A House in Their Words

By Chaity P. Sarkar 

With the whirring sound of the sewing machines, in between deft fingers tying crochet knots, one can hear:

“Humare desh mein nadiyan hi nadiyan hain.” (In my country, there are so many rivers)
“Agar humein yahan rehne dete, main ek lakdi ka ghar banati.” (If we were allowed to live here, I would build a wooden house)
“Yeh lungi ghar ka kapda hai, meri mummy zyada achhe se pehnti thi.” (This “lungi” is our country’s dress, my mother wears it better)

These words drift through the walls like memories, soft and unassuming but heavy with what has been lost. These might pose as passing comments; yet, they are something more. The women who speak them have lived through the kind of displacement that doesn’t make headlines anymore. Some have been in exile for over a decade. Some were born in exile. Others have faced the added cruelty of arbitrary detention, held simply for existing without a piece of paper to prove they belong.

They have spent over a decade in limbo. With little chance of returning and no assurance of citizenship where they are now, their futures remain painfully uncertain.

And yet, they speak of rivers.

They hope for a wooden house that echoes the one from their childhood.

They hope for a country that will let them stay safe.

They hope, still, that maybe one day, somehow, they will go home.

They are not just remembering. They are dreaming, still. In the face of statelessness, persecution, and indefinite waiting, they hold on to the idea that maybe one day they’ll have a home again. Not just a roof, but a place where they are not watched, counted, or questioned. A place where they can live freely, raise their children without fear, and sleep through the night.

These women do not ask for much.
Just the chance to belong, to be safe, seen, and still.

So when they speak of rivers and cloth, of houses and hope, we listen.
Because what they are saying is: We are still here. We still believe.

Image Credit: Kaisar Ali is an alumnus of the ALP program with The Azadi Project, a photographer, journalist and videographer.

Chaity Puja Sarkar is a communications and outreach professional focusing on storytelling, digital advocacy, and strategic partnerships for social impact.