"Home", one world that is synonymous to "rest", "peace", "family"...and many more. At the end of a long-tiring day, Home gives the comfort as a warm blanket on a cold-December winter evening. I have never been able to detach to my home back in Roorkee (where I come from). I was in 2nd standard when mom and dad moved in our own home. Before that it was a rented house. Though initially I was reluctant to like it, but mom made it simple for me. I was given lot of area in the new home to roam around/run around. At an age of 8, my new home become my new play ground. I still remember sleeping most of the time on carpet and then my father or my mother helping me to the bed.
There are so many memories associated to my home in Roorkee...from playing cricket on the first floor terrace, to dad's factory on the ground floor. The big black metallic entrance door which always used to creek (yeah the house wasn't completed, we moved in before it got completed). Mom has worked hard, very hard making that place so very cosy, that I can identify each and every thing she has picked to make that place livable.
Two unique things I remember are how in winter we used to sit on the terrace and enjoy the winter-sun. Mom will make hot Carrot-halwa (gajar-ka-halwa) and I will gallop it till my stomach hurts. The other was during summers when we will all get soak-wet in sweat and will all crowd in the AC room (mom-dad's BIG-HUGE room). If the power goes off, it will chit-chat, if the power is on, dad & I fighting for which channel to watch (of course I used to win mostly, unless he is in bad-office-mood).
Time changed, sadly I grew up (though some don't think I have...); moving out of Roorkee was a tough decision, always a mamma's boy. After bewildering in the wild for 8yrs dad finally helped me out to purchase a House in Bangalore. As I studied and grew mentally in Bangalore, it was the right choice to settle down here. Immediately these thoughts of whether an Apartment can ever become my Home. I searched it myself, I saw lot of places, I liked this as soon as I saw it and it surely was one of the biggest decision of my life. It too me few months to make the new place from House - to - home.
Now almost 10months have past and I have more-or-less got used to its surroundings and the utilities. I know it has become my Home. My heart crave for humans-presence in my Home - like when mom-dad came or when bhaiya came. I know my home glows in presence of my family members. I want my didi, my friends and lot of other members to see it.
Surely my heart is confused to find a definition of Home. Because heart also doesn't know which one is really my home...The one which has all my childhood, mischiefs locked away in closets or the one where I rest my soul after a long hours in office (oh I am sort of a work-a-holic).
From a living standard point of view this is an exclusive place with swimming pool (indoor & outdoor), tennis, squash, badminton, snooker and lot of activities always happening. For me it is a walk from my basement B-46 to 4th floor after office, knowing the walls, in absence of humans will warm themselves so I just calmly lie in its arms.
Sadly, in past months one of the moment tarnished the whole experience of living in own Home rather than rented. Miscommunication, Misunderstanding or just plain egos, my cousin and I went separate ways. I had to ask him to leave the place though we shifted together from the rented house where we leaved peacefully together. Sadly the only words I have for the whole episode, "My Dad has worked way too hard and I can't see anyone tarnish his precious possessions".
Anyways, coming back to my Home and in case of the one in Bangalore, it is a blessing my parents has given me. I feel sad leaving the home in Roorkee after each vacation, but now I look forward coming back to this wonderful home, to the view, to my bed and yes my tennis courts (got two of them).
Love you - "HOME, Sweet HOME".
