We had given an insertion in the newspaper, “ A V passed away”. It turns out there is another A V with connections to Calcutta, the city we grew up in, whose dad has the exact same name as my father, too…since the insertion appeared, we have been fielding calls from people who think this is the OTHER A V! I don’t know whether to cheerfully announce, “YOUR A V is probably hale and hearty, drop that funerary tone from your voice!” or to say quietly, as I do, “In any case, I am glad you called with affection in your heart..do keep in touch with those whom you have lost touch.”…there was a sneaky wish in my heart, once or twice, that it needn’t have been OUR A V…but then I was horrified at what I was thinking….

It’s rather funny to have to tell someone that they are needlessly condoling for someone..or it would be funny, if it wasn’t this situation…

Why can’t we have some music? That would ease my mind. The Christians have so much music as part of their funerary services…we just set aside music as only being for bhakti, or happiness…surely, surely, music can ease sorrow as well?