A Wanderer's Dilemma

“From where do I belong” is a question I am hearing from the day I left home, its been very long and the question is a very common one. In fact when one enters the corridors of a hostel the second question asked is “where are you from” first one being “your name”? Nobody is really interested in what you study or what your hobbies are. All they want to know is your place, reason: company for travel. I personally remember I asked same thing for each and every new girl I encountered during my first few days in hostel. I used to tell everyone my grandparents place’s name, not even for a moment it occurred to me that I should tell them where my parents are. Even till date (I have long past left hostel) my hostel friends know me from my grandparents place. Ask me from where I belong and I remember grandpa’s house. Home is where your heart is, whoever said that was right. I have been to several places, once I left home it became a ritual, like the tantric of shamshan ghat who cannot miss his rituals for anything I too can’t afford to miss my yearly trip. It seems my powers will diminish if I’ll miss it. A strange, mysterious feeling captures me when I find myself on some new place, the moment I get down with my luggage life seems worthwhile. It feels as if I was alive for this day only. I prefer train to any other mode of conveyance, purpose is travel not tourism. We were taught Rahul Sankratyayan’s “ghumakkad dharm” in 7th or 8th standard. Personally I am not a fan of Rahul Sankratyayan, but his ideology was fascinating. Since when and how I became ghumakkad, I do not know. At a certain point in life you realise that you don’t belong to some particular place you belong to your memories. It could be anything, a gulmohar tree in an old house, a harsingar in a hostel compound, a quiet temple or a city where you once have been. I got second identity when I reached hostel and that was the first time in my life I felt as if I belong to a place other than grandpa’s house. A city which has no direct connection with me still remains my favourite place, a temple which changed my feelings about temples, I am yet to decide from where do I belong.