Revival

Months and years passed and I finally thought of writing something. Thanks to Meera Nair, my Facebbok acquaintance, for becoming an indirect inspiration for this revival. Her excerpts from a conversation with Angad, a travel writer made me think of the city, Thiruvananthapuram and the way young people live life in this small world.

I had tried writing about the city long time before and at that time it was truly out of a young girl’s mind who found the city the best place to live in. I still believe it is the best place to live in, but have some aspirations to make it ever better.

For the last couple of years I could travel to some other cities of the country and found something very different from Trivandrum. Though, we accept every person who comes to our place, it is very glaring that the cosmopolitan place, Technopark, keeps the diverse people around the IT Park only. Other parts of the city are all the same with the same people and same way of life. In other words, nothing more than roads in the city change. Big shops started coming in, which might have started changing the dressing sense and shopping sense of the people around. Otherwise, we don’t find anything more engaging than dining out and meeting friends.  Again that’s all a family affair. KFC and CCD are new found hang out places for a part of the privileged youth. But what about the rest? Do all of the enjoy the beaches? What I found  makes other cities different is the way the whole city is altogether changing for the needs.

Thiruvananthapuram has always been a heaven for government servants. But the second generation who are more IT employees  find there is something lacking or something left to make it complete. Cultural fests like Soorya, Nishagandhi and IIFK do attract masses in large numbers, but not all.

I remember, there was a discussion in media about building cultural complexes in the city a couple of years back. People gave wide support for the idea and are longing to see one. The renovation of Tagore Theatre for one such complex has become the dream of the city dweller. Probably thus cultural centres or malls will bring a common place for the youth, the kids and the grown-ups a place to spend time and be freer.