I have lived in various cities in India. By virtue of my work I have lived in cities sprawling from north to south over India’s map. But you always have a favorite and my pick for that title is Hyderabad. I started my journey from Bangalore. Having heard so much about the pleasant weather and nearby attractions I was very excited for Bangalore. It was the first city I ushered in right from my own home. I had nothing to compare the experience with. Bangalore went pretty well for me and then I got the opportunity to come back and live in northern side of India. The proximity with my own city made me delighted. The thought that I was just five hundred kilometers away from my hometown made me take it for granted and with time my trips got cut down. Just when I was settling in comfortably I was told to make a move and the next destination was Hyderabad. I resisted the change like everyone does but it didn’t work well in my favor. The next thing I know was I was packing my bags for Hyderabad.

Hyderabad was an alien city for me. I knew nothing about it except the information from few trite google searches. I was scared and excited at the same time. Unlike other cities there was nobody here to guide me with the directions, with the eating places and the house hunting. I was literally on road with a diary and pen doing all the work all by myself. By the time I moved to Hyderabad I had enough experience to rate the city and to compare the lifestyle of the cities. While Bangalore is a city of much hustle and bustle Hyderabad is a city of peace. People in Bangalore are always busy in pacing up to the city’s tempo while in Hyderabad you can enjoy the pace of city. You don’t have to hurry yourself to catch up with anything. The city has a momentum that you would be comfortable with and a lifestyle that you can relish, not just live. I can see a lot of heads nodding in disagreement and I respect them all but this is entirely my opinion and I don’t mean to offend anyone in anyway whatsoever.

The above mentioned points are very subjective. What is clamor to me can be harmony to others. These are solely my personal opinion. Let us now talk about some pragmatic issues. I faced a lot of commutation problems in Bangalore. I am not sure if the scenario has changed after the launch of Metro trains but prior to that it was a huge issue. The auto rickshaw drivers treat themselves like Gods and can quote for any figure even for a distance as short as five hundred meters. I am sure a lot of Bangaloreans will agree to me on this. Language is also a barrier in Bangalore but that can be managed. Coming back to Hyderabad on the same issue, the situation is way better. The rickshaw drivers are considerate and you would totally be okay with whatever amount they quote. Some parts of Hyderabad even reminded me of Lucknow which is my hometown.

Coming from northern part of India safety was always a major point of concern for me. The unfortunate Nirbhaya Delhi rape case happened during my stay in Hyderabad and I distinctly remember my father calling me up and expressing how relieved he was that I was in Hyderabad. The southern part of India is way safer than the northern part. Bangalore also qualifies for that and I will give the city its due credit in terms of women safety.

Cost of living, how can we not discuss it here. While Bangalore and NCR boast sky high cost of living Hyderabad enjoys a moderate and affordable lifestyle. Finding a decent two bedroom hall kitchen apartment in your budget is an uphill task in Bangalore, a little less painful in NCR and perfectly possible in Hyderabad. I personally has the most amazing time doing the house hunting in Hyderabad.

While Bangalore is considered an ace in the world of Information Technology Hyderabad is also growing very rapidly in terms of jobs and opportunities. It is a city which is home to people from all over the country and still stands tall and firm on its own cultural values. I think more than anything else your experience at a place is the sole deciding factor.

I have had the best experience in Hyderabad so far. The place, the people, the food, the culture and the lifestyle have made a mark that is there to stay. The memories of Hyderabad are well instilled in my heart, mind and soul. I miss Hyderabad. I miss the city’s pace. I felt home there. If I get a chance I would love to live in Hyderabad again. It might be too much to say but I don’t mind settling forever in Hyderabad.

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Have you ever felt like this for a place? Do share your city story. Till then Happy Reading and Happy Blogging.

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