Quiet Letters

Anvi was one of those children who never raised her hand in class, even when she knew the answer.

- Kusum Agarwal

She didn't speak much at home either, but her eyes said a lot. Her mind was tender and sensitive—she would talk to flowers, but not to people. She often felt as though something was stuck in her heart. If she couldn't speak her thoughts, where was she supposed to keep them?

One day, a lesson in class introduced the topic of letter writing. The teacher explained that in earlier times, people communicated their thoughts and news to loved ones through letters. She mentioned that India's first Prime Minister, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, had written heartfelt letters to his beloved daughter Indira while she was studying abroad.

Nowadays, with the easy availability of mobile phones, the internet, and emails, letter writing is slowly fading away. Still, the teacher emphasized its charm and importance. She explained that there are three main types of letters: personal letters, formal letters, and special letters. She added that letters could even take the form of diary entries.

The teacher went on to explain the process: writing the letter, placing it in an envelope, adding the receiver's address, and dropping it into a letterbox so it could reach its destination.