Kolkata to Udupi – a road to remember

From growing up by the banks of Hooghly in Kolkata to dreaming of growing big on the coast of Malpe Beach in Udupi, my journey has been nothing short of a dramatic 90s flick filled with cliches and an unexpected turn of events that’ll imprint in my memory forever. 

Fresh Water Fish vs Salt Water Fish! East Coast vs West Coast! BJP vs TMC! Here’s how I navigated my crazy first week in the wake of my move to this temple town, Udupi. 

Source: Wikipedia

I have moved around quite a lot but the stark difference in the culture, weather, language, and lifestyle sure did take me by surprise. Also, I had absolutely no ties with Udupi prior to this – no distant relatives, no old school friends, and absolutely no well-wishers. But all that was going to change in a matter of days! 

So here I was – in a new city, surrounded by strangers conversing in a peculiar dialect. Well if this was not nerve-wracking enough, I had the audacity to forget my wallet back in Kolkata. Cliché much? Told ya, I’m that kid from Bhoothnath, who keeps inviting troubles. My pupils almost popped out when I stared at my empty pocket in the Mangalore Airport, located at a distance of 54 km approximately from Udupi. So, I still had a long way to Udupi! My shoulders slumped with relief when I noticed the digital payment signage at the pre-paid taxi reception.

Source: Unsplash

I knew 99Games had arranged accommodation in the vicinity of the office space – so the next mission was to hunt down what was going to be my haven for the next few days. My cab driver was a force to reckon with – a sweet middle-aged man who had just as much knowledge about Udupi streets as me, an outsider! So, we placed our trust in the hands of Google Maps and started our journey from Mangalore to Udupi – the four-laned highways made for a very smooth ride while tall coconut trees towering in my view, set against the blue sky were extremely pleasant to the eyes. The salty breeze and humidity in the air were tell-tale signs of beaches nearby, and I made a mental note of visiting one over the weekend. 

Miss. Shruthi, the Senior HR executive, had already sent me the contact details of the security personnel of the apartment. I gave him a call and he said he will be out in a moment and to my pleasant surprise, the cab driver refused to leave my side until the security arrived. This was my first impression of the people of Udupi – soft-spoken and kind.

After my long journey to Udupi, I finally took a shower and stepped out looking for a quick bite, which turned into rather long binges – no regrets whatsoever. Being a big seafood lover, the city did not disappoint me. This city welcomed me well and had a lot to offer and as a foodie, I was on a mission to try 'em all. From Disco Tawa fry to Donne Biryani, I spent the whole weekend exploring the infamous Udupi cuisine. A personal note to everyone who dines at Udupi Hotels all over the world but in Udupi – no imitation measures up to the actual local Udupi cuisine. You just got to drag your bottom here and try the real deal. So, this was my first impression of the cuisine of Udupi – luscious and unique. 

Source: Onmanorama

Cut to Monday – I joined the office and spent most of the day with joining formalities. Miss. Shruthi, the bright-natured person she is, showed me some good places around during lunch. Little did she know, I had devoured half of what she was excitedly offering me. Some cult-classic food hubs in and around the office are Naivedya, MTR 1924, Ocean Pearl, and some of them are a secret – I’ll maybe tag you along someday.

On the second day, amidst the Karavali folks, I was pleasantly surprised to find a fellow Bong in the Analytics team. Needless to say, we got acquainted rather quickly. After exchanging some ‘gyaan’ about Bongs in Udupi – the weather, the culture, the food, the language, and apparently how offensive ‘Kannad Gothilla’ is (just joking), I went on and blended in with my teammates from the Marketing Team and got busy with my tasks. But I still had the most important task on my list unchecked – finding a home. My supervisor sprang into action and gave me the number of a housing agent. The agent showed me around a residential block that looked very serene and peaceful, exactly what I was looking for. There are quite a few places that fit into this description – Ajjerkadu, Ambalpadi, Kinnimulki, Chitpady being some of them. So, this was my first impression about the ambiance of Udupi – culturally rich and extremely homey.

Source: Pacer

Finding the right apartment was a walk in the park – quite literally as I have to walk by a beautiful park in Ajjarkadu to get there. I couldn’t wait to move in so I packed my bags and I was all set to warm the house by my second Sunday there. What happened next was like watching a train wreck in slow motion!

As I unloaded my bags outside the door, I saw a familiar face in the corridor. A face that sits right in front of me in my status meetings. A face that fills my performance reviews. A face that I (like anyone else) wouldn’t prefer seeing on weekends. Yes, my next-door neighbor turned out to be MY FREAKING BOSS! Pro-tip to my fellow: Avoid the nicest neighborhood in town, because chances are your boss prefers nice things too.

I couldn't have conjured up a more thrilling story about my move to Udupi if I wanted to. It was and continued to be one heck of a ride. I explore new places, I experience new emotions, and I notice the smaller pleasures of life a lot more often. I’d like to give special thanks to the first friend I made here – Srinath, he became my friend before he became my teammate. 

This place has me wrapped around its finger and I wouldn’t want to wriggle out of it anytime soon.