Where would you live after retirement?

RK Rishikesh Sinha

A hard-hitting question. Indeed. Where would you like to live after your retirement or in your old age?

With the passage of time, Bishnupriya Manipuri youths migrated to major cities like Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, etc. for education or job opportunities leaving their ancestral-village or home town. We can infer most of them are first generation (except few). Definitely, the challenges are more for first generation people for it takes time to acclimatize to the place and to the occupational demands.

The second generation people might not face the difficulty in sustaining themselves in these cities where their parents have already made a ground. For example, in Guwahati, many first generation people migrated long back assuming 40 years ago and there second generation youths are already adjusted to the place and the people. However, it is quiet interesting and intriguing, what prompted the first generation people to get settled in these cities.

The question of settlement is important viewing the inflation rate and the subsequent price hikes, increasing rent and career options too. It seems rather tough to buy a home in these cities. Nevertheless, few things comes to mind, after living 30-35 years outside, can one go back to ancestral land with lot of stakes? On the other hand, can we imagine living in these cities without a home? Or even if one manages to buy a home, will it give satisfaction that one aspired for? Definitely, answers would be different from person to person, from family to family and from circumstances to circumstances.

Though I don’t have any accurate idea but it seems a personal choice and futuristic options. Though, we can’t underestimate the changing times.