My getaway city

There are many times when I want to get away from the city... away from the daily routine.

My getaway city has always been Pune - it takes me back to the days when life was simpler, when even though we thought we were putting off growing up, we all changed and grew up. And of course, just driving through the streets of Pune, brought back endless memories.

It was my untouched city, a city I could turn to when the pressure of Bombay got too much.

Now there's just one place on my mind, and while it brings back fond memories, it brings along with it a whole lot of fear.

Pune just doesn't seem safe anymore.

I understand that no one can really feel safe in any city. I live in Bombay, the city which is apparently always on high alert. But it felt good to know that there was a city, just a 4-hour journey away, that could make me forget.

And while that city still exists and life will get back to normal there, it has been scarred; with a bomb, blood and charred bodies.

So the next time I want to get away from the hectic city life, will I still think of Pune? Yes! It may no longer be untouched, but as I mourn the loss, I would definitely go back there to celebrate the glory of the place.