India, Dec. 10 -- Sunday mornings are filled with soulful melodies wafting from a piano somewhere. The clack of carrom coins ricocheting on the board in the Girgaon Catholic Club. The scent of freshly fried potato chips from the Ideal Wafers in the air, mixing with precious drops of Chanel No 5 sprayed onto crisp white handkerchiefs as the ladies got dressed for Sunday service. Bright 'good mornings' smiled at my grandfather as everyone passed by on their way to Portuguese Church (now St Teresa's). Life in Khotachiwadi has always had a rhythm that winds its way in and resonates with your heart. It's in Mumbai, and yet feels like it's a throwback to more genteel times when the city was known as Bombay.

After many years of spending my scho...