Mangalore – what has happened to you? Why are you in the news for all the bad reasons?. I remember, a father saying that my son is notorious and everyone in the town knows him. My Mangalore looks as though it is aping to become almost like this ‘notorious son’
Mangalore was never in the news. To know Mangalore one had to know someone in Mangalore or someone connected with Mangalore. We used to say we are famous for tiles, cashewnuts, spices, beautiful people ( remember Aishwarya Rai, Shilpa Shetty etc. ) To make people to know where this place is situated, I had to show them India in the world map and then Mangalore. I had to tell them it is 350 kms south of Goa and that it is on the West Coast of India. To make them know the difference between Mangalore and Bangalore. I had to struggle. I am a ham or Amateur Radio License Holder. We hams carry on two way QSO or chat or in ham language ‘ rag chewing’ with hams all over the world. For us there are no man made boundaries because we use the airwaves. Naturally the first thing we have to do while connected with another ham is to identify ourselves. We give our Call sign. We have separate call signs lto identify ourselves like for Indians, it starts with VU2 or VU3 while Sri Lankans as 4S7 and so on for each different country has it’s own call signs. Then each Ham has his own call sign like for me ‘VU3BGS’. I have to identify myself as VU3BGS and then I tell him my QTH or place of operation. I have to tell him that I am from Mangalore. They, most of the time mistake me as one from Bangalore – the silicon city as they say. But then I have to tell them that it is not ‘B’ but “M’ and M for mike. Then he knows that I am from Southern part of India. But now, I need not say that it is Mangalore or that it is 350 kms South of Goa etc. We have become overnight, well known or is it ‘popular’ or like the son of that unfortunate father who says his son is ‘notorious’ and he is known in his town.
One cannot overlook the events that brought us to the International stage ( please excuse me for using words which should not have been used) with the attack on pubs and on Christian churches. Now latest with the air crash at our Bajpe Airport. As a matter of fact, let us admit it, we are very proud of our airport because it connects us to the entire world very fast. Previously to go abroad, one had to go by bus from Mangalore to Mumbai, which is 24 or 26 hours drive and then catch the plane there from Sahar or Chatrapathi International Airport whereas because of the airport which is situated about 12 kms from the city centre, it takes only 1 hr. 5 mts. flight to Mumbai and for this, there are several planes connecting Mumbai and Mangalore. One can go to Middle East where most of the Mangaloreans are employed, I think in certain areas of Mangalore, I am quite certain that at least one person from every family must be gainfully employed in the Gulf. Therefore this is a boom for all Mangaloreans so that they can be in the Gulf countries within a couple of hours from Mangalore In spite of all the shortcomings which now the experts show of the airport, people still love Bajpe Airport. There is the same rush at the airport, the same ‘bye bye sounds and tears in the eyes of the people who have come to see their relatives off and it is the same laughter when every plane lands at Mangalore with relatives of the people who have come to receive them.
This shows the character of Mangaloreans and their resilience There was pub attack, there were church attacks but the city centre is full of families going round buying things, going to restaurants or Ice Cream Parlors. Several youngsters going to Malls and other business centers. How many people know that Mangalore is the cradle for education. There are nearly 6 or 7 Engineering Colleges and equal number of Medical Colleges. There are umpteen para medical, arts, science, commerce etc. colleges. The standard of education is so high, people from all over the country and from neighbouring countries come to Mangalore for studies. People once they come to Mangalore, very rarely they feel like leaving it. They get endeared or attached by it’s culture, hospitality and gentle nature of the people. I shall not say anything more about Mangalore though one can write pages and pages about it..
But it is a sad commentary that such a beautiful city is now becoming known for all wrong reasons. Let it be clear to all that Mangalore is the best and the most beautiful place. I may say what my foreign friend said before these high rise buildings cropped up in Mangalore, when I showed her Mangalore from the highest point of Mangalore, a place known as Kadri hills. I made her to stand on the balcony of the Government guest House and I said “ what you behold now is Mangalore.†She said “ what I see is only a green carpet for miles and miles together and beyond that blue carpet That is what Mangalore is The coconut tress standing all over the city with other tall trees have covered the entire landscape and beyond that is the Arabian Sea. When she looked back she could see the high blue/black mountains in the far off touching the horizon. She said “ Mangalore is the best and the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I always used to think from my country that Mangalore is a desert. But what I see now is really a paradise on earthâ€.
Let me tell those people who have read or seen the recent events about Mangalore that those horrible events cannot sully the name of Mangalore or it’s beauty or it’s people. Mangalore is still and will always be a cozy little town with good people. Mangalore is what it is – Beautiful.!!!