The COVID Pandemic was supposedly getting better but hopes were shattered and the waves started. We started the new year with a gathering of a small group of family friends and that was the last time, we had such a gathering of more than two families.
India got ravaged with the COVID second wave and lots of people died, many families were displaced.
One of our cousins got married into a Maharashtrian family and it was one of the only social gatherings that the family went to this year.
Following in the footsteps of her elder sister, Amara started playing Minecraft and Roblox.
Amara, Laaija, and Shanta went to Manipur in April with the hope of returning around end of May but the Pandemic worsened in the state of Manipur. That prolonged their stay till November. They all got the virus but luckily were mild and got better soon enough.
I went to Manipur in November to pick them up. I met up with old friends and spent time amongst trees, mountains, and sat for hours in the fields.
Oinam family re-enacting the visit at the Imphal War Cemetery, Imphal (2011 and 2021).
We also visited the Imphal War Cemetery to re-enact the family visit that happened ten years ago.
Back home in Bangalore but the family is still not socializing much while waiting for things to get better.
