Anniversary 33

























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The Death of Memory

“ People have two deaths, the first at the end of their lives. The second, at the end of the memory of their lives.” Raghu Karnad, ' Farthest Field' A chance remark by my grand daughter sparked off this trilogy.  Here's part I. For my defense, I say only this : "Just write the truth! But truths are many, and that is the problem. Memory is treacherous, as distinct from history as emotion." Cohen, Roger,  'The Girl from Human Street.'  “Naani”, asked my five year old granddaughter, in all her worldly wisdom, “Where are my Great Grandparents?  Do you think they love me?” As I prepared to answer her inquisitive queries, my mind wandered, to my Great Grandparents! Who indeed were they! What a profound chord her innocent words had touched! What did I know of my  great grandfather, who had lived and died before I came into this world! Kachapeshwar Iyer was my great grandfather's name. Eshwar for short. I know for sure. My grandfather carried his name i...
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FROM DESPAIR TO HOPE

I am touched by what   Hip Hop Grandmom  writes, in her blog, T een Troubles-3. As a teacher, for more than 30 years, I have closely observed student life and found it to be rewarding and challenging. No doubt, there have been some very good moments in the class room environment, very special memories, which have sustained me as a teacher and motivated me, to do my best year after year. However, there are some other memories, so etched in my mind, that have filled me with despair. I wonder how much in despair these young ones might have been and wonder what goes on in the minds of their near and dear ones. Do they ever recover fully? I remember two shocking instances, when pupils, two young girls, from my class took their own lives. Both were in their early teens, pretty, lively, smart kids. Both were studying in co-ed schools. One jumped down a high rise residential block of flats, in which she did not live. The other, an only child, just tied the ...
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The Note Unsent.

The 31st of December 2024. I got down to the happy task of posting new year messages to friends and family. It was around 10 pm, and I had just got started. My school group, the most active for reasons mentioned below, soon flashed an urgent message. Our classmate, Rupa Dasgupta, retired scientist, intrepid traveler, a literature enthusiast, and a dear friend, had breathed her last.    She had been unwell a couple of months, flitting in and out of hospital, fighting and struggling against all odds, only to lose the battle, untimely for us, but a great relief for her.   It took a while to read and register the ultimate truth. Then the shock and sadness set in. What was there to celebrate in the new year! The messages remained unsent. The night passed in thought...even the merriment and crackers ushering in the new year seemed jaded. The new dawn finally helped me see reason. I called dear friends who had remained in constant touch and conveyed to the group the medical upda...
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