One city, many tongues ooru retold in many languages

Time of India

19-07-2025

Bengaluru's multilingual character, rooted in its history of welcoming diverse communities, is a defining feature. While Kannada remains prominent, Hindi and English are increasingly common, especially among certain groups. Despite concerns about language chauvinism, the city's inclusive spirit endures.
On a narrow lane off Brigade Road on a cloudy Sunday afternoon, a minor argument broke out over parking a two-wheeler. While there was nothing new about the spat, it bore a distinct Bengaluru signature.
One argument, two men, three languages. While one was speaking in Kannada, the other switched between Urdu and Tamil, trying his best to go as close to the other's language as possible.
Across the city, we often encounter conversations – not just such arguments – which involve two or more languages in an exchange of information, wishes, feelings, and ideas. Sometimes, there is even a crude mixture of regional tongues, which makes us wonder which language to classify the 'strange' dialect under.
There are numerous memes and comic videos that portray the multilingual nature of the Bengaluru resident in creative ways.
A Bengalurean manages to give directions, conduct business, and even argue in multiple languages, however imperfect in using them.
This linguistic feature predates the arrival of diverse communities to the city's large PSUs during the decade following India's Independence. Kempegowda, the city's founder, is known to have welcomed diverse communities of traders, weavers, goldsmiths and artisans to the city in the 16th century.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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The evolution of Bengaluru from the distinct entities of the city (pete) and Cantonment, which merged around the early 20th century and grew to take the shape of the metropolis it is today, is a tale that is repeated so often that it is almost clichéd. However, this pattern of growth that the city underwent still explains the current distribution of languages in Bengaluru.
While Kannada remains the language on the streets in, say, Nagarabhavi, it is not really the lingua franca of Marathahalli or HSR Layout.
Though many might know and understand Kannada (or even Tamil or Telugu), they tend to start a conversation in Hindi and switch to Kannada in case the other person speaks it. Karnataka's consistent inclusion of Hindi in its school curriculum facilitated easy communication with the migrant population from northern India.
According to Dr Na Someswara, the specific linguistic markers of the city's different parts no longer remain the same.
'There is a mixed crowd in most of these areas now. But I think a few areas like Basavanagudi and Chamarajpet have managed to preserve the authentic Kannada flavour,' he said.
Dr Someswara is a household name in Karnataka. A physician by training, he is best known as Kannada's most prominent quiz master. He grew up in Malleswaram – amid roughly equal numbers of people speaking Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. 'We picked up those languages effortlessly.
Also, they were comfortable speaking to us in Kannada,' he said.
While Malayalis were rare, people speaking Urdu and Marathi were part of the city's linguistic landscape. A large Tamil community of workers developed on the southern outskirts of Malleswaram due to the establishment of textile mills that drew workers from
Tamil Nadu
, he pointed out.
He recollected his frequent visits to Shivajinagar as a young boy. 'I used to look for spare parts from scrap dealers as I was interested in assembling radios and other electronics,' he said.
'Though the locality was Urdu-dominated, I could manage to converse in Kannada and develop good rapport with the people there.'
Over the years, Dr Someswara has observed Hindi and English taking over the languages of the region. 'Today, we are often required to talk to shopkeepers and service staff in Hindi as they don't learn basic Kannada,' he said.
Dr Jyothi Venkatesh, director of Bengaluru City University's Centre for Global Languages, draws inspiration from the city's multilingual character.
'For a language educator, the city's multicultural and multilingual landscape provides a rich context for teaching and learning languages. The presence of global tech companies and international communities further exposes learners to English and other foreign languages, making Bengaluru a natural laboratory for language acquisition, cross-cultural communication, and linguistic innovation,' she explained.
A Kannadiga by birth and daughter of a diplomat, she studied French in Belgium in a local school, not as a foreign language, but as the native language of the locals. She was among the first students to pursue an MA in French at Bangalore University, before joining the department as faculty. She feels that the day-to-day experience in Bengaluru is often more multilingual than in many individual European cities.
'Kannadigas today are increasingly multilingual.
However, among certain groups, such as the elite and urban populations, there is a growing tendency to rely primarily on English. This, sometimes, leads to a decline in deep Kannada fluency. At the same time, a strong counter current of cultural pride and language activism is emerging, aiming to preserve and promote Kannada amidst these changing linguistic dynamics,' she added.
Of late, social media has been successful in tarnishing the city's image by portraying the people of Bengaluru as language chauvinists who make life miserable for those who cannot speak Kannada.
So much so that the international Booker prize winner Banu Mushtaq had to clarify to 'national' media on behalf of the people of Karnataka. During a felicitation ceremony, she recounted how she responded to questions regarding intolerance in Karnataka.
'I had to explain to them how their actions have disturbed the inherently inclusive and tolerant culture of Karnataka,' she lamented.
At the same time, it is also true that people tend to turn any argument into a language war and make it a point to bash 'outsiders'.
Those unaware of the ground reality are often carried away by the exaggerated accounts of some unfortunate incidents.
Sunil M Ghodke, an autorickshaw driver, attributed most of these fights to the tone and tenor of those in conversation. 'I come across people with both gentle and harsh demeanours in every linguistic group. In my experience, language has hardly been a problem,' he stated.
Ghodke, a resident of Frazer town, speaks six languages, including his native tongue Marathi.
'I grew up in Bengaluru, but my origins are in Hubli. Around 500 Marathi-speaking people live in my neighbourhood,' he added.
Amid all this, Bengaluru's spirit of inclusivity still stands tall as the city welcomes migrants with open arms.
The need of the hour is mutual respect and, of course, accessible and innovative ways to learn Kannada and other languages.
One such initiative by the Kannada Rashtra Telangana Association (KRTA) has been effective in helping children learn Kannada.
These are children from Telugu-speaking families which have moved to Bengaluru. 'Many children are learning Kannada faster than their parents who are techies and have managed to learn very little Kannada,' said Sundeep Kumar Makthala, president, KRTA. He is inspired by the historical, cultural and linguistic ties between Telangana and Karnataka.
'The ancient Kannada poet Pampa was closely associated with the Telugu states.
The two states have a lot in common, including languages, history, food and festivals,' he said.
The association has been sanctioned a Telangana Bhavan that was planned on the lines of a Kannada Bhavan in Hyderabad. 'It will be a centre of cultural exchange where we celebrate iconic Telugu festivals like Bathukamma,' Makthala said.
Blending into the linguistic fabric of the city takes both effort and support. Letting go of resistance was all it took to start learning a new language in a city like Bengaluru. As someone rightly pointed out through a message written inside an autorickshaw, a photo of which went viral: 'Don't be a guest forever.'