I have not lived in or seen all the important cities of our country, but of cities I have seen and lived, I consider Pune and Bengaluru as among the cities I would love to live in.

Two reasons: The climate in both the cities, throughout the year, is salubrious. Even summer seems short, temperate and tolerable. Winter and monsoon too are physically comfortable. I felt healthy and enthused during these seasons in both the cities.

The second reason is the people. Maharashtrians in Pune are polite, gentle, kind and simple folks — across castes and religions. Helping fellow - beings seems to be their second nature — as in Mumbai. Of course, exceptions are always there, but very rare. I have lived here long enough to experience this goodness of the good people of Pune. It is only here you can find some people with green or blue eyes, very fair, some even like Europeans.

A view of the National Gallery of Modern Art, Bangalore.

I remember the day my wife Ralie and my Marathi neighbours crying and hugging each other as I brought a rickshaw to go to the Railway Station. We were leaving Pune for good. I was left worried as to the cause of this kind of emotional outburst. The ladies of the Marathi family, a mother and two daughters, could not bear our imminent separation. Hence the uncontrollable sorrow and crying. I had to console them, promising an yearly visit from us and a reciprocal one from them. However, it never happened. Out of sight, indeed is out of mind. But that memory lingers and surfaces on occasions like this one.

As for Bengalurians, I am a bit sceptic, but its cosmopolitan character cannot be denied. Some language enthusiasts may have convoluted views about the cosmopolitan, secular character of the city, but the fact is the city's commercial strength lies in its cosmopolitan population. I have lived in this city for nearly six years from 1959 to 1964 and loved it so much. It was a city of joy for youngsters like me.

There were many dancing halls, billiard clubs, restaurants serving pastries, puffs, coffee or tea, with a juke box playing your favourite songs for a mere insertion of a four anna coin or 4 one anna coins into the slot. Best city for Time Pass. Specially the Civil Station — Cantonment, comprising primarily MG Road (earlier Parade Road and Brigade road). These two roads were lovers' paradise, romantic roads. By 5. 30 pm these two roads would be streaming with young girls, mostly Anglo - Indians, holding hands or their arms hooked like the new logo of Canara Bank, to the envy of loners like me and my boy friends.

Lady in moonlight: Raja Ravi Verma; Three girls: Amrita Sher-Gil; Little Ganesha: Jamini Roy; A painting by Rabindranath Tagore

Some boys mooch around this area either to stalk or to take a chance for a chance meeting with a willing girl for coffee and puff or a pineapple cake in 3 - Aces or Lake - View Coffee House on M. G. Road or Kwality or Koshy's on Brigade. Nilgiris would not be an ideal place being crowded with all and sundry. Stags would while away time in Nilgiris, Breeze, Bull and Bush bar, Boscos or Crown Cafe near Shoolay Police Station at the farther end of Brigade Road, sipping coffee in cup and saucer (no less) with teaspoon and sugar in a bowl, smoking cheap cigarette and of course, listening to English and Hindi songs from the juke box. Kannada songs never found place there. Ah! Those were the days. Liberated and free. Dreaming — more of finding a girl friend and less of studies. Though there was very little money in our pockets, our hearts were full with joy. That was Bangalore then.

During the second week of this month, I had been to Bengaluru, the same Bangalore I have written above and found it still livable despite its maddening traffic and overpopulation. My sister – in - law Rajani with whom we stayed, being an MA in English literature, has a slightly different idea of enjoying life in a city like Bengaluru apart from shopping and eating out in new restaurants that spring up in different areas like mushrooms with exotic names and serving food with never – heard - of names.

That different idea of my sister – in - law was visiting tourist - interest places, archeological sites, heritage buildings, seeing plays at Ranga Shankara and other theaters or good films, not forgetting a visit to bookshops. So it was, this time we decided to visit two places connected with art and history — National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), on Palace road, close to Maharani's College and the newly opened Kempegowda Museum.

The NGMA is located in a sprawling tree and green covered area earlier known as Manickavelu Mansion. This building was refurbished in 2006 and NGMA was opened.

The building, a huge heritage house converted into a museum with annexures and additional constructions to meet the requirement for a museum of paintings and sculptures, was classic in its facade and spacious all over. It was set up imaginatively and the imprint of experts could be seen in the manner each and every item was displayed with descriptions and legends attached to them. Lighting and space within each hall or room are taken care of to enable the visitors to move around freely and enjoy the art works. I was reminded of the Getty's Museum in San Francisco but there is no comparison, of course. I was surprised to learn about the facility of docent walks by experts (guide) on given days in english and in Kannada.

The museum houses a number of originals from Ravi Verma, Jamini Roy, Amrita Sher - Gil, the Tagore brothers, Ravindranath Tagore and a large number of modern and contemporary artists. If you are an art freak or an enthusiast, you will need at least four to five hours to see all the exhibits. I guess in an otherwise barren landscape for art - lovers in Bangalore, this NGMA is an oasis. The art - thirsty can go there to quench their thirst. I did.

By K. B. Ganapathy
Editor in Chief
Courtesy: Star of Mysore