It’ll take time for the city to accept me: Kanav Bakshi

Was it difficult to adjust to the city?
In the initial days, it was difficult to find a place — people assumed that I was Muslim and they were not open to rent their home to someone from Jammu. Weatherwise, I just had to wait for the monsoons to set in, and I made a few wonderful friends who were ready to take me out anywhere at any time.

Was language a difficulty?
People were a little rigid in office. Most meetings were conducted in Bengali and there were very few people who offered to translate. Outside of office, almost everyone was polite to either break it down in Hindi or English or express through their eyes and hands. I picked up a few phrases too.

Do you miss Jammu?
Sometimes I miss the unaudited use of butter, rajma chawal, and the bone-chilling winters. But there is so much to absorb here — from pujas, to food, to films and history. I wish to bring my family here for them to experience some of it.

Do you consider yourself a Kolkatan now?
I feel you become a Kolkatan once the city accepts you, I think there is some time for that. I have picked up eating fish with my hand, drinking tea without milk and tying a dhoti, so I am almost there.

City Seekers: A series on migrants in urban India