Of tsunamic proportions. The third wave of the virus, the juggernaut  that overwhelmed the planet earlier in January. In a mutated avatar christened Omicron. Why virologists chose the nomenclature of a vicious disease after an innocuous Greek alphabet, remains in the realm of enigma. Not as grievous or lethal as the earlier COVID-19 or  Delta varieties, the mutant gained notoriety for its contagiousness and consequent sweep. The scare kept Masons away from 19. No brethren, this is not even remotely to suggest that the hallowed address has been a cauldron from which the virus rippled out. Far from it; the two-and-a-half acres has remained a virtual sanctuary these two dreadful years. January, nevertheless, turned into a largely fallow month with meetings and convocations being deferred or abandoned. The few that were held did with sparse attendance and without the Ladies’ Nights that traditionally accompany Installation Meetings in the District. The Regional Grand Lodge of Eastern India stayed away completely. 19 wore a look through the month that can appropriately be described as forlorn.

Not having much to report, The 19 focuses on two brethren who have made 19 proud with their belles-lettres: readers have already had a taste of Bro Abiroop Sengupta’s prowess with the pen – the qwerty board, in today’s computer age – with an article of his published in these columns earlier. He has  had three essays published  in the weekly called Asian Voice. These have been reproduced below. The extent of research is evident from the contents. The 19 begs the readers’ forbearance for the somewhat mackled reproduction. These can, however, be accessed through the links,

https://issuu.com/abpl/docs/av_08th_january_2022

https://issuu.com/abpl/docs/av_26th_february_2022

https://issuu.com/abpl/docs/av_29th_january_2022