Adjusting to life in a Tier 2 City

It has been 5 months since my last update and my life is taking a different turn with my relocation to a Tier 2 City called Coimbatore. It is west of Chennai and close to the border of Kerala. 

Coimbatore used to be called the 'Manchester of South India' with its textile mills although that is not the primary industry now. It boasts the second largest software sector in Tamil Nadu with the leading giants like Cognizant and other BPOs based in the city. Coimbatore is also at the base of the Western Ghats which is a long mountainous range now named as a UNESCO World Heritage site and considered one of the eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity in the world. It extends all along the western side of India from the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.

The mild, salubrious climate is one of the major reasons for many folks to move to Coimbatore and I certainly considered that factor when I decided to make my permanent residence on the outskirts of this city. However, I am more and more convinced that global warming is not a figment of the imagination but very much a reality! Coimbatore is no longer as mild in temperature as it was just 20 years ago although still relatively cooler than Chennai.

Where I now live is surrounded by the Western Ghats and home to many wildlife, gorgeous flora and fauna. I love waking up before the sun peeks out and take my 30 minute walk within the gated community watching the birds just enjoying the daybreak with loud chatter, squirrels starting their search for nuts and gorgeous butterflies and bees flitting from the Bougainvillea to Rangoon Creeper to Oleander of various shades of pink, red and of course white.

The canopy of ‘Gulmohr’ or Royal Poinciana is in full bloom right now all over the area as well as the amazing powder puff, the gorgeous yellow clusters of Cassia tree and other flowering trees whose names I must now learn especially the beautiful lilac clusters just hanging down almost to the sidewalks.

As usual with the heat of summer come fruits that are some of my favourites- mango, watermelon, papaya, mangosteen, lychee, passion fruit and pomegranate. What is disappointing this year is the quality of mangoes due to the drought and weak monsoon of last year. I am glad that I had the opportunity to enjoy the varieties of mangoes last year and hope that next year will produce a better crop as the weather experts predict a good monsoon.

I am enjoying my new quarters on the west outskirts of the city in a village called Vedapatti. I live in a 3 bedroom villa with a large balcony on the second floor and have beautiful views of the mountains. I managed to bring all the plants from Chennai and they have all started blooming again adding to the greenery around. I have seen peacocks sitting on top of the neighbour’s roof and my driver who lives a kilometre away tells me wild elephants have been coming into the village in search of water.

The popular mountain around here is Maruthamalai, meaning ‘hill of vegetation’ and a temple dedicated to Lord Murugan is built at the top. It is believed that many plants of medicinal value grow on this mountain and there are a number of ayurvedic and health clinics in the area.

My full time contract with the company will end in August and I am preparing for that change by starting my search for some property to build my retirement home with solar energy, rain water harvesting and water recycling along with organic gardening. Surprisingly more folks are checking out solar energy possibilities in Coimbatore making it easier to find architects and builders who have the expertise and experience. The state has also set a mandate to institutions that a percentage of their energy usage must be derived from solar- it would be great when they actually provide the incentives to encourage more investments.

I am also networking with folks to identify an area to start my women’s training centre. I met with the district collector who is the highest civil servant for the city to get his view on potential villages surrounding the city. He mentioned a few and when I asked him for his thoughts on my plan to equip women with skills, he was reticent to offer any saying his job is just to follow the dictates of the government? I can see that my journey is fraught with a few challenges- although there are many who have shown enthusiasm and excitement to be involved- so I’m encouraged and elated at the same time.

Living in a tier 2 city does mean that you are not able to have access to various foods and wine like before! So I’m investigating other possibilities so that I do not have to be totally deprived of a few pleasures! On the other hand, being so close to the Nilgiris mountains where I grew up, I’m able to get fruits like peaches, plums, cherries even Haas avocadoes that are fresh. This is the best season to visit the hill station and I hope to be able to do that next week.

Ooty at an elevation of 8200 feet, is well known for its annual flower show that is a spectacular display of colour and variety of flowers- each year they try to add a new species brought in from another country to add to the diversity. There is also a wonderful vegetable show that takes place in Kotagiri a town not too far that has brought tourists from all over. The district collector has had an ordinance against the use of plastic bags for a few years to reduce the garbage that seems to be choking the wildlife in these mountains which are all now part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. The Nilgiris also has a very old matriarchal tribe called the Todas where the woman married all the male members of a family! Of course today that practice is largely abandoned.  

I plan to visit the US late July for a few weeks- I hope to be able to see some of my friends as time and schedules permit. Please keep in touch. I love to hear from you.

Warmest Regards