A woman’s social media posts detailing her challenging experience as a North Indian living in Bengaluru have sparked a debate online, shedding light on issues of cultural integration and perceived discrimination in the city.
In her posts on X (formerly Twitter), the woman, identified as Shaani Nani, recounted her 1.5-year stay in Bengaluru, highlighting incidents where auto drivers allegedly harassed her for being from North India. She described how they questioned her presence in Bengaluru, mocked her attempts to speak Hindi or English, and even demanded extra fare due to her marital status. She expressed feeling alienated and overwhelmed by negativity during her time in the city.
She also shared frustrations with customer service, citing an incident with BESCOM (Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited), where she claimed she was dismissed because she couldn’t communicate in Kannada.
“I was working in Bangalore for 1.5 years. Married in Punjab, I wore chooda for the entire 1 year as it is a part of my tradition. It was clearly evident I was from North India. What a harassment it was to commute in auto from flat to office and back. The audacity of local auto drivers to strike a conversation on why I was in Bangalore when I belonged to North, if I was learning Kannada, asking if I like anything apart from weather, asking for more money as I was newly married and pretending not to understand a word when I would talk in Hin/Eng. I had a very bad experience with local crowd there.”
In response to these challenges, she decided to leave Bengaluru and relocate to Gurugram, where she found relief in a more familiar environment and less confrontational interactions with auto drivers.
The woman’s posts quickly garnered attention, accumulating over 2.4 million views and sparking a mix of reactions. While some users empathized with her experience and supported her decision to move, others defended Bengaluru as a welcoming city and suggested cultural adaptation as a solution.
“I am from North India too, been living in Bangalore for 3 years now! Never faced any problem. I feel safe here, never been catcalled, never been robbed. Guess you’re in the wrong Bangalore. Because locals don’t treat you like you’ve mentioned,” shared one user, reflecting contrasting experiences.
The incident has reignited discussions about cultural integration and the challenges faced by migrants in adapting to new cities, particularly in regions with strong regional identities.
Sources By Agencies
