Aelita left her home in Latvia and has been living in Pune for the past six and a half years. Ask her what she likes about the city and her answer is prompt, “I like the people here. They are so friendly and helpful. I also like the food here. It’s very tasty and there is so much variety”.

But her list of dislikes far outnumbers her list of likes. The lady decries the paucity of exhibition halls in the city. Says she, “I don’t know why but no one pays much attention to fine arts in this city. If an artist wants to have an exhibition of his/her paintings, there are hardly any options open.

“The few halls that are at hand are either very badly maintained or far away from the city. It’s really sad. Besides, people here are not very well-versed in fine arts. Pune may be the cultural capital of Maharashtra but fine art has no place in this culture. It is more music-oriented, I feel”.

Festival time is meant for enjoyment, but Aelita finds that Pune makes too much noise during festive seasons. “People are only interested in blaring out loud filmi music which can be really irritating to the ears.

“Besides, this makes the festival lose its charm. The essence of the particular festival is destroyed because it seems more like an event to let out pent-up feelings rather than the celebration it is meant to be”.

If Pune has a lot more greenery than most cities, then Puneites make sure it is well-hidden by the “ugly hoardings selling various products.” Last, but certainly not the least, this artist finds the road conditions pathetic. However, she would not like to compare these with those in her own country because she feels that “comparisons are odious. Every country has its own speciality and one should not overlook that.” And yet, these complaints notwithstanding, there “is still something that I cannot put in words,” she shrugs, “something that made me choose this city as my home”.