Full Circle

 

"It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change." Charles Darwin

"Whatever happens, happens for the best." Anonymous 

These quotes are embedded in the deep labyrinths of my mind. I have always lived by these maxims. They have more often than not worked as soothing balms on my conscious and subconscious mind. They have always had the power to guide me through different phases of my life. 

But human mind is such that when faced with a change, the first reaction is to shun it.....you can call it a chemical reaction between mind and heart. It's a struggle between the practical mind and the emotional heart. 

This is exactly what happened to me. 

It was a cozy life in Mumbai. Oh! How I loved my life in Mumbai!! Nestled in the warm township-like environment, I couldn't have asked for more. 

It was a treat watching my mischievous children play with their even more mischievous gang of friends in the beautiful green meadows of Hiranandani.

"Hai, gol gappe khaane ka mann kar raha hai. Chal chalte hain."

"Ganpati Bappa Morya! Let's go and watch the handi fun"

"Hey guys, what an awesome birthday surprise!"

The unending talks with friends at school junction was always a pleasure despite the sweltering Mumbai heat. The gluttonous lunches with melange of dishes cooked by all of us was something that we all looked forward to. The impromptu breakfast sessions especially after rigorous workouts was the lifeline of my most mornings. 

The midnight birthday surprises were my favorite and always threw me in a tizzy. Partying into the wee hours of the morning was a done thing. 

It was great to come together to celebrate each others festivals. 

We had started forming our own family traditions like the yearly diwali family reunions and birthday surprises by grandparents. These were awaited with much exuberance and zeal and I might add, more so for the suitcase full of gifts and unadulterated grandparent love. Mumbai being a pivotal point in the country, we were frequented by loads of our relatives and friends. I felt blessed hosting each and everyone of them. 

Life wouldn't have been complete without our weekend trips to malls and movies..... It was a complete package deal: Fun, Family, Friends. 

Life was meandering on its course beautifully. 

Then,

What? Shift! Why? Where?

Colombo?! Oh my god..... No please don't let this be true. We are moving?!!.... Please, please, please.....No!!

LTTE, Civil War, Communal Riots, Prabhakaran......these were the first few words that came to my mind. Is it safe now? How can we stay there? Oh my god!

These rhetorical questions kept playing in my mind, the answers to which I already knew.

I knew these were things of the past and had no bearing on the current state of affairs. Inspite of myself, I couldn't help but think about all those macabre yet historic events which have shaped this island's image for foreigners.

The abundance of loving warm friendships and closeness to family were the pillars of my life here. The proclamation of the move seemed to shatter this overnight.

There was a constant battle between my mind and my heart till the time we left. It seemed like a gargantuan task leaving behind such impressionable and meaningful friendships. 

3 months later we shift lock stock and barrel to Colombo.

Little did I know that many surprises are about to slowly creep up on me. 

What?! We have to buy water?!!! Oh my god, I almost had a heart attack. The thought of paying for drinking water within my own house was preposterous. Back in India, we have water filters. The world has reached high levels of water purification techniques, yet here........

Oh my god, next best alternative to tetra pack milk is a doodhwala (milkman)?Are we transported into yester years? No one I know in india takes milk from a doodhwala. Another shocker. I have been habituated to taking packet milk. Now, this milkman is a household name in most Indian households here. 

What in god's name is butter ghee? Don't people here know about pure ghee?! I was flabbergasted. My head was reeling now.

Oh lord!!! This Oreo is five time the price. Kids you can have only two biscuits per day. Now my kids were reeling under the dictate. This currency conversion was driving me insane even though I was dividing rather than multiplying.

After many such startling blows foisted upon us, the final blow.....no home-made dahi (curd). Now ours is a kashmiri household and we thrive on curd. So if there is no home-made curd on the dining table we break out in a total frenzy. Curd with rice. Curd with rotis. Curd with vegetables. Curd with lentils. Curd with chicken. Curd with mutton. You name it and we can have curd with it. A funny one - curd with noodles..... Well! that's my daughter's concoction (am rolling my eyes as I write this) but that's another story for another time.

While we are still coping up here, it's Diwali festival time in India. We are starved for those delicious sweets and streets laden with lights and glitz. We are starved for family and celebrations. We miss all that.

Well! It's not all that grim as I make it out to be. The first few things that enthralled me as we entered Colombo were the spick and span roads and lush greeny within every nook and corner of the city. People sincerely following traffic rules was also a gleeful sight unlike the planned chaos on Indian streets. Ethereal beauty of this place has captured my heart forever. Hospitality and the ever so welcoming nature of Sri Lankans can melt and warm anyone's heart.  

I have had plethora of wonderful and amicable experiences here. I remember one such incident with a trishaw driver. This incident threw me totally off balance. At the end of my journey, while paying I realised that I was short by 20 bucks and the driver had no short change. I was getting ready with all my ammunition for a rebuttal as I was sure this will not go down well with him. Come on! That's what we all are attuned to living in India (wink! wink!). What happened next pleasantly surprised me. He gave me a big warm smile and said, "it's okay madam. No problem." The calmness on his face amazed me. Incidents like these have been defining moments in my life. 

(Now don't you go around thinking of me as a miser.... To set the record straight, I didn't let the man lose his 20 buck)

It's been 3 years now. I have come to love this beautiful country as my own. Infact, my beloved motherland can take a few leaves from this book.

I have realised that Colombo is a huge melting pot. Medley of people and cultures mark the basic fabric of this island. People from all over world come here and make it their home even if it is for a short period of time. 

We, Indians have done the same. It's our little home away from home. It is amazing to meet our fellow countrymen from different walks of life and states. We all just blend in beautifully together absorbing each others traditions and cultures. I feel more of an Indian here than what I felt in India. One feels more patriotic living outside their country. Even a simple Indo-Pak/Indo-Sri lanka cricket match makes you exhilaratingly patriotic here.

We are always there to go out of our way to help out our fellow countrymen. I vividly remember those friendly helping hands and warm smiles during my initial days, guiding me and helping me find my ground. I have made some memorable and unimpeachable friendships here. Some of these bonds will stay with me forever. 

I have found a wonderful quality-life here. My children are overjoyed with their school and friends. Better-half happy working here. And for me....... I am indulging myself into what life has to offer now, taking one day at a time and enjoying it to the hilt.

I will always love my motherland with every fiber of my being. I will always miss everything about India. I will continue to be in a predicament of staying here or getting back to my country. But my life is here now. 

Life has a funny way of throwing things at you and making you deal with it. If it doesn't break you, it will make you stronger. Dealing with plethora of different situations every day has only made me realise how precious these experiences have been for me. They have honed me into a better person. Enriched with all these human experiences, I am ready for any change in my life....

Life is meandering on its course beautifully .

Life comes full circle.