Right in the middle of the beautiful and unplumbed state of Chhattisgarh lies a city called Bilaspur. The city, which happens to be the birthplace of the author, is vibrant- with active communities and robust gatherings- and yet, calm and quiet. The marketplaces are crowded at definite hours and the nights are quiet, with the exception of some enthusiastic bikers. While the heart of the city hasn’t quite changed in the past twenty years, its skin has. Commercial centres have sprung up across the city and spending habits have changed, entertainment has changed. All this brings me back to the day when the first mall opened here, in the year 2011. With a select few shops and eateries back then, it became the talk of the town. One of the first few stores to open here was Pantaloons- the ultimate stop shop for all things clothing. I remember how it completely changed the idea of shopping for so many people. Now you wouldn’t have to go around hundreds of shops in Gol Bazaar to get the latest trends. You had to go to one place. The sheer excitement and an absurd sense of empowerment that people felt with this establishment- this new way of doing things- gave the city a new life. To realise potential in a city when others didn’t, to be the pioneers of a commercial upsurge in a tier 3 city, my city, was a contribution of the Aditya Birla Group that stayed with me. In the years to come we would see a number of stores and commercial centres spring up but we all know who gave us the first glimpse into this change that has manifested itself firmly today. I went on to pursue my graduation in Mumbai where again I crossed paths with an ABG product- the Idea Network (now Vodafone Idea). In my many endeavors, ABG has been on the side, in the form of one or the other product.
Reminiscing the old days I get reminded of one of the toughest months in my life- the one after my beloved grandmother passed away right before I was scheduled to appear for a competitive exam. Having shared a beautiful relationship with her- with talking about our favorite mythological characters to watching movies (where she would comment on the kind of clothes being worn)- I was aggrieved with this news. I had studied in a lot of different places and she was the one who taught me how important it was to stay connected to one’s roots. To realize all that was gone, just a month before a career defining event was devastating and it led to a lot of confusion, anxiety and depression. I couldn’t get myself to go for a walk or even out of the house. However, with a help of my friends and family, I was able to overcome it. I had to tell myself that not everything in life is under our control and that we must learn to accept the situation. We must learn to move on, taking the highlights along the way. And when in such a situation, taking it one day at a time is the best we can do. I also learned that asking for help is not something bad. We cannot handle everything on our own and it is imperative that we utilize our environment to the fullest, especially in times such as these.
