Agra, 1994 – I was standing on the old swing in the aangan of our Agra haveli and swinging away to glory. The ground in the aangan was lined with red bricks, the sides of which had become blunt and the colour had turned orange with time. The swing was very old and pretty high. I played on the swing everyday, as a matter of habit. It was my happy place. That particular day was no special. It was a hot and dry summer afternoon, and I was by myself swinging away to glory. At the highest point on the swing, I felt like I was on top of the world! Up and high the swing went, and then back down. To and fro, to and.. “What would it be like if I let go of my hands? I’m so curious..”…fro. I let go, just like that. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, the swing board dangling besides me. The orange bricks had a lot of red on them, but I felt just fine! I walked into the living room and told my father, who was attending to some business associates, that I had fallen off the swing. Thinking it was nothing serious, he sent me to Ma. She was aghast when she saw blood trickling down my neck. It was only then that I realized I had hurt myself pretty bad, and immediately started howling, for attention of course. I got around 5-6 stitches and a scar that’s thankfully well hidden by my hair. I was 5 at that time.
To date, I have never felt the kind of thrill and adrenaline rush as I felt in that instant! I have set out to find that little girl who acted on instinct. Now I’m not saying I want to be as reckless as I was back then (because we all know what happened to the curious cat!) but I do want to know once again what it feels like to be truly free and calm, to be able to live in the moment, no matter what the circumstances are.
I was born in Calcutta and spent the best part of my childhood in a boarding school in Shimla. I’m half UPite and half Himachali. I do not identify with any particular state or culture but relate most with Himachalis and Bengalis. Besides Kolkata and Shimla, I have lived parts of my life so far in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Agra and Noida. I have always been on the move and have loved being a part of so many different cultures and people.
I studied 5 years to be a lawyer and spent 7 years in the profession. Quit recently to find “life’s true calling”! My family is my foundation and my husband, my rock. Very bad at keeping in touch, but good friends know that no matter how long it’s been, I’m just a phone call away. Love to read, and absolutely love eating regional authentic cuisines (besides the regular junk food, of course). Can never pick between the mountains and the ocean. Love a good hike and also a day by the beach!
This blog is to give the world an insight into my journey as a person and as an aspiring entrepreneur, and during the course of this, to know your thoughts and to learn more about you. Looking forward!
Gazing through my Window... 