Where Are You From?

So, where are you from?

This figures in a conversation where people are meeting for the first time and want to know where others are from.

  

I understand that people are keen to know about our place of origin.

Whenever I am encountered with such a question, I answer- 'India'.

Then, after they give me an ofcourse-I-know-you-are-from-India look, I am further questioned, where in India?

I answer- 'Eastern part of India'.
Then, they have to know the exact state!
I answer- 'Odisha- The land of Lord Jagannath & the Ratha Jatra!'

Lord Jagannath Handicrafts from Odisha, India

If state comes into the picture, can city be far behind!

Then, there's the clarification that I stay in that city, but my native place is another city!

If the interrogator belongs to the same city or has some connections or idea of the city, then I have to be prepared to more questions about my location or connections.

Oh! So you belong to Bhubaneswar! Do you know...*name/names the interrogator is familiar with*?

I answer- 'Ia m afraid I don't know...'

Then, they give me that you-are-missing-out-by-not-knowing-people-you-don't-know look!

After watching many sci-fi movies, I want to answer the same where am I from question as- Planet Earth!

I am never too sure whether the entity asking me the same question is an Earthling or has landed from another planet just like PK!

Sometimes, when people refuse to believe that I belong to the same place as they do or when I feel out of place and not at home, I feel like singing the Bollywood song- "Main hoon hi nahi is duniya ki!" (I am not of this world).

That's when I seek answers to questions like - 

Who am I? 

Where am I from?

What am I doing here?

The above questions are generally asked by people who have-

A) Just suffered from amnesia

B) Gone crazy

C) Have woken up i.e. have had a philosophical awakening

I may belong to any or all of the categories of people as mentioned above!

I may hail from anywhere.
But, the question is- Where am I going? 

Now, that's another question!

Any answers?

I have often wondered- what's the real answer to the question- where am I from? Have you wondered too? Please share in the comments below.