Culture on Your Block - Meet Mala!

For our first Culture on the Block spotlight, we would like to highlight Mala B., a Maryland Heights resident who is one of our community's brightest beams of positivity, creativity and has lots of cultural pride! 

Maryland Heights resident Mala smiles and holds a candle while wearing traditional Indian attire inside her home

Mala and her husband Dinesh have been Maryland Heights residents in the Pinehurst subdivision since 2001, and are the proud parents of two Pattonville graduates. Mala is an immigrant from India, and was born in the country's northern region in the town of Dehradun. She lived a simple life in her small town, where her father worked as a forestry biologist. Her father was also a gardener, and kept chickens and honeybees at home. Mala has fond memories of being surrounded by plants and flowers, and credits it with her current love of gardening and nature. 

Life in Dehradun instilled a sense of community in her at a young age - she recalls seeing her father giving away jars of honey to neighbors, and seeing how small gestures of kindness could have a major impact on others. As she grew older, she acquired a passion for working with children and was one of the first coordinators of a school program in her town. There, she and a few others taught children life skills such as basic cooking, and explored the arts through activities such as sculpting, puppetry, and more!

Mala also noted that the importance of family was instilled in her at a very young age. In India, it is very common for extended family to all live together in one space. This includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and so on - a different way of living compared to a typical American home. “Your family becomes very close,”  Mala said, adding that she still she visits members of her family every year in India. 

Despite her ties to India, Mala found herself in the U.S. soon after marrying her husband, Dinesh. Mala and Dinesh met through an arranged marriage, a common custom in India. They quickly realized they were meant for each other, and eagerly got engaged. However, in 1994, Mala’s fiancé received an opportunity to live in the United States. Mala had concerns about the relationship, as it would take her another year to join Dinesh in the United States. However, Dinesh had his heart set on Mala, and told his future wife that he would wait for her, no matter how long it took. They got married in 1995, and moved to Maryland Heights in 2001 after living in other area municipalities. 

Mala B. and her husband, Dinesh, smile and pose together while wearing formal clothing at an event

They chose Maryland Heights to raise their family because of the small-town feel, the beauty of Creve Coeur Lake, and their love of the Pattonville School District. Mala shined with pride while talking about her children breaking swim records, attending tennis matches, and supporting the robotics team. She often would volunteer at their schools, teaching Bollywood dancing during multicultural events, and helping teachers with the pronunciation of new student’s names. 

Mala continued her volunteer work here in the United States at senior centers, libraries, and preschools. Mala earned a degree from India, but had to go back to school in the U.S., as her degree wouldn’t transfer between countries. She had to adjust to many aspects of life in the U.S., such as learning how to drive on the other side of the road. Mala currently works in real estate and loves to help those who are immigrating to the United States get settled into their new home. 

Mala and her family celebrate several Indian holidays. These include Diwali and Navratri/Dussehra, but she especially loves celebrating Holi (Festival of Colors). “My mother made Holi really special. She would cook goat curry and Gujiya [a dumpling stuffed with a sweet cardamom filling and chopped nuts]," Mala said. "We would share the meal with visitors and mom would book singers. Everyone would wear white and keep the colors in their pockets.” She remembers the fun of spreading the colors by throwing dye through the air, and would even use water guns to spray others with colored water. “We would come home a mess, and my mom would hose us down.”

When asked what Mala would like her community to know about India, she laughed and stated, “there are not snake charmers on every corner, but you do encounter cows in the road.” She noted that India isn’t just full of busy cities with lots of vehicles - Dehradun is enveloped by the beauty of the Himalayan mountain range. Mala also embraces her accent as a part of her identity, as each state in India has its own dialect. “I don’t ever want to lose my accent," Mala said. "It’s who I am!” 

Maryland Heights residents Mala, Dinesh, their two children, and their dog smile inside a bright, cheery room

While talking with Mala, you can tell that she thrives on the social interaction of her community. She states that she has formed a strong group of friends and they meet up often. “You need to have a person you can talk to,” says Mala. “Coming to America, I learned that family doesn’t have to be blood.” 

Would you like to share your culture with Maryland Heights? Fill out our online form at www.marylandheights.com/cultureblock or email MHLife@marylandheights.com.