The ‘Thing’ between Hyderabad and Chennai - A Tale of Two Cities, or Two Phases?

     “Hyderabadi or Madrasi?”  - My Brother is always in dilemma these days of what should he be picking on me over the phone. Hyderabad, an unexpected place I landed up in, in a ‘venture’ that was the decider last year in Chennai. Whilst all my stay, I bestowed my love upon that city, Madras. Yes, of course, at times frustrating high mercury level pinched me to curse it but trust me I can love that city in the worst of its hot weathers. That is the bottom line. When I got there, it was the first time I had come down this much south. With a pre-defined conception and an alienated place, I loathed the city initially, seriously!. Nobody speaking a commoner’s language, real crap food( where Chapathi needs to be ‘broken’ with kung-fu skills) and of course the weather, a complete hostile place for a northerner. Chennai and gloomy weather has such a great correlation that every frustrated person will talk about its weather only, whenever there is even a murmur about this city.  Nevertheless, once adjusted, unexpectedly I started to like it. That came as a surprise to me. May be it was just because of the locale that IITM has, that made me sway over to an adjusted opinion.

           However, with almost a month’s experience, I can say that the ‘New City’ is pretty open in accepting outsiders. Quite the difference, eh?. The Weather God also seems to be in a good mood these days. And the city as I perceive has a much younger population than Chennai’s. Young population!. While on the other side, Chennai is more of a culturally rich (although some might point out as ‘conservative’) and articulately blossomed metro. You can rarely see a big city with such a characteristic aura of tradition. Of course, Chennai is different; people just can’t solve its enigma just the way other IPL teams can’t break CSK’s home fort.

IPL se yaad aaya, in a country where cricket is the religion, Chennai is the Mad-Maddest City. Passion, one big thing I am always going to remember Chennai for. ‘Whistle Podu’! Folks here just love Cricket with an undying spirit. IPL seasons see the city fully ‘yellowed’ out with large posters of Seasonal Gods like Dhoni, Raina, Hussy covering the biggest of the hoardings in the town. Chennai is Mad, Madi!

   If you think that it’s the Cricket that drives people crazy there, you are wrong my dear friend. Because Thalaivar Rajni is there!!!. You know who I am talking about.I just get bumped out to think as to whether Rajni lives in Chennai or Chennai lives in the Rajni World. Not a Rajni Joke, MIND IT!. He is the ONLY God in there. Along the long road, all the Indian film industries must have seen numerous megastars but no one could go and will go as big and popular as RajniKanth. You know the city and people with just the passion that they seem to be following. Cricket and cricketers, Films and film-stars are not just celebrity icons for people; they are much more than that.

       And how can some talk about Chennai and not its beaches?. Simply not possible!. Sitting on the beach sides in a serene milieu, gazing over the endless sea and think about every damn thing possible in mind can give immense pleasure. God, I miss those beaches!. Hyderabad is different. No beaches, no trekking spots but yeah, probably a lot more better places to visit in the city. May be the definition of fun is different in this Cyber City which I might have to adjust to. May be I had the best times of my life in Chennai and that makes it so special for me. Or, maybe I am just accustomed to being a ‘Chennaite’ . I miss Chennai sometimes. Definitely, nobody can really compare the beauty of these two cities when I still have to see a lot of Hyderabad. Hopefully, Hyderabad surpasses all the expectations. 

P.S. : The views of the blogger might be 'Random' and different from the views of the localities of the two cities.