Kozhikode has a tradition of welcoming people belonging to many lands. From ancient times, visitors have arrived here and they included Vasco da Gama and other historical personalities too. Many among them enjoyed the local cuisine as well as the peaceful atmosphere prevailing here.
Even during the present day, Kozhikode hosts numerous people from other places. Among them women hailing from other states are notable. These women are not only from the neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, but also from faraway regions like the North-East, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and others.
They came here in search of a job and have been in the city for a short period. But all the women have only good words to describe Kozhikode and its people. Onmanorama presents a few of such women.
Peky from Mizoram are happy
Patrons at Happy Cup café at Railway Station Link Road will be greeted with a happy smile and wishes of ‘Happy morning’ and ‘Happy evening’ by Peky and two other women from Mizoram. They have been in Kozhikode for the past one year.
Though she finds the local people friendly, Peky says picking up Malayalam has been difficult.
In the city, Peky loves to wander at the beach and in the malls during off days. The sights here are so different from Mizoram. “Here, there are crowds everywhere and traffic is heavy on the roads. But though I have travelled alone and along with friends in the city, we always felt secure,” she says. People of Kozhikode are warm, friendly and kind, according to Peky.
From Kenya to teach French
Kashmira Patel, hailing from Gujarat, arrived in Kozhikode seven years ago to teach French at Sadbhavana School. She too is all-praise for the city and its people. “Kozhikode is totally safe,” she says.
Kashmira was born and brought up in Kenya as her grandmother belonged there. Later, she reached Anand in Gujarat along with her parents Sarada Behn and Tekchan Bhai. Having been educated at Kenya and India, Kashmira is fluent in six languages - Kiswahili which is the official language of Kenya, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, English and French. However, even after a seven-year stay in Kozhikode, she struggles with her Malayalam. But that has not posed any problem, points out Kashmira.
During vacations, Kashmira heads to Gujarat to be with her mother.
Amrita feels secure here
Amrita Gurung, a barista at ‘Hug a Mug’ café lounge in Hi-Lite business park, considers Kozhikode much more safe and secure than her native Kohima in Nagaland. She arrived here after hearing about the place from a friend, who told Amrita that jobs offering good pay and better living standards were available in Kozhikode. In Nagaland, Amrita used to be employed in low-paying jobs. Moreover, the cost of living was high in her native place. Hug a Mug has four Nagaland natives among its staff. There are four outlets in different parts of the city and Amrita and others enjoy benefits like weekly off and medical leave. In addition, are provident fund and ESI benefits as well as the Awas insurance coverage of the Kerala Government for Rs 2.50 lakh.
At the café, Amrita enjoys preparing various types of coffee. She loves creating images with coffee powder on the frothy cups. Her only concern is regarding the three-day-long trip on several trains to visit relatives back home.
Stylish ladies
Sumira, Songmit and Preeti are stylists at Tony and Guy hair dressing opposite Hi-Lite Mall on Bypass Road. They say making the folks here stylish is their aim. The young ladies have been here for about three months only. While Sumira and Songmit hail from Darjeeling in Bengal, Preeti belongs to Tripura.
They are yet to explore Kozhikode as rains have kept them indoors. But the women found time to visit Beach, which they said was ‘beautiful.’
Feeling secure in the city, the trio has a good opinion about the customers too.
“After the rains cease, we want to visit more places and also taste the local delicacies,” they say.
A fine place, says the doctor
Another notable resident of Kozhikode who hails from another state is Dr Vijaya Prakash, an anaesthetist at Meitra Hospital. The doctor’s association with the city dates back to 2009, when she came here to do a course at MIMS Hospital. Hailing from Nasik in Maharashtra, Dr Vijaya had completed her MBBS from Pune and was looking for options for higher studies at that time. After a three-year stint at MIMS Hospital, the doctor returned to her state. But she arrived in Kozhikode again in 2015 as an anesthetist and joined Meitra Hospital.
Another reason for Dr Vijaya to be in Kozhikode is that her husband, Dr Randeep Raghavan, belongs to Mahe. He is now attached to Govt Hospital, Thalassery.
Dr Vijaya too showers praises on Kozhikode and its people. “This is the ideal place to live. Though it is not as big an urban center as Mumbai, the facilities here are as good as the Metropolis. One feels safe anywhere you go in Kozhikode. People offer help when they realize that you are not a Keralite,” she says.
About the challenge of picking up Malayalam, Dr Vijaya says that she can manage shopping but have not tried to learn more. “However, I wish to continue working here,” reveals the doctor.
Read: She News
