Home is where your heart is...

It's so truly said. Home is truly where your heart always longs to be.

I felt a bit nostalgic these days from being away from home quite a bit longer than usual. Usually I visited home every year in December, until 2008, as I like winter season in Manipur. Winter season, I like the most, because I get to eat all those delicious mouthwatering Manipuri foods which I have been missing for quite a long time now. But this time I couldn't wait till December. And I am already at Home Sweet Home. No matter how ugly it looks to be, it is always sweet. Because your heart is always there.

I don't know why it can't be so in love. We despise ugly, we disdain them. We always extol and praise the beauty. Nothing wrong with that. We always do that. But God created all, whether it's ugly or beautiful. He created them all 'bright and beautiful.' So why can't ugly be beautiful, because He created them all? In fact, there should not be any ugly as such. A bit philosophical here but anyway I am trying to find one that people say is ugly, but that, to me, is the most beautiful for myself. I will tell you the day I find.

Now at home, there is constant blackout. Most of the time, or throughout 24 hours, there is no power. It's no new news to many. But it's utterly uncomfortable when you have come down from a city like Mumbai. But  you have to accept it because it's Manipur, not Mumbai. People here are used to it and are not complaining about it. And I sigh, it's a long way to go.

Now I'm already getting bored with only two days here at home. Those college days are gone and most of my friends are now either married, or away from home like me. It's true somehow that married and bachelors do not go along very well... even the best friends too. After getting married, somehow people change and seem different. Another thing is that they are always busy. And those days when we used to have plenty of time at our disposal are gone. But anyway I do not regret coming back home whenever I like.  

Fortunately, a friend of mine (an IAF pilot) was at home on Sunday, yesterday and he was free and had to go somewhere the day after and busy thereafter. After a gap of four years we met. We drove around the Imphal city and saw not much change though since I last saw them. But I noticed something when we reached Khuman Lampak. Eviction drive was going on around Khuman Lampak area. In some way, it's disheartening to see it taking place. It's not new to me, though. It happens in Mumbai everyday. And it's an inevitable price people have to pay. Because their buildings and shops were there in the wrong place. Development always comes with a price and people have to pay for it for the benefit of the common mass and for the several generations to come.

Eviction drive at Khuman Lampak

Sadly, the land space doesn't grow with time. It's only getting smaller. Population of not only people, but vehicles are all the more growing at an astronomical rate. And they add to the enormity of the problems of congestion in the city.

Another beauty or sweetness of home is family bonding -- the bond of love. It's kind of a get-together celebration in some way. In fact, my family feels the completeness with me being at home. And being away from home in a stranger's land may not bring you that completeness of joy. In your native place, you are completely at 'home and in sync'. That is the power of home sweet home.

Because anyone who knows love loves home. Because you are in love with 'home' whether it's ugly or nice, whether it's thatched or bricked.