A town seen through Vithiya’s quiet eyes, where ordinary days carry hidden weight. This is my story, the story of Vithiya, a 20-year-old young women from T.C. Kootroad Road, Vanur Taluk, Villpuram District, India. I don’t love my town, and I don’t hate it either. I exist here between leaking roofs, stagnant streets, judgmental neighbors, and the weight of survival. But within this place, I also carry my family, my memories, and the people who changed my life forever. I may not have wealth, but I am rich with love, guidance, and hope. Through these pages, I want to share with you my world, my home, my street, my town, my family, and the people who have shaped me. This is not just about where I live, but about how I live, and how I dream of becoming myself. My House This is my house. Press enter or click to view image in full size Welcome home! It has held me for twenty years. My father’s memories are still here, though he passed away four years ago. When it rains, the roof leaks. We stay awake, restless, as water seeps inside. Sometimes it feels like we are floating in our own home. I have one simple dream: to build a proper roof. A safe home where my family can finally sleep in peace. But the story doesn’t stop at my doorstep; it flows into my street. My Street Press enter or click to view image in full size Where every step is met with hesitation At the entrance of my street lies stagnant water. Dark, foul-smelling, and permanent. It feels like it has been waiting there all my life. Every time I see it, I hesitate. Every time I smell it, I want to turn back. I don’t step out much, because stepping out means stepping into people. Neighbors who watch too closely, who ask too many questions, who judge without knowing. I don’t talk to them. I don’t want to. This place is not a village, not a city, it’s something in between. And in between, people are the most nosy. They know how to stare, how to whisper, how to measure you without saying a word. So I keep my distance. I walk past them without looking, without stopping. To be honest, I don’t have a good relationship with my street, or with the people who live on it. I live in my house. Outside, I only pass through. Step out a little further, and you’ll find my town. My Town My town is T.C. Kootroad Road, Vanur Taluk, Villupuram District, India. It has almost everything a town should have: a bus stand, an auto stand, grocery shops, bakeries, jewellery shops, dress shops, and even beauty parlors. But to be honest, I rarely go. I’ve never stepped into the jewellery shops, I don’t like the dress collections, and the bakery is a place I visit only once in a while. Most of these places exist around me, but not for me. The people here are from everywhere. Unlike some towns where families have lived for generations, T.C. Kootroad Road is filled with people from different districts, different states. That mix gives this place its own identity. And then there’s politics. During elections, promises arrive, money changes hands, roads get patched, but most of it feels temporary, incomplete. Leaders come and go, but change stays slow. This is just a short glimpse of my town. In the upcoming chapters, I will share the details about the places, the people, and the stories that make it what it is. My Family Like every family, we have our differences. Arguments, different opinions’s normal in an Indian home. But at the end of the day, they are mine. And I love them deeply, because they are the only ones I have. My mom is my comfort. I love lying on her lap while she strokes my hair, the way only a mother can. In those moments, I forget everything else. My brother annoys me, and I annoy him back. We almost never agree on anything. Still, I wouldn’t trade him for the world. My grandma waits patiently for the day I succeed. She carries that hope for me every single day, as if my dreams are hers too. And then there’s my dad. He is no more, but he is still here. Sometimes I feel his presence so close, as if he never left. To me, he will always be part of this family. This is my family. Imperfect, noisy, loving, mine. And one day, I know I will make them proud. Beyond my family, I also have my people. My People Family is what I was born with. But the people I earned along the way are just as valuable, maybe even more. They guided me, lifted me, and showed me paths I never thought I could walk. I don’t know if it’s luck or if I deserve it, but I feel grateful every single day. RFTS Foundation My journey changed when I got selected into the RFTS Foundation in Auroville. It was a game-changer. I found not just opportunities, but people who became anchors in my life. Stephanie Stephanie, the founder of RFTS, was a turning point in my life. She believed in me, guided me, and shaped my career in ways I could never repay. Even though she has passed away, I still feel her presence. Her body is gone, but her soul always stays, wishing for my happiness, always pushing me forward. Kailash Kailash did something I will carry with me forever: he sponsored my college fees. For many, it may just look like money. But for me, it was a bridge between my broken dreams and a real future. Without him, I might not even be in college today. It wasn’t just about the money. It was about faith. He gave me dignity, he gave me confidence, and he gave my career a foundation to stand…
