Thursday, March 03, 2011

Mangalore - then and now and how!

In spite of having lived for nearly 18 years of my life in Mangalore, I adjusted quickly and easily (all thanks to my new family and friends, as pointed out to me by our dear friend, CJ) to the busy life of Mumbai where I moved after my marriage, almost six years ago. I got so used to the grind of Mumbai, that every time I visited my parents, after the initial euphoria of seeing them, I would get bored and not know how to pass time. I used to feel that there was hardly anything to do there. No housework as Mom was used to doing it all by herself, also there was hardly any life outside too. By dusk, all shops would be closed and it was unheard of to venture outside after dark. Lights were off by 10 and people would be off to bed. But over the last couple of years, Mangalore has undergone such a vast development that it is difficult to believe that it is the same city I grew up in. Huge malls, shopping centers, food courts, multiplexes, restaurants, etc have been springing up left, right, and center of the city. People are still out on the streets late in the evening which was unheard of a couple of years ago. Mangalore has become more of a cosmopolitan city now and with the newly laid roads and better infrastructure, it is well on its way to becoming a metropolitan city.

We took off on an impromptu visit, which was planned in a matter of a couple of hours to surprise my parents, a gift for their forthcoming birthdays in the next couple of weeks. It was very hard to keep the entire trip a surprise and it took a lot of coordination with my sister who helped us to maintain the secrecy of this trip, but our efforts payed off when we saw how pleasantly surprised and delighted were my parents on finding my husband and me at their doorstep!

The last 10 days have been filled with a lot of laughter, fun, pampering, shopping, and a whole lot of gorging on delicacies, both home-cooked and some more that Mangalore is famous for. Almost anyone who has ever been to Mangalore would have tasted the Ideal Icecreams. Our trips to my hometown are never complete without having lunch at Hotel Hao Hao and the famous 'Gadbad' ice-cream. These are always on our to-do list even before we set out on our trip. This time too we kept the tradition of having an authentic Chinese lunch at Hotel Hao Hao - gorging on the prawns and the chilli chicken! Nothing ever tastes as good as the Chilli Chicken of Hotel Hao Hao!!! In spite of having been around for nearly three decades now, the quality of food has always been the same if not better, than what it was all those years ago. Great food, great service - all at affordable prices!!!


All in all, it was a great trip and even though it is hardly a day since we came back home, I am missing my parents and my hometown already.

4 comments:

raji said...

Hm.....I love it ..Anything about Mnagalore and Iam there .Good Iam the first one to comment too.As you said Mangalore has changed a lot since before ;the point that you said about the more busy night life owes to the numerous professional colleges ,software companies launched there .Also ,I heard that the second largest mall in the entire nation is at Mangalore .I havent seen it though! haven't really visited Mangalore since 2 years!
Ideal icecreams nobody can miss as you said ; Vas Bakery's plum cakes and other delicacies ;Hotel Taj Mahal's wheat halva,Komal sweets ka kaaju fry and then cochin bakery's banan chips ,the city market side peanut stall which exclusively sells different types of peanuts ,I have some special lists like this.Nice write up.You made me very very nostalgic.

Mak said...

Hey Mangala, it was indeed a great way to surprise your parents. Though am not from Mangalore, have been there many times & do enjoy the delicious ice creams, each time i visit.

@ Raji.. It's good to be nostalgic, at times.

Amrit said...

That was nice of you to surprise your parents. Awesome. All cities are changing. Soon every place will look the same. I am not sure I agree with it but we may not have a choice.

Nice post.

Anonymous said...

Mangalore is definately changing...the greenery is giving way to multistoryed building.....Kadri Kamla we do not know how long it will last as someone told me the field is already sold to some real estate developers.....Most of my friends whom I have recommended Hao Hao have had tummy upsets...the taste might not have changed but I am sure the hygine level at this hotel may not have kept pace with time. I have stopped recommending them. Now Mainland China is arrived and is located above the VW showroom on Byepass road. I would recommend ...Goldfinch, Mangala ...Ocean Pearl..Foodland for a meal...Panambur Beach is making news so is Citi Centre Mall..but I now prefer Bharath Mall because has less crowd and you get more attention...and everything is compact unlike citi centre where my legs ache walking :)

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