Crying, bawling, sobbing, wailing… you name it, and every Indian has had plenty of that, especially in his or her childhood, at least till a few generations back when a good whack was considered an essential tool to discipline a wayward child both in school and at home. As for adults, while women could tear up at the drop of a hat, for men it took a lot of nerve and courage to defy the “mard ko dard nahin hota” (men don’t feel pain) adage and succumb to the emotion. But cry they did, occasionally, and there was always a shoulder nearby offering solace. That was then, when joint families were still the norm even in big cities and metropolises, and neighbours played the part of extended family with aplomb. With passing........

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