MEDICAL & HEALTH

Bangalore is good for health for most people. However there are two categories who need to be warned: the diurnal ( daily range) temperature variation is large. Some people don't like this. Further, people susceptible to acute respiratory allergies and asthma may face problems in the flowering season.

There are several good hospitals and a large number of nursing homes in Bangalore.

LEISURE

After work, most people usually watch TV. The trendier crowd hit the pubs, of which Bangalore has many. But of late the pub culture has shown a decline and the new fad seems to be health consciousness. Sports like badminton were always popular, now they report increased interest with a corresponding decline in interest in cricket. . There are several clubs offering good sports facilities. Most of us can forget trying to get into the older clubs. There are three golf courses in Bangalore as of date. The pop music scene too is active, with a few discos like Lee Dance Furnace, Orion, etc. being very popular. Classical Carnatic music and Hindustani music has a large following in Bangalore.

Some spots:

PubWorld
The Cellar
Black Cadillac
The Club Coffee Day has a number of locations plus a cybercafe at Brigade rd.( 30 minutes for 30 rupees.)
The Barons at the Lower Palace Orchards .
Several food places at Mahatma Gandhi Road and the Brigade Road .
24 Carats, The Capitol Raj Bhavan Road
Casa Piccola 26, C M H Road, Indiranagar
Kadambam (Iyengar food) at Jayanagar instead (opp.NMKRV Womens College) Imperial Hotel - Residency Road. Inexpensive and good food (100 rupees for two people for dinner).
Sunny's opposite Airlines Hotel serves Italian food.
Coconut Grove ,Church Street. Spicy South Indian stuff
Bheema's - Banana leaf lunches, a favourite .(adds reader SSP-- don't miss the andhra biryani with omlette)
Ullal's - Above the Symphony movie theater on M.G. Road.Filling food and snacks. Canopy Restaurant - M.G. Road. Popular executive buffet.

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WORK CULTURE & BANGALORE LIFESTYLE

Bangalore is a quiet, safe place. There is little crime though politician sponsored demonstrations are becoming more common.

In recent times a forest brigand-cum sandalwood smuggler has been creating problems by kidnapping a popular filmstar.

Govt and bank culture: Said to be sluggish compared to Chennai, but lightning compared to Calcutta. Residents always complain about how things could be better. In recent times there's some signs of a change. Citibank has over 30 ATMs in Bangalore. Thomas Cook on the corner of Brigade Road and M.G. Road is well known..

Languages: The predominant language is Kannada. But most people are multilingual. The other languages spoken commonly are Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English: fairly numerous people speak Marathi, Malayalam, Konkani, Kodagu and Tulu.

Bangalore, and Karnataka in general is reputed for its cultured and hospitable people. ( The kannadigas appear calm and sedate now but in earlier times they used to go on regular rampages all over India, as far afield as Bengal where they set up the Sena dynasty, for instance). On the other hand they've been hospitable and welcoming of various peoples from a long time.

All the Indian regions are well represented in Bangalore. Even Tibetans are no longer refugees, they are locals now.

However in recent times with small farming becoming un-economical several rural youth migrate to Bangalore from the surrounding , and there is now increased competition. There is some resentment such white collar and less skilled jobs are held by equally poor migrants from Kerala and Tamilnadu. But then its the same anywhere....even in Seattle. By the way there is also a lively awareness of global ecological concerns and dangers of genetic manipulation.

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