There's no place like home

It was her job through campus placement that brought Manjari Narayan from Ranchi, Jharkhand to Bengaluru a few years ago. She  fell in love with the city and knew that this would be her second home.

Soon after their marriage, her husband Vikas Naiyar who hails from Indore, Madhya Pradesh also moved here. Vikas now works as vice-president (technology division) with Morgan Stanley and Manjari is a technical lead with Wipro Pvt Ltd. They live here with their five-year-old daughter Manavi.    

The couple's journey in the city has been an adventurous one. From the people to the food, they have embraced it all and explored their passion for travel here.

"One can  explore different places when living here, which is a good  thing. We love going for long drives to Ooty, Puducherry, Kodaikanal and Yercaud," says Vikas.

He adds that even in the city,  the family loves to get away from the humdrum by heading to spots which are a few kilometres away from Electronic City or Sarjapur Road. "There are many quiet places around. We go there, have some local food and then head back," he adds.

It's not just the travel options that the duo are  charmed by. Having worked in Mumbai, Vikas observes that the pace of life is relaxed here. "While I missed the nightlife initially,  the smooth pace was encouraging.  Life is a breeze here," he says.  "In Mumbai, everyone is caught in the mad rush," Manjari pitches in.    

The duo have strong cultural ties from the North but they  love the perfect cultural mix  here.

"In our apartment complex, people from across the country live  in harmony. We celebrate all festivals. The city has proved to be a great learning platform for our  daughter," says  Vikas.

Manjari adds that the citizens  make the adjustment process smooth for anyone. "Bengalureans are genuine and they reach out to one when they need it," she  says.  

Vikas recollects a couple of incidents where they realised that they were in safe hands. Once, on the occasion of 'Deepavali', when the couple's family was visiting, a cousin's child received cracker burns.

"For a few minutes, everyone was in panic. An elderly lady in my apartment complex  came with first aid and helped us, just like a family member would. This  was a heart-warming incident," remembers Vikas.

Wanting to indulge in the cultural celebrations here, Vikas recently asked
a friend about where he could take Manavi for kite flying.

"A while later, a gentleman from  another locality reached out to us and invited us over to his locality. Before we knew it, we were enjoying breakfast with him and flying kites.  We didn't feel like  outsiders at all," he says.    

Manjari too loves several elements of the city. "It is so easy to travel in the city, especially with the public transport system in place. One can take a BMTC bus to go anywhere in the city. The buses are clean, well-maintained and  most passengers stick to the rules," she adds.  

Safety is another advantage of the city and Manjari says that everyone can
safely walk on the streets here.  "Being a mother to a daughter,  I am glad I live in a safe city."

The couple cannot imagine themselves anywhere else. "We intend to be in Bengaluru for ever. After all, there is no place like home and this is home for us now," says Vikas.