Love speaks through Letters
Recently the Department of Post (India) organized the Dhai Akhar National Level Letter Writing Competition based on the theme ‘The Joy of Writing: Importance of Letters in a Digital age’.
By the time I got to know about it the last date had passed and I also had announced the love letter writing competition for Pen In-sight (unaware of a similar campaign at the national level). I couldn’t help but wonder why a letter writing competition was essential to be conducted on such a massive level. Maybe… for the same reasons I had advertised a love letter writing contest. So, I decided to divulge deeper and uncovered more rather than less the same reasons.
Over the years no one has the time nor does one feel the need to write letters when technology can help you establish a connection within seconds.
The renowned poet Gulzar Sahab has beautifully written in his lyrical piece, ‘Kitabein Jhankti Hain Band Almaari Ke Shishon Se’ about how roses were pressed in the leaves of books and fragrant letters or notes were found and exchanged when books were mistakenly dropped and picked by lovers.
वो सारा इल्म तो मिलता रहेगा आइंदा भी
मगर वो जो किताबों में मिला करते थे सूखे फूल और
महके हुए रुकए
किताबें माँगने गिरने उठाने के बहाने रिश्ते बनते थे…
One can only imagine such scenes or watch them in old movies where young actors portrayed such roles with immense grace.
In a world where a phone call, a video call or a text message overflowing with emoticons is the ‘in’ thing, letters have lost their charm. And, therefore to revive the art of writing a love note (even if only to oneself) and to encourage writers to express their feelings creatively through love letters, I announced the Love Letter Writing Competition.
What can be more precious than feelings finding fulfilment through words on a sheet of paper or on a laptop screen? Lines follow more lines and emotions like waves rise and flow, buffeting the reader with their tenderness, passion and strength. When written for oneself, the love letter can infuse an optimism, a better understanding and empathy that one usually offers to others not self. A love letter to a parent, sibling, lover, spouse or even an ex-flame can reveal deeper emotions that one would usually take for granted but never express in the ordinary run of life.
We spend our lives feeling unwanted and unloved, unaware of the fact that someone holds an ocean of feelings for us.
When we’re fond of someone we can hear them speaking as we read their letter. That’s how I remember scenes picturized in movies long back. Gulzar’s nazm ‘Bauchaar’ from ‘Raat Pashmine Ki’ talks about a similar experience …
तेरे खत आते रहते थे, तो मुझको याद रहते थे तेरी आवाज़ के सुर भी,
तेरी आवाज़ को कागज़ पे रख के मैंने चाहा था की पिन कर लूँ…
The competition has fulfilled it purpose… and beautiful letters poured in. We had a difficult time selecting the top three. I hope you’ll feel the depth of emotions as they flow through all three of the pieces selected as winners.
A big thank you to all who participated and many congratulations to the three winners!
Happy reading, dear readers!
First- Love Letter by Deveshi Vajpayee
Second- Scrambled Love by Muskan Rawat
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