Bangalore Literature Festival: Conversations of comfort deal with COVID pain and loss
BENGALURU: Excited groups rushing from one event to another, walking into favourite authors, browsing through books and sipping latte... the masked crowd was back at the 10th edition of the Bangalore Literature Festival held on December 18 and 19, at Bangalore International Centre (BIC). It was these experiences that the lockdown had stolen for two years.
Of the many sessions held on Sunday, 'The Language of Grief' spoke about those struggling to cope with the loss of a beloved. COVID struck everyone. And those who lost their loved ones to the pandemic are still attempting to accept their absence.
Learning to come to terms with the death of her husband by suicide, Dr Nandini Murali, a gender and diversity professional and a certified life coach, spoke about her journey towards acceptance. Dr Murali, who authored 'Left Behind: Surviving Suicide Loss', says that writing the book was challenging due to the chaotic state of mind.
"I read every book on suicide and grief to learn everything about it. A year later, when I wrote, I realised that we all have choices - saying no to victimisation, and to learn to thrive and not just survive," she said, adding that it took a lot for her to slay the demons on her way to transformation, mostly those within.
On dealing with the loss, the author says that seeking closure is illusive. "It is like a life-altering event occurs, and then you neatly package it, put it behind you and move on with life. There is never really a sense of closure following the loss of a dear one. It is acceptance that helps instead -- a less violent word, a stage of grace," she said.
Stutee Ghosh, RJ and one of the panelists, says that not being able to bid your family member farewell, like you wanted to, is heart-wrenching. However, the response to her podcast 'Mera Wala Grief' surprised her.
"Not all of us got the chance to bid them a farewell like we wanted to. And although everyone deals with the loss in their unique ways, the fact that we share a similar pain is the common thread that brought us together. It is unusually comforting that there is someone out there who has gone through the same experience," she said.