11 Comments
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Terri Lewis's avatar

What heavy days all for a single visit. Thank you for sharing. Condolences are all I have to offer...

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Amitava Kumar's avatar

Thank you.

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Mira Kamdar's avatar

So much loss, coming from so many directions at once. One tree heavy with fruit while the others are strangely without any fruit: That image haunts me. I am so sorry about the loss of your beloved chacha.

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Thomas Beller's avatar

Unbelievable headwinds.

Miguel street, a bit like Dubliners, foundational. I still remember Hat. Bill Gifford assigned A Bend In The River.

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Amitava Kumar's avatar

Bend is an amazing novel, not least because it is problematic. (Thanks for reading my post, Tom!)

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Mary MGuire's avatar

Professor Kumar,

Your story of the death of your loved uncle has left me straddled and free. You give living or is it death to us in words-love, death, memories, new life, yearning, the water of tears and peeing , the arms of love and always the search.

For moments , I thought the flames from the pyre were flowers glowing in sunlight. I had never seen a death fire in the open and near a tree- a tree your father planted and was now singed with the flames. Is it your life and then though you all life that you have given us?

Forgive my verb tenses changes, as I am thinking too of the victory of the snake biting girl. Would that I could be so brave.

I send condolences and many thanks.

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Amitava Kumar's avatar

Thank you, Mary, as always for reading and your own searching words.

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Pat Towers's avatar

Very sorry to hear the sad news about your father's youngest brother, Balram Chacha. Thank you for this finely wrought remembrance.

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Amitava Kumar's avatar

Thank you, Pat.

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Harshit Anand's avatar

Condolences. I remember your references to an uncle in Bettiah from your Granta piece a couple years ago

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Amitava Kumar's avatar

Thank you.

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