Kaleidoscope. Prithika Ramaiyer

I like to think of myself as tantamount to avial - a South Indian stew with a motley variety of vegetables and spices. A tablespoon of the American culture that has diffused seamlessly into our household, peppered with Tamilian roots that leave a pleasant and lasting impression, steamed with the pungent influence of the Indian culture.

50+ festivals a year, 15+ languages in a city, 5+ religions in a neighbourhood, 1 culture. This is Bangalore, my home.

Grandpa prays to one of the many Hindu Gods our family worships, people bustle around the house in traditional Indian attire, the Tamil news-channel runs on TV, the audio system sings an old movie song my mother loves, my teenage sister hums Taylor Swift’s newest song with her earphones plugged in, all while the sound and smell of dosas (delicious rice pancakes) sizzling on the pan get everyone’s mouth watering. From intense discussions on Trump and Modi, to wondering which cousin will be the next to get married - arranged or love? - all of my family’s conversations take place in Tanglish - a mixture of Tamil and English.

Take a step out the door, and an assortment of cultures smack you in the face. The Jain neighbour asking for a Christmas pie recipe and the Hindu father...