Where the heart beats

June 16, 1981 — my teenage years began, and ‘Ek Duuje Ke Liye’ played at Rivoli Theatre, Shimla. Watching it, I dreamt of a love that transcended language. Years later, fate gifted me a Marathi-speaking husband, turning that innocent dream into reality. The universe manifests a few things effortlessly.

Portmore School’s strict rules shaped me, but music defined me. Singing Lata Mangeshkar’s melodies in school, college, and university became my identity. Walking miles daily kept me fit, despite my love for rajma-chawal and paranthas. But nothing compared to our school canteen’s samosa — saving money to buy it every third day was my first real financial goal.

Shimla — our beloved Simla — wasn’t just home; it was a feeling. Its misty mornings, winding roads, and old-world charm still live within me.

Life moved on, but my heart remains in those hills, echoing with melodies of love, nostalgia, and a childhood wrapped in warmth.

‘Maare desha ra dil

O dil liye, o dil liye

Maare pahada ra dil Shimla’

Babita Vayachal, Mumbai