When we had shifted from UK, we had to choose a city to live in anywhere in India. I chose Bangalore because it was cosmopolitan, the city has some of the best international schools and some very good housing facilities. Traffic jams are terrible, but once you have lived here long enough, you tend to know the short cuts, you tend to know what time to set off.
I don't think any other city is as pet friendly as Bangalore. There are many dog lovers in the city. There are dog cafés where you can go with your dog. There is one separate venue for dogs and another where people can relax.
As you enter a dog café, you can leave your dog free and they can run about and play. There are even dog-friendly places where you can celebrate your dog's birthday.
And just like there are dabbas for humans, there are also dog dabbas which you can order and you get home-cooked food for dogs.
Cubbon Park is beautiful. If you go a little inside you will see how much more beautiful it is. I am part of sketcher's groups, Pencil and chai and Pencil jammers, and I have sketched at Cubbon Park, at Government museum, at restaurants in Bangalore, and I have also sketched at the Metro station.
I love stand-up comedy in the city. I also like the open mic poetry nights at Urban Solace. As for restaurants, Ajanta restaurant off Brunton Road serves delicious mini idlis. Then there’s the iconic MTR where they still serve coffee in steel tumblers. I like hookah bars too, some of which are also pet-friendly.
The temples of Bangalore are nice too. Bellandur is known for its frothy lake but there is much more to that part of the city. The Balaji Temple, for example, is a new temple but the stone carvings are exactly like those of centuries old.
Another thing I like about Bangalore is Ashtanga yoga, and its proximity to Mysore which is the seat of it. There is something for everyone in Bangalore. There is tradition and culture and there is modernity.
This column features the city through the eyes of a prominent Bangalorean
As told to Sravasti Datta
