The past is no more

I have been visiting a few places from my past in the last two years. As part of these trips, I saw the two silicon valleys that I have known and worked. One is in the west, and the other is in the east. Silicon Valley in the west is the real thing, while the one in the east is Bengaluru, its replica in India.

The first visit was to Bengaluru, the new name of Bangalore. Discounting the various short trips and interim period while waiting for a new assignment, I was back in the city after eight years. It was unrecognizable. Many new businesses have sprung up, and many old ones closed. While traveling by car, I had trouble finding out the old hangouts. For instance, the quiet inner roads in the HSR layout is adorned by shops and lights on both sides. The quaint area of Carmelaram is filled with high-rises.

The second visit was to the Silicon Valley — Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and San Jose. I was in the area after fourteen years. After being dropped at San Jose downtown, I had to pivot on my heels a few times before realizing which part of the downtown I was in. Some of the old building in Santa Clara is gone, especially the office where I worked. One of the malls near Cupertino was razed to upscale the neighborhood.

There was a common factor in these two visits. I recognized fewer landmarks in both these places. In contrast, more landmarks reside in my memory now. Cities change in the name of progress, and these changes can elevate these cities or destroy them. As a result, they also erase a part of our life. When we revisit these places, there is nothing to hang on other than old sketch in our memory. How long before these memories fade? We should be kinder to those trying to preserve their memories in photographs.