The city’s literati, given to the habit of writing in their preferred columns of this daily, have been expressing a hope on Mysuru not going the Bengaluru way. The State’s capital, portrayed in glorious terms as the Garden City, Asia’s Fastest Growing City, and so on in the years not too long ago has fallen into bad times, being chosen as an example to be avoided like plague as it were by any expanding (growing?) city, particularly our own Mysuru, hosting nearly a million (10 lakh) residents in three main categories. Firstly, the elders who have lived in the city savouring its many well-marked features, particularly its quietude and simplicity of life. Secondly, the current generation with a mix of sections chasing and enjoying the features which are their own creation (fast foods, fast life and everything fast). Thirdly, the future generation getting groomed to live in a digital and highly-wired world.

The first category of Mysureans mentioned above, lost in nostalgia of the years they have spent in the city, have despaired to a point of trauma. The second category, barring exceptions, cannot hide their merry conduct in the changing society. The third category has to stay in the crucible of change for a little longer. All categories are entitled to their perception of change.

Hearing from any eloquent and knowledgeable elderly Mysurean about the myriad components of life in the years gone by, one can make a long list of those components totally devoid of ostentation at the family level. Most of those components have either vanished or beyond the reach of most people. The manner of celebrating festivals, with high-decibel public shows knocking out quietly displayed devotion takes the cake among the changes. Giving credit to the former rulers of the erstwhile princely State of Mysore for welcoming non-Mysureans to colonise in the city is well-taken. But, the fallout of that generosity, over years is there for all to experience.

In sum, returning to the point made at the beginning of this column, hoping for Mysuru not to lose its character of yesteryears has decidedly ended in despair. The poet’s line that old order changeth yielding place to new may never lose its meaning. The next generation of Mysureans, mercifully, are spared both hope (?) and despair(!).