Nestled in their cocoon

I was away from my parents for many years, switching from one city to another for education and job opportunities. Once I was back from the US, I didn’t want to relocate for at least some time. But then Bengaluru happened. Though I was a bit reluctant initially, I don’t regret being here today,” says Nikhil Kulkarni, who has been in the city for two years now.

A marketing professional, Nikhil is a Maharashtrian born and brought up in Delhi. His wife, Nehha Gupta Kulkarni, born in Saudi Arabia, was also brought up in the capital. The two met in college in the US and tied the knot four years back.

Though their primary concern before moving into the city was the high cost of living, the ample job opportunities and the work culture led the young couple to choose

Bengaluru as their base. “We were not confident initially as we felt that language would also pose a big barrier. The infrastructure here was yet another cause of concern as we had heard much about it.
Nevertheless, we took the risk. It has been two years now and we have been adapting to
Bengaluru’s way of life pretty well,” says Nikhil.

Coming from a city like Delhi, he finds Bengaluru to be much greener. He feels that the best part is that there are so many places that make for a perfect getaway, within a radius of 200 km from the city. “The food here is amazing. There are several culinary options, unlike in the North, where the basic cuisine is Mughlai,” states Nikhil.

“One doesn’t really need to head to a five-star hotel and pay through the nose to enjoy a good meal in this city. There are many economical places where one can relish what they like. We love the South Indian cuisine, especially the ‘dosas’. The ‘99-varieties dosa’ trucks are definitely worth a mention,” adds Nehha.

‘The Black Rabbit’, ‘Bangalore Brew Works’, ‘The Fatty Bao’ and ‘Nagarjuna’ are some of the restaurants that the couple likes to hang out at.

“There is always so much happening around the city and it’s great to see people so actively involved in everything. There are a lot of community activities like trekking and other outdoor events to indulge in, and the best part is that complete strangers tag along with each other. This shows that the trust levels are quite high here. The parks in the city are well-maintained and the concept of open gyms therein has really impressed us,” says Nikhil.

“We also like to go for long drives, movies and road trips to Coorg, Wayanad and Puducherry,” says Nehha. Driving on the highways is quite relaxing during the weekends for Nikhil.

However, Nehha feels that even as Bengaluru is known for its pubs and breweries, it is important for people to give due importance to its historical monuments, which are a treasure trove from the past.
The couple state that everything has been working out for them exactly as planned so far, which is a positive sign. “We have started to know each other better only after coming here. We always help each other with the household chores which has only strengthened our bond,” gushes Nehha.