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Thursday, May 3, 2012

Oye Bengaluru- Namma Bitu Bitu


Attracting mosquitoes, repelling people-That is what good repellant mosquito coils, creams, racquets and mats do! A lesson well learnt it during my recent battles!

I am a crusader and an activist fighting corruption in education and issues pertaining to child abuse and neglect for more than a decade, but in the wildest of my dreams, I never thought that I would one day have to fight an invincible army …my biggest challenge-The modern tribe of irreverent, sadistic blood thirsty, merciless, domiciled, addicts…The Namma Mosquitoes!

They look like vampires have but evolved over time, ditching the scary teeth and flowing capes and adapting a smaller, less conspicuous look, deciding to settle in Bengaluru. The place fitted their bill and expectations! Bengaluru seems to have a special attraction for the mosquitoes. We are a very inviting and hospitable city. The lovely climatic condition is perfect for mosquito breeding. The sudden rain has left sufficient puddles that act as caring warm loving nurseries for mosquitoes. The sadistic and stubborn lot of flying pricks who strike you, when you can least, counter it with a scratch, like whilst cooking, rolling out rotis and sometimes even when fresh nail polish has been applied!

Damn! The harmful rascals! They make me feel armless sometimes!

There is not a single locality in Bengaluru that I know of, where you wouldn’t come across the mosquito menace. The mosquitoes in fact have overcome almost all the Commercial repellants. It makes no difference to the swarm as to what kind of repellant we use in the house or office, the howling swarm continues it attack in full force. I think it is more to do with the dedication, adamancy, their fertility and breeding than developing resistance.
A 1000 member swarm attacks, inhales the repellants-get high and start enjoying the sting!

Of course some take it to the next level and make ‘blood’ a three course meal! Wish they evolve to suck out fat instead of blood.

While the Corporation claims to have taken measures to bring the mosquito menace under control, residents associations feel that no action has been taken.

My life in Bengaluru has trained me to rely heavily on electricity for every single action in my life. Bad enough we have so many Rackets in our society, to add to my list is an Electrical Racquet! We all know that almost all the mosquito repellants are electrical. So where did that leave me? Somehow every time I held that racquet the unfulfilled desire of becoming Tennis pro got fulfilled within me.

Well, trying to fight away a blood thirsty swarm of mosquitoes using my bare hands!!It did not do much good, as far as I can tell. My neighbors were pleased they had a budding Qawwali artist, performing the rate at which I clapped my hand s at every failed attempt I made indoors as well as outdoors.

 Bengaluru is under seige! The enemy force, which out numbers Bengalureans by millions and feasts on namma “bloodu”, is none other the deadly mosquito!

The Corporation officials have their favorite lines-“all possible steps to curb mosquito breeding are underway.” Fogging, hand spraying…all gone up in a lot of smoke finally!

So what can Namma Bengaluru boast of today? High cost of Living, Poor Roads, Poor Electricity, Traffic Snarls, and an overdose of Mosquitoes!! And, where does it leave people like me? No idea on that…. I am still trying to figure it out!! Meanwhile,as a part of the mosquito de-addiction programme, I have consigned the mats, racquets and coils to Ulsoor lake.

Do ensure a steady supply of blood to snack on, fellow Bengalureans, for Namma Mosquitoes are here to stay!  

Praying they don’t fly out on a weekend “bloody” drinking binge!

The Advantage- Namma Mosquitoes have no curfew time! Jai Kaveri! Good Knight!


Acknowledgment: Images-Courtesy online open source

20 comments:

  1. Usha, you seem to be true-bitten Bangaloreite. As children, to enter the house post 6pm, we were taught to huddle before the main door, say "On your march, get set, GO!" and enter in a jiffy, and close the door immediately, lest the mosquitoes enter in after you. :)

    Namma mosquitoes aren't going to go away given Bangalore's erratic weather, the only option is to get thick-skinned. (pun intended)

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    1. Hey Chitra

      Good to see you in here!
      I am TRULY bitten...tired of itching and scratching especially when i am at work!
      Its truly a menace I cant seem to get rid of...Wish I could direct them to go bite our politicos...Maybe then the Mosqys would DIE;-)

      I would love to be thick skinned...maybe in my next birth me wish for that!;-)

      Lots of gratitude!

      Ushy

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    2. It's the lovely weather which attracts the breeding of these pests. It is also the responsibility of the city health dept. to find a solution to this menace

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  2. ROTFL! Reminds me of that Chinese Mosquito Swatting Racquet - One swish and I hit a wall clock - the last time I used that Goddamn thing. A mosquito bite was far better than losing a precious gift that I received (and the tongue lashing and looks I got from rest of the family)

    Hope someone from BBMP especially the Health dept folks are reading this. Other than an occasional raid on Hotels (for a free lunch) do we even see this department ever?

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    Replies
    1. Hey Suresh

      Anything Chinese and U know what to expect!;-)

      One moment I feel like Sania another like a Viking!hehehe

      BBMP and reading?...you must be joking...they only do...DO NOTHING!

      Thank you for running through
      Truly means a lot to me

      Lots of wishes
      Ushy

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  3. Good one !! I hope this article is read by Municipal officials they should take a note of this seriously!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Aniket

      Even I hope and pray that someone reads this and DOES something!

      Nowadays people talk about Malaria and Dengue as if it is so common and in fact almost trendy to be suffering!

      Thank you for sharing
      Good wishes
      Ushy

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  4. If I ever have to visit Bangalore, then I would don myself with a cadaver's skin instead of wearing any other outfit. Coz mosquitoes don't bite on dead skin. At least I would be safe from all the diseases they spread. The municipal corporation has to take some serious steps or else very soon Bangalore would be known as the capital of mosquitoes instead of Karnataka.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Anu

      Agree...where does one find dead skin?...borrowing from our upper and lower house eh?;-)

      Do bring your denim space suits and i would help you smoke it up for you by burning the coil within!;-)

      It has become so common that sumtimes I can't sleep without the lead vocals by the terrific rocker of all Mosqys!

      Thank you for sharing
      Lots of good wishes
      Ushy

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  5. Hey Just enjoyed the bites err..your tryst with sadistic mosquitoes and the experiences going with it..LOL am Surprised to know that these sharp but delicate needled merciless tribe can create a havoc in our lives with just a prick and and how it pierces an unassuming skin of ours sucking the blood and satiating their blood thirsty feeling..OOhh !

    Okie on a serious note am quite aware of the nuisance & illnesses brought about by these mosquitoes gifting many of us Malaria , Typhoid , Dengue (Worst)with just a prick !
    This menace of mosquitoes breeding is mainly in areas where monsoon or rains are extremely very active..Too much of rain ..water logging causing stagnant water breeding the most dreaded mosquitoes causing life threatening diseases & We all dread this Aedes aegypti most dangerous of all breeds of mosquitoes

    Am luckier a person to be living in a place where mosquitoes are non existent..as it rains only during July & August not frequent like in South..
    Moreover no water logging fantastic drainage facilities..cleanliness..

    And yes being a Keralite I have had fair share of these huge biting mosquitoes..leaving me scratching and red all over..I am swish swish with kosu bats when in south and ending up thinking where my karma will take me to after all these burning of mosquitoes LOL :D

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    1. Hey Bindu

      Happy and grateful you came in here and shared your thoughts as well!

      Agree none to beat the Mallu Kings!

      They bite in the strangest of places to a point of embarrassment ..Teaches one a lot of tolerance too

      Where are u at currently?

      Hardly any one cares about life water or disease any more...they breathe eat and live toxins!

      Thank you again for coming over and would forward to your views

      Lots of good wishes
      Ushy

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  6. Hahahah...only you, Mataji Ushy can be as dexterous as this.

    The culicidae menace frankly is far from the jocular fictive you so delightfully narrated here. Their bites are not just damn irritating but distracting too. Mosquitoes, clever as they are, pick and choose places of bites that goes beyond your comfortable stretch. The wriggle to reach out to such places to pacify the itch multiplies the arduous irritation. Their whine, when in deep slumber, leaves you nothing less than acrimonious.

    While you have highlighted this menace confining to just Benguluru, let me categorically state here that it is definitely a menace of national proportions. While I personally do not know much about the north, down south in Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra and Tamil Nadu where I reside in, Mosquitoes of several breeds rake mayhem not just in bites but bringing in a plethora of diseases hitherto never heard of in names nor felt in terms of symptoms. Basically it is a human nurtured calamity that can only be diluted in its intensity with measures of control through civic sense. Apart from the various physical measures of control practiced the most efficient is breeding its natural predator, Dragonfly. The dragonfly nymph eats mosquitoes at all stages of development and is quite effective in controlling population. But modernity has literally driven this harmless but very useful predator to near extinction.

    Anyway, a tickling piece of blog on a subject that has become sort of an accepted endurance, a part of life and a bed-mate we might perhaps miss if eradicated - EVER!!!

    Brilliant theme to initiate, Ushy! ::))

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    1. Hi Prash

      Surely missed your comments!...GREAT to have you back and love reading your thoughts!

      Your comments are truly motivating and make me want to keep Blogging!

      They are a true case of Love Bites and Lust kills!

      Lots of good wishes
      Ushy

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    2. ROFL. Doctor Ushy, this is one of the best blogs coming from your pen. Looks like you have had more than your due share of bytes err sorry bites of mosquitoes. Not only that they know how to evade the Coil, the All-Out and other repellants, but they are qualified enough to find the vein on the feet - which even hosp nurses can't find in an emergent situation.
      And I sincerely hope any one from the Health deptt of Bangalore Municipal Corporation should read this article and take remedial measures to ensure that mosquitoes do not suck all the blood in the City and leave some for the vamps of the small screen.
      Keep it up Ushy. Well done.

      Delete
    3. My Dear Ravi

      Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
      Truly means a ton.

      It is heartening when Friends do share their thoughts and go through what I write.

      yeah sure hope someone from the BBMP checks this out and seriously looks into methods other than spraying and fogging or else time to FLOG them!:)

      Do keep coming back
      Lots of good wishes

      Ushy

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  7. first of all UMD Undisuputed Mosquito Destroyer is her new title. has had me in splits with her undisputed control of english full of mirth. had me in splits throughout the read. loved this line "The harmful rascals! They make me feel armless sometimes" you never cease to amaze me mam. quite a commentary on the mosquito menace. the increase in mosquito menace is due to the unscientific disposal of garbage, mushrooming of roadside hotels who dump left over food on the foodpath, open gutters, overflowing man holes. could list a lot. what we need to develop is civic sense and ensure atleast some of these are not done.

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    1. Subbu My Dear

      Lots and lots of gratitude and a big Heartfelt Thank You!for going through my mosquito plight.

      You sense of humour is amazing and your ways of sharing are truly motivating to Bloggers like me!;-

      Civic Sense sounds sooo distant! wonder why!

      English is very dear to me! A perennial slave to it!

      Do keep coming and share with like minded Friends.

      Lots of good wishes
      Ushy

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  8. Feel Sorry for Bengaluru ...so much of mosquito plight,
    that you had to write a blog.Wish the local authorities or The Municipal Dept come to take action.The worst is the open garbage & litter which is not collected time to time.And if collected than the same is sprayed/leaked in & all around the city while the carrier truck is in motion.To overcome such menace only collective action is helpful otherwise 'God Bless You All'
    R Jain / des2videsh

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  9. Mosquitoes are very necessary in BENGALARU--the DAARU country of YINDIA--besides the stings that emanates from there cause Havoac to all Chaanewaalays So --not to go overboard Deve Gowda has done breeding while sleeping& kept the mosquito army hovering around Our Great Ushy 7 kept kept her on leash & within limits Ha Ha serves you right Great Girlie --when is the next scorpion sting----Cheers Take Care & Huggggzzzzz---- Paramjit garewal

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