'In many ways, Bangalore still retains its old-world charm'

Anita Nair a candid chat about what makes Bengaluru a favourite city.

1 What makes Bengaluru tick?

The weather, undoubtedly, and also the fact that even though Benglauru has become an urban metropolis, it is still, in many ways, a little town that retains its old-world charm. I have been living in Bengaluru for the past 24 years. I used to stay in Palace Cross Road. Cox Town, Frazer Town and Cooke Town have changed drastically over the years, with more and more apartments being made and trees being felled. I am not an urban person at all, so I moved a gated community in the outskirts a few years ago, which is very evocative of the way the city used to be calm, with wide roads and lot of greenery. The place where I live, Bengaluru, is still pensioners' paradise.

2 What is your favourite Bengaluru moment?

Though the city is bursting at it seams, the sheer fact that I know so many people here makes me feel at home everywhere. Wherever I go ­ for shopping, restaurants or even the hospital ­ the familiarity of having been in the city for a long time catches up and I end up meeting some acquaintance or the other. This creates a great sense of belonging to me.

3 If not Bengaluru, which city would you opt for and why?

It would be either Chennai or Kerala. I am comfortable with Chennai because I was born there; I have a home, friends and relatives there. My parents are in Kerala and I also have a strong readership there. The fact that I am recognised gives me a sense of belonging.

4 If you were a dictator of Bengaluru, what is the first thing you would do and why?

I would stop the felling of trees and the demolition of heritage buildings. We have become irreverent about the past and there is nothing sacred about the city anymore.What used to be quaint Bengaluru is disappearing by the second. It is heart-breaking that while people all over the world are preserving their old, pristine grandeur, we are constantly pulling them down.

5 Who is your favourite Bengalurean? Why?

It has to be my 73-year-old friend Patrick Wilson. He's an Anglo-Indian who grew up in old-Bengaluru and his style, genteelness and charm are representative of what the city once was.