Experiencing the beauty of Majha, Malwa and Doaba

My father is a government employee and our family is used to frequent transfers. So, I proudly call myself a transfer kid. I was born and brought up in Tohana, Haryana, until Class IX.

In 2015, my father got transferred to Phillaur, Punjab, marking the beginning of my journey through Punjab’s three regions — Majha, Malwa and Doaba, each having its own unique cultural traits.

In Phillaur (Doaba), I experienced village life for the first time. Though it was a village, the homes were lavish and the NRI money and culture were dominant. Those who were still living in the village dreamt of going abroad. The food was unforgettable — bun tikki, chhole kulche, and paneer pakode from nearby Ludhiana were my favourites.

By the time I reached university, my father had been transferred to Amritsar (Majha).  Ambarsar’s vibrant atmosphere and the Golden Temple’s spiritual aura left a deep impact. One must visit the Golden Temple during gurupurb to witness it true spiritual beauty.

The food again was one of the specialties of the city — Amritsari kulchas, lassi, jalebi and aam papad.

Soon it was time for another transfer. We shifted to Jaito (Malwa) — a small town not much developed, but quite peaceful. After that we moved to Fazilka where I discovered its unique and famous sweet, ‘toshe’ and also learned about the struggles of living in a border village. We visited one of the villages nearby, Muhar Jamsher, near the border, surrounded by Pakistan from three sides.

We were back to Malwa as my father got transferred to Patiala, a city I initially disliked but soon grew to love. Its kind-hearted people as well as its culture and food — from paranthas to golgappe and vibrant Patiala suits, juttis, everything was heart-warming.

Usually people say that home is the place you love the place most. I can proudly say I love whole of Punjab, which has truly been my home.

Bhawna Singla, Patiala