Bangalore:
This past Christmas holiday, I visited my in-laws in Bangalore, India. In general, I usually feel pretty safe here. In the past, I have always been hesitant to go out on my own. When I walk or take an auto (or cab) someone in the past has always come with me. This time was slightly different.
This time I had a little shopping to do early in the morning before many people got up. On my own I was able to walk down the street to buy things like milk and soft drinks. I also took a walk around the block and took walks in the park. Of course, this was early in the morning before too many people were out. If it had been later in the day I probably would have been more hesitant; by mid-day traffic gets so bad that I fear crossing the street by myself.
Coffee:
There are many great places to get a good cup of coffee in Bangalore. Many restaurants and cafes serve it. There is a place called Cafe Coffee Day. This would be equivalent of our Starbucks. They are on every corner, they serve pastries along with a wide variety of tasty coffees. They are at airports and malls; we even came across a coffee day in the middle of nowhere when on a road trip the first time I came to India.
On this last trip, my husband, brother-in-law and I had decided to go out and get coffee at a nice hotel, but we instead ended up in the first Starbucks in Bangalore right before closing time. It was the biggest one I had ever seen. It was two stories tall, and the dining area upstairs was spacious, and empty.
My brother-in-law, Anand Jujare, told me that in order to open this, Starbucks had to team up with an Indian company. This company is Tata, you know the company that makes cars and has taken over Jaguar.
When this first opened, my Brother-in-law told me, the line for Starbucks ran around the building. That's a lot of waiting just for a cup of coffee. Starbucks here is not just coffee though, coming here instead of going to Cafe Coffee Day is also a status symbol.
The Bombing:
Why did we decide to go to a Starbucks as opposed to checking out the hotel, an experience that would have been more unique for me, and reminiscent for my husband, Arvind. The answer, we were somewhat afraid to venture too far from home that night.
Earlier, My in-laws and I went to a Mall to have some amazing Chinese food. We did a small amount of shopping afterwords and then drove home. I took my daily (while there) afternoon nap. When I awoke around 8:30 pm there was breaking news. A bomb had just exploded in Coconut Grove. If we had been a few hours later going home we would have passed right by it on our way home.
One person was killed and another had been injured in the low intensity blast. It was on crowded stretch of road, and no one took responsibility for it.
It was suspected that the culprit was an ISIS sympathizer, since their had been threats before after an arrest was made linked to ISIS.
One of my husband's friends, who owns a bar in Bangalore texted my husband, basically telling him that they had kicked someone out of the bar earlier that week for suspicious behavior. Basically, a man was in the bar, not buying anything and looking under tables. They escorted the man out and alerted other bars in the area to look out for this suspicious person. Another bar in the area responded that they too had seen the same person doing the same thing. They too had escorted this person out. None of the bars informed the police.
The roads to Starbucks were blocked by police barricades. Police were telling people to get off the streets. We stood outside of Starbucks and saw four police vehicles go by. Each one letting people know that it was unsafe to be on the streets.
This was not the first bombing Bangalore has seen, and by contrast the damage was quite unsubstantial. The first time I visited Bangalore I visited a mall within walking distance of my in-law's. A month later I heard that a bomb blasted through that building. The target: a political figure who was shopping there. The political figure was fine.
These bombings however are a stark reminder that the world is unstable. So much for feeling safe in Bangalore.
Work Cited:
Jujare, Anand. "Picture of Starbucks", "Polices Vehicles", and "Road Blocks". 28 December 2014.
Jujare, Anand. Personal Conversation. 28 December 2014
Jujare, Arvind. Personal Conversation. 28 December 2014
Wake Up. "Bangalore Bomb Blast on 28 dec 2014". Posted on: 28 December 2014. Retrieved: January 19, 2015.Website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHWfl9L2sKU
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| Motorcyclist with a small baby strapped to his chest. By: Leah Harrison |
This time I had a little shopping to do early in the morning before many people got up. On my own I was able to walk down the street to buy things like milk and soft drinks. I also took a walk around the block and took walks in the park. Of course, this was early in the morning before too many people were out. If it had been later in the day I probably would have been more hesitant; by mid-day traffic gets so bad that I fear crossing the street by myself.
Coffee:
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| By: Anand Jujare |
 |
| By: Anand Jujare |
On this last trip, my husband, brother-in-law and I had decided to go out and get coffee at a nice hotel, but we instead ended up in the first Starbucks in Bangalore right before closing time. It was the biggest one I had ever seen. It was two stories tall, and the dining area upstairs was spacious, and empty.
 |
| Tables on the 2nd floor of the Starbucks in Bangalore. By: Anand Jujare |
My brother-in-law, Anand Jujare, told me that in order to open this, Starbucks had to team up with an Indian company. This company is Tata, you know the company that makes cars and has taken over Jaguar.
 |
| Benches on the 2nd floor of the Starbucks in Bangalore. By: Anand Jujare |
The Bombing:
Why did we decide to go to a Starbucks as opposed to checking out the hotel, an experience that would have been more unique for me, and reminiscent for my husband, Arvind. The answer, we were somewhat afraid to venture too far from home that night.
Earlier, My in-laws and I went to a Mall to have some amazing Chinese food. We did a small amount of shopping afterwords and then drove home. I took my daily (while there) afternoon nap. When I awoke around 8:30 pm there was breaking news. A bomb had just exploded in Coconut Grove. If we had been a few hours later going home we would have passed right by it on our way home.
One person was killed and another had been injured in the low intensity blast. It was on crowded stretch of road, and no one took responsibility for it.
It was suspected that the culprit was an ISIS sympathizer, since their had been threats before after an arrest was made linked to ISIS.
 |
| Police barricades on the road the night of the bombing. |
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| Police Vehicles outside of Starbucks in Bangalore, letting people know to get off the street |
This was not the first bombing Bangalore has seen, and by contrast the damage was quite unsubstantial. The first time I visited Bangalore I visited a mall within walking distance of my in-law's. A month later I heard that a bomb blasted through that building. The target: a political figure who was shopping there. The political figure was fine.
These bombings however are a stark reminder that the world is unstable. So much for feeling safe in Bangalore.
Work Cited:
Jujare, Anand. "Picture of Starbucks", "Polices Vehicles", and "Road Blocks". 28 December 2014.
Jujare, Anand. Personal Conversation. 28 December 2014
Jujare, Arvind. Personal Conversation. 28 December 2014
Wake Up. "Bangalore Bomb Blast on 28 dec 2014". Posted on: 28 December 2014. Retrieved: January 19, 2015.Website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHWfl9L2sKU
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