Year 1: The lost and experimental year.
In 2018, I suddenly lost my grandfather, my Nanu. Literally 72 hours before I was going to see him and bring him back with us for my wedding. He was my last living grandparent and was so so interested in my life and the goings on with his grandkids. He was curious until his last moment and his spirit was bright and whimsical, even if it wasn’t easily visible to everyone around him. He was a tailor by trade but really shone and as a husband and grandfather.
After my wedding, we started preparing for my sister’s wedding and it was almost like the grief of the loss didn’t process properly.
At Shreshtha’s bachelorette, I shared the idea for the planner with one of our friends who was so encouraging and interested.
With a loss and two weddings in a span of 12 months, the muted henna design of the 2020 Desi Planner basically designed itself. I poured my heart and soul into this, as project to fill some void that I wasn’t even aware of. And shockingly, everyone around me-family and friends alike-rallied behind the project too. I processed so much through the project. And then returned to India again at the beginning of 2020, with the first sample of the Desi Planner and with an open and healing heart.