Another sky...

After spending 24 years of my life in Lucknow, I spent another 5 in Ahmedabad and now, Indore will be the third city of my life. I don't know how the city is and how would it treat me - I am open to the experience and the good, the bad, and not so ugly of it.

Strange thing is that I miss Ahmedabad these days, not only for the love of IIMA but also for the general vibrant life and character of the city. Once, sitting in Bombay, someone had asked, how is Ahmedabad. I replied, take all the distances, crowd, and daily struggles from Bombay and it becomes Ahmedabad. I, like many of my friends and colleagues, feel that Ahmedabad is one of the best cities to live in India.

Even more strangely, I am progressively getting disenchanted with Lucknow. This is not the city I had left five years ago. The city has changed - it's places have changed, it's people have changed, and most of all, it's culture has changed. The city I left five years ago was, just like today, neither very disciplined nor very safe. But the city I come to today is definitely unbearably undisciplined, rude, crowded, and damn unsafe. Perhaps, the political culture of UP has taken it's toll on the life and culture of it's capital city. After spending a 10 days' vacation in Lucknow, I am glad for not getting a job in Lucknow!!

I don't know what lies ahead but I wish to be sad upon leaving Indore, whenever I do, just like I was and I am sad upon leaving Ahmedabad!!