What is home? Cliché will tell you that home is where the heart is, quirky pop culture posts will tell you things like ‘home is where the chai is’, and urban philosophers will tell you home is a myth and is only an elusive idea.
For me though, home is a person. Perhaps, a place becomes home because of the people I experience it with.
For the longest time, Bangalore was my home. It still is, in so many senses of the word.
But Bangalore is not home only because I grew up there. Bangalore is not home only because my parents and friends live there. Bangalore is not home only because I went to school and worked there.
As much as it is about the nooks and corners of Bangalore itself, it is also that much more about the people I spent time with at said places.
Home is Sunday morning breakfasts at Adigas because amma would wake up feeling lazy to cook on Sunday mornings and Yesha and I would end up walking to Adigas to pack idlis for home.
Home is ginger chai and banana cake at Chai Point because it is over these countless cups of chai that Pri and I took life changing decisions.
Home is long walks around Dollar’s Colony because Su and I walked through these streets discussing what life will turn out to be.
Home is Vada and Chutney at Veena Stores because Sid and I would take off from work and start our relaxed mornings with the yummy food there and continue to walk the beautiful streets of Malleshwaram.
And over a reflection a couple days ago, I realized that Pune is steadily becoming home as well. And it was a very comforting realization that, true to my nature, I have found people who have been instrumental in making this place home. People whom I have found a home in.
Pune is German Bakery because it is here that Dee and I held after school catharsis sessions.
Pune is the lemon grass tea at Third Wave because it is over these afternoons with T that I realized what kind of teacher I want to be for my kids.
Pune is chaat and shopping at MG road because it is here where Dee and I reconnected after months.
Pune is that one tree on the way to school that we stopped under, just for a moment, to say that we love each other.
And I am finding more reasons every day to embrace this city as home because the of the people I found here.
Tejaswini Halthore 