as tech-savvy as Bengaluru, the festival attempts to put the fast-pacing human minds at ease. The two places are much similar to each other, both being the major technological hubs with people running for their work and very much less time for their mind and selves. During the pandemic, while the world was dealing with the gruesome effects of COVID-19, Japan was also tackling its increased mental health crisis. Even with all the advances and development, the country could not keep its people from depression and suicide which doubled during the pandemic years. The Global Liveability Index 2022 ranked Bengaluru among the least liveable cities in India accounting to its infrastructure which included quality of roads, public transport, international links, energy provision, telecommunications, water, and availability of good quality housing.The capitalist-consumer society has driven people to become slaves of their work rather than working for their own fulfilment. Everybody is running but to no end. Yet amid this rat-race, soulful moments like the sightings of blooming pink trees do put the chaotic human mind to rest, providing time to reflect and introspect and appreciate the little things in life.
References
https://www.kobejones.com.au/celebrating-the-japanese-cherry-blossom-festival/
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/10/japans-challenges-in-making-mental-health-more-accessible/
