"This is a story of memory," she whispered. "When a mother grows old, her voice becomes an echo. It is not loud, but it lingers in the valleys of your mind. I heard this story when my mother was in the hospital. She told me, 'My body is leaving, but my voice is in the walls. Listen.'"

"Me?"

Khunnaisina nupi amada piriba thajaba asung thoudang.

Readers often find these stories deeply moving because they reflect the lived reality of many households in the region.

The phrase translates from Manipuri (Meiteilon) to "The Nine Stories of My Mother" (or "My Mother's Nine Tales").