JOIN USComing all the way from a small place like Tinsukia in Assam and adapting to an entirely different culture in a big city like Bengaluru can be quite challenging. However, the warm and helpful nature of Bengalureans has not let newlyweds Shreyoshi Dutta and Abhinav Lala miss their hometown even a bit.
While Abhinav has been staying in the city for a while now, marriage brought Shreyoshi here a year back. The past one year has been quite a pleasant and eventful one for her.
“Coming from a place which is laid back, calm and peaceful, a sudden shift to a fast paced city was quite exciting for me though it was never a challenge. In fact, moving here has been a blessing as it has made me a more confident individual. I have always been somewhat of a homebody and had my own world of set friends but now I am happy to have made new friends here,” says Shreyoshi.
“A blend of various communities, cultures and cuisines makes Bengaluru a diverse and accepting place. Also, people here are always ready to explore. The city is blessed with ample career options and opportunities to meet new people,” she adds.
Since weekends are the only time when they relax together, the couple is mostly seen hanging out in restaurants, trying out different kinds of food. They have a
few relatives staying here and they make sure to meet them as well.
“Working with ‘Northern Trust’ I don’t get many Indian holidays, but whenever I have a longer leave, I make sure I spend as much time as possible with my wife. We love going for long drives and being movie enthusiasts, we watch a lot of movies. We usually hang out at Phoenix MarketCity and have a few favourite restaurants like Chutney Chang and Tandoor in M G Road,” says Abhinav.
The best part about Bengaluru, the couple says, is that there are many places to visit around the city’s vicinity. Ooty, Goa and Bannerghatta are some of their favourite travel destinations and they make a trip to these places whenever they can.
Talking about the food, Shreyoshi says that unlike in her hometown, here the culture of fusion food is quite popular. She loves the fact that there is a variety of cuisines one can look forward to.
“Being a foodie, food always a priority for me. I like South Indian food, especially the spicy Andhra thali and dosa. I have also tried the dosas in the ‘99 variety’ dosa trucks and loved it,” she says.
Abhinav quickly quips, “She is gradually learning to cook but since I am quite good at that, I help her out and also cook at least two to three times a week. But all said and done, I love the ‘aloo posto’ and ‘muri ghonto’ that my wife prepares.”
Talking about the lifestyle of people in Assam, Abhinav points out that the apartment culture limits interaction among people.
“Though our neighbours are extremely helpful here, there is a lot more conversations between different families back home. Even if people are inside their houses, neighbours will shout out from their balcony as a form of greeting during the course of the day. But most people here are confined to their own houses. However, we love our stay here and feel quite safe,” says Abhinav.