Friendship ties get stronger in COVID times
Manu Shrivastava | Mumbai
Who would have thought a dreadful viral outbreak like the COVID crisis would present an opportunity to 'reconnect' with old friends or provide opportunities to develop spanking new relationships? This Friendship Day is that silver lining in the gloomy times suffered by most.
The five months of 'isolation' might have been a bane for most, for several others it was a blessing in disguise. Some got a chance to revive old friendships, others strengthen existing ones and a few managed to strike 'unique' ones too. This year, Friendship Day is special and memorable for a few!
Often, the best of friendships, over time, blend into oblivion. Like was the case with Ahmedabad-based award-winning Gujarati film actress Aarohi Patel. Her ‘gang of friends’ from college, who once filled her life, gradually drifted away chasing their dreams. "After finishing college in 2015, the eight of us stayed in touch but personal and professional commitments didn't allow the liberty we had in college," says Aarohi. Some of her friends moved out of Ahmedabad, some out of the country.
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| FRIENDS IN DEED: Actress Aarohi Patel (Extreme left) with her friends (File Picture) |
The friendship was restricted to an occasional message or call. "Last year, we took a trip to Goa and that was the most we could have of each other," she recalls. The lockdown and the absence of ‘work’ provided Aarohi and her friends an opportunity to reconnect “like never before”.
“We started talking through group video calls...and since no one had to hurry to go to work or run an errand, we could simply 'hangout' for hours." The time spent together, even virtually, strengthened the bond. "As we discussed instances and stories from our college days, we got a chance to clarify old misgivings, get the closure needed and move on."
Goa-based actress Meenacshi Martins rediscovered her friendship with Merlyn Subawalla whom she has known for over twenty years now. "Both our children went to the same school. When the kids were younger, we spent a lot of time together…going for picnics, working on our children's homework, attending PTA meetings, and the usual stuff," explains Meenacshi known for her work in National Award-winning Konkani film Nachom-ia Kumpasar.
Merlyn and Meenacshi were like "two peas in a pod." Over the years, as their children grew older and embarked on their individual paths, the friendship got confined to "attending birthday parties, Christmas and Easter."
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| PRETTY PEAS: Actress Meenacshi Martins (left) with her friend Merlyn Subawalla (File Picture) |
The lockdown, however, changed everything...and for better. With all the time at hand, Meenacshi now got a chance to rekindle her friendship. "Our interaction increased a lot when the lockdown began. We began to talk daily on the phone sharing our problems, even met a few times when the lockdown was relaxed," says Meenacshi.
Not only did Meenacshi revive her friendship, she began to recreate authentic Goan food during the lockdown with her friend. "We are reviving Goan cuisine made from traditional plants. So, now we exchange plants from our gardens and spend a lot of time cooking separately, but together in spirit." They have started visiting ancestral homes in the neighbourhood to look for plants not found in nurseries anymore and ask the elderly to share old recipes.
"Merlyn still cooks at home on a ‘wooden fire’ and makes wonderful 'meat roast'. That's one dish I am still trying to make just the way she does," says Meenacshi, thankful to be able to 'reunite' with an old friend.
Life for Mumbai-based biker and entrepreneur Abhinaya Natarajan had taken several turns and she hated being unable to catch up with a bunch of biker buddies she rode with two years ago. And then, the lockdown happened making it a possibility…finally!
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| HOT AND WHEELS: Biker and entrepreneur Abhinaya Natarajan (File Picture) |
"I had met these girls on a biking expedition to the Himalayas and had the time of my life then. After that, we all got busy with our lives and drifted apart. During the lockdown, we not only reconnected but got a chance to know each other well sparking the beginning of a life-long friendship," says Abhinaya.
(Note: Some subjects may have removed their masks only to be identified in photographs to be used with this news report. COVID-19 appropriate behaviour has been maintained at all times)
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#FriendshipDay2020 | This year, #FriendshipDay was special and memorable for many as five months of #isolation helped revive old #friendships for some and strengthened existing ones for a few others.#TheDraft #FriendsForLife #Lockdownhttps://t.co/WJgmvCEuD6
— The Draft (@TheDraftWorld) August 2, 2020
