Mamata in Bangalore

Bangalore, Dec. 8: The software city today got a taste of Mamata Banerjee, all music and words and carrying a bagful of gifts which included her prized Duronto.

Karnataka, which has often complained it has been overlooked by the railways, will get more trains and better stations, the minister announced. But that wasn’t all: in the middle of her speech, Mamata delved into a brief talk on music and language.

She began her address with “ellarigu namaskaragalu” (greetings to all) in Kannada, but soon switched over to a mix of English and Hindi.

She fumbled over the words “kalyana mandapa (wedding hall)”. “Arey bhai, hamara language aapka sa kaisa achchha hoga? Mein samajh sakta hoon lekin bolne nai sakta.... humko thoda time lagega (How can I get the words right? I can understand Kannada but cannot speak. It will take time),” she said, explaining that she had picked up the Kannada greeting namaskaragalu from a video presentation earlier in the day.

“I have learnt it. So.. aapne mere ko nahi sikhaya (you did not teach me),” she said, drawing guffaws.

Mamata then elaborated on two invocation songs that had been sung in Kannada and Bengali, saying how she could easily understand some Kannada expressions because of their Sanskrit influence. Referring to a Rabindranath Tagore song, she said: “The lyric is Bengali, but the tune is south Indian. I know some Rabindrasangeet also. I can play the Casio also… So I know the tune.”

Mamata asked: “Do you want one more gift? First you raise your hands, yes or no?”

The gift, as she later announced, was a non-stop Duronto Express from Bangalore to Howrah.