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“…the journey never really ends. It simply moves on – in memories, in stories and in the people we love.”
'Aboard the Memory Train' - Manali Desai
This beautiful quote could well encapsulate the premise of Manali Manan Desai’s twelfth book, ‘Inked Inheritance: Stories Stitched Across Generations’, a book that she wrote to honour her grandparents who had played such a significant role in her childhood, and life. As she puts it, “Inked inheritance is for these four people – all of whom I wish I had more time with.”
The cover glows in sepia, evoking a feeling of nostalgia
and memory, with three generations all holding books in their hands, smilingly engrossed
in their contents, which again symbolises Manali Desai’s fascination with books
and reading, which link the past and the present.
Crafto
The book is divided into four sections – Roots tethering her to the people who shaped her, Wings denoting selves stitched together, Storms referring to the griefs carried by human beings and finally, Shelter the love that remained.
Most of the stories in the book lend a feeling of
euphoria and well-being. The emotions are myriad – joy, sorrow, nostalgia, regret,
envy, affection, hatred, betrayal… and the characters live life like all of us
do, going through all the feelings and experiences that we all do.
When I started reading this book, I felt that I was
delving into a bowl of sunshine. Various queries arose in my mind, about the
situations the protagonists found themselves in, and the solutions offered by
the author which were simple, yet effective. The quotes that were peppered across the
narrative were apt, shining a light on the stories, enhancing them further.
“I didn’t think silence could be this loud – with birdsong,
rustling leaves, the creak of an old chair or the soft turning of a page.” (From
‘Peace Between the Pages’, a deeply emotional story of love and longing)
And again – “Living in his friend’s shadow had felt like
living in someone else’s season – waiting endlessly for sunlight that never quite
reached him.” (From ‘Coming Out of the Shadow’, a tale of frustration and envy)
Some stories deal with the conservation of nature and the environment. ‘A Birthday Wish Come True’, ‘From Soil to Soul’ and ‘To Storms that Stay’ deal with memories, and the attempts to relive the past in the present day, leaving the reader with a feeling of intense nostalgia and a yearning for the days gone by.
QuotesGram
The presence of grandparents in many stories, either
in person or in spirit, their valuable life lessons, the principles that they
lived by and their relevance in the lives of their grandchildren make these
stories a joy to read. For example, ‘Old Soul, New Scroll’ and ‘Peace Between
the Pages’ are two narratives which start in reluctance and hesitation and end
with absolute surrender and joy, an indelible bond between the old and the new
generations.
While I was browsing through all the stories, some of
them nestled in my heart, easily turning into my favourites - 'Once Upon a Page' where nostalgia, love and longing lock arms, 'Old Scroll, New Soul' and 'Peace
Between the Pages' where relationships ebb and then move on to fulfilment.
However, my all-time favourite story in the collection is 'Stitched With Words' where Malini’s grandmother stitches old fabric along with
her words, and it is only at the end, after a lifetime, that her granddaughter
understands that dreams cannot be outgrown, but tailored, a sentiment that is
so true for all dreamers and doers.
“For the longest time, this book existed as scattered
notes, half-finished drafts, forgotten ideas and stories waiting patiently for
their turn. Then they took shape slowly and steadily over the past two years on
my blog. Today, I finally get to share it with everyone.” Manali Desai
Going through Inked Inheritance was an experience –
heartwarming and poignant, joyful and nostalgic, thought-provoking and at
times, painful, Manali Desai has put her heart out there for the world to see. In
the beautiful story titled ‘Feel-In-the-Gaps’, the protagonist, Rishan, loved
his Dadu’s house – “… the smell of freshly baked cookies, the glow of fireflies
in the backyard, and the sound of old stories told from a creaking rocking
chair.” A quote which could very easily be the theme of this heartwarming book!
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