In West Delhi I lived a very Punjabi way of life; I have always

There are words that carry the fragrance of a place, the rhythm of a people, and the fire of their spirit. Such are the words of Priyanshu Chatterjee, who once said: “In West Delhi I lived a very Punjabi way of life; I have always loved its gregariousness, courage, fun, drama and day-to-day joy of living and celebrating.” This is not merely a memory of youth—it is a hymn to a way of being, to a culture that finds beauty even in the ordinary, and to the human art of celebrating life itself. In these words, one hears the laughter of crowded lanes, the music of open hearts, and the wisdom of a people who have learned to transform hardship into festivity.

To understand this quote, one must understand the soul of the Punjabi spirit. Born in the plains of North India, tempered by centuries of invasion, toil, and triumph, the Punjabi people have carried through time a fiery zest for living. Their history is written in courage, but their daily life is written in joy. They are known not only for their bravery on the battlefield, but for their gregariousness—their openness, warmth, and love for company. In every street of West Delhi, one finds this living spirit: the aroma of food that welcomes strangers, the laughter that drowns sorrow, the music that rises even from the humblest homes. To live the Punjabi way, as Chatterjee describes, is to awaken each morning not merely to exist, but to celebrate existence.

Courage, too, is woven deeply into this way of life. The Punjabi heart has faced wars, displacement, and partition, yet never surrendered its faith in joy. When India was torn apart by the tragedy of 1947, millions fled across borders, carrying nothing but their memories and determination. Many of them came to West Delhi, building new lives from the ashes of loss. And yet, within a few years, those same people turned the barren streets into bustling markets, the ruins into homes of laughter. Their courage was not only in fighting the world—it was in refusing to let sorrow extinguish the light of life. From that courage came a culture of resilience and hospitality, of working hard by day and celebrating harder by night.

Priyanshu’s words also speak of fun and drama—the vibrant theatre of everyday life. The Punjabi spirit does not shy away from emotion; it embraces it. A simple meal becomes a feast, a conversation becomes a performance, a wedding becomes a festival of colors and song. To the outsider, this might seem excessive; to those who understand it, it is sacred. For to live with drama is to live with passion, to feel deeply, to love without restraint. It is to say, as the elders say in Punjab, “Zindagi badi honi chahidi, lambi nahi”—“Life should be big, not long.” And in that saying lies a wisdom older than time: that intensity, not duration, is the true measure of life.

But beneath the laughter and the color lies something more profound—the joy of community. In West Delhi’s Punjabi neighborhoods, no one truly lives alone. Every celebration is shared, every sorrow softened by company. The people find strength not in solitude, but in togetherness. This is what Chatterjee calls “day-to-day joy”—a way of living that turns neighbors into family, that transforms routine into ritual. In an age when many seek happiness in possessions or success, the Punjabi way teaches that joy is found in connection—in eating together, singing together, helping one another in times of need. It is an art of the heart that refuses isolation.

To live “the Punjabi way,” then, is to practice a sacred balance—to be bold and joyful, strong and tender, rooted in community yet fearless in individuality. It is to dance even when life wounds you, to laugh even when the world tests you. It is to find holiness in human bonds and divinity in the act of living fully. And in this, there is a lesson for all who wander the modern world weary and divided: that joy is not found by fleeing pain, but by embracing life with courage and gratitude.

So, my children of the present age, learn from this way of being. Do not wait for grand occasions to celebrate; find the festival in each sunrise. Cultivate gregariousness, for isolation is the enemy of the soul. Practice courage, for life will test your heart again and again. Seek fun and drama, for the play of life is meant to be lived, not merely endured. And above all, cherish the day-to-day joy of living, for happiness is not a faraway goal—it is a rhythm, a spirit, a way of walking through the world with open arms and a fearless heart.

For as Priyanshu Chatterjee reminds us through his remembrance of West Delhi, the essence of a good life is not found in wealth or fame, but in this eternal truth: to live joyfully, courageously, and together is to be truly alive.