Some people will live and die for a city. I am not one of them – and I will objectively analyze which city is a best fit for me – a 30+ year old dad, techie, non-pub hopper, digs Chettinad food and Saravana Bhavan, and who enjoys the beach. By now you know where my allegiance is 🙂
Beach Vs Mall
The beach might not be how it used to be 10 years back – but still the salty air and cool breeze are the same. No one can prevent the breeze from hitting me – and every time I go to Beasant Nagar beach it reminds me one of the fun times I had there – late night cricket, intellectual and mushy exchanges…numerous.
When I go to a mall I get blinded, suffocated and when I come out I feel drained of my energy and am happy to get out of the mall.
Chennai : 1Â
Bangalore : 0
Traffic
Traffic has shot up everywhere – even in tier 3 cities. Chennai traffic is still smooth like butter. You wait only once in any signal – lots of flyovers and smart traffic management ensures you keep moving. Bangalore – uggh. Â Driving is zero fun in Bangalore.
Chennai : 2
Bangalore : 0
FoodÂ
Chennai has got great food at affordable rates. Â Saravana Bhavan and chettinad joints are there everywhere – Karaikudi, Ponnuswamy, Anjappar – and you can get a tall Falooda for 75Rs ( in Anjappar ) with an umbrella. Try to get one like that in Bangalore for the same price.Â
However, to Bangalore’s credit the type of cuisines are endless – konkani, mangalorean,egyptian…you name it – it is there in Bangalore. It might be costlier than Chennai but I would award equal points to both.
Chennai : 3
Bangalore : 1Â
Chennai Super Kings vs Bangalore Royal Challengers
Awarding points to both. BRCs seem to be fighting back.
Chennai : 4
Bangalore : 2Â
Cars
Chennai wins hands down. I spotted 2 Audis in a space of an hour. There are so many Mercedes. And once I was sandwiched between 2 Mercedes – felt as if I was being escorted like a rock star. Bangalore? Too many indicas, sumos – and even if an Audi R8 pulls next to me I will not notice – I will think it is a figment of my imagination.
Chennai : 5
Bangalore : 2
Weather
Ahem. Heres where things get tied.
Chennai : 5 ( wanted to give a negative score )
Bangalore : 5 Â ( awarding a whopping 3 pointer )Â
Bottomline – it is a tough choice. You go where your career takes you – rest of the things you can compromise and live and hope things change for the better.Â
And finally to sum things up here is my haiku that I wrote when I was in Chennai.
Audi might have got its quattro
But Chennai still has its bovonto*
Dhoni might be from Ranchi
But he is now Chennai’s own Machi**
* Bovonto is a fruit drink looks black in color and bottle says – “does not have fruit juice or pulp”. Is as bad and unhealthy as a Pepsi or Coke and does not have an Amir Khan or SRK peddling it – but tastes fantastic. You can still find it in Chennai.
** Valid till he is bought by a Mumbai or a Kolkata team.
very nice article. I am also a staunch supporter for Chennai. I also like your haiku:-)
Thanks for liking my haiku !
Good one. Chennai should score more on Traffic. So I award chennai 5 points on traffic alone. So it will be 10-5……
I am a strong supporter of chennai and asking all bangaloreans (At the least who studied in CEG) to move back to Chennai.
Forgot to add one more point. Language. People say that Chennai people (Like Auto Drivers and others) does not speak Hindi and it causes lots of issues. I say to Them, One Word. Learn Tamil. 🙂 You are the right person to comment on it…..You know why.