I was born right here on the island of pearls, the Kingdom of Bahrain, or simply Bahrain. My name is Dilraz Kunnummal and I have almost a quarter century of calling Bahrain home, and I doubt if that will ever change.

Every country grows up and my Bahrain too has changed so much that many who lived here long ago would hardly even recognize it today. Even the political set-up has changed and the people are now a lot more international and a lot more open to ideas and cultures, but the warmth and hospitality, that’s one aspect that will definitely last forever.

My father is a businessman and he has been here for over thirty-five years. Bahrain, in my opinion, is the most perfect place in the Middle East to live with your family. It’s neither the too fast and modern blink-and-you’ll-miss-it pace of Dubai, nor the all burka wearing, no entertainment conservative attitude of Saudi Arabia. It is liberal, comfortable and relaxed. There is something about Bahrain that everyone who comes here falls in love with.

I first opened my tiny eyes twenty-five years ago at the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) Hospital, and I still get a smile on my face every time I drive by there. The first house I lived in is still intact, in one of the by-lanes of East Riffa. The second and third houses, where I spent most of my childhood, have both been demolished to give way to Lulu hypermarket, and I still feel a jab of pain when I drive by where the hypermarket now stands. There used to be a residential compound; thirty-two villas, a nice pathway, swimming pool... the works. My dad’s store stood there too, once upon a time. And our flat, prior to moving to our villa, with the shawarma shop, the video store, the garage and the dry cleaners on the ground floor. Now just a big shiny mall! Do note that I have nothing against Lulu, but I just miss the place I grew up in, and when I walk inside the supermarket I silently wonder if that was the place I first fell on my bicycle or if this is the spot where we used to dive into the pool. None of it is there any more, but what’s really nostalgic is the fact that if you take two steps back and look around, everything else is still there; the mosque where my dad used to go for his prayers, the football club where my brother first enjoyed the game, the fruit and vegetable store across the road, everything remains except the place where we spent our childhood. Those are now just sublime memories.

Growing up, I didn’t live in a Bahrain full of malls and cafés and water parks. The Bahrain I grew up in had none of these. For us, the biggest fun outing was a trip to Al Areen Wildlife Park; feeding the camels, seeing all the animals, gushing over how amazing it all was. Mind you, these treats were only for special days like birthdays or Eid.

And another must in everybody’s to-do list, was a stay over at Zallaq; take a shack, stay, enjoy the BBQ. I should confess though, I have never actually done it and I have been supremely jealous of everyone who has! It used to - and still does - sound like so much fun, and I vow to do it someday soon. But yes, we did have our trips to Zallaq to enjoy the sun, sand and sea. It was such a pleasure to dip your toe into the waters and to write your name in the sand.

The National Museum was usually the chosen spot for all our school picnics. It was the museum, Zallaq or Adhari Park. But I was one of the few who were always excited about a trip to the museum. It had no beach-front hangout back then, but to me it was still fascinating: the traditional section, with all the women in colourful clothes, weaving, the pearl diving section and the creepy, scary burial mounds section which still gives me the jitters. There was one time when the museum organised a special section on dinosaurs and pre-historic creatures, which came fully equipped with moving dinosaurs and scary noises, it was awesome.

Adhari Park was our favourite too. All the rides were so much fun. I used to love the mini Ferris wheel, the zig-zag slide - as I called it - and the bumper cars! They even had a boating ride, if I remember rightly. Although a popular place for many families, for some reason the Hadika Almaeeya water garden in Gufool was not too popular with us; Adhari was where we went as a family and the water garden we went to hang out with our friends.

Every weekend, the family used to head to Marina Beach; pack up our dinners and go eat out in the open. Running around with my brother, dad and mum, playing with the beach ball till we got exhausted, and then enjoying a good meal and heading back home for the night.

And everyone who grew up in my generation will tell you how anxiously they waited for the National Day, Dec 16th. Every year on this day the skies of Bahrain would light up with a fantastic show of fireworks. We all would bundle up in our best winter wear and head to the ground in Riffa, or to the National Stadium to watch it, and the area would be thronged by hordes of people; children holding onto their mummy’s hand or standing on top of their vehicles or sitting on the shoulders of their fathers. People from all backgrounds and nationalities and ethnicities would be present to witness that spectacular show, year after year. I still wait for 16th December each year, hoping for the replay.

The movies were another very rare treat for us, 'till we became teens and started going off with our friends. My father may have possibly watched only two movies at the cinema in Bahrain, one was Independence Day which I think we watched at Awal cinema and the other Titanic, at Delmon Cinema. Oh wait, I think he also saw Devdas as well. Awal cinema was considered the best when we were growing up, and then Delmon started, and these places were exclusive too. Only the latest English movies, and the tickets were valuable treasures!

My elder brother and I grew up without the luxury of cable television. We had only Channel 55 and some of the other Arabic channels. How we anxiously waited for the 5pm bell. It started with a reading of the Holy Quran, followed by cartoons! Every single day at 5pm, we’d be glued to the telly, if we were home. And the Bollywood movie on Wednesdays, that’s one thing we never ever missed. And if I did miss it, I used to be gloomy as hell the next day.

I remember buying our first VHS from the video store: It was Aladdin and it cost a whopping BD3,500fils. We then collected a lot of other great animations like Snow White and the other parts of Aladdin and Lion King, right up 'till Toy Story.

One of the most awaited times of the year was the rainy season. We used to run out into it, with our umbrellas and rain coats and boots just for those few drops of rain. It was such an exciting time, we’d wait looking at the darkened skies, just hoping, praying even that it would pour like there was no tomorrow.

I remember the time Seef Mall opened. It was like a totally different world, so thrilling and fabulous. It had so many shops and even a Multiplex. It was so cool to hang out there but now every weekend we go to Bahrain City Centre mall, however, as exciting as it is to shop, I do sometimes miss the old-world charm.

Every time anyone visited Bahrain, our itinerary would more or less be the same: it would include the museum, Al Areen Park and Zallaq, or one of the beaches. A trip to the souq also was must. I still love the look and feel of our souq, it’s so earthy and traditional, and so charming.

More than being a religious festival, Eid is a time for national celebrations here in Bahrain. Every Eid, growing up, we used to get up or rather not sleep at all in the process of getting ready. Painting our hands with henna, new clothes and what-not, we’d all be ready in the wee hours of the morning and bundled up in dad’s car to go to the Grand Mosque. 

It was always one huge happy family gathering. We’d meet so many people we knew, and so many people we had never met before, all smiling at each other and wishing 'Eid Mubarak' with the three kisses on the cheek. Jalabiyas, thobes, kurtas, long dresses, abayas, we’d see people dressed in clothes from all across the world. That atmosphere is truly representative of life here; it is indeed one of joy, of a blessed life, of multiculturalism and of celebrating moments together.

I am Indian and one of the best aspects of being Indian in Bahrain is that you can revel in it. Honestly, you get to enjoy the best of both worlds. I have never had to compromise on my Indian identity while living here, but that doesn’t make me any less of a Bahraini, even if my official citizenship states otherwise.

I have realized I have celebrated more Indian festivals that my cousins and friends who actually live in India, and I have been exposed to more Indian culture, arts and crafts than I would have living in India. It only goes on to show how welcoming the Bahraini community is. Possibly because living in any place in India you are only exposed to that one culture, whereas here you have people from all across India and other parts of the world. We have communities and places to practice, not just religion but our own native cultural aspects and have a large number of organizations in Bahrain catering to the different backgrounds of Indians; there is the Indian Club and the Indian Ladies Association which are open to all. Then we have associations like the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam, the Young Goan’s Club, Maharashtra Mitra Mandal and so on and so forth. We are exposed to a multitude of cultures and are able to learn and imbibe the best from them.

I am a Keralite and I have practically grown up and spent years of my childhood at the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam, which is an association for all people hailing from Kerala. I remember when it used to be a small building in Gudaibiya where the South Park restaurant is currently situated. Now it is a sprawling campus in the heart of Segaiyya with three halls and parking for over three hundred cars, and that in itself is a testament to the faith and strong relation between the Bahraini and Indian community.

Growing up, I have learnt Bharatnatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi, which are all classical dance forms of India. And there are many like me who have also learnt these dance forms. It was only possible because of how easily available this has been in Bahrain. There are teachers all across the country teaching these classical dance forms and, more importantly, there is more than one platform where you get to showcase these talents. We are now even able to buy the costumes and jewellery for these dances here, we no longer need for them to be specifically brought in from India.

Right up 'till I returned to India for my higher education, for more than eight years, without fail I had celebrated Eid, Diwali, Onam and Dussera. Every year I enjoyed the Onasadya and the Dandiya during Dussera. But during the five years that I spent studying in India, there wasn’t a single year where I got to do this.

By the way, I really do think that every Keralite who comes to Bahrain will feel perfectly at home because of the large number of Malayalam speaking crowd here. I doubt if there is any cold store or high-end office where a Keralite is not present. I have also even come across a few Bahrainis who speak Malayalam fluently.

Bahrain also has some absolutely great Indian restaurants, where we can enjoy the cuisines from different parts of India. We even have a chaat place and even a puttu-kada, which specializes in the rice cake delicacy of Kerala. Fine dining or a full meal for just 1BD, there is a complete range of choice here.

And I have been pleasantly surprised time and again by the sheer love Bahrainis have for Bollywood. Even though the Wednesday movie no longer comes on Channel 55, the latest movies are always released in the theatres here. Hey, not just Bollywood, even regional Indian movies are released here on time!

I remember when Indian demi-god superstar Rajnikant’s film Shivaji was released in Bahrain, the entire Gudaibiya area where Al Hamra Cinema was located was flooded with people. They were crowding onto the roads and it looked like a sea of people. For a moment, it felt like I was back in in Chennai.

Just recently, as editor for a magazine, I interviewed a young Bahraini photographer whose dream was to do a photo-shoot with Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. His knowledge on her life and her movies was quite in-depth, I don’t think even I knew much of it.

During my days as a reporter, I have covered numerous activities of the Indian Embassy and was thoroughly impressed by their efficiency and by the support that the Embassy has had from the Bahraini authorities. 

There are also plenty enough stores here selling Indian fruits and vegetables, and other Indian foodstuffs, and even Indian clothes; Sarees, salwars, lehengas all of them are easily available, and not at a price that will kill you. As a matter of fact, believe it or not, I actually purchased my engagement lehenga from right here in Bahrain.

Even in terms of education, we have the option of choosing the Indian Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and, as far as I know, Bahrain is one of the few countries in the region where both locals and Indians are allowed to study the Indian syllabus. 

I am an alumnus of the Indian School and I am proud to say that I was part of it during its glory years. At school, we all grew up with a large number of Bahraini friends, and it was always a pleasure to teach them about India and its culture.

I remember when one of my Bahraini friends came home for dinner and we had to teach him how to eat and enjoy our meals. He was so confused and didn’t know what to eat with what, and it was also so funny to watch him eat with his hand. Not that he couldn’t enjoy the food with cutlery, but all of us, him included, had more fun making him eat with his hand.

At school, we were taught both the Indian and Bahrain national anthems and most of us sang both with equal pride and fervour. We also hold up the Bahraini flag with as much respect and love as we do for the Indian flag. I have always loved watching dances to Khaleeji music and I must say that it has caught on so well that now more and more non-Bahraini students participate more in the Arabic dance competitions at school.

Over the years, one of my only regrets has been that I haven’t learnt Arabic. I do hope that it becomes compulsory for all students in Bahrain to at least learn the basics of the Arabic language. Not that I require it professionally, or even socially, but I am truly embarrassed that I don’t know the language of my 'home'.

I believe Bahrain is so popular with the expat' community because of the lifestyle that Bahrain has to offer and we are never made to feel like we don’t belong. I can say with 100 percent conviction, that this indeed is an island where there is no racism, at least not from the Bahraini folk. I have never been made to feel inferior to anyone, in any sphere. I have always been treated like an equal, and I have always been respected and treated right, which is more than you can say about many other Arab states. Many who have lived and worked in Bahrain find it unacceptable to move to another Arab country because of the culture difference. In Bahrain, it has always been an all-inclusive society, always a smile for a stranger, always an open heart and warm welcome.

I remember when we were in school waiting to graduate, so that we could leave Bahrain and go off to see the world. Everyone always said; “we won’t come back to Bahrain, it’s too boring. Nothing exciting ever happens in Bahrain,” but ultimately quite a large number of people who grew up here do eventually return, and start families here. There is something about the life here that brings us all back. Sure, it may not be the most exciting oh-my-god-I-have-no-time-to-breathe kind of life, and yes it may seem even slow at times, but there is a certain charm, a unique warmth, and a special sense of belonging here.

My passport may not be of the red colour that Bahrainis hold and yes I am an Indian, but Bahrain is my home. I was born here, had my childhood here, went to school and grew up here, evolved into the person I am today and now that I am married, I am definitely looking forward to giving my family and my kids - when they arrive - the sweet and beautiful life that Bahrain provides. Maybe the one reason that I love it here is that sense of belonging, And when I do travel, I always look forward to that wonderful the feeling I get when my flight lands at the Bahrain International Airport. You know... the feeling of finally coming home.

It is indeed My Beautiful Bahrain.