I have been a traveller all my life- much of my childhood was spent in Abu Dhabi, punctuated with short visits to India. I moved to Bengaluru eight years ago and fell in love with the city. It is energetic and has something to offer for everyone. As someone who makes a living out of sketches, I have always felt that Bengaluru is the perfect place for me. The added moniker of start-up capital, apart from being the garden city, Bengaluru offers a lot of space for the spread of creative ideas. I love the people who are open to new ideas, like change and are very chilled out.
Bengaluru is a city that gets you the old world charm of the city in the crowded markets in the Majestic area and Shivajinagar. I can spend hours sipping coffee and munching on crunchy toast at Koshys on St.Mark’s road. If you are the sort who likes shopping, Commercial street is an haunt for the latest fashion accessories. It is the perfect place in town to head for a nice meal for the ambience and the motley crowd of interesting people. I love spending time at Church street, that has excellent eating options including India Coffee House serving excellent coffee and fluffy omelettes. Church Street is also home to Blossoms Bookstore, an institution by itself; with three floors filled with books on everything from cookery to philosophy and history. I can spend hours browsing through the extensive collection the store has.
Another of my favourite spots in the city is Cubbon Park on Sundays. It is a place that offers a glimpse of nature in its full bloom, in midst of a bustling metropolis. Located close to the majestic Vidhana Soudha, it is a great place to relax and spend time listening to the chirping birds and the rustling leaves.
I stay close to Indiranagar and am quite fond of eateries such as Leon’s in Jeevan Bhima and Phobidden Fruit in Indiranagar. I hate traffic and it is always a nightmare to travel on Bannerghetta Road. I always end up in a traffic snarl on that stretch. I am a little sad that in residential areas, parks and gardens are giving way to concrete structures and the city is changing dramatically. The weather remains a huge positive, though old-timers complain that it has changed for the worse in the last couple of decades.
The best thing about Bengaluru remains the people, warm, fun and accommodative of new ideas and cultures. It helps give a cosmopolitan edge to the city. It is well and truly home.
As told to Nikhil Varma
