Last Christmas my daughter received a special gift from Santa Claus. It was a handwritten letter sent in response to one of his letters. The whole process of writing down her feelings in black and white, sealing the envelope and dropping it in a mailbox was an experience for her. And receiving a response made it more special. The letter is now saved in a box with other keepsakes.
Many of us have written at least one letter in our life. Now, the pandemic is pushing more and more people to embrace the practice of letter writing in the pre-digital age as both solace and therapy. And there are platforms, such as Chitthi Exchange (on Instagram) and Letters to Strangers (India), which help people find pen pals.
Chennai-based educator and curriculum designer Sowmya Swaminathan says writing letters resonates strongly with her. “I have never met any of them, but the art of writing letters is so beautiful that it makes me feel deeply connected to these people.” It has also become a sort of coping mechanism, she says. “My father recently passed away and I had a difficult time. My correspondent is very generous and radically kind. There is room for me to process my emotions in our letters. She also sends me handmade art and postcards. Receiving and writing a letter feels like a warm hug, ”says Sowmya.
Come together
Chitthi Exchange was launched by Rohini Kejriwal in June 2020. Founder of Alipore Post, an online newsletter about art, poetry and music, Rohini says the Chitthi Exchange is an extension of her love for letter writing. “Many people were alone and felt vulnerable after the pandemic. Connecting through handwritten letters, I thought, would bring people together. So far, around 2,500 letters have been exchanged across the world through the Chitthi Exchange.
Letters to Strangers is a global, non-profit organization that has been in existence since 2013 and works to de-stigmatize mental health through letter writing, peer education, and policy-based advocacy. People are encouraged to share their stories through anonymous letters. Aarushi Kataria founded the Mumbai chapter of Letters to Strangers in November 2019 after a particularly difficult week in college. “I was far from home and solace came in the form of letters written by my closest friends. I realized if I could help just one person feel less lonely, it would be a good day, ”she says.
The whole process of putting our feelings in black and white, sealing the letter, and dropping it in a mailbox is a special experience. | Photo credit: Getty Images / iStock
The Mumbai Chapter became the Indian Chapter in August 2020. Today, they are present in over 13 cities and have helped 15,000 people share their stories through the Letter Exchange Program and other initiatives. The pandemic has seen an increase in registrations, says Aarushi. “We have exchanged over 10,000 letters since March 2020 and our team has grown from 6 to 70,” she says. “Letter writing has allowed people to make connections, have conversations, tell stories they haven’t had the courage to share, and cope with the loneliness brought on by the pandemic of a healthier way. “
Words of hope
As Vivina Vincent Vijay says: “It’s therapeutic. In addition, joy comes back multiple, so why not? London-based climate change evangelist Vivina has been writing letters to friends and acquaintances, in English and Hindi, for several years now. “I wrote more letters during the pandemic. I vaguely understand neurolinguistic programming, so I try to use words of strength and support without denying grief. Writing letters is my way of reaching out, in the hope that it will bring comfort or comfort, even momentarily, ”she says.
For Ipshita Sengupta, a book lover from Delhi, writing letters has helped make sense of the things around her. “Letter writing isn’t just a way to communicate, it’s also a way to get to know me,” she says. Through Chitthi Exchange, she was matched with someone in Kanpur. “We exchanged a few letters and found some wonderful similarities. The first letter from my correspondent came with a handmade bookmark that will always be precious to me, ”she says.
Aarushi says the letters allow people to be seen for who they are. “Someone once told us: your initiative allowed me to feel seen by a stranger, after having spent all my life in the shadows around people who have always known me.
Hoping that more letters and stories are exchanged, and that rapidly disappearing mailboxes make a comeback.
The writer, a freelance digital marketing strategist, loves words, data and everything in between.
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