Perspective View of a City

You never really know a city. Especially one that has been around for centuries ; it can spring surprises even for its long time dwellers. And it is simple logic. You say a person has his story and a building has its own story. Multiply that by scores of thousands and lo... you get a city. You cannot even dream to decipher all its secrets, see all its facets and explore all its corners. But there is a depth at which a traveler settles for.

I recently spent a couple of months in Vadodara, Gujarat. Basically a business trip; and hence I had very little time to see around. All I saw was the office space, hotel lobbies and rooms; and all I met was prim consultants, formally dressed clients or the hotel service at their most courteous persona. Apart from that, the place looked ordinary enough. I could have been in any other part of India to wake up to the same sight and smells. But this did not make sense for a city like Vadodara. I must be wrong somewhere.

So one fine Sunday, I set out armed with a camera in hand and a heart of Columbus to explore the city on foot. It was a warm and sunny winter morning with the harsh light exposing every hidden color. And then it dawned onto me. The depth at which a traveler settles for- the soul of the city. Two hundred year old palatial buildings staring multi storied apartment buildings in the eye; kingly statues and oriental gardens adorning traffic circles busy with the latest Honda's and Mercedes and BMW's. It was a wonderful mixture of old and new.

Fortunately for me, it was the kite flying season; and the kite festival was just round the corner. The old city was a riot of colors- kites of all shapes sizes and colors with a dash of pink manja spinning on a drum. And all this right in front of the fast food outlets, mobile phone sales/service/repair and "More" supermarkets. That felt like nowhere else I have visited.

But it also revealed something about the people of the city. Vadodara is still that traditional city with typical Gujarati lifestyle, an affinity for honest business and an all embracing culture. However, the bout of industrialization has ushered in a metropolitan culture as well. And this, rather than dissolving in the local culture, has been lying layered on the top- like oil on water. In effect, you see two faces of the city- the outer glitter of an emerging metropolis and an underlying traditional lifestyle.

I do not know if this change is for the better or worse. But what I do know is that the city of Vadodara has its own identity and a distinctive culture which gives the place its beauty and charm. I sure hope that this is not lost in the endeavor to grow and develop.