A friend (who is also my daughter’s friend’s mother) passed away late this afternoon, 7th August. I don’t know how Sankalpa must be feeling. Her husband, who is normally totally in control, broke down yesterday morning when he called me, saying that the doctors were not holding up hope.

I liked S a lot. She was my friend much before our children became friends.She was a lady with a good heart, with a great talent and an excellent singing voice…one of her great interests in life was music, particularly Rabindra Sangeet. She used to be tickled pink about my reading and writing Bengali as well as speaking it well. She took me along to her Rabindra Sangeet teacher where I learned a couple of songs.

She loved the good things of life…good food, sarees, jewellery, eating out, and travelling. She enjoyed having a place to go to in Kolkata and always felt that Kolkata was home.

She has struggled with extreme ill-health with real courage and determination and it was not often that I have seen her down…she would be incredibly cheerful given the complications and the pain she faced. She was so happy with her children’s achievements and it was a delight to see her joy when talking about her children. Her grandsons, too, particularly the elder one, gave her a lot of joy. She was so happy about her daughter in law; she was so happy when the married couple moved to Bangalore.

Her husband spared nothing in the quest for a treatment that would somehow make her better. Our last visit was just before she went into the hospital…we were all laughing and joking and there was the ease of an old friendship. I remember her joking even then, about how her doctor was probably planning a European holiday on the strength of the fees he was charging her.

We are going to visit her, they have brought her back home.

I know she was suffering dreadfully. But I wish she hadn’t gone. I can’t write any more.