Dear Nagpur…

Dear Nagpur,

I still remember the day I got to know I was coming to you. It was during our fellowship induction at TISS Tuljapur, and my heart broke. I had dreamed of being in Odisha, which is so close to my home in West Bengal. But life had other plans and I was sent to you instead. I cried so much that day.

I didn’t want to come. You felt so far from home, from everything familiar—my language, my food, my people. I was scared. I kept thinking how will I live here? How will I adjust? The doubts were endless. I wanted to give up before even starting.

When I finally arrived, it felt even harder than I imagined. The heat was unbearable, everyone spoke Marathi and the food was so spicy that I couldn’t eat without tears in my eyes. I missed my rosogollas, my comfort, my life back home. I thought, this isn’t for me. I need to go back.

But somehow, I stayed. I don’t know what kept me here, but I’m so glad I didn’t leave. Nagpur, you welcomed me in ways I never expected. Slowly, you became my home. You taught me how to adjust, how to love, and how to find happiness in little things. Over time, I found myself falling in love with you. It feels like I’ve known you forever, not just for a year. Now, I can understand almost all Marathi and I’ve even started speaking it a little. The girl who once couldn’t handle spicy food now enjoys ‘saoji khana’, ‘jhunka bhakar’, ‘masala bhaat’ and ‘masala wange’.

Those villages I was so scared to visit? They’re like home now. The simple, kind-hearted people there have become my family. Their smiles, their stories, their warmth—I never realized when they became so close to my heart. If I don’t visit them, my day feels incomplete.

The little kids in the villages call me their friend, the grandmothers share their stories in Marathi while I reply in Hindi and it feels magical. The village women lovingly feed me from plates full of homemade food, and I never go hungry. Riding in Devidas Kaka’s bullock cart or receiving blessings from village old man—these small moments have given me a kind of happiness I never knew existed. These people have taught me what it means to live simply and find joy in little things. Every day with them feels like a blessing.

When Shobha wears a beautiful saree and goes to the temple, she knows I love to compliment her,” khup chan diste shobha aai” and when I don’t see Geeta aunty at home, I’ve learned to call out, “Kuthe geli, Kaku?” The little schoolgirl I meet every day knows I’ll ask her, “Tujha nav kay aahe?”

Nagpur, you’ve changed me. You’ve taught me how to find joy in the simplest things and how to love with an open heart.

Now, the thought of leaving you feels unbearable. You’re no longer just a place to me—you’re a part of me. Your people, your language, your food, your warmth—they’ve all become mine. whether in your blazing summers or chilly winters, you’ll always be more than just the city of oranges to me. You’ll always be the city that gave me the best memories of my life.

Stay beautiful, stay kind. You’ll always hold a special place in my heart.

With love,

Isani