The Young Edge: Staying away from parents new fad of Pune youngsters

“After my job, I teach kids of the community in my locality and sometimes it gets very late. It is not nice to disturb my parents every day for this. And secondly, there is much more privacy here and I can focus better on my work here. I can also socialise as I want here.” With this, his younger sister also gets the freedom to come and stay over when she feels like it.

Living separately from their families while being in the same city was not a decision many of his friends or peers would make but he is glad the way it has worked out for him.

For other young people, moving out from their parents could also be the result of fundamental differences in worldview.

Rohit, a 29-year-old director and actor, moved out of his parents’ house three years ago over several reasons. The major one of which was his choice of career. He said, “My work required me to watch, analyse and critique films but everytime I would open my laptop for the same, the taunts from my family would start. They had a very different background and did not understand what I was doing. They also wanted me to be very religious and the imposition was getting difficult for me”

Now he lives in a small apartment at Nal Stop with a couple of friends and colleagues. While the decision came with its own challenges and heartache, Rohit appreciates the space he has gotten.

He said, “It was very important for me to get out of Shahu Vasahat because the environment in our ‘basti’ was not very good. Most of the boys were into drinking, gambling or other vices and eventually my parents also understood and accepted my decision. I go visit them twice a week.”

Parikshit, a 21-year-old living in Swargate says that though his main reason to leave his home was to make it work for college, the kind of environment that existed back at home had a very significant standing on it as well.

“I had a little brother in my room who would keep peeping into my conversations 24×7. I could not invite people over, and I could not even play the music that I like. My parents, however, were supportive of my decision to move out, it worked for both of us in its own ways”.

He said, “I now take care of the electricity bill and cook three meals a day. It’s empowering to understand that you are not their ‘little kid’ anymore and you have grown up to be your own person”.

Snehal, a 27-year-old corporate professional, had to fight with her parents to move out two years ago but they have grown to understand and accept her decision.

She said, “I was tired of continuous pestering over my daily routine and schedule. I am an adult, a working professional but I was still being treated like a child so I decided to move out. In the beginning they were furious but because I am financially independent, they had no choice but to eventually accept my decision. I understand that these things were not very common in their generation and a lot of stigma was attached to this. People would expect a girl to move from her natal home only when she got married. But times are changing.”