[vibbs]

Originally Posted by car love

Almost all people in Kerala will not understand the word "Mutton". If you ask mutton, most likely it will be Beef. Be prepared for such stuff if it bothers you..

Beef is available in most restaurants because it is the most popular and the cheapest meat. Whereas Mutton is relatively expensive. So smaller restaurants may not have it. But it is incorrect to say people dont understand Mutton in kerala.

Sure we love Beef more. But we love our Mutton as well

Also you will not be given Beef if you ask for mutton unless there is a translation error. Most keraliites will know that mutton and beef tastes distinct.

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by vibbs

Beef is available in most restaurants because it is the most popular and the cheapest meat.

Chicken is the cheapest meat, right? Chicken is cheaper than entry level A segment fishes like Mackerel and sometime Sardine.

OP - Kochi is better option of the two. Be prepared for hot and humid weather though. Get a Mundu for you and a Kerala Kasavu Saree for your wife and enjoy your stay in Kerala.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Chicken is the cheapest meat, right? Chicken is cheaper than entry level A segment fishes like Mackerel and and sometime Sardine.

You are right.

I editted the post twice but missed this. I should have used cheaper.

[warrioraks]

Originally Posted by deemash

3. Cosmopolitan culture
Kochi is best in this case. As an example, if you go to Mattancherry (near Fort Kochi) you will see lots of Jains, Gujjus, Konkanis..etc living in harmony. By 9 or 10pm both cities sleep.

Ticks the right boxes for us.

Originally Posted by gtonsing

But me and my wife sneeze throughout the year due to whatever reason(s) Both our daughters are born here but the younger one has allergic problems (though not severe) and the doctor we consulted lightly mentioned that a 'cure' would be to move out of Bangalore.

Thanks for sharing your real-life experience. If I can ask, did the doctor mention any long term impact of being exposed to these allergens?

Originally Posted by car love

I guess a lot of excellent points have already been covered here. There is something else also that i would like to point out. Many people from the North are aghast at the beef eating habits of the people in Kerala. One of my friends and I did a remote back road trip of Kerala and arrived at a small restaurant in the middle of nowhere. The non veg part of the menu was almost entirely Beef. Almost all people in Kerala will not understand the word "Mutton". If you ask mutton, most likely it will be Beef. Be prepared for such stuff if it bothers you..

We are completely neutral (or atleast I feel so) towards it. Thanks for highlighting, I need to run this by the home minister since she is a vegetarian.

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Get a Mundu for you and a Kerala Kasavu Saree for your wife and enjoy your stay in Kerala.

First thing on my shopping list if we end up being in the state

[JojyKerala]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

I need to run this by the home minister since she is a vegetarian.

Just a quick note on the vegetarian angle.

Kerala is home to some fine veg dishes, ranging from avial, parippu, a variety of "thoran" preparations, kadala curry, vegetable stews and a variety of payasams.

These preparations are available in most restaurants where they have "meals".

Not to mention a lot of restaurants in every nook and corner serve dosa, idlis, appams with vegetarian dishes.

Originally Posted by car love

Almost all people in Kerala will not understand the word "Mutton". If you ask mutton, most likely it will be Beef. Be prepared for such stuff if it bothers you..

Yes, beef is available at most non-veg eateries but all malayalees (people and shop owners) know the difference between mutton and beef.

I have been working alongside North Indians and people from other parts of India at Technopark (Trivandrum). Most eateries have multiple non-veg options, including chicken, egg, mutton and several varieties of fish to choose from. So my non-Kerala colleagues never had a reason to complain.

[gtonsing]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

Thanks for sharing your real-life experience. If I can ask, did the doctor mention any long term impact of being exposed to these allergens?

No. But then again, I did not specifically ask. And also, when you say allergy, it opens up a wide variety of allergens and I guess you will have to be specific. And my younger daughters' allergy was to do with breathing initially, most recently she had rashes and it happens in all times of the year.

[rahulskumar]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

Hello All,



Now coming to the decision that needs to be taken - which city should we relocate to? Listing down our preferences to provide some context on what we are looking for:
1. Good law and order situation
2. Cost of living should not exceed what we experience in Gurgaon
3. Cosmopolitan culture
4. Should not have pollen problem (which rules out Bangalore and that is the reason the title does not mention it)
5. City which can be navigated easily with the help of languages we already know - Hindi and English
6. Decent weekend getaways
7. Less pollution (staying in Delhi, this becomes an important thing to look out for in a new city)

Both cities are completely unknown for us. Google search seems to prefer Kochi on the majority of our preferences. But I would rely on the collective wisdom of this forum rather than user stories on Quora. Thanks for your time!

My Mom is from Tvm while my Dad is from Kollam. My parents are still in Mumbai. I was bought up in Mumbai till I completed my engineering in 2007. Basically I was visiting my grand parents during the summer holidays. I moved out of Mumbai in 2007 and due to my job I kept traveling between Bangalore, Noida and Dehradun till 2010. My wife is from Kayamkulam. Kept switching companies and finally reached US in 2013. Due to the H1 issues I moved out from USA. Even though I found a job in Hyd, I did not want my kids to grow in polluted metros. I directly relocated my family to TVM and I keep shuttling between Tvm-Hyd. Due to lockdown I'm currently in Tvm from past 3 months and the situation made me realize money is not everything in life and money cannot even buy the quality of life that I kept thinking throughout my life. It comes free of cost in Kerala.

Do I regret staying in Kerala ? Never. You will never find this kind of healthcare and education system anywhere in the world. As parents we need to keep track of our kids and that is a different story. Teachers are highly qualified.

The current status is that non-Malayali workers in Kerala speak better Malayalam than me. I am still learning to speak properly. I'm very happy to speak Hindi with someone who comes to work in my farm.

For Bhpians like us, you will find so many hilly and winding roads like we see in Dehradun/Massourie and even the remotest areas are connected by a small road or connected by public transport

English and Hindi is well understood by many people and you can easily survive. Plenty of beaches and eateries. Most of them still like to play football.


Cons:
1. Switching jobs is difficult and cannot expect Bangalore/Hyd level salaries. But not much pollution in TVM ( compensates ).

2. No good highways for roadies like us. I got hold of a Interceptor 650 to tackle TVM-Cochin during weekends to meet my cousins and friends in Cochin. During day time it will take more than 6 hours to cover 200 kms by car and I save around 2 hours by bike. Roads are better from Cochin to Coimbatore and Bangalore stretch. I have driven more than 100 times to Bangalore via Madurai (from TVM) The roads are better once you exit Kerala border most of the times. At 35 even after driving more than 6 lakh kms, sometimes my right knee gives up due to the slow moving traffic inside Kerala and heavy use of brakes. Average speed and distance covered is very less even for inter district travel. Do not buy a automatic before checking out the overtaking capability on these single lane highways on full loads ( especially the CVT's ). No issue with Mercedes Benz and Bimmer automatics, the traditional automatics fare well on these roads.

3. Airfare is usually higher to/from TVM and insane during Onam and Christmas festival. Most of the time, we used to take Mum-Kochi flight and then take alternate option to reach TVM. Even now I used to take Hyd-Kochi or Hyd-Kannur flight and reach Tvm by train

4. Even long distance train connectivity is less when compared to Cochin. Jan-Shatabdi is the best option to travel inside Kerala.

5. Dont expect the Bhelpuri and Dahipuri to taste the same like we find in Mumbai.

6. In case you are purchasing property make sure you buy during the rainy season. There are many low lying areas and chances of flooding when water from dams is released is more

7. Speeds cam hidden between the trees and will click at the most unexpected place. My cousin got fined for riding at 45 at a 40 km/hr zone

8. For people like me who don't understand politics, it can be difficult to socialize. Every kid here knows politics and have their own opinion about their rights. I have not found this kind of deep routed political penetration in other states.

I think you will be better anywhere in Kerala when compared with other metros. Just prioritize your kids schooling and connectivity to your hometown as this will come under your personal expense.

Cochin is more or like a metro city now a days. In TVM, you will find the peak traffic inside city is during the government office hours. IT hub is 12 kms away from city center.

[peterjim13]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

So it seems that the jury is out - On paper, Kochi appears to be a better city for someone with a typical IT mindset and from North part of the country.

I am sure you would have received ample thoughts to make an opinion already.

A few things I felt were not covered in comments.

1. Language Hindi: I have a bunch of colleagues from Bihar, Mumbai, Bengal etc who have been working across the country/globe etc. They do not speak anything beyond their mother tongue, Hindi and English.

Pretty amused with their feedback and thanks to the migrant labourers in the state Hindi as a language is widely understood. Even in rural areas, you will find people who can understand and respond to you in Hindi.

In fact my friend who is from Kolkata is quite comfortable given that the staff who helps him in the fish stall and the barber are both from Bengal and they speak Hindi and Bengali quite well. This is Kakkanad in Cochin.

2. Another thing to note is the climate. Both the cities are not like Delhi or Bangalore in terms of the climate. Except for the Monsoons, you will generally have to get used to the burning heat, throughout the year.

I feel the discussion has literally given you enough and more thoughts. Just a couple of points to make my presence felt

Cheers

[Lambydude]

Originally Posted by car love

I guess a lot of excellent points have already been covered here. There is something else also that i would like to point out. Many people from the North are aghast at the beef eating habits of the people in Kerala. One of my friends and I did a remote back road trip of Kerala and arrived at a small restaurant in the middle of nowhere. There were big pictures of Hindu Gods and Godesses on the cashiers wall but the non veg part of the menu was almost entirely Beef. Almost all people in Kerala will not understand the word "Mutton". If you ask mutton, most likely it will be Beef. Be prepared for such stuff if it bothers you..

Mutton is very popular in Kerala and I'm sure that everyone understands the word. Beef is also very popular in the state. Photos on the wall has nothing to do with what is there on the menu.

[warrioraks]

Update - After considering a combination of personal and professional factors, we have settled-in for Bangalore as of now. The relocation will happen once the Covid situation normalises.
Thank you to everyone who responded with their inputs. The thread title in hindsight comes out to be misleading, apologies for that.
See you in Bangalore traffic rant thread.

[srishiva]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

Update - After considering a combination of personal and professional factors, we have settled-in for Bangalore as of now. The relocation will happen once the Covid situation normalises.
Thank you to everyone who responded with their inputs. The thread title in hindsight comes out to be misleading, apologies for that.
See you in Bangalore traffic rant thread.

Welcome to Bengaluru ! You can take care of traffic by choosing where to live. The City will take care of rest.

[warrioraks]

Originally Posted by srishiva

Welcome to Bengaluru ! You can take care of traffic by choosing where to live. The City will take care of rest.

Thank you
On picking the right place to live - I am assuming that I will have to balance between paying exorbitant rents vs spending half my life on the road.

One thing I have been wondering about - how strong is the need for using air conditioners in Bangalore? I have a couple of them currently and not sure if I should keep/sell them before moving.

[srishiva]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

Thank you
On picking the right place to live - I am assuming that I will have to balance between paying exorbitant rents vs spending half my life on the road.

One thing I have been wondering about - how strong is the need for using air conditioners in Bangalore? I have a couple of them currently and not sure if I should keep/sell them before moving.

You can keep them. If you live in a house or room with roof and walls exposed to Sun, no tree shade etc, you might still need it. Nights are 21,22 degrees and we should blame our house construction for the warmth.

The average temperature this month is around 33. Good rains for last few days and we are almost end of May and near to pleasant Monsoon season.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

Thank you
On picking the right place to live - I am assuming that I will have to balance between paying exorbitant rents vs spending half my life on the road.

One thing I have been wondering about - how strong is the need for using air conditioners in Bangalore? I have a couple of them currently and not sure if I should keep/sell them before moving.

Air conditioners have become more prevalent in Bangalore. Personally have never felt the need for one. As long as you are staying in a reasonably well ventilated place and not in top floor you can survive without one. The only real period when you feel the heat indoors in Bangalore is March mid to May mid. Once the pre monsoon showers start , it cools down. Just my personal opinion.

Having said that, since you already have them, you can get it along.

[warrioraks]

Another question for fellow Bhpians - I am thinking of buying a diesel car in NCR (6 to 7) years old and then move it to Bangalore with me.

Reason for this is that Delhi NCR bans diesel vehicles older than 10 years whereas Karnataka doesn't. So a 6 year old car has 4 years of remaining life in NCR but 9 years of life in Karnataka. Any thoughts on why this might or might not work?