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.

Navigating a new city can be challenging, especially when faced with harassment. It's important to raise awareness about such experiences to foster a more inclusive and respectful environment for everyone.