I was born and brought up in Bihar. So obviously I loved it and I can relate to a lot of stuff related to Bihar. I feel differently about things related to Bihar; as compared to how other people understand and decipher Biharis.
Then for one year I lived in Lucknow ('98-'99). I really appreciate their language and culture; which is much 'refined'. Even now I 'feel' something whenever some stuff related to Lucknow/UP comes up. I very fondly and clearly remember the dabbawala who delivered food while I studied there; and all the guys; people and places around.
Then I went to Bengal for engineering and stayed there for 4 years (2000-04). I really loved their culture as well and felt people-to-people connect which naturally happens if you are at a place for long. Even now sometimes when I catch a Bengali movie on DD Bangla; I watch it completely. There is something 'magical' in Bangla and Bengalis.
Then I stayed for 2 years in Chhattisgarh due to my first job (04-06). I really liked how happily and peacefully people lived there. I much appreciated the simplicity of people and 'spirit of life' there.
Then I came to Maharashtra (2006) and after working for 1 year in Thane, I joined MBA in Mumbai. Staying for 4 years in Mumbai, I really loved the big buzzing city and had got fully aligned with its fast lifestyle. I thought I would stay there forever. Then I went to Pune in 2010 as I joined Infosys and stayed there for 6 years. With 10 years in Maharashtra I was in awe of everything - their history, life and essence of religion and culture.
Then I arrived in Delhi/Noida in 2016. Before coming here, I never really liked it. Summer was too hot and winters were too cold. To top it, there were stories of crime all around. After living here I saw summer meant water-melons, kulfis, and chhach/lassi. Winter meant delicious food, fresh vegetables, til ke laddoos and tasty gazaks. And everyone spoke Hindi. I never dreamed I would love Delhi some day; which I am totally into now.
I remember, even after switching 2/3 places, I had realized that I loved everyplace I went. In fact when I had stayed in Denmark for 1 month, just after 10 days I had started feeling so 'at home' that a colleague in office remarked about it. I used to walk by a big Danish Castle daily and it used to remind me of the college building near our childhood home at hometown. Is it normal to feel comfortable where ever different places you go?
I think it is possible because ultimately all people are humans and all places are on the same earth. Degree of their differences may vary but from inside they are 'more same than different'. Every place has something nice about it. From outside we cannot understand or know the place very well and hence would make different opinions about the places. But once inside, we may start seeing similarities and start appreciating good things about it; and hence would start loving the new place as well. That helps getting 'settled down' at new places.
- Rahul
