I grew up in Guwahati, an idyllic city by the mighty Brahmaputra River. The once dillydallying and snug lanes with people checking on fish mongers at the break of dawnfor the best catch of the day exist no more.Concrete apartment complexes, sprawling malls, interminablewebs of flyovers have taken over the quaint little city like wild creepers overbearing their stay on unsuspecting tree barks. I often find my mind lingering into the crevices of my childhood memories that smell like a home cooked hilsa curry simmered in freshly ground mustard sauce.
Sundown by the Brahmaputra river, Guwahati
Image source: Author
Having lived out of a suitcase in several cities for over a decade, I am no alien to the idea of an identity crisis. The quest for carving a niche out for oneself in a new city can be a tedious one. Some were kind enough to let me borrow an umbrella on the oddrainy days, while others were simply unforgiving and gleefully watched me struggle across muddy puddles.My more recent move to Delhi further addedto this predicament.Sleek facades, towering structures andthe fleeting pacesteered my relentless pursuit of longing for a place to call home. As I stroll down a teeming walkway, I realize how every city tends to exhibit its own brand of idiosyncrasies. Hailing from Assam, colloquially known as the quintessential land of lahe-lahe (meaning slowly-slowly), I was initially quite revolted with the absolute indifference to the concept of impassivity here. People are somehow always on the go. The streets glow brighter and my reservations on keeping up with the hurried strides of the passersby mount higher with every passing day.
Sleek facades and bustling complexes in Gurugram
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This Dussera week, after some insistent soul searching and prudent retrospection, I finally gave in to this new city and ended up retracing my roots. Durga Puja is as much a part of my childhood as is an essentialfragment of my identity now. I find myself in the midst of a sea of people in Chittaranjan Park in New Delhi. Wide canopy lined roads, tastefully curated homes, lingering aroma of fish curry and mangsho-bhaat set too familiar a tone to miss. The triumphant chanting of MahishasurMardini, synchronized beats of the dhaktug at the core of my heart and transport me right back home, a thousand miles away. I slowly catch my breath and start soaking in this transcendent new energy fueled with a resolve to celebrate my new home, to give myself the room to grow and accept these wondrous new changes as they come. Brutal as it can be, the challenges that crop up with moving and settling down in a place far away from the comfort of a home, it can also be empowering and vitally enlivening. As Coldplay rightly puts it – Lights (be it big or small) do in fact guide you home.
A glistering Durga puja pandal in CR Park, New Delhi
Image source: Author
Ar. Prerana Hazarika
Assistant Professor
School of Art and Architecture Sushant University
