A few years ago, a peer of mine once told me that people who leave their countries to live in another country, even if it is for as short a period as a year or two, always lead dual lives. Back then, I found this statement to be quite blatant and unfounded, but that may well be the truth.
My life in India was comfortable as it could get, like is
the case with most Indian kids who live their parents. If you are a single
child living with your family, then you can easily find yourself in the category
of privileged kids. And more so, if are your mother’s ladla beta. While I
don’t belong to any of these categories, I was free from any household responsibilities.
Not only was I never expected to cook, but I also often enjoyed fully prepared meals
of my choice. Seeing my crumpled clothes in the laundry basket magically appear
in my cupboard the next day, fully ironed, was a reality. No matter what time I
woke, the maid would be quick to make the bed. Getting champis from my
mother or hearing my dad’s voice fill up with concern, while he strokes my head
most gently, are some add-ons to a life of all the things I enjoyed in India.
Two years ago, I left India to live in Singapore. It’s no
guess that my life changed to a very large extent. I’ve pretty much adjusted
myself to my current life out of India, with a few bouts of homesickness here
and there. My definition of comfort has
seen a huge shift. Today, every simple, home-cooked meal holds a lot of value. Having
someone over is so rare that, much unlike my reaction when the doorbell rings in
India, I always answer the doorbell with a lot of anticipation. I never thought
that the sight of a growing pile of laundry would get me anxious. Consequently,
seeing my clothes washed, dried and folded comes with a big relief. There are several
comforts on my current list that I’m leaving out for now.
Looking back on my life in India, I’m realise how I’m
finding comfort in all the things I once took for granted. However, during the times
when I feel like it’s all getting too much, all I do is eat a phulka roti
dipped in a steaming-hot cup of Nescafe coffee to make everything all right.
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