When I think of my hometown Ludhiana, I find myself reflecting on how a city becomes intertwined with one’s own becoming. Ludhiana was not just the city where I grew up – it was a city of contradictions – that fused music and noise, migration and belonging, commerce and creativity, and fragility and resilience.My family shifted from Meerut to Ludhiana around 1980 during the period of turbulence in Punjab. I was barely two at that time. I remember those nights of living in fear of terrorist intrusions, especially post-1984. Despite the hostile currents prevailing across the region, Ludhiana became a place of refuge and emotional anchor for my family as we navigated the existential cross-currents while starting a new hosiery business in the city.Some of my early memories comprise making mudcakes, playing marbles and badminton, plucking mulberries and guavas from the neighbourhood trees, writing horror scripts with my crazy cousin, and terrace walks interrupted by mothers jolting us out of our childhood fantasies.Being an ardent music lover since childhood, the lyrical and musical tradition of the city cannot be separated from my living memory. As a child, though I did not understand the relevance or social criticism or sense of longing that suffused Sahir Ludhianvi’s lyrics, yet the city’s connection with the legendary poet gradually shaped my perspective and inculcated in me a life-long love for good music. The year 1980, when we shifted to Ludhiana, coincided with Sahir’s passing away whose verses I now realise instilled in me love for individuality, freedom, and creative expression — traits that were integral to my own becoming.While much of the city’s bearings have transformed beyond recognition, with the suburbs bursting at the seams, this industrial hub throbs and pulsates with the same raw energy as it did in the 1980s.Yes! the machinery has become more sophisticated, yet the sight of workers thronging the streets after day’s work and fumes from factories still stick to the deepest layers of the city’s belly. The influx of migrants from UP and Bihar has changed not only the demographics but also the language. The mingling of various dialects of Hindi with Punjabi has created new linguistic registers, making its vocabulary more inclusive.While the manufacturing units remain the ever-driving force behind the economic boom, there is a literary, artistic, and cultural boom that has been growing quietly. Many collectives, cultural organisations, and literary clubs have brought in a quiet renaissance, creating new spaces for conversation and creativity.Undoubtedly, Ludhiana has turned into a sprawling urban giant over time. Yet, its original impulse never fades away despite the challenges and its undulating cultural graph. I grew up within that pulse – between industry and cadence of music, anxieties and personal self-discoveries – of being and becoming.Jattvibeaina Jain, ChnadigarhTribuneindia.com invites contributions to SHAHARNAMA. Share anecdotes, unforgettable incidents, impressionable moments that define your cities, neighbourhoods, what the city stands for, what makes its people who they are. Send your contributions in English, not exceeding 450 words, to shaharnama@Jattvibemail.comDo include the name of your city and your social media handles (X/ Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn)