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SHANTI CHANDRASEKHAR Shanti Chandrasekhar is currently an active member of Chinmaya mission, which is a religious and spiritual organization. She hails from Ahmedabad and has done her Bachelors in Commerce (B. Com) and Bachelor of Legislative Law (LLB), from a college affiliated to Gujarat University. She has also published short stories in the renowned magazine ‘Women’s Era’. She is a housewife and has a keen interest in Creative Writing. She considers writing as a powerful medium of expression and also as a means of sending out a message to the people. She also enjoys singing and creative art. 143

WHY FEAR WHEN GOD IS HERE I returned from South on 14th March, after celebrating a religious function which was organized on the occasion of my dad's 80th birthday. The function was well attended by our relatives from far and wide. It was a rejoicing moment as I could meet all our relatives after a long time. Carrying the wonderful memories of the function, I reached Ahmedabad. Before I could set my house well, there was news about coronavirus, slowly spreading in India. My parents were to return back to Ahmedabad from South on 22nd March, but we somehow convinced them to rebook their tickets; so they too were back home on 19th. I thanked God that at least the function went off well without any troubles and also that all our relatives had reached to their respective cities and countries safely. At that time the situation was not that alarming, but there was fear in the air. By then schools and colleges got closed. Soon on the 22nd of March, the first India lock down was announced. This created panic among people. I could see the traffic was uncontrollable, people were running to buy basic stuff and I too was one amongst them, but when I reached the vegetable shop, there was a long queue. Sadly, I returned back as I did not want to take any chance of exposure. I sensed a fear deep within about the situation. I was under the impression that this was just for a few days and the situation will soon become normal, but it continued. Watching the news, reading WhatsApp messages were more disheartening. Every day there was only deterioration in the situation. The servants stopped coming as a result there was workload and mental and physical stress too. Though the family was at home together, but we were all worried. Neighbours had their own say that this virus is going to attack each and every person. Even the doctors' clinics were closed. Hearing all this, my mind kept assuming and inspecting, whether I had a sore throat, a headache and so on and so forth. I was doing my daily routine, helping my in laws, parents but something was missing for which I wanted a 144

quick heal. I wanted peace of mind and was yearning for that. I could not concentrate on what I was doing as my mind was grazing in a negative grassland. I felt that it was in my hand, how I treat myself. I started learning how to chant Vishnu Saharsanamam. Initially, it took me an hour to chant and at that time at least, I was not thinking anything negative. I made this as my daily afternoon schedule. It is the simplest and most powerful forms and with every recitation, it brings positive changes in one's consciousness and brings peace of mind. Surely, my mind calmed a bit. In the evening, I heard the explanation of Sankat Mochan Hanuman Ashtakam. By its mere shravanam, my fears were cleansed. These mantras filled my heart with boldness, clarity and energy of right judgement. It gave me a protective shield. I started relating these talks with my daily activities and it made be stronger. I also took to hearing Kathopanishad and started making notes as its story really inspired me. It guided me how to control my senses and mind which was of utmost importance during the pandemic times. It taught me not to give much importance to the external happiness as it is temporary, instead delve within which is our true self. I felt there was no need to panic and carry so much stress on our shoulders. Whatever has to happen is bound to happen. Instead of thinking about the problem daily, we should use this precious life given to us by God for a good reason. I became so busy with my house chores, chanting, hearing spiritual talks that I had no idle time to think about anything which would disturb me. On the contrary, I started preaching to my family and friends and also advised them not to brood over the situation and that definitely we all would come out of this pandemic. Because of this our lost happiness came back to our lives. I could give courage to my family and helped to bring back their enthusiasm, as I regained my lost strength and vigour. 145

My prayers and chanting killed the demon which was bothering me daily. It imbibed in me the confidence that, the supreme power will protect not only me, my family but the whole world. My motivation to my family continued and they too believed that one needn't worry and spoil their present thinking about the future. My prayers and spiritual path expelled my fears, stress and agony which I had faced throughout this period, and helped me to sail through these tough times and experience tranquility. 146

FAITH What is wrong, what is missing, Thoughts throng and keep twirling. I wonder and keep thinking, “Almighty! Help me”, I keep wishing. Everything seems to be the same, Nature, buildings and my window pane. But the roads are empty and crowds standstill, Though people are moving but not with a free will. Dear Lord, give us a breather, Oh God, save all living creatures. I have faith in my prayers, You will surely remove our fear. Definitely the world will be free, And we all will witness His glory. SHANTI CHANDRASEKHAR 147

VAISHALI CHANDOKAR CHITALE An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, Vaishali Chandorkar Chitale, is an English (Hons) graduate from Hindu College, Delhi University. She is a free-lance journalist and a writer. She likes to write about her life, anecdotes and fiction. She firmly believes in the saying, that ‘if you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain’. Her stories have been published on online platforms like www. StoryMirror.com and www.Bonobology.com. She has also taught English in many schools and retired from Delhi Public school, Pune in 2004, after a career of over 14 years to follow her passion for writing. She lives in Mumbai with her family. You can follow her on her blog www.anenviablejourney.wordpress.com. She can be reached at [email protected]. 148

A POET TO THE RHYME BORN Twenty Twenty dawned bright and clear, Twenty nineteen bade a cheerful adieu; With hope and promise held dear, Unwanted fears outside the window flew! Alas! Into the year with just three months, A deadly unknown virus gripped the air; Global pandemic it might be was then still a hunch, But the country was lock downed, to everyone’s despair! Sit at home! It was decreed, Venture out if you must, at your peril; Thinking out of the box was the need, Work from home was enforced from April! Delightful lunches or brunches now not possible, Untapped talent had to be discovered; Swirling thoughts churned unstoppable, And poured out on blank paper ungoverned! Writing stories and poems at a breakneck speed, Happily went afternoons in a whirl of activity; Mind was from galivanting and shopping freed, Words came to the rescue brilliantly! 149

CHASING MY DREAM Nobody had seen it coming. Like every other New Year 2020 had dawned sleepy and hungover. Partying 2019 away, the first day of the year went listlessly moving about the house, nursing a massive hangover and promising oneself that all night partying will not happen again! A New year resolution made on the first day of the year by many serious party goers, me included every year! Hoodwinking the God of Resolution had been honed to perfection by regular party hoppers and pub crawlers and this year too was true to pattern. Life, one knew by experience will carry on as usual. Working hard and managing the family would be the name of the game once this dastardly hangover subsided and routine took over. But as they say, “Man proposes, God disposes!” (though with a little help from our neighbouring country!) and three months into the year, the country was lock downed, due to novel coronavirus. Going out for work grinded to a halt, and as its corollary so did partying! Unheard of until then the virus that it was, it spread quickly and soon had the eldest to the youngest member of a family in its grip. The oft ignored mammal bat, was as if taking a revenge for being ignored by mankind for years together, and soon became a hot topic of discussion and intense internet searches. Terms like wet markets, lab originated, pandemic, global spread, masks, sanitizers, and mutation became household words. The world as we knew it came to an abrupt halt. ‘Work from Home’ not a very common phenomenon in our country till then, became the norm. WFH (work from home) came with its own peculiar problems. Initially welcomed, the ‘Alice in wonderland’ morning smiles soon turned surly and beady eyed grunts. The novelty of roaming around in shorts topped with a shirt and a tie started losing its sheen within two months into the lockdown. The irregular hours, sometimes extending even into late hours at night made everyone long for office and the formal work place. 150

Though, for me, this compulsory home stay and as good as quarantined in our own homes turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Let me explain! I am a homemaker and so taken for granted by everybody in the family who did the so-called all- important work of making money; whereas I had it easy, putting my feet up and chilling (the children speak!) the whole day in front of the TV. The food on their table at dinnertime appeared as if by magic, of course. I had no hand in that! But WFH changed all that. Seeing me run around in the mornings from making the all-important cup of tea to shake their bleariness out to the last ‘haldi’ infused, warm glass of milk on their tables, made my family of one husband and two children grudgingly acknowledge that TV was not the only one benefitted by my presence at home. Lots of sheepish glances exchanged between the three had me turning away to hide my smile. The fallout of this big ‘revelation’ was a life altering one! The family decided that I needed to have my ‘me’ time, a concept totally alien to me till that time. The husband took it upon himself to divide all the chores between the four of us, and to my amazement, I suddenly found the afternoons free for myself, to do anything that I ‘wished’, as my obliging family put it. So here I was, taking a breather for the first time in many years that I could recall, and revelling in my new found freedom. The upside was that I could now put my tired feet up for rest in the middle of the day, but the downside was that I had time hanging heavily on my hands! First few days went on catching up on my reading, till then sadly neglected; but slowly I began to chaff at being only an onlooker. I wanted IN; that is to say I wanted to create something of my own. I had always loved reading and a degree in literature had ensured that my passion for books made me a connoisseur of all genres. I wanted to dip my toe in the world of writing. I was particularly partial towards poetry. I loved modern poets like T.S. 151

Eliot and W.B. Yeats. Their poetry helped me escape in the world of romance and magic and leave the humdrum behind. Yeats poem ‘He wishes for the cloths of heaven’, with its last lines, “But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet, Tread softly because you tread on my dreams”, are forever etched in my mind as one of the most romantic lines ever written! I too wanted to experience the pleasure of creating these emotions in a reader’s heart. A poet with visual imagery creates a picture which the reader can see in his mind. I had always wanted to write poems, but creativity doesn’t strike while doing mundane household chores. It needs silence and nurturing ambience. With afternoons to myself and no one to disturb me, I opened my long unused laptop and with some trepidation typed in a few random words. My fingers flew on the keyboard as if they had a life of their own and to my astonishment, my first ever poem appeared almost organically in front of me! I didn’t have to struggle, the words and imagery merged beautifully together and I glowed seeing my poem blinking on the screen. I read and re-read the poem again and again, with a sense of bewilderment. Was it truly my creation? Had these words actually occurred to me while writing? Was I capable of such powerful imagery? How easily I had slipped in the pattern of a b, a b! It was as if I had never forgotten the rhyme scheme studied aeons ago. The afternoon went happily penning some couplets, half composed poems and tweaking words here and there. Humming to myself, I resolved to take time off from now on, lockdown or not and write a few lines every day to hone my craft. I realised that I had it in me to push the envelope, given a chance. I understood that everything has a right place and a right time. This unusual year had given me a chance to discover my unexplored talent for writing my own compositions. All 152

clouds have a silver lining. How true it had turned out to be for me! This year, though many would wish it to be wiped off their radar, has been a year of fulfilment and joy for me. “My flight into the uncharted territory, Made me dream of shores unseen; Words of love, valour and glory, Only then could I glean!” VAISHALI CHANDORKAR CHITALE 153

SHEELA S. IYER Sheela Iyer, is a BCom graduate from Swami Vivekananda College and, a diploma holder in Materials Management from Welingkar's Institute of Management Development & Research, from Mumbai, India. She was associated with the logistic industry as Customer Service Head (PAN India) for 13 years. She loves to listen to music and watch comedy shows/theatre. She writes poems in English and Hindi. Her poems and articles were recently published in the Book, “Speak Your Mind”, “You are my Valentine”, The Road Taken, Hat tip, The teacher I will never forget, Yes boss and Life on track. She has contributed for many other anthologies which are in the pipeline. Few of her poems were also well appreciated on Social Media. She also writes for Asian Literary Society group. She can be contacted on [email protected] 154

HEALS YOUR MIND AND BODY Meditation is a powerful prayer I learnt this beautiful art of self care. Crowded thoughts always made me feel low Away from serenity, my health would show. All my life I practiced anxiety and stress My life soon turned dull and was a mess. My heart and mind were frequently in wars Tears often streamed down, as there was always some chaos. Meditation is like being in tune with thy self Healing all inner organs and pacifying oneself. It acts as a guide, helps take decisions One can definitely survive the harshest conditions. Meditation nourishes our thoughts to think better It gives us a direction that will never be bitter. There is no life without dilemma and obstacles But, when your inner self is strong, dealing becomes possible. It has the power to transform the person completely Permitting us to talk to our body and mind freely. When our mind is clean and pure, Connecting with God is easy and for sure. 155

Peep within every single day and secure your strength Solace yourself and give importance to your health. Count your blessings and be grateful Praying not only for self, but also for others is so beautiful. SHEELA S. IYER 156

AVNI NAIR Avni Nair is a class 5 student studying in Clarence Public School, Bangalore. She likes to read stories, make oil pastel drawings and paintings in her free time. She discovered her love for puppetry during the lockdown one day when she was playing with her imaginary friends. Now, she is working towards creating her own puppetry shows for her friends and family. 157

MY LITTLE WORLD OF PUPPETRY Before the lock down when everything was normal, I never had the time to do new things. I was busy with school, classes and studies. I would only play with my toys during my free time. However, lockdown gave me the time to do a lot more than the usual. I read a lot of books and did lot of drawings and paintings. But one thing I discovered about myself. My love for puppetry. During the lock down, one day when I was playing in my tent, I thought to do a puppet show for my parents. My father’s birthday was also around the corner and I wanted to put up a show for him. I practiced for five days. And on my father’s birthday, I performed a show for my parents. They loved it a lot. After few weeks, I attended a workshop wherein I had to showcase my talent. As part of the workshop, one weekend it was my turn to present my skill through an online meeting platform. I practiced a lot for the puppet show, and its presentation. I chose a story, wrote my own script, created my puppets and also a presentation to teach attendees how to make stick puppets. I even named my puppet show company as The Amazing Maze Puppet Shows. ������On the day of my puppet show, all of my friends and family logged in to watch me present. They had all loved it and this gave me confidence to do more shows. So, I wanted to continue to do puppet shows, but didn’t know what stories to take. One day when I was playing with my toys, my mom gave me an amazing idea. She told me to make up my own story around my toys, while playing. This led to the creation of more original stories and scripting. l started writing a story of my own. Then, I started scripting it out, created the backdrop and the puppets. I was so happy that I had done something which I had never done before. I was so interested and inspired. I could stay busy during the lockdown 158

and yet do something so creative. My experience as a puppeteer was not only doing puppet shows but enjoying and having fun in my play tent, writing stories and drawing lot of new sketches. And that is how I, Avni Nair found my untapped talent. AVNI NAIR Avni during her first puppet show One of Avni’s oil pastel drawings 159

YUTIKA BHANSALI Yutika Bhansali, from Mumbai, is a 17-year-old teenager, currently pursuing her Grade 12th from Jai Hind College, Mumbai. Sheerly dedicated towards her goal of writing and public speaking, this young journalist blogs for Times of India- students edition. As a student journalist, she has also interviewed many famous personalities at Chaupal 2018 by News18. Her first contribution in 'You are my Valentine' a kindle book won her the third prize. She has been a part of The Impish Lass Publishing House for the past two years and has written for more than 10 anthologies. Her journey with The ILPH went from being a writer to an editor (Rumour Has It!). She’s currently working on 2 anothologies as an editor and as a buddy editor for The Impish Lass Publishing House’s first International Anthology. She has groomed herself in numerous oratory competitions and is professionally trained in Latin American and Ballroom dance styles. She draws her inspiration from the obstacle and hindrances she comes across. 160

She’s like coffee, intoxicating at times but an amazing mood booster. Contact her on [email protected] Check her writings out on Instagram: word.mongers_ 161

A DASH OF EXPLORATION “My house was embraced in the divine aroma of gently sautéed Indian spices, ready to be pulsed in the mixer. Some evenly chopped tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers crawling into the bowl of margination where the paneer already rested coated. The fire gradually started conquering the land of black coal, adding a bright orange on its trail, with sophisticatedly dressed barbecue skewers placed on it. The margination met the fire and the wedding was announced with a crackling sound following it. As I see a black outline, beautifully engraved on the corners of my paneer, I take the skewers off the heat rush to grab a plate and sprinkle some sesame.” When the country went on a shutdown, it was a bolt from the blue, the only option was to find that old apron somewhere in the back of my cupboard, gear up, and march into the kitchen. Burn the food, or over salt it, or undercook it, and ending up being the only one to eat it. That is exactly what most people, especially the millennial generation like me, staying away from their folks were doing. Their days were now spent studying, working, cleaning, and thinking about what to cook next. Making a list of all the easily available rations, vegetables, fruits, and beverages is right on top of the to-do list. Paapi pet ka sawaal hai, you see. A packet of chips, some peanuts, or even Maggi is no match for a plate of a cooked meal, and momma was nowhere seen, the only ones helping out here; celebrity cooks like Ranveer Brar, Saransh Goila have taken to social networking sites where they share simple recipes and sometimes make it too. Instagram, YouTube by now was full of “quarantine cooking videos”. Amateur food bloggers, cooks are making the most of the opportunity. Rehashing old recipes, videos, tips, and tricks is the new norm. It is not just experienced hands, even newbies had started cooking series for 21 days where they record their food recipes and journey every day. Paradoxically, at a time 162

when food was short in supply, the enthusiasm to cook was evident everywhere– food memes, gifs, photos, and videos. I am sure every mother who was patiently explaining the ins and outs of making daal-chaval was laughing at the end of the call, possibly saying, “I always said you might need it someday, well, this is it.” I didn’t want to burst the bubble of her sweet satisfaction. Just cooking didn’t help me go far, I had to improve my bargaining skills and resourcefulness as well. Food prices in all probability could inch up anytime because of supply disruptions. In those days practicing these lines and a nice expression to go with them: “Uncle, I am a regular, some discount please” or “I will buy 2 kgs, not 500 gms, bulk pricing uncle, please”, or if nothing works, “Uncle, I will not get a salary this month (and pray that nobody from your HR team shops there)”; was way more important than practicing Trigonometry. Dragging the loot back home and washing them properly because you never know how they were transported, boil or blanch them if needed when preparing the meal, was yet another task. Why this entire story? Well, because 9 months into the lockdown and I have pulled off an entire chef in me. Be it seasoning or drizzling, shallow frying or deep-frying, be it pastry or savory, I’ve got it all. I realized cooking was a product of patience, accuracy, time management, and a dash of love. The happiness my made delicacies would leave behind is worth the sweat I’ve shed while making them. Now, before getting into more detail, let me get back to kneading the dough for my naan that’ll complement my paneer tikka! YUTIKA BHANSALI 163

PRIYANKA SHARMA Priyanka Sharma is an Indian educator and an ardent admirer of art, nature and literature. She did English honours and post- graduation in English. She then decided to switch gears from academic genres to the creative realm of poetry. She is a conservationist and helps people heal by her words. Her sole motto in life is to spread positivity, love, happiness around and shape the upcoming generation in becoming an asset to nation and humanity. She may be reached at [email protected] 164

RISE AND SHINE Caught amidst the crisis intact, Time when everything seems to be off track. Crushed hopes, closed doors And a soul shattered on the floor. Thousands of pieces vulnerable their lies - Pain that even the Hell agonise. Life's a journey and sometimes we do have to pay price, Price so heavy that it stoops even wise. The soul may lie there forever. But then, NOTHING will change EVER. Life's a journey constant and MOVING is the key. If Today you don't gather courage, Tomorrow you'll weep. Even a little crawl on the knees on such days is a leap. Gather your spirit; weave your pieces together, Shake off the dust piled up on your feathers. Swap your wings once, twice and thrice you’ll be better You'll fly across the sky as it's Zest that your wings gather. For sky is the place where soul like yours belong. Bad days are few, but for you even the NATURE longs. For GOD helps those who help themselves is a phrase well known. PRIYANKA SHARMA 165

SHWETHA RAMACHANDRAN Shwetha Ramachandran lives in Denver, Colorado, United States. She is a Certified Public Accountant(CPA) in the US and is working as an Accountant for a Non-profit company. Her hobbies include dancing and cooking. Her recent interest is in fitness and learning about healthy lifestyle. She has also learnt Carnatic Music and has performed at various events and won many prizes. In her free time, she likes to experiment with cooking different cuisines at home with fresh ingredients. In the past, she has worked as a content writer, editor and proof reader for a small company based in Delhi. She has written on varied topics requiring SEO content. 166

WHEN DISTANCES SEEK INTIMACY With the world shaken by the pandemic, and everything coming to a standstill. An unexpected silence looms around, amidst the bewildering chaos. The disease brought gloom, for families that lost their special soul. Breaking hearts and dreams, creating fear and woes. With social distancing in place, humans spent months in isolation. The sight of barren streets, brought inhibitions and concerns. The lock-down gave us ample time, to rethink on our purpose in life. And the urge to connect more with the kindred, in smiles, laughter and nostalgia. Video calls frequented weekends, like a gathering at a special family event. It was the sole excuse to escape, from the grip of a monotonous routine. As you reminisce during the challenging times, You realize the worth of relationships. Lets come together with love and care, Till we have our precious souls by us. SHWETHA RAMACHANDRAN 167

SUJATHA SANTHANAM Sujatha Santhanam is an experienced communications professional who is the founding partner and Creative Head at InkSpeak Creative, a branding and communications boutique. After 15 years of experience as a copywriter in advertising, media, and corporate enterprises, Sujatha founded InkSpeak in 2018 and has been working towards taking InkSpeak to the next level of quality content and expertise. She is also a trained Carnatic Classical singer, who has performed across India and been an AIR Delhi Yuvavani artiste. In her free time, she writes poems in Hindi and English. 168

LIFE ON A PAUSE The clock is ticking, but the time doesn’t pass The heart is beating, o’ so fast Looks like someone has pressed the pause button, The life stays still, but the hope lives on... The plans we made never took off They stay safe, somewhere up in the loft In the hope that this crisis would end soon We pack our bags to fly out of our cocoon. The sorrows of yesterday are long forgotten Buried in the past, some burnt-some rotten This newfound life has its charm Feels disruptive, and yet so calm. Now I hear the sound of music The beauty of silence is playing a trick This is what I was missing for a while The beauty of nature in its style. Still, some things haven’t changed a bit My mother’s love and my father’s wit Just as the sun rises each day & the stars adorn the sky far away. 169

It feels good to be home at last making up for all the times we lost While I wait for this time to pass, I pray for somethings from today to last. SUJATHA SANTHANAM Photograph by Sujatha Santhanam 170

DR. SANAM VASEEM SHAIKH Dr. Sanam Vaseem Shaikh is a teacher by profession and love to explore the beauty of nature. She firmly believes that work should speak more than words. She has to her feathers, degrees of M.A, M.Phil. B.Ed. , Diploma in School and College Management and PhD in English Literature. She lives on the mantra of “Simple Living, High Thinking” 171

PERENNIAL CLIMBERS Writing was part of my self Wrote everything that sounds safe My feelings, my emotions and my gravitation All were well penned and kept Never in the wildest thought Got the idea to publish my formulation The frequent check of what sup status Revealed an untold story of Meena Madam I haven’t in my wildest dream was aware of her humblest act Just I drop a message to her asking, “Can my writing be published?” Without wasting a second, she replied, “Every Soul that writes, need to get published” What a relief it was to realize the outcome I finally got a platform To publish my own causatum It is indeed a kind gesture on her part Her smiling face and undaunted spirit Encourage every heart to passionate My unadorned chimera got wings Her nod to my penning filled substance in my writings I’m changed identity now Indubitably, lockdown unfurled a new self of mine DR. SANAM VASEEM SHAIKH 172

YAMI SHAH Yami Shah lives in the city of dreams. She is fifteen years old. She started writing poems and articles since she was twelve and since then, she never looked back. A student leader, she writes all the vivid thoughts she has in her mind. She believes that words are the best way of expressing oneself. Meeting new people and sharing ideas interests her. Besides writing, she has engaged herself in painting and solving Rubik's cubes. A girl who believes in giving her best, she likes to accept new challenges. She doesn't fear about what the world thinks. Yami's poems speak more about her than she ever will. 173

UNSCRAMBLED LOVE FOR THE SCRAMBLED It has been six years since we met But the past six months have really been great; For them, there was an escalation of my love All the time that I spent with them isn’t enough; At the start, I never knew we would come so far But as time grew, I started liking them more and more; Scrambled and jumbled they would be Solving them was a stress buster for me; Initially I barely knew their one or two kinds Who knew the lockdown would make proficient at solving over fifty types? It felt as a dream come true While with them, all my worries would bid me adieu; They made me think harder, made my mind sharper Because of them I can call myself a Cuber; Full of colours and in different shapes they are They need to be handled with love and care; I have mastered this finger and mind game And hence, fulfilled my aim; Solving them has been my favourite pastime This is all about the Rubik’s collection of mine. YAMI SHAH 174

ANIL KUMAR PRAJAPATI By profession he is a teacher, he has received awards for teaching work, he is a thought provoking writer, along with play writer, director and honored in the field of drama, he has attended national level workshop as well as seminar with international professors and tutees. He is social worker too. 175

INTROSPECTION POWER The year 2020 has brought something unwelcome, unforeseen in our life and this was /is in the form of tragic pandemic, This pandemic was/is known as COVID-19 (corona virus disease 2019). Virtually the whole world was hit by COVID-19. This pandemic was first reported in human in Wuhan city of China during the first quarter of 2019 and first outbreak in India was 30 January 2020 in Kerala and it was spread like fire throughout the country. The government of the various countries they were in situation like what to do, what to not ? To protect people’s life government started lockdown in the country. The daily life and routine ( personal & professional ) of the has been stalled. They locked themselves in their house and scared about what future might bring. COVID-19 like a major threat for all of us. In India lockdown started since the last week of the march of 2020. First three months of lockdown I was unwaged, empty and nothing to do. I was feeling tired, stress, anxious, anxiety etc. during ongoing lockdown. Promptly I started introspection (meditation). First 10-15 days I only did it for 15 minutes then I slowly but surely increased the from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. After one month of my introspection I started twice in a day. What did I feel after doing it I found myself stress free, freshness, positive thinking and many others good vibes started in me. Telling from my experiences. Introspection (meditation) you worth living in peace, it teaches you attention and focus on your work. It teaches you how to respond in lieu of react to circumstances in your life. It builds up inside, it makes you cool, it makes you disciplined. It can ameliorate your temper moreover assist you be positive, it can upgrade yourself regard along with your morale, it prevent stress from entering the body. With the Help of meditation you can overcome from negative enemies in particular choler, gloominess, envy or vexation and so on. There are many more values of introspection (meditation). 176

I have started meditation since the beginning of the lockdown and I am still continued with it. It is very advantageous if I were dying and had only one advice to give my dear once it would be the word meditation. In own life faced with stress, anxiety etc. but now I am free from it. I assure you if you do meditation regularly you get fall benefits of it. As I got. According to me , “ Be meditative Be Healthy.” ANIL KUMAR PRAJAPATI 177

NUPUR SENGUPTA Nupur Sengupta has been a passionate and caring English teacher for more than three decades. She has been a zealous school leader with a strong, desire to push forward her institution under her able leadership. As a Principal of an esteemed educational institution of Mumbai, she was able to influence her team through her passion, attitude and positive energy. Currently she is working as an advisor to many schools and conducts workshops for the teachers and students. She is a practicing Pranic Healer too. 178

LOCKDOWN GIFT \"Lockdown is confining of prisoners to their cells as a security measure.\" The world turned out to be the prisoners (literally) in the lockdown. We were under house arrest. An out of the box, unthought of situation was forced upon the mankind by an invisible, minute virus. The lockdown threw new challenges at us AND the marvel of God's creation proved it's supremacy once again and was invincible. Personally to me, it opened up opportunities galore. Being into Pranic Healing, l tried to develop and master my skills. The world renowned accomplished trainers were within my reach through webinars. I could delve into a vast ocean of knowledge trying to sip and grasp the microscopic details. Meditation, Prayers, Mantras__ all equipped me with strength at all levels :physical, emotional and spiritual. I was empowered to heal, to alleviate the pain of the people known and unknown to me. I am serving the mankind, in my own way although in a miniscule measure. I am trying to give back what l have received. Once again l have reaffirmed my faith in - 'वसुधैव कु टुबंकम Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam NUPUR SENGUPTA The whole World is One. 179

MEENA MISHRA (Founder & CEO - The Impish Lass Publishing House) Meena Mishra is an out -of -the box-thinker, inspiring hundreds of students , teachers and working professionals across the world, turn into published writers and poets. She is an award winning author, poet, short-story writer, social worker, novelist, editor, an educator and a publisher. The Impish Lass Publishing House is her brainchild. Her poems, stories and book-reviews have been published in many international journals and magazines. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards. She is an active member of Mumbai English Educators’ Team and was invited by the Education Department of Maharashtra to be a part of The Review Committee for the new English text book. She has been invited as a judge for several literary competitions including the Lit fest of IIT Bombay and NM college fest. Her poems are published in many magazines, including the prestigious periodical Woman’s Era. She has been a contributing author and poet for more than 60 anthologies. Her contribution to the field of education and writing has received acclamation from the esteemed newspapers like Times of India and Mid- Day. Her articles published in Times of India’s NIE and a suburban newspaper and leading educational magazine of the country- Brainfeed Higher Education Plus. 180

She is on the mission of publishing the articles of students and educators of various schools across the globe under her unique project, ‘The Young Bards’. Her autobiographical novella, The Impish Lass, has been converted into a web-series and can be subscribed on YouTube. Under the banner of her publishing house (The Impish Lass Publishing House - Mumbai ) she has successfully published more than 50 books in 2 and a half year’s duration apart from The Young Bards- book various editions for students and teachers. More than 500 writers across the globe have received an opportunity of becoming published writers and poets under this banner. She was invited to share her views by Sony TV for their first episode of, ‘Zindagi Ke Crossroads’, based on needs of special children. She was recently invited by the “AajTak” news channel to express her views on the special episode on the PMC Bank scam victims. She had written an exclusive poem which was read and appreciated by the living legend of Bollywood- Amitabh Bachchan. She has been the recipient of Wordsmith Award- 2019 for her short story , “Pindarunch,” from the Asian Literary Society. As a publisher she believes that EACH SOUL THAT WRITES HAS THE RIGHT TO GET PUBLISHED 181

LONG DRIVE “Class, all students who have completed your papers keep your computer speakers on mute mode and please don’t move out of the Google Classroom till I confirm about the number of responses. This confirmation will be made by your History teacher”, I told my Grade X students. By this time the History teacher had already entered the virtual classroom to inform the students whether or not their submissions were recorded. The students exited the classroom on verification by their History teacher. This was the first online examination proctorship that I had conducted. In the meantime, I requested the IT teacher to help me to locate the English answer scripts of the classes which I taught. “Miss, share your screen,” she instructed me. I followed the instructions. “Go to Google drive and click on my drive. Click on the Google form – responses - individual. How come this is showing up blank? It’s 11.45 a.m. Ideally all the students of Grade IX should have submitted their responses by 11.30 a.m. You should have received all the responses Miss,” she said. “This was the reason I panicked and decided to seek your help,” I responded desperately. “I have checked all the forms Miss. The other divisions also. No responses there too. What shall I do now?” I inquired, filled with worry. “Probably you used your personal ID to create these form,” she said. “ No Miss. It’s not possible. I don’t use my personal ID for any official work. I always use school ID or class ID,” I replied immediately. “Okay then. Check your class ID. Repeat the same procedure. Please check in the following folders - shared with me and trash. All the three places,” She said. I repeated this procedure with all the 5 classes I taught. After going through this ordeal for more than half an hour (all thanks to the fantastic connectivity in my area) I was left on my own as she had to conduct a meeting for the teachers. “ I will connect again after the meeting” she said before leaving my class. 182

Completely clueless about how to retrieve the data, I called up my HM and informed him about this. I even sent out a message to the Examination Committee too. “Try to seek technical help Miss,” my HM suggested. “I have been doing that for almost half an hour sir,” I replied. “Okay check with S. Sir. He might be able to help you,” he suggested. Now the second ordeal began. After struggling for half another half an hour I was still clueless about the missing responses. “How come the school timing has extended by an hour?” asked my husband. “You were supposed to cook,” he continued. I was on the verge of crying but all I could reply was, “Please help yourself. I am too stressed out to do anything now. I am not getting the file response of Grade 9 English. More than 100 students appeared for the assessment today”. “Carry on,” he said and left from there. I finally contacted S. Sir. “Miss, please check the link you had shared with the teachers. Go to sent mail, click on the link and try to open it,” he further suggested. “Sir, it’s not happening,” I panicked. “Probably due to poor connectivity Miss,” he tried to pacify me. “Please don’t worry. If students have appeared for the assessment , it must have gotten recorded somewhere. Call up one of these Grade IX teachers and ask them to send you the link. We can check” he said in a composed tone. I called up one of the teachers. “Hello, can you send me the link for today’s English paper?” I asked in an anxious voice. “ The students didn’t have an English exam today Miss. It’s scheduled for tomorrow. Today they had their Algebra assessment.” “ Thanks a lot ,” I said in a jiffy. I immediately contacted S. Sir. “S. Sir I am sorry, students didn’t have English assessment today,” I said and both of us burst into laughter. I informed the IT teacher, Exam Committee and my HM too. What a relief it was! But by then I had already taken a long drive. Oops! Of Google Drive. 183

Patience is the word. This is what lockdown and working online has taught me. I have cried almost 10 times in these 8 months of lockdown and most of the time poor connectivity played truant and the stress of online sessions being the major contributing factors. But then , this is how we learn, don’t we? MEENA MISHRA 184

Pic: Neeti Parti