HOME
A lot has changed and I realized even more the meaning of Home, the essence of your native place, the tastes of mother-cooked food, the places you like most. It’s like a piece of your heart stays behind, and you’re carrying the memories wherever you go. You know since when I shifted to Hyderabad, I started missing Kolkata more. All the ghats, puchka, chaat, Kolkata biriyani, Rasmalai everything.
It’s not like there is anything less in Hyderabad, but rather more modern in some ways, with wider roads and newer buildings. Hyderabad is a rapidly growing metropolis. Areas like HITEC City and Gachibowli are symbols of the city’s modern growth. Hyderabad has emerged as a major tech hub, attracting people from all over the country to its IT sector. You’ll find a mix of young professionals and entrepreneurs here, all part of the city’s vibrant and growing community.
But I Miss the way the cool, damp breeze from the Hooghly River seemed to know exactly when to show up. The mornings in Hyderabad feel different, more still, more unfamiliar. I crave the sight of yellow taxis weaving through Esplanade, the constant hum of life that fills the streets of Kolkata, the clang of the trams, and the unmistakable chatter in Bengali that feels like home.
The evenings, too, are different here. Kolkata would come alive with the warmth of street-side chai and jhalmuri. The smell of the street food, the sound of laughter in the bustling neighborhoods of North Kolkata, and the way Durga Puja would cast its magic everywhere, making every corner glow with joy and tradition.
Here the sunsets remind me of the ghats where we sit and see the sunset while sipping into chai.
In Hyderabad, the city is vibrant, but you feel like a stranger navigating its wide roads and modern chaos. The food is delicious, but it’s not the same without the Kolkata biryani or the zest of puchka. You long for the familiar faces at your favorite hangouts, for the quiet comfort of College Street’s old books, for the feeling that no matter where you went in Kolkata, you belonged.
Kolkata may always be the city where my heart feels at home but I hope I will like Hyderabad too.
