Coimbatore - The Complete Place!

I wish all my Chennai readers a happy monsoon! :)

சென்னையில் மண்டை காய்ந்து உட்கார்ந்து இருக்கும் நண்பர்களுக்கு இந்த
blog post கொஞ்சம் சிரமத்தை உண்டாகும். ப்ளீஸ் பியர் வித் மீ!

I had the chance, rather, an opportunity to visit Coimbatore for a period of two days this summer and I got to say I am lucky to have done that. I really understood why CBE (Coimbatore) remains special to me.

Here are a few things that will attract you instantly if you are a Chennaiite (presently and also agmark)!

1. BUSES!

You will be surprised at the ticket fares. I travelled some 11 stops for 2 rupees! Also, the appearance of the tickets is totally different. Back here, it is written in rupees. In CBE, it's written 300 காசு,
200 காசு and so on! When I saw the ticket, I thought I had to get down at the next stop since the fare read just 2 rupees, er... 200 paise. I asked the co-passenger every time the bus came to a stop, "Is this Sai Baba Colony?", until he got frustrated! Such was my despair till I found NSR Road!

2. AUDIO & VIDEO IN BUSES!

Yeah, I mean what I mean! You will have VERY LOUD audio playing inside the town buses. Mostly they will be in Tamil, mediocre movies of 1996 range. You are lucky if you get a good song. In any case, they are loud enough to nullify cell phone talking! Even better to switch off your mobiles. No point in trying to hear the other end!

I was also surprised to find LCD TV in one bus. I really don't understand how they could do all this for 200 காசு tickets! In Chennai nowadays, the minimum fare is 3 bucks for one stop! NO LCD, NO AUDIO!

3. RESPECT (மரியாதை) in buses!

You will not be allowed to stand 'footboard'. Conductors are so friendly, friendly enough that they will persuade you to have your seat! பாசத்தால் இழுத்து விடுவார்கள்!

"உள்ள வாங்க தம்பி... வாங்க தம்பி. விழ போறீங்க!"

I could not control my laughter on hearing these... I remembered "கயீத! வர்து பாரு! ஊட்ல சொல்டு வண்டியா! தே...!"

"உள்ள வாயா. சாவ போற! சாவு கிராக்கி. என் பஸ் தான் கிடைச்சுதா... காலங் காதால வந்து உயிர் எடுக்குது!"

Uh... Kali yugam!

4. WATER

Nothing to introduce. It's always Siruvani there... Lovely water. But nowadays I think it has lost some of its taste. It's still good enough to be tasty to the tasteless tongues of Chennai! :P

5.CLIMATE

Ah... What can I say. I remember one of my friends saying "Sun comes only a few months. Other than that, it is always like this (pointing to the dim and cloudy weather)!" I thought "இங்க வந்து பாருங்க டா! பாவப் பட்ட பூமி!"

The climate is always wonderful in CBE. We can only feel jealous about it. Some things are the work of nature. The best we can do is just pray!

6. COIMBATORE!

You must visit Coimbatore for Coimbatore's sake! Of course, it does not have any mall with theatre, nor it is as big as Chennai or Mumbai, but that does not matter at all! As they say, it's a very peaceful place too! According to me, you got to be really lucky if you have the chance to stay there for long!
Personally, CBE is very close to me. My chess bloomed there and I learnt great things here... I would love to live there again, given another chance!

நன்றி! மீண்டும் வருக!

கோயம்புத்தூர்!

ak