'We don't feel lost here'

Though Namit Dahiya and Smrittee Priya came to the city separately, destiny brought them together. Namit, who calls Delhi home, grew up in Rajasthan while Smrittee spent her childhood at various places before she went back to her hometown in Gurgaon. The duo have been in the city for a while and are embracing the warmth of this place.

Their fathers worked in the central government sector that caused them to move around the country. Namit and Smrittee learnt to adapt and appreciate every place for its culture. Namit, who works as a senior member technical staff with Oracle India Private Ltd, came here because of a campus placement from BITS Pilani in 2011. “I hadn’t heard much about the city but I wasn’t worried about moving,” he says. He used to live with some friends in BTM Layout initially, till he moved to his present home. “I loved my independent life then, which included visits to pubs and parties regularly,” he says.

Namit’s education happened in Rajasthan but his roots are in Delhi. “Delhi is very different compared to any city. People in Rajasthan are very loving and hospitable,” he says. All festivals, from ‘Holi’ to ‘Deepavali’, are celebrated in a grand way, says Namit. “Since we lived in a government colony, diverse festivals used to be celebrated in unity.”

About his stay in Jaipur and Pilani in Rajasthan, Namit says that unlike the image of sand dunes around, the places are quite commercialised now. “The highlight of Pilani is the BITS campus and the Birla Museum that explains the evolution of the place. In Jaipur, there are forts like ‘Hawa Mahal’ as well as some unexplored ones of different dynasties. All of these are worth visiting.”

Smrittee, who hails from Gurgaon, says that her Bengaluru experience, that began in 2013, has been more than endearing. “Having stayed in varied places like Rajasthan, Kerala, Pune, Delhi and Haryana, I have been exposed to the different cultures of our country. But  this city has always been close to my heart.” She’s glad that she found a partner who lived in Bengaluru too. “It was a big criteria. I loved Pune initially, but once I settled here, I never thought of leaving,” says Smrittee.

The duo shares an immense love and appreciation for the city, which includes things beyond the pleasant weather. “There is something for everyone here. For the nature lover, there are the numerous spots one can trek to; a huge number of pubs and clubs for the party-hopper and amazing book houses like ‘Blossom Book House’ for the bookworms. The city offers a lot,” says Namit.

Smrittee says that she loves the people who are accepting and warm. “Bengalureans do not differentiate among outsiders and localites. They do not interfere in one’s personal space too, though they are accessible if anyone needs anything,” she says. Apart from the culture, even the food they are used to  is different. Namit’s diet included ‘dal bati churma’ and home food like ‘paratha’ for breakfast, chappatis and rice with ‘rajma’ for lunch and ‘khichdi’ for dinner.

“The food here is interesting though — I was baffled by the number of rice items one can indulge in. I like the multiple variety of ‘dosas’ available in the city,” he says. When the couple has some time to spare, they love hanging out at restaurants like ‘Absolute Barbecue’, ‘Once Upon A Flame’ and ‘The Black Pearl’. “We also love taking a walk in silent green spaces like the small parks. There is one in HSR Layout Sector 3, where we like spending some alone time,” says Smrittee adding, “It’s inspiring to see people jogging or running in these parks.” Ask the duo how long they intend to stay here and they say that they want to be here forever. “We love the variety the city offers and don’t feel lost here. This is home now,” affirms Smrittee.