“Kannada Barutha??” June 27, 2008

 

“Kannada Barutha??” ah! I am sure most of you in Bangalorewould have heard this, but what is “kannada barutha?” here it goes. Bangalore the IT capital of India, the silicon city and now a Metro city opened its gates to almost all kinds of people. Very evidently the recent poll census proved that there are only 47% of original inhabitants in Bangalore/bengaluru. The life style of the city has seen a gradual change with Pizza Corners replacing MTR’s, classy eat out’s replacing “Vidyarthi Bhavans” and flashy pub’s replacing all our “Mahalakshmi wine shops”.

 

“Change is inevitable” from the days of BEML, HAL and BHEL to INFOSYS, WIPRO; Bangalorehas a new look now on the world map. Gone are the days where a typical Sunday for any bangalorean was a nice romantic walk on the pavements of “LALBAGH…”, “rave idli and coffee..” at the nearest yet old looking MTR and a wonderful Annavra film either at Santosh or central ‘talkies’. Today’s Bangaloreis deluged in traffic, stress and pressure, Saturday nights without beer is desolate and a Sunday without a visit to either a nearest spa or health clinic is schlocky!! The gandhibazar’s are now AC cooled super markets, majestic is now replaced by ultra modern and diversified Brigade road, sri cauvery coffee joint is now Coffee days.. and “Bhagyalakshmi coffee adda.. is now barista. With globalisation and more retail market the city will definitely see more forceful changes.

 

Have all these changed our language? Kannada the local language of Bangalore is supposed to be one of the most meaningful language, it also has an unique script as compared to its other counterparts; but how many percentage of people really use Kannada in Bangalorenow? The figures are staggering, only 37% of people speak Kannada in the state’s capital, for rest it is only “Kannada bartha?”

 

Any normal guy starts with this sentence “Kannada barutha?” while talking to other person, people confirm before they speak the language. You want to ask an address in Bangalore? Or reply to a question then English is the most preferred language other than Hindi. It’s a famous fact that two kannidagas in an IT company always talk in a neutral language!! Even the vendors and shop keepers are channelled with this new wave, the moment when you step in any shop in Bangalore, you are always asked “Kannada barutha?” or the entire conversation takes place in non Kannada languages. People have lost the confidence of speaking in the local language and more over speaking Kannada on the streets of “M.G road “or “kormangala” is substandard.

 

Shopping malls in the city have been completely banned from using Kannada, not a forced one but definitely an adapted one. One has to confirm that the other person knows the language before he starts using any language. “ondu glass beer” is a insult when it comes to any decorous pub in Bangalore.  “Swalpa menu card kodthira..??” has been replaced by “Can I have the menu card pls…?”

 

Just to hit some facts, marathi is still the largest and common speaking language in mumbai even though mumbai has the highest no of inhabitants. Telgue is a practised ritual in yet another IT HUB Hyderabad. When it comes to tamil nadu, beware you can be alive either if you are a fan of rajnikanth or you know tamil. Malyalam runs in the blood of every mallu be it Kuwait, dubaior any hospital; but when it comes to kannada it is always “kannada barutha?” and next is “namaskara.”  

I am not a Kannada activist neither I run any Kannada supporting organisation, I am just a plebeian who just love the language. Globalisation is the trend and modernisation is the mantra but at the cost the language? Sounds no logic.. is speaking kannada down market? The answer has to be found within oneself. Next time when you hear “kannada barutha?” you just remember that “kannada runs in your blood…”

 

                                                                        Abhishek Iyengar.