Identities Without A Home
Eclectic Northeast|February 2018

Aren’t we all migrants, journeying from one place to another, holding tight to one strand of culture while living according to the ethos of another? Isn’t it for me to decide how I choose to identify my being?

Priyanka Borpujari
Identities Without A Home

Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad, Delhi and after hundreds of kilometres on the odometre, my father arrived in Bombay in the early 80s. Or maybe it was late 70s. He would mention the dates, but given the way History in school is emphasised on remembering the dates, we ignored it. Early 1984, he met my mother at a formal setup in Guwahati, and four months later, they were married. A brief honeymoon in Calcutta was also the stop en route to their newly married life in Bombay, and exactly a year since they entered into matrimony, I was born.

When people ask me where am I from, I like to detail it thus: I was conceived in Bombay, delivered in Jorhat, and raised in Bombay. But it took me years to figure out who am I. I have always identified Jorhat as being my birthplace; my mother observed her last trimester there and I was ushered into the world under the loving care of my Khura and Khuri (my father’s brother and his wife). At five months, I was brought to Bombay; Papa would joke that I began to fly high since such a young age. Three years later, my brother was conceived, delivered and raised in Bombay. Is he less Assamese than I am because of the technicality of the location of birth?

Of the Many Tongues I Speak…

Denne historien er fra February 2018-utgaven av Eclectic Northeast.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra February 2018-utgaven av Eclectic Northeast.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA ECLECTIC NORTHEASTSe alt
Time For Home Improvement!
Eclectic Northeast

Time For Home Improvement!

Here are some home improvement projects that even absolute beginners will get right

time-read
2 mins  |
June 2021
Coping With Anxiety
Eclectic Northeast

Coping With Anxiety

Here are a few ways that you can deal with anxiety that you may be feeling because of the on-going pandemic

time-read
2 mins  |
June 2021
The Spread Continues
Eclectic Northeast

The Spread Continues

According to official reports, African Swine Fever has killed more than 1,700 pigs in Mizoram

time-read
2 mins  |
June 2021
Take the Unexplored Path
Eclectic Northeast

Take the Unexplored Path

If you are looking for an underrated destination to explore this year, plan a trip to the charming town of Likabali

time-read
4 mins  |
June 2021
The Lotus Blooms Again
Eclectic Northeast

The Lotus Blooms Again

The Congress-led grand alliance bites dust in Assam as BJP retains power again in 2021

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 2021
Painting Heritage
Eclectic Northeast

Painting Heritage

An up-and-coming artist from Nagaland wants to share his culture and heritage through works of art

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2021
MUSINGS OF A SOLDIER: TIT-BITS
Eclectic Northeast

MUSINGS OF A SOLDIER: TIT-BITS

People often ask me about my life out of uniform. Honestly, I have had no problems. Not so far. Instead, I find it quite refreshing. No routine, no parades, no briefing, no impending operations. Having donned the uniform since the age of thirteen until I hung up my boots last year, could I ever visualize life out of uniform? Not really. But, as I said, the transition has been quite smooth–no hang-overs, no regrets. People have been very positive in their interactions. Government departments have been responsive whenever I have approached for assistance.The genuine respect for the uniform is quite evident and it makes my heart swell with pride. Arunachal, to that extent, is the most nationalistic state in the country, I daresay. It has been kind of a revelation for me to experience the freedom of being a common man in an environment of positivity!

time-read
4 mins  |
June 2021
Look Good, Feel Good!
Eclectic Northeast

Look Good, Feel Good!

Here are four cruelty-free makeup brands that deserve a spot in your vanity bag

time-read
2 mins  |
June 2021
Face-to-Face With Conflict
Eclectic Northeast

Face-to-Face With Conflict

In ‘Bulletproof: A Journalist’s Notebook on Reporting Conflict’, award winning journalist and author Teresa Rehman shares her experience of reporting from a conflict-ridden region

time-read
4 mins  |
June 2021
Bringing the Family Together
Eclectic Northeast

Bringing the Family Together

Tabletop games will encourage your family to take some time away from the screen and reconnect with each other

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2021