The security deposit in Bangalore for renting an apartment/house is 10-months’ rent. This is primarily to insure the owner against damage to the property, non-payment of rent, etc. In Paying Guest (PG) accommodation, you can get away with a two-month or three-month deposit, but for renting a place, you pay the full price.
I get that [...]
A few days ago, I was at Hyderabad airport during the the strike by some airport employees. The flights were okay but the problem was a lack of trolleys to move luggage. The lines at the departure terminal were chaotic and getting a trolley meant that you had to show your ticket and passport to [...]
If you’ve not heard about the blasts in Hyderabad yesterday, you read about it here. The targets were innocent civilians, some watching a laser show, and others hanging out at a popular chat joint. I remember eating at the chat joint in my college days and it used to be hugely popular, especially with people [...]
Hyderabad biryani is one of those foods that will probably be on the menu in the buffet at Eden. The slow-cooked rice, with the different spices, and the tender meat is something of a treat. If you’re a Hyderabad Biryani afficionado, you probably know that the true gourmet eats the mutton biryani (and not its [...]
I was watching the news this afternoon on BBC, when a report that there was a bomb blast in Hyderabad caught my attention. Here’s a news article from NDTV about the incident.
A word about CNN-IBN’s coverage–atrocious. The anchor, who was speaking to a DGP, repeatedly tried to put words into the DGP’s mouth and reframed [...]
This is an excerpt from an article I wrote more than three years ago, but it still captures, for me, the spirit of midnight mass at St. Mary’s Church, Secunderabad.
The night is usually cloudless and stars are visible in the sky. To me, it always seems that on this night, there is one star shining [...]
You can’t watch the 3D and I-MAX version of Superman Returns in Bangalore because we don’t have an I-MAX theatre here. I watched the movie in Hyderabad, which does have an I-MAX.
The I-MAX theatre is big and has a huge screen. However, unlike the other I-MAX theatres that I’ve been to, the screen was too [...]
Most auto drivers in Bangalore are jerks. I said MOST, because there are some who are good.
Auto guys are stupid too, but that’s another discussion.
Observe auto drivers, especially in areas where there are auto stands and you’ll see how they’ll wave passengers away, how they’ll ask for more money (during the day), and how [...]
The water refers to the water in Tank Bund in Hyderabad. The ‘front’, because through the restaurant you have a view of the lake.
At night, when I went, you can see the Gautama Buddha statue in the distance and the lake waters are almost black and shiny. You can also see the road on [...]
Fusion 9 is a lovely restaurant in Hyderabad that has a jazz band playing live every Friday night. (Sorry Bangalore folks, we ain’t got one over here.) I went there a couple of weeks ago, primarily because I’m a sucker for live music.
It was raining heavily in Hyderabad and was the worst day to [...]
