Chidiya Ghar
Research · Writing · Illustration · Publication Design
An illustrated graphic novel that reimagines the Indian home as a zoo, using humour, satire and storytelling to explore the contradictions of Indian hospitality.
Can absurdity become a way of understanding culture?
Growing up in an Indian household, I was always fascinated by the little contradictions that quietly shape the way we live. We're taught to make guests feel at home, yet often at the cost of our own comfort. We love deeply, loudly and sometimes, overwhelmingly. Chidiya Ghar is a fictional graphic novel inspired by these moments. Through absurd anthropomorphic animal characters and satire, the project celebrates these contradictions not as flaws, but as the very qualities that make home feel like home.
Exploration
I spoke to friends and family, noted recurring habits and rituals, and looked for moments that felt oddly familiar across different households. Gradually, these observations revealed recurring tensions.
hospitality
vs
obligation
generosity
vs
burden
comfort
vs
invasion
showmanship
vs
sharing
These findings became the foundation for a fictional story about a family hosting their NRI relatives, where an ordinary visit slowly spirals into complete chaos. Each character is represented by an animal whose behaviour subtly mirrors the role they play within the household, using metaphor to amplify the humour and absurdity.
I chose the dining table as the central display element. I want to recreate it at an exaggerated scale and supersized to create the illusion that it never ends, reflecting the endlessness of both food and social obligation.
Working on Chidiya Ghar taught me that some of the richest stories aren't extraordinary at all, they're the ones we stop noticing because they've always felt like home.