SOLACE IN A SMALL CITY

A year back, I decided to make the “big move”: setting up my own venture in Chandigarh—my hometown. Fourteen years in Mumbai have made me a fiercely independent person who loves her personal space. Like countless others, I, too, worked hard to climb the corporate ladder. And climb, I did! My growth was exponential in the corporate world, but shortly after I was made partner in the firm I worked for, I realized I wanted to do more.

With years of significant work experience, I wished to launch my own venture and provide employment to others. Also, I was a bit worn out by the pace of life in Mumbai and really yearned for a bit of a slowdown. Brought up in Chandigarh, I was always nostalgic about the city. As I got the investors for my venture onboard, I decided to move—bag and baggage. So I bid farewell to Mumbai,a city that had taught me a lot and been so generous to me, and moved back to Chandigarh.

I moved into my family home (left to me by my parents, who are now settled in Canada). It was such a welcome change.I enjoyed the city’s warm culture, pollution-free air, and greenery. However, after a while, my rose-colored glasses slid off. I had long been accustomed to high-rise living and its conveniences. Living in an old house that was not built for my specific needs came with its apparent challenges. The inconvenient boxed layout of the house didn’t sit with my idea of open and uninterrupted living space. I am a visual person, and as strange as it sounds—my mind imitates the clutter in sight.

Although Chandigarh is a very well-laid-out city, I did not want to travel in different directions (however short the distances)to run errands or even socialize. Time-wise, I am constricted, and I like to do something to unwind at the end of each day. My typical day starts early with Webex meetings with the investors sitting in North America and ends with evening con calls. One would say that Chandigarh is not a large city, but driving around takes a lot of my energy which I prefer to save. Another challenge I faced living in a standalone house by myself was safety. Being a single woman,I grappled with my constant worry about security.

One day, I met a genial young couple at a friend’s party. They had recently bought and moved into their first house together in a society in Zirakpur. When they invited a bunch of us for coffee later, I was pleasantly surprised with the location. Their elegant home sat in the luxurious Sushma Grande. As I visited the couple a few more times, I observed more of their surroundings. And I was floored!

I reach all my decisions very logically—weighing all pros and cons and unearthing all facts. In fact, my family jokes that I am an information addict. When I bought my spacious 3-bedroom flat within the next few weeks, my friends and family were amazed. I am known to take my own sweet time in making any personal decisions.Honestly, I even surprised myself. But somehow, it felt right. The apartment felt like it was “built for me.” It is airy, well-lit, safe, private, and technology-friendly.

I have made some healthy life-edits lately. My day starts with an early morning walk in the green walkways. The greenery and serenity help me focus on the day ahead. The walk is followed by a swim in the pool that jumpstarts me to tackle my new venture’s challenges. To my pleasant surprise,there is also a golf putting range. Growing up, I played a lot of golf with my dad and found the languidness of the sport very meditative. This discovery, I thought, was providence, and I took up golf again as my Sunday morning ritual. Sometimes, if a client is a golfer, we have informal meetings at the range.

I have a lot more time to my self now as I don’t have to drive around in different directions for groceries or errands. Some afternoons, I just sit by the French windows of my apartment and watch the rain patter. The green view all around is a true blessing; it instantly calms me down after an arduous day at work. During my time in Mumbai, I traveled the world and picked up eclectic tastes. I am an aesthete with a penchant for design. The architectural clean straight lines and demure aesthetics have allowed me to make a home that is an expression and extension of my personality.In many ways, my home reflects my personality. I am the center of the universe here.

An evening out is no more a strain on me. I socialize a lot more than before, as most of the time, my friends like to come over to Zirakpur. The area about houses many brands and choicest F&B outlets.I am, in fact, in the process of moving my entire office to this area, which I feel is better integrated as a business district and is economically more viable.

The location is really the cherry on the cake. My work requires me to travel to Delhi almost every week (sometimes twice) for meetings. My driving time is significantly reduced. The proximity to the airport is very convenient as we are about to open a new branch office in Dubai, and I foresee a packed travel schedule.

Life has a settled feeling to it, yet never monotonous. Slowing down has enhanced the quality of my life exponentially. My decision to move to Chandigarh, the marvel of Le Corbusier, was the best decision I made. I am my own boss now. People often view small cities as a place with limited opportunities. With so many possibilities lined up, I would say it just requires a tiny shift in perspective fora significant leap in progress. All in all, I am glad that I chose peaceful Chandigarh over the pell-mell of a metro city.