Illuminating Stories: A Place Like No Other

We arrived in Mangalore on July 15. A city that is well-known, that is, perhaps, only well-known by the locals who live there. In some ways the city could be described as off-the-beaten track to the foreign traveler - and for that matter, even to Indians who don't live in that region. That is not to say it is a small, tiny village like some we had visited in the past. It was actually the largest city we had been to up to that point. Large shopping malls, upscale modern buildings amongst the familiar rustic small shops dotted the city landscape. Yet it did not have those attractions that get the attention or the billing in guide books as a must-see. In any case, Mangalore is a prosperous city that is growing. Old potholed asphalt streets giving way to solid concrete roadways provided a close up view of the modernization taking place in India. The idea of what modernity brings to a community that has lived without modern conveniences for generations intrigues me. I think it is a great topic to bring awareness to and I will come back to talking about it, I am sure, as my journey continues.

What made my experience so memorable was the time Shruthi and I spent with her cousin Udeeksha and her husband Bharath. Though a certain formality can arise when meeting your partner's relatives for the first time, I felt nothing of the kind. They're an incredibly generous and open-hearted couple. I really loved spending time with them!

Our last week in Mangalore we were able to rent a flat with a view of the city below. From the houses nestled amongst the palm groves, to the city centre and the Arabian sea in the distance, and to the wonderful connection of family, Mangalore was a city like no other.