As the family sat down to eat, Priya couldn't help but feel grateful for the simple joys in life. She had grown up in a small village in rural India, where life was much more challenging. Now, as a mother of two, she was determined to give her children the best possible life.

Indians are the original minimalists without even trying. We don’t throw things away; we find new uses for them. An old cookie tin inevitably becomes a sewing kit, and a shampoo bottle is only truly empty after it’s been rinsed with water one last time.

By 4 PM, my mother and the aunties from the colony gather on our balcony. Steel cups of cutting chai in hand. The topics range from "Which bhaji is best at the new vegetable shop?" to "Did you see the Mehta’s daughter’s engagement photos?"