Let’s admit it: The value of ‘ghar ka khaana’ is only truly felt when you move away from home and start paying for something that never quite tastes the same. That’s exactly what Versova-resident, Ritika Jain felt when she moved to Mumbai a few years ago. She also missed the easy rhythm of shared spaces, an absence that led to Aangan, a modern-day third place beyond home and work, inspired by the nostalgia of the Indian courtyard. 

“Courtyards are special,” she tells us, adding, “They have nature, they are a safe space where children play freely, and adults drift into unplanned conversations, and people don’t just socialise, they grow together, support one another, and form an ecosystem of care. Aangan attempts to recreate that spirit in a contemporary, urban context.”