Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Muscat, Oman, for a family wedding. As I stepped onto Omani soil once again, I was filled with a strange and beautiful mixture of nostalgia, warmth and gratitude.
For me, Oman is not just another country. It is my second home.
My husband and I spent some of the most memorable years of our lives in Oman. As young medical doctors, we had worked with the Ministry of Health in Oman in the early 1990s. We lived there for almost seven years, at a time when our children were very small and we were ourselves quite young.
Looking back, I remember how anxious we were when we first decided to move to a foreign country. In India, we knew a little about Dubai and the Gulf, but Oman was almost an unknown world to us. We wondered what life would be like, whether we would adjust, whether we would make friends and, most importantly, whether we would feel at home.
But the moment we arrived in Muscat, those apprehensions slowly began to disappear.
I still remember being mesmerised by the beauty of Oman.
Although Oman is a desert country, there was an extraordinary beauty in the way nature and human effort came together. The beautifully manicured date palms around the airport were among the first things that caught my attention.
The roads were wide and impeccably maintained, with roundabouts decorated with beautiful murals depicting Omani culture, along with colourful floral arrangements. The temperatures could soar, yet flowers continued to bloom because of carefully planned landscaping and drip irrigation.
There was a sense of order everywhere.
Traffic moved with remarkable discipline. Buildings were generally low-rise, and the traditional beige and earthy colours gave the cities a distinctive character. There was no clutter of towering skyscrapers. Instead, there was a quiet elegance in the landscape.
Oman seemed to have found a wonderful balance between modernity and tradition.
But what truly made Oman special for us were its people.
The warmth of the Omani people
Omanis are among the warmest and most hospitable people we have ever known.
During our nearly seven years there, we became friends with so many Omanis — some were our patients, some were colleagues and hospital staff, while others were neighbours and people we simply met along the way.
Those relationships did not end when we left Oman.
Even after all these years, we remain in touch with many of our Omani friends.
And during our recent visit to Muscat, something happened that touched us deeply. Some of our old friends came to meet us, bringing with them dates and delicious Omani halwa.
It was as though we had never left.
The years had passed. Children had grown up. Life had taken all of us in different directions. Yet the affection remained exactly where we had left it.
That is the magic of genuine human relationships.
A wedding that brought two cultures together
The reason for our recent visit was a family wedding, and it turned out to be much more than a celebration of two individuals coming together.
It became a beautiful celebration of two cultures coming together.
There was Indian food alongside traditional Omani cuisine. Indian guests mingled freely with Omani guests. There were different languages, different clothes, different customs and traditions — and yet there was laughter, conversation, warmth and joy everywhere.
Watching everyone interact made me reflect on how much we actually have in common.
At first glance, India and Oman may seem very different. We may look different, dress differently and speak different languages. Our histories and cultural practices have their own unique identities.
Yet, beneath all these differences, there is something universal.
Family. Hospitality. Respect for elders. Love for children. Celebrations. Food. Faith. Friendship. Generosity.
The expressions may differ, but the emotions are remarkably similar.
And perhaps that is when we truly understand the profound meaning of the ancient Indian philosophy:
“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — The world is one family.
Sometimes, it takes travelling far away from our own country to realise how much we share with people from completely different cultures.
Oman taught us that lesson many years ago.
We went there as young doctors, anxious about living in a foreign land. We left years later carrying memories, friendships and a deep affection for a country that had welcomed us with open arms.
And decades later, when we returned, Oman welcomed us once again — not as tourists, but almost like family coming home.
Some places you visit.
Some places you live in.
And some places quietly become a part of who you are.
For us, Oman will always be one of those places.
Oman — my second home, and a beautiful reminder that humanity has no borders.