A River’s Song: Where Farewells Blend with Festivals and New Beginnings
<p>The train screeched to a halt, jolting me back to the present. Rajahmundry’s humid embrace enveloped me, thick with the scent of incense and the rhythmic lullaby of the Godavari. This wasn’t just a return to Andhra Pradesh’s heart, but a pilgrimage to my roots, a place where laughter and loss danced on the river’s edge. Ten days ago, Uncle Mani, the life of our gatherings, the master of perfectly timed jokes, had left us. Now, his absence echoed in the shared silence of my brothers and cousins, gathered from Vizag, Amalapuram, even Hyderabad. We were here for the dharmothakalu, a ritual to send his spirit on its journey, a bittersweet farewell etched in ancient traditions.</p>
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