14 Comments
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Mukta Naik's avatar

Manisha, your writing always offers me the gift of emotional release. More power to you, my friend, to face challenges with goofy blurting that is both ill-timed and timely! Beautiful writing!

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Charulatha Banerjee's avatar

What a piece of writing! And how brave is this friend of yours. 🫂

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Manisha Gupta's avatar

Thanks Charulatha! My friend and her daughter have been navigating loss and grief in exceptional ways.

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Sanket's avatar

Read this for the first time during the Workshop and was in awe of you and your writing , Manisha.

On this reading I discovered so many tiny snippets I had missed owing to being lost in my own grief. The jokes about the birds, the quip back by Uday’s brother, the urn being on time.

Such a giving essay this is.

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Manisha Gupta's avatar

Sanket, a big thank you for reading this essay with so much heart

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Sanskriti Bhatia's avatar

Thank you for writing this, Manisha! Such a rich story and perspective 💛

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Preeti Sahai's avatar

It took me a while to allow myself to read this Manisha....I feel like I know grief a bit better, even as I run scared of it....Beautiful and touching piece...

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Manisha Gupta's avatar

Thank you Preeti! I feel I still have to process more from the experience of that party

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Sanobar Sabah's avatar

Manisha, I remember reading this during our session and I still swallowed every word here again. Reminded me of the time my brothers, my cousins and I mourned my father's death. My in-laws from Bihar couldn't believe the festive like merry atmosphere that soon followed my father's funeral at our home in Mumbai lol I'm so glad you made space for this essay and so did Ruhi. Sending you all lots of love and hugs <3 May our memories live on...

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Sana Ally's avatar

What a wonderful permission to give oneself and others! Thank you for sharing this with us. As with all your writing, I am in awe of the myriad emotions you make us all feel and the road of introspection you lead me specifically to. To Ruhi, Ira, Manisha and Uday, whose friendship and humour smoothens out the coarseness of life, love and loss. Sounds like the best kind!

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Manisha Gupta's avatar

Thank you Sana for your warm response to this essay. This party to celebrate Uday fundamentally transformed my relationship with Ira and Ruhi.

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Not The Wife Material's avatar

It is very tough to write about friends dead and gone. but I also feel this is almost the best tribute ever. you did it beautifully. as always!

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Manisha Gupta's avatar

Thank you Savvy! Was thinking of your essay on the loss of a dear friend

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Neena Verma's avatar

If only…

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