Bengaluru: A heartfelt Reddit post by a native Bengalurean has struck a chord online, highlighting a growing sense of cultural alienation among long-time residents of Karnataka’s capital.
Feeling like an ‘outsider at home’
In a post titled “I’m a Bangalorean, but I feel like a stranger in my own city.. especially at Work”, the user describes feeling disconnected in professional spaces where Hindi has become the dominant language, leaving Kannada speakers sidelined.
“I’m a Bangalorean, a Kannadiga, born and raised here, working in Bangalore, yet I feel like an outsider in my own city,” the post reads, adding that the user is one of very few native Bengalureans among hundreds of colleagues.
Online responses reflect shared concerns
The post has prompted hundreds of responses from other Kannadigas and long-time residents, who echoed similar experiences of cultural dilution—not through active exclusion, but through the slow fading of the Kannada language and local traditions in everyday settings.
One user wrote:
“This is the reason resentment slowly builds up… The older Bangalore had folks from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh who integrated well. The newer folks don’t make enough efforts and that shows.”
A city transformed by migration
Bengaluru’s tech-driven economic boom has attracted professionals from across India, turning it into a multicultural hub. While this has brought economic growth and diversity, it has also sparked debates around cultural preservation and the importance of Kannada in public and corporate life.
Broader conversation
The post has reignited a long-standing discussion on how to balance inclusivity for migrants with the preservation of Bengaluru’s unique cultural heritage, especially in a city that continues to expand rapidly.