What is Home? feat. Chennai
For the longest time, I did not question the answer to where is home? It was always Chennai. Why? Because that's always the place where my parents lived. My parents have moved three times in Chennai, within the same neighbourhood, and it always felt like they were taking little parts of home away every time we shifted. Having grown up in the city and spent 23 years over there, I used to constantly complain about it - it was too small, too unexciting. I itched to move elsewhere and see other parts of the world. Over time, I've gone back to live with my parents after my master, when I was looking for a job and in-between jobs. I would fly home to them regularly and always told myself that home would be wherever my parents were. I enjoyed being with my parents and friends but would soon get bored of Chennai and constantly wait to leave.
A couple of months ago, my parents moved to Bangalore while I was in Korea. It's a short term thing so I didn't think much about it. They took the train to visit me in Chennai when I came back for a couple of days and then left. Soon, they wanted me to go to Bangalore to spend some time with them.
It was there that I realised that I just could not be comfortable in Bangalore. It was all too strange. My parents were there but I was constantly itching to go back home.
It seems that Chennai is my home, whether my parents are in it or not.
It's the place where I was born, where I took my first steps, where I went to school, learnt to make friends and transitioned from child to girl to woman. It's where I learnt to like the books and music I like. Its bars are where I first danced nights away. Its people are the ones who give me the best laughs or the most supporting shoulders to cry on. Its streets are the ones that I can navigate blindfolded. Its seas have watched me build sand castles, given me its shells, provided me with motivation to exercise and sung me to sleep. It's the place that I can now comfortably call home.
Chennai is the home that I didn't get to choose. It is the home that I will go back to when I have nowhere else to go to. I may not like many things about the city. I may complain about it incessantly. But it is my home. And no one else dare say a word against it.
What makes a home for you?
This is a series of articles that explores what is the meaning of home through the experiences of the different cities I've lived in. In a world where travel and moving to different cities for various reasons is the norm, most people have two or more places that they would call home. Read the first part Where is Home? feat. Seoul here. Let me know what about the city you're from makes it a home for you. I'd love to hear.
Thank you @manouche for this story about Chennai. Although I was born in the U.S. and lived there until adulthood, France became my home. There was just something about Paris; I still love it. And now I have a house in the country in Normandy and am spending more time there than in the city. If feels the way I feel now; quiet, old houses, rose bushes, village atmosphere. I am looking forward to returning to India at the end of this year. I love getting off the plane and smelling the spices.
There is something about France, I also like to think that a small part of it is my home. It's infact the next part of my exploration of homes.
Paris does have an incredible magic to it - it's the same way I think of Bombay - you can't entirely entirely love it until you hate it a little bit.
A house in the country side in Normandy does sound wonderful! I've only been to Granville but really love to visit that part of France again someday.
It's true that the air in India smells so different. It's a mix of hope, sweat and spices. I love it. Hopefully I'll be around when you're here! I'd love to meet you in person and see what you get up to in Chennai.
If you come to Paris, you are welcome to stop by my studio for coffee - or tea. I will let you know when I come to India.
of the new studio I have added to the pre-existing structure. The light will be wonderful; no more straining and depending on electric light.
I have been enjoying the country so much! Here are a couple of photos
Thanks for the invite! I'll definitely keep that in mind, would love to see the place where all the magic happens.
Thehouse looks wonderful! Love the exposed brick windows, the creepers and vines and also the winter terasse on the top. Definitely looks like a place to get those cretive juices flowing. You should give us a peek into your workspaces too, I think it would make for a great post.
It's hard to define Home, especially in our time, we move all the time. For me, home is where the people I love are. Friends, family... different places but the moments that we share together anywhere that count the most.
I like the photo with the clouds, nice texture.
Yeah, the people definitely matter. What I love about Chennai is that I bump into some of my best friends while I'm grocery shopping or just passing them by on the street. Most of them have now left though but as you say the moments we share together in other parts of the world are just as special.
Those were the clouds in Chennai yesterday! It was a hot but beautiful day.
Chennai seems to be a good place to live, especially with the beach next door, I'll love to live closed to the sea.
Honestly, it can get a bit boring but having the beach at 300m is definitely a perk!