On the banks of the Nile, the Rosetta branch, I lived an enjoyable childhood in the City of Disuq, which is the home of the famous mosque, Sidi Ibrahim.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Growing up, I came to love Egypt and respect Islam, but I never thought to go beyond the surface. Back in Canada, many of my father's Egyptian friends questioned his decision not to raise his only child more strictly in the faith. I was not taught salat, the Muslim ritual of prayer, nor did I study Arabic.
The mosque was the neighbourhood house of worship, but it was also the place where my high school friends and I came to study.
For my first Bollywood movie, 'Ekk Deewana Tha,' my mum also came over because Mumbai was completely new to me, and I'd heard it's a huge city.
My grandfather sold insurance to King Farouk of Egypt. And my savta's parents helped found the city of Tel Aviv in 1906. Our family name used to be Mizrahi, but they changed it to Mayron, which means 'happy water' in Hebrew.
My family lived in Egypt from 1993 to 1996.
My parents being Bengali, we always had music in our house. My nani was a trained classical singer, who taught my mum, who, in turn, was my first teacher. Later I would travel almost 70 kms to the nearest town, Kota, to learn music from my guru Mahesh Sharmaji, who was also the principal of the music college there.
I grew up in southern Sudan, one of nine children. Our life was simple but very happy.
I am the son of poor peasants who came at a very young age to live in Algeria. I only recently saw the place where they were born, near the city of Marrakech.
I am in the hands of Deori Maa. Every time I come to Ranchi, I visit her temple. I still remember my first visit.
I have been blessed to visit the Holy City of Mecca.