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The Chipped Cup, the Service Lift and Other Things I Had Forgotten About India

by Rahul Fernandes

Published 2026-06-09 03:30:02+00:00

How does a decade away make the quiet rules of a home feel suddenly jarring?

0:00 / 6:22 · Narrator Charon

Context

Rahul Fernandes returned to India after a decade in the US, expecting the standard frictions of traffic and bureaucracy. But in this piece published on 9 June 2026, the focus shifts to the quieter, more persistent indignities that define daily life. It moves past the usual complaints of reverse culture shock to look at the chipped cups and service lifts that sustain a rigid social hierarchy. The observation here isn’t just about the system itself, but the discomfort of seeing how easily a person can slip back into accepting the unacceptable.

Show notes

A personal reflection on returning to India after a decade abroad, centered on the pervasive social hierarchies that define domestic and public life. Through anecdotes involving service lifts, domestic labor, and school functions, the narrative examines how caste and class distinctions manifest in everyday interactions. The account contrasts standard quality-of-life grievances with the moral discomfort of reintegrating into a highly stratified society.

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