I Am Gadlo: A Personal Journey from Home to the City
A personal story of family, distance, failure, memories, and finding the strength to begin again The Story Behind My Name — Gadlo My real name is not Gadlo, but that is the name my family has called me since I was a child, and over the years it has become so deeply connected with my identity that whenever someone from home calls me “Gadlo,” it feels like much more than simply hearing a nickname. There is a small story behind this name, and the story begins on the day I was born. I was born during the monsoon, on a day when our entire village was flooded by the waters of the Brahmaputra, while rain continued throughout the day and the sky remained covered with clouds. The weather was completely cloudy and the atmosphere had that particular feeling that comes with a heavy monsoon day in the village. In our Hajong language, this kind of cloudy weather is called “Gádlá.” A senior woman from our neighbourhood, whom I lovingly call Barma, remembered the weather on the day I was born and chos...
