Image Courtesy: www.google.com

 The best city to live in

Just the other day, at around 1:15 AM, when I was going through daily Facebook feeds, I dashed onto an interesting article. (You will definitely come to know why I am saying so, as we move along.)

At first, after skimming over, I thought the article would be long enough to read at such ungodly hour; and the statistical data given in numbers and percentages, carrying an intent to justify the article, seemed to be quite determined to make matters worse for me. But as I started to move from one line to the other, I had no clue how the very feeling of doing something which is not preferable at such awkward time began to go away; I had no clue how my seemingly uncontrollable sleep started to fade away. 

The article was indeed all about Hyderabad, and how, during a short course of time, this very city has changed the mindset and mannerism of people in India to think so profoundly over the nicest place to live in. According to this article, Hyderabad has surpassed over many other top cities like Mumbai, Delhi, etc. (the former so-called good places to live in), quite effortlessly and topped the chart in a battle over clinching the title - “The best city to live in India”.

Are you shocked??? Then you better not be, as it is true.

People in India have actually started to identify the suitable place to live in, the apt place that offers the ultimate solace and indeed, the real beauty to cherish for. They have finally decided to get over with their earlier thought-to-be undetachable habit of leaning onto gaudy places like Mumbai and Delhi; places which are unreasonably famous for so many reasons.

And that’s where the interesting part lies for me, as today, I too, truly acknowledge the argument put forth by that very article.

You must be wondering why a guy like me who came a long way from Nagpur (Maharashtra), and a guy is now staying in Hyderabad from last four years or so, is feeling so nice about the current trend. Then, let me take you with me, driving through the multifaceted memories that I have had with this city.

A walk down memory lane

It all started way back in July 2011 when I first landed in Hyderabad in a pursuit of kicking off my still unfledged IT career. For the matter of fact, I had a better chance to opt for Pune; but still I preferred Hyderabad, simply because it’s quite nearby to Nagpur.

Frankly speaking, for me, initial few days in Hyderabad had been inexplicably tough. I mean, its culture, food, people, language were way different than what I was accustomed to before. Though I was mentally prepared, there were hairy moments when I thought I would hardly be able to sustain here for a few more days. You may call it the repercussion of having nostalgia or whatever; but yes, every now and then, I was finding myself in a difficult situation; every now and then, I used to mull over a single question again and again and i.e. – How would I cope up and survive here for a long tenure?
But, finishing my work early on Friday’s, catching up a bus or train (whichever I could get easily) and finally spending a weekend in Nagpur with Family and friends most of the times, all of these had weighed over and hid all the above so called problems that I initially used to complain about.


Then a phase came when instances of spending time with family and friends in Nagpur started to go less in numbers. Then a period came when plans of having a better rendezvous next time with them began to go unexecuted. And all of this wasn’t solely because I was too much occupied with my unexpected weekend work; but maybe somewhere deep down in my heart, I started to have an inexplicable feeling about this city; perhaps, I began to understand its multivariate culture, whether it’s about its religion or food; maybe, I started to understand its people and their language. In fact, I started liking the way people residing here at least try to communicate with you wholeheartedly in a language you feel comfortable with, or if that doesn’t work out, they very well know how to gesticulate the same and continue the dialogue.

And now, it has been more than four years I am living here. Whether you agree or not, today I feel as if I am a part of this very city; whether you agree or not, today, I feel as if I am residing here from my birth.

Now, I have no reason to complain about its culture, food and people. Even today, when I can’t understand Telugu, but still, the conversation with my Telugu friends goes on for hours without any language barrier. And that’s the flexibility I was talking about, which this very city has given to me; and that’s the sweetest memory I wanted to drive you through with me.

Unfortunately, it seems as if all of this is going to end pretty soon. It feels like I am going to carry sweet memories of only four years or so in my pocket, once I leave this place.    

But, still I can’t forget the many things that this city has given to me. I can’t forget the kind of different memories this place has bestowed upon me. I can’t forget the various shades of life this city has shown to me.

Now it doesn’t matter to me whether next time Hyderabad defends its well-deserved title or not. For me, this city will always be the real cynosure of India. And yes, I can’t deny the fact that, the sweet memories of 4+ years that I am going to carry with me, once I leave this place, will be more than enough for me to have a reminiscence of this city in my old days.

Thanks Hyderabad, for blessing me with such an excellent time. I will truly be in debt forever my life for whatever things you have nurtured me with. And mark my words, if situation demands and time permits, I won’t even hesitate to move heaven and earth, to pay you in return. 

Au revoir Hyderabad.

-- THE END --