The first car that I drove was a Hyundai Santro, which belonged to my mother. She gave it to me for a few years because I had just learnt to drive and I didn’t want to get a brand new car, in case there were any instances of damage. My mother had maintained the car quite well, so for me, it seemed like a brand new car.
I used it for more than five years. I bought a new car, a Baleno, just over a year ago. I like driving, I know the traffic is not the best in the city, just like any other city in the world. That’s the way the world is progressing. To me, if I have good music in the car, I am okay with the traffic, I don’t complain about it too much.
I usually drive around my neighbourhood, to Halasuru and Indira Nagar, or to the golf course (Karnataka Golf Association). This is a nice route, there aren’t too many signals. As long as there isn’t too much traffic, it’s a good drive.
Fortunately, I have never faced any major bang-ups, though, of course, scratches do happen; they happen to everyone. The traffic in Bengaluru isn’t the most disciplined; here you have to be alert because people drive in from every direction.
Still, I genuinely enjoy driving. It’s even better if I have company in the car, though I am also okay driving by myself. I feel like my car is my space and I can do whatever I need to do in terms of gathering my thoughts, while, of course, focusing on the driving.
I love this city, there are very few cities that can live up to Bengaluru.
The city is my home, I was born and brought up here. I travel a lot; every time I come back, I feel glad that I am back. I love the airport road, the drive out of the premises with the big garden that is so well-manicured. I know the city has got its negatives, but, for me, the city’s positives trump its negatives. We are spoilt in the city. I am glad to belong to Bengaluru.
As told to Harshini Vakkalanka
