Her high-altitude living

Proust questionnaire with a fellow citizen

Along with her two daughters, original paintings, a lot many novels, and with coffee cups from across the world thar her Chandigarh-based parents gift to her from their holidays, Shalini Bahadur lives amid the clouds, literally. Her home is on 26th floor, somewhere high above Gurugram. This magical afternoon—it is always magical in her high altitude balcony—she, dressed in green chiffon, agrees to be a part of the Proust Questionnaire series in which citizens are nudged to make “Parisian parlour confessions”, all to explore our distinct experiences. Your chief characteristic.

I’m a quiet person. Always tried to change it, but now I relish it. I’m happy in my own company. Your main fault.

Worrying. I’m reading about the Stoics and one quote that resonates is by Seneca who said that we suffer more in imagination than in reality.

Your favorite occupation.

I worked in retail and merchandising which I loved then, but now I relish my occupation of reading and creating art.

Your favourite bird.

Sparrows. In boarding school, as little kids we were called Sparrows and given numbers for our cubby holes for kit. I think I was Sparrow 8. Your favourite poets.

Dhiman and Morgan Harper Nichols. Its not traditional poetry but rather a philosophy of life and living.

Your favourite heroes in fiction.

Recently, Gabriel Allon, the Israeli intelligence officer and art restorer from Daniel Silva’s books. Your heroes/heroines in real life.

Definitely my parents. At every moment of my life, they have inspired me, stood by me and loved me no matter what. My friend Divya Babu and our art group, for the most fabulous discovery that my long cherished dream of creating art is actually possible!

Your heroines in World history.

In The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah writes about a woman who helped the downed Allied airmen in France during WWII. She saved many lives by providing supplies, disguises and safe passage till the British Embassy in Spain. Her codename was “Nightingale”. Its based on a true story about a Belgian woman.

Your favourite names.

Quaint names of places from my childhood. Katrain, Tillasharni, Laran, Juneo, Gajebas, Carignano, Ser Jagas, Pabiyana, Matnali, Habban.

The reform you admire the most.

Online payments.

Your motto in life.

Never give in.

If not now, then when.

Do the harder right, than the easier wrong.