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You help us stay home...thank you for that…
A little one scribbles in English, filling in colours wherever possible, in a letter addressed to a frontline worker. The identities of the writer and receiver are masked, but the message tugs at one’s heartstrings.
COVID-19 has taught us many things: of which, expression of gratitude, seems to be the biggest takeaway. And, many have been doing so through intimate forms of communication — many letter-writing initiatives, pandemic-led and otherwise, cropped up across the country.
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Endless gratitude
University students Tara Luthra and Anshi Gupta, who used to write to each other regularly, started Write to Recognize to encourage a contributing mentality among people. Though the initiative was discontinued after a successful run till the end of September, it was an enriching experience for them. Inspired by the UK-based Crisis Project which was directed at NHS workers, the duo sent letters to frontline and essential workers across the country.
“To begin with, it was heartwarming to see many people wanting to remain anonymous. They did not want any credit for this,” recalls Tara adding that a lot of the letters came from those who managed to return home through the Vande Bharat mission. “Kids who travelled back home chose to write to the pilots and crew involved in the mission.”
What piqued their interest was probably how basic the format was and also the fact that the letters were sent out to not just doctors and nurses, but also to officials distributing rations, security guards and watchmen, adds Tara. “People started nominating those who touched their lives,” she adds.
To spread some cheer, Coimbatore-based graphic designer Shuruti Vengatesh started sending postcards to friends during the initial days of lockdown. “Most of them were away from their families,” says Shuruti. Sending letters and postcards has always been an essential part of her life. “My love for them started with birthday cards I received every year from my grandfather. I still remember the thrill of opening and reading them,” she says. In June, she launched an initiative called Make Mail (www.makemail.in). Now, Shuruti sends out free handcrafted postcards to people who register through the website. “I have realised that WhatsApp messages and e-mails cannot replace the pleasure of waiting for a postcard and then reading and re-reading it. As I have a full-time job, I have restricted the number of postcards to 20 each month,” she says.
Each of Shuruti’s postcard features a painting and a personal message. “My clients are from all age groups. Some order for themselves but most of them ask me to send it to their friends, children, parents and partners,” she says. In November, she did a campaign aimed at introducing postcards to kids. “Many parents signed up and I outlined their kids’ favourite cartoon characters in the cards. Children painted them after they received it,” she says. So far Shuruti, has sent around 300 postcards to the US, Australia, the UK and cities across India.
Looking ahead
As new initiatives surfaced, existing letter writing companies seem to have seen an unprecedented rise in business. Bengaluru-based The Indian Handwritten Letter Co. (TIHLC) is testament to this. “We are one of the few businesses that has seen an upgrade. We have doubled orders and brought on board more writers,” says Anubhav Ankit, co-founder. Before, the company had 40 to 50 odd writers (300/400 letters in a month) from across the world, which has now climbed up to 75 to 80 writers and 1,500-odd letters a month. The demand has brought in more styles, fonts and formats too, to the table. Anubhav thinks that this interest towards letter writing is here to stay. “Apart from it being ‘cool’, a letter is tangible. You can keep it somewhere, forget about it and be surprised when you find it again later.” A lot of people in the cities have been going back to their hometowns and connecting with family. “After they return to city life, they are left with the need to communicate with family back home, in a more intimate way.” Letters in regional languages have also seen a rise.
Everything from love letters, apology letters, cover letters, anniversary and festival letters to business letters make appearances in TIHLC. “8% of the personal letters we get, comprises love letters,” says Anubhav. And, a surprisingly large number of personal letters are addressed to the Prime Minister of India, Anubhav adds with a laugh.
(With inputs from Susan Joe Philip)