I was born in an area of Mumbai that comprised of people belonging to different sects and had different faiths.

This area has a Mosque at the entrance, a Temple in the middle of it and a Church further inside, towards the way to my house.

Although I was born in a Hindu family, I was raised by my Christian neighbours and Muslim family next door.

I would visit the temple everyday with my Grandmother, attend the evening aarti (worship rituals) and relish on the prasadam (sacred food) and even tirtham (holy water) given by the Priest.

I would even visit the church, my neighbours would take me along (to be precise), attend the masses and had myself to the holy water be sprinkled upon by the Father.

I had also been taken to the Mosque once when I was burning in fever that lasted for days despite the medicines, until, the Imam (priest) prayed and tied a Taweez (charm) around my neck. My parents say that I recovered real soon.

I loved celebrating Diwali, burning crakers along with my friends. Our Christian and Muslim neighbours would lit lamps and candles, so that we could have fun for some time longer. They would not even mind when we threw colours at them during Holi and say “bura naa maano, Holi hai”.

I absolutely loved the Biryani cooked by my neighbour, Salma aunty, and also the huge platter with fruits, bhajiyas, sweets and other Ramzan delicacies that she would give us everyday during this holy month. I relished on the ever famous dessert Sheer khurma (vermicelli pudding) for the first time which was got by one of my Mother’s students. I used to wait for the sherbat (flavoured milk with nuts) that was distributed in every house by a group of Muslims during Muharram every year.

I loved the whole vibe during December month or Christmas season because the whole lane in front of our house would be lit with lightings and star shaped laterns. I would wait for the candies distributed by someone dressed as santa claus and would hang stockings in the window without fail. Enjoyed the porridge distributed during Lent Season and Easter delicacies too.

I don’t remember ever being hungry as a kid. I was in fact over fed and pampered by my neighbours and none of them ever made me feel different.

I heard stories of the Hindu Gods from my grandmother but I also heard stories of Jesus from other neighbours and some lessons from Salma aunty from the Quran.

I always felt that I was not alone a Hindu but also equally a Christian and a Muslim.

I have been a part of all the differences that we see today and thus I fail to differentiate. I have seen good and bad people. But I was never conditioned to see a good or bad Hindu, Muslim or Christian.

The whole world maybe working in a certain way. It might have changed in terms of its essence and ideals. There are ample reasons for it too. But what does not really convinces me is to see a group of people in a certain way, that we call prejudice. It is definitely the behaviour that is certainly good or bad. But behaviour of a particular number of people can never be the sole representation of the entire community or world.

Is it that we forget that we are all individuals despite the diverse identities we carry or are attached with? We all definitely want to be a part of the social identities given to us and even want to be good at it, but we are still individuals. Even if we are influenced and manipulated, it becomes our individual choice to do what we do. Individual choices lead to the doings, good or bad.

Most of us have been fortunate to have been among so many different types of people with different beliefs and identities. It is on us, individuals, how we want to see the “difference” that is pertaining and becoming more prominent with time. And we do know that every individual deserves love, if not then what are terms like equality, fraternity and others that are used otherwise are really for?

There is no way that we are pure or belong to only one identity. At last, there is only one question I would like us all to ask ourselves,

what if we belonged to the other side?