It is always a blessing to have a unique story of your life, so that when you look back, you can pat yourself "good job done! What you have lived so far is quite a journey!" That assures an equally beautiful journey ahead.

Change never happened so fast for me. Change of schools (less than my sis though she changed eight!) and friends, best friends I cried for saying bye to, colonies changed, families and friends changed. The only constant thing was Titrah, hamara gaon. That's where we belonged and that’s where we still belong. Our family tree is magnanimous (173 members, still growing) and each of us are special.

Asansol, a beautiful place on West Bengal and Bihar border, I saw my first rainbow there, flowers that I had never seen before, flowers when soaked in water turned orange, discovery! I could see that the sky meets the earth somewhere, I saw it.

But a lot was happening at the family front, money was difficult! Once coming back from Titrah, papa was fined Rs 440 at the station for excess baggage. We were carrying some sacks of pulses, which our Bua had sent so that we never run short of ration. I was hurt and cursed the station officer for a long time!

I remember one party I went to wearing a shoe that I stitched for myself and a dress that ma made for me on my birthday. Birthday dress was always "dress of the year". So these kids were not my type, they went shopping every month. Something that we did twice a year!<

And then Delhi happened, went to CJM for admission test, kept looking at the place and people. "they look superior," obiviously I failed the test. But DPS RK Puram is where madam Shilpa was destined to go.

Miranda House was full of discovering our passions. It had a strange mix of students. They take all kinds, what matters is originality. "Don't try to ape them girl, you will be called BTM (Behenji Turned Mod)!" It was about finding your own style and stand.

Mohit and I came to Mumbai in 2005 landed two days before July 26 deluge, sat in almost sinked auto, and that guy didn't leave us. He took us to Powai from Andheri. We didn't need any further signs, we were welcome!

So, I am proud to be a small town girl. How does it matter to anyone, as long as you make your journey worthwhile. I am a big city girl now, in terms of clothes and the overtly things, but language, I still think in Hindi. So, after 28 years of transition, I am happy, long way to go.