Tag: Incredible India!
Bikram has an interesting tag in his website called Incredible India!, and I have picked it up…
The rules are:
1. The list contains all the states of India and their capitals are in brackets.
2. Make bold the states you have visited, and mention your favourite memories of that state.
3. Include only states that you have really experienced, and have felt the culture of the place. The touch-and-go while travelling in a train does not count, because that way I believe Iād have seen a little more, but it does not give me a feel of the place and so they need to be actually visited.
I took the tag as I found the name of the tag very interesting and of course, this name is my main competition… But to their credit, their website is actually nice š
Since I have visited a very few state capitals, I will include only those here.
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) : I was born and brought up in Chennai. I loved the city till before about a decade when IT did not yet boom. Every profession had its prestige back then. Now its only about IT and the money it brings (mostly). Though I was a part of it, I hated the ultra competitive atmosphere in the schools of Chennai which confines students to the books – at an age where they ought to be merrier and happier. I love the musical tradition and musical tastes of the people. I think Chennai was an intellectual city, but these days that tradition is slowly eroded by the ever pervasive IT/BPO sector. But good to see many types of industries (like automobile SEZ, etc) developing there. When the glitz and the glamor of IT/BPO is gone, that will surely help.
Bangalore (Karnataka): I don’t like the name ‘Bengaluru’, not yet š The most impressive thing about this city is the greenery and the huge number of parks you can find across the city! Most of the houses make it a point to at least have a small garden, and a lot of trees in the roads are preserved to make the already green ambiance, greener and cooler. I did not switch on the fan in summer (sometimes) and that speaks how good the climate there is! It actually makes you lazy! I was lucky to have my house and office in the same area, otherwise the traffic would have killed me! I don’t know if I am different, but I think the malls are the most boring places to go… I like the theatres in them though… You can get away with any of the languages – Kannada, Tamil, English, Telugu or Hindi in this city – people will understand, and perhaps reply in the same language too.
Mumbai (Maharashtra): Back then, a couple of companies I worked for had their head office in Mumbai and hence I had to visit this place at least twice in a year. I love the spirit of the city. Once you get down at Dadar, the energy of the people is evident by the pace with which they walk. They love to work, and are among the most active citizens of the country. I love their attitude too – Once I asked for a ticket to ‘VT’ and the guy in the counter stared at me and said, ‘CST’. I said ok, CST š Traveling in the electric trains, are a nightmare if you happen to take it during peak hours. I was not able to get down at where I wanted to – the crowd carried me out, a couple of stations after that! Once I was there during Ganapathy Pooja (Vinayaka Chadurthi) – You should see how enthusiastically they celebrate that festival! When they go to immerse the idol in the beach, whole housing complexes, families and everyone are on the road singing ‘Ganapathy Bapa Mooria’. Yeah, the vehicles had to wait, but it was one of the rarest occasions I loved waiting, looking and listening to their enthusiastic chants. You can go out at 12′ O clock in the night in Mumbai and still expect to eat somewhere!
Hyderabad (Andhra Pradhesh): Though I am more familiar with the South of AP (Andhra), as my relatives live there, I have gone to the North of AP (Telangana districts) only thrice. And that too only to Hyderabad city. The first time I went there, it was late in the night and there was only one Auto. He asked me ‘From where are you?’, I said ‘Chennai’. Then, ‘Aap Madrasi ho?’ I said yeah! I was surprised as I was talking to him in Telugu, and he was replying to me in Hindi! I am still not able to decide if Hyderabad is a South Indian city or a North Indian city! It guess it has the best of both the worlds. I liked the Ramoji film city – that was a very different tourist place!
Ranchi (Jharkhand): This is the only North Indian city I have been to. Its a hill station actually, with a wonderful climate. The people there are so different, yet so similar š I loved the rides on the rickshaws and even Jeeps (which are used like share autos). They use mustard oil (I think) for cooking, and that was the only difficult part. I was here only for three days, and hence cannot say much about this city which has become synonymous with the name ‘Dhoni’ š
Thiruvananthapuram/ Cochin (Kerala): Yeah, I think Kerala has two capital cities š And both are equally wonderful. I was very young when we visited the Thiruvananthapuram Palace and Cochin shipyard. Later on, I used to go on job. Once, there was some movie of Mammoty and Prithiviraj and a huge crowd was standing outside the theater. I wanted to see that movie too, but was not able to due to lack of time! One interesting thing in Kerala is, there is not much of difference between cities and rural areas. You can go across Kerala only to find that the entire stretch is filled with houses! and you never know when you are outside a city and when you enter another! I managed to learn even a bit of Kannada, but Malayalam is so tough to learn! Even for a person who knows Tamil!! As far as development goes, MG Road Cochin is bigger than MG Road Bangalore! Of course, I love Malayalam movies and songs. The songs are so melodious.
So, you can also take up this tag, if you like.
Destination Infinity
Related Post: Chennai and Bangalore.
Hyderabad was ruled by Nizam hence urdu is widely spoken here.In coastal andhra hardly anyone speak hindi/urdu.
I love mumbai,if i get a chance to settle there will surely go and live happily.
If you settle down in Mumbai, do make sure that you don’t have to travel long distances. Traveling there is quite time-consuming. But both BEST busses and taxis/autos are very good. I love Poha and Vada pav š
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Have been to all these places except Ranchi. I would like to live in Mumbai and kolkata to just get the feel of those festivals. If we go as a tourist the taste of the city is different.
How true about chennai..That’s my home too. Whatsoever, I love chennai. It’s the most vibrant city i’ve seen.
Bangalore was my 2nd home. When I was living there, I never liked B’lore’s climate. It’s green with lot of trees, flowers and parks around..
If I go to Mumbai, I will celebrate the festivals along with them š Kolkata has long been on my wish list of cities to visit… never got an opportunity – Lets see if that can be accommodated some how!
Destination Infinity
Thats a nice list!
The list is smaller than Bikram’s! I was in NCC too, but they never took me anywhere! š
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Music is still very active here, In Chennai, D.I. Many children are learning music along with their tuition classes, though they are not allowed to go and play outside, thanks to the reality shows, I think. Yes, too much importance is given to school education and I don’t think anyother state has got so many IIT coaching classes like Chennai!
I didn’t like the name ‘Chennai’ first, I was pronouncing it as ‘Chennaaai’! Now, I am used to it! I still write as Bangalore but while conversing, it was and is Benglooru! Yes, it is a typical cosmopolitan city…we can survive with any language even if there are Kannada ‘fanatics’! I lived there for 6 years and liked it but now, just like to visit! The traffic makes everyone run away! As you said the greenery is very eye catching.
I have heard stories like yours of Mumbai…I have not even visited the place! Don’t know if I ever would do!
When we visited Hyderabad, I was speaking in Hindi all the time and the people over there seemed to be very friendly. I like the film city too!
Don’t know much about Ranchi or Trivandrum, but I love Malayalam’s singsong nasal sound! Love their music too! Visited Ernakulam for a wedding recently and went out for a couple of hours for sight seeing, that is all!
Now, I think Chennai is going to be my permanent home and don’t feel anything wrong about it!
Chennai is a nice city, no doubt. One can criticize home, more freely! What I am more worried about is about the commercialization of music like how education has been. Tutions are the worst part of the so called ‘education’ which makes sure that children cannot play and hence cannot develop any all round abilities. IIT coaching is another…. never mind š
Destination Infinity
Oh ho, my comment looks like a post, D.I.!
š
I think you’ve done this tag the best…. I enjoyed reading your version of each of those places… been to most of them so I could understand where the thought process comes from.
Kerala has 2 state capitals? hmm now that’s something to think about!! š
LOL @ M G Road Cochin being bigger than M G Road Bangalore š
Even I hate the name Bengaluru…takes away the charm entirely! š š
MG Road Cochin seemed to be bigger, what ever is going on with my sense of distance – Of course, I did not measure it š
Destination Infinity