“I am Trishali. Born and raised in Chennai.
A North Indian girl who grew up in one of the most vibrant yet underrated cities of South India. Chennai is the place that shaped me. It is where I found my people, my rhythm and my purpose.

What I do today is not something I call a full time profession yet, but it is my passion in every sense. I run a toy and book library for children called Khilonay Ka Pitara, a small corner of joy where learning, play and conscious parenting come together.

I am also a Montessori educator at heart, and above everything else, a hands on mother to a mischievous five year old who keeps me both grounded and inspired every single day.

If I look back at the moments that shaped me, motherhood will always be the first. Nothing prepares you for it and yet it transforms you in ways you never expect. It turned me from a quiet and unsure girl into someone who stands fiercely for what feels right. It gave me a courage I did not know I was capable of.

My second turning point was my two years in Canada. That phase taught me self reliance, independence and the most important lesson of all, self love. It was my Boss Babe era, the time I learned to choose myself without guilt.

Even now, if I had to pick the moment that changed everything, it would still be the moment I became a mom. Before that, I spent so much of my life trying to do everything the right way. Meeting expectations. Planning perfectly. Staying within lines. Motherhood broke every rule I was holding on to. It taught me that perfection is an illusion and presence is real. Love grows in the messy, unfiltered, imperfect moments.

Somewhere between toys scattered across the floor and bedtime stories that stretched long past bedtime, I found clarity about what truly matters. That is how Khilonay Ka Pitara was born. What started as a small idea to make play mindful and meaningful slowly became an extension of my parenting journey and eventually, an extension of my personal growth too.

There is another part of my story that I hold very close. I am, unapologetically, a husband’s girl. I am also a passionate dancer, and no matter how grown I become, I never stop being mom and dad’s little girl. I keep my circle small with friends I can count on my fingers, and I hold them tightly, fiercely, close to my heart.

I did not truly understand what Chennai meant to me until I got married and moved away. I grew up never leaving my home or my city. It was all I knew and I assumed it would always be that way. But the first time I returned after moving, I felt something I still struggle to explain. Excitement. Relief. A deep, warm sense of belonging.

The very things people often complain about are the things I love most. The slow pace. The humidity. The calmness. The sea always nearby. The unhurried rhythm of life. There is a warmth here that settles into your bones.

Now that I am back, I see everything with new eyes. The stillness. The chaos. The impatient honking even when the road is empty. The food. The people. And the quiet comfort of being close to the only home my heart has ever truly known.

Chennai raised me without ever forcing me to change who I am. And every time I watch my son grow up here, I know I am giving him the same gift.”