A slow conversion?

I used to be one of those people who just refused to accept that there's any place that can compare with Calcutta (or should I say কলকাতা ?). Of course, it's very much the norm than the exception for most people from the city to spiritedly defend the 'soul' and the 'character' of the place... more so among the intellectually oriented population. Somehow, I have always felt that Bengalis outdo other Indians in their intensity (or at least its expression) of attachment towards their city, culture, heritage and whatever they associate with their identity...and I must admit, it is not completely free of a certain sense of superiority as well...

However, the last few decades have given us a lot of reasons to crib and complain about its unsuitability for our 'progress', to move away from the much loved city and and express the love and longing from afar...

Yes it is true for me as well! There's no place other than Kolkata that would qualify as 'home' in the real sense, and I could possibly miss as much as I do...

In spite of all this, the experience of living here in Bangalore for the past six and half years has definitely had an effect on me. True, the language is still mostly a blackbox for me, and certain aspects of the culture confounding, yet a connection has been established. There are a lot of things which I appreciate about this place...good weather, superb variety of cuisines to suit a die-hard foodie's tastebuds (and pocket!), relatively good law and order situation, uncomplicated and disciplined lifestyles in general, a suitable balance between tradition and change, good accessibility from most places in the country, and connectivity to innumerable getaways all around, to name a few. But most importantly, it is the sense of familiarity now...with places, roads, sights and smells...the fact that I have enjoyed independence and self sufficiency here more than ever before... Truly, familiarity and proximity does breed affection! Wouldn't really mind living here again, in future!

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