BALCONY WITH A VIEW
Meghna Nair
RJ and VJ
My family never had any plants while I was growing up in Dubai. Even if we did, they would all wilt and die because we would forget to water it! It’s only after shifting to Kerala that I started appreciating the greenery around me. I had a dog at my earlier place but as this apartment complex in PTP Nagar doesn’t allow dogs, I decided to adopt a plant instead and have never regretted my decision. Although I have the entire apartment to myself, my balcony, which houses my small collection of plants and blooms, is where I spend most of my time; it’s my little garden. I started off with one plant and now have roses, bougainvilleas, orchids and some other plants that I don’t know the names of. I never knew I had a green thumb! My plants and I share a special bond. I talk to them and sometimes, I swear, they respond. And no, I haven’t given them names. Whenever one of them falls sick, I rush to the nursery to find the right medicine. The view from the balcony is great – endless green. There is always a breeze out here too. I love carrying a cup of coffee to the balcony, plonking myself on my rattan stool to watch the sun rise and set. I also enjoy listening to music, working…just being on my balcony. Seeing the changing sky and the various hues it takes gives me a sense of calm.
BACK TO BASICS
Pooja Joseph
Wedding photographer
I mostly work from home, editing photos that I have shot on assignments. I now live by myself in Bangalore with only my dog, Ava, for company. My entire home is my space but it’s in my workroom, in front of my computer, that I like to spend most of my time. I like to keep things neat. So, it’s a rather Spartan room with just the computer table and chair and bed. As editing photos needs a lot of concentration, I can’t afford any distractions. As such there are only a couple of posters with inspirational quotes (‘Not all those who wander are lost’ and ‘Love what you do, do what you want’) tacked to the wall as decoration. I also have a table-top calendar and that too only because I need to keep track of the date and day of the week, for when I am working it can be a bit of a blur!
I don’t even bring food into the room and when I’m there everyone, save for Ava, knows not to disturb me. I think all women need this kind of a private space. Earlier when I used to live at home in Kottayam, whenever I craved for privacy, I simply used to lock myself in my bedroom.
I truly value the fact that I now have a space to myself.
BLISSFUL INTERLUDES
Charu Hariharan
Vocalist and tabla artiste
Tucked away in a bylane near Sreekanteswarm temple is my ancestral home, which is around 60 years old. It’s constructed in the agraharam style and is more lengthy than wide, with rooms like compartments of a train. Inside the house is my recording studio and that’s where I can spend hours on end doing my own thing.
There is no phone connection and I switch on the internet only when necessary. Even the lighting has been deliberately kept dim so that the moment I step into it, I feel like I am in a world of my own; my own quiet oasis amid the hustle and bustle of the city. One corner of the room is even more special, because it’s my meditation space, where I drift to the moment I need some peace of mind. Bliss...
OLD WORLD CHARM
Soumya
Actor, anchor, director
My space is my home at Padivattom in Kochi. It is my work place, my comfort zone. Though I belong to the capital city, I shifted to Kochi two years ago to pursue my dream of becoming a director. I wanted my own space to work towards that dream. It wasn’t easy finding the right space.
I have lost count of the number of houses I checked out. I fell in love with this one the moment the owner opened the doors and I saw the terracotta floor tiles. It was exactly what I was looking for.
There is something very homely about such houses. I share it with two friends who also work in the media. But I have my corner/room to myself and I am at peace when I am working there. They don’t barge in on my privacy. It is a fairly old house, but it reminds me of my home and it has a certain warmth about it. I might allow a female friend to stay over for a few days in case of an emergency, otherwise I don’t let others in. Yes, I am very possessive about this space of mine!
