Summary
"A Long Way Home" is the remarkable true story of Saroo Brierley, an Indian boy who, at the age of five, becomes separated from his family and embarks on an extraordinary journey of survival, loss, and rediscovery. Growing up in a small village in India, Saroo's life is one of poverty but filled with the love of his mother and siblings. One fateful night, while accompanying his older brother to a train station, Saroo falls asleep and wakes to find himself alone on a train hurtling towards an unknown destination.
Lost and terrified, Saroo arrives in Calcutta, a sprawling megacity teeming with millions of people. Unable to read or write, and not knowing the name of his village, he navigates the treacherous streets, facing hunger, homelessness, and constant danger. For weeks, he survives by his wits, encountering both kindness and cruelty, clinging to the hope of finding his way back home. Eventually, Saroo is taken to an orphanage, a place of refuge but also a reminder of his lost family.
Fate intervenes when Saroo is adopted by an Australian couple, Sue and John Brierley, who provide him with a loving home and a new life in Tasmania. Despite the comfort and security of his new surroundings, Saroo is haunted by fragmented memories of his past and a longing to find his birth mother. As he grows older, he becomes increasingly determined to uncover his origins, spurred by the guilt that his family may still be searching for him.
Armed with only a handful of recollections and the power of Google Earth, Saroo embarks on a seemingly impossible quest to find his village. After years of searching, he miraculously identifies a location that matches his memories, a small town called Ganesh Talai. Overwhelmed with emotion, Saroo travels back to India, ready to confront his past and reunite with the family he has longed for.
In a poignant and unforgettable reunion, Saroo finds his mother, sister, and brother, discovering that his family had never given up hope of finding him. "A Long Way Home" is a testament to the enduring power of family, the resilience of the human spirit, and the extraordinary ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. It's a story of identity, belonging, and the unwavering search for home, wherever that may be.