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concentrated at home, I could carefully work on both academic and literary analyses and writings. But more than that I have experienced the transient nature of our existence. My realization of how to remain happy in all circumstances made it possible through meditation. This made me probe deeper into the basic requirements of life. It is a necessity to stay grounded and keep our minds far from illusions. The world faces a viral catastrophe but there is an end to it in order to make a new beginning. A positive life and a careful walk bearing the right etiquette can make us fight against the adverse times. DR. BISHAKHA DAS 43

KIREN BABAL Kiren Babal (born 1951) is a Graduate in Psychology(hons), Kiren Babal has a flair for writing both in English and Hindi. She has dabbled in many shades of creativity -be it doing plays for AIR, teaching in schools, theatre, writing scripts, short stories for children etc. The focus is to keep her own hobbies and interests alive! To her credit she has 13 children’s books along with many anthologies of poems in English and Hindi. Her latest work has been the compilation and editing of 102 children poems in a book titled, Untamed Thrills and Shrills. Poetry, she believes, is just like a spring which wells out from our inner reservoir called soul. She finds joy in little things that life offers, which she brings alive through the power of her pen. Yet there’s a long way to go... 44

SHOULDER TO SHOULDER 2020 brought premonitions of number four! Both eventful and fateful numerologically so. The virus spread its tentacles Death moved around like demon World gaped with horror as Pandemic played havoc. Two months passed seeing its 'Tandav' One day at my daughter's place A pact made that I would shift to her house in such a case. Well old age comes with dependency true, My meek protests were nipped in the bud too, Silently agreeing came back to my abode, my solid comfort zone. Next morning Modi ji announced JANTA CURFEW Then the 5 pm exercise of Thali claps and bells, gratified the air with soaring spirits and videos exchanged. Finally one day I packed my bags and reached my daughter's place. Evening news, Modiji with grim face, steel determination announced the inevitable…. THE LOCKDOWN WITH TOTAL CURFEW THE FOLLOWING DAY. Just then my Dr friend who had recently lost her husband called up entreating, \"Please come, stay with me, as you are alone too.\" But I'm at my daughter's house now. 'Oh Okay' her voice trailed off. I sensed sadness in that ebbing tone. Turning to my daughter I said, \"Right now my friend's need is greater and I want to help her.\" Then explained the severity of the situation and her mentally challenged daughter. The earnestness in my tone got the message clear. Hugging my daughter, mutually instructing on safety measures, 45

Zoomed my car back to my friend’s house, in Safdarjung Enclave. My surprise visit elated her. We embraced each other with mixed emotions of joy and crying outbursts. We were in each other's company now. Eating, sleeping, chanting, studying and cooking amidst banters at the same time. Her daily bouts of shivering ,crying, a feeling of hopelessness took the better of her.She cried inconsolably. I could just comfort her holding hands. That was all that I could do. But it did the magic! With doctors guidance, medicines... Talking her heart out to me,her depressive bouts decreased. We chanted,and studied together. Prayed fervently for the world to be peaceful and happy again. Her mentally challenged daughter Ira, loved a particular song that we often sang… 'We will fight we will win Together you and me Shoulder to shoulder Marching to win In the 21st century! Finale was Ira's clapping and our guffaws. I can go on and on writing down Thus went by The Lockdown! KIREN BABAL 46

ZEYD LADHA Zeyd Ladha is an engineer, entrepreneur and writer. Managing his factory by the day, he switches roles to become a writer by night. He is a keen observer and that is his major inspiration for writing. Writing articles, stories and poems with morals and teachings, he wishes to make a positive impact on the reader. His short stories and poems can be found on his blog and Facebook page, both by the name A Good Life. 47

INDEPENDENCE IN LOCKDOWN There I stood staring at the open lid of the washing machine not knowing what to do next. I stood there with detergent in one hand and soiled clothes in the other. I was sure there is some place in the machine to add detergent, I had seen it in television advertisements. I was taken aback by how little I knew about the household chores. This was day 1 and I was already clean bowled, I had no clue what else was in store for me. I could have searched it on Google, these days one can find everything there, but my realisation made me stop and think. Born and brought up in a typical Indian business family, I was never asked to do any household chores. Well, why just business families, most boys in India are brought up that way! From a young age boys are made to believe that it is the woman's responsibility to take care of the household chores. A man is supposed to work outside and chill inside the house. With this mindset, boys grow up into men who refuse to share domestic responsibilities. Though one does see a change in this mindset, at least in the urban setting, which is very pleasing to see. Both man and woman have an equal right to build a career, therefore both must share the work at home too. Instead of searching on Google, I asked my wife for help. With a smile she graciously explained where the detergent goes, which other liquid soap we put along with it and the various controls on the washing machine panel. After the machine started doing its job, it was time for the utensils. I realised the soap was over and I did not know where would I find a new bar in the house. Again my wife came to the rescue. That day she took care of the sweeping and mopping of the house. I knew there would be more shocks in store for me when it was my turn to do the other jobs. Each task I completed, was something new I learnt. From operating the washing machine to the water purifier. From 48

washing and drying clothes to washing utensils. From sweeping and mopping floor to cleaning the windows. From dusting the furniture to washing the bathrooms. From making tea to making chapatis. Though I must confess the chapatis are still not a perfect circle! This also came with the realisation that house hold chores are no small task. In fact I lost 3 kgs in about a month without any fancy diet plan, just pure hard work. Since that time I have extra respect for everyone who looks after the house and for the maids who do this, day in and day out without a single holiday. Hats off to them and God bless! Then lockdown ended and I was to resume going to office, but a changed version of me was going to work. I had a number of realisations in lock down. Time and tide wait for no man, we have heard so often but really experienced it then. Savings are important we have heard from the seniors in our family but never taken it seriously. In lockdown we came to know who really cared and who did not. While all the realisations have been priceless, my greatest gift was independence. I was no longer dependent on anyone for my day to day needs. While my mother and wife are caring and still try to do most of the chores, I am no longer am dependent on them. There has been a sense of liberation. One morning, a month after unlock began I was to leave early for work. I left before anyone else could wake up. I received a call from home later enquiring why I left without having breakfast. I just smiled and replied I had my breakfast and left. I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled, for that day I made myself a chapati, fried an egg and made tea. Had the wholesome breakfast then washed the utensils and kept them in their place. I am no longer dependent on anyone. Though my family is caring and always there, it still feels amazing to be able to manage myself and my tasks. While everyone was locked up, I found my independence! ZEYD LADHA 49

PRANITI GULYANI Praniti Gulyani is a sixteen year old author from Delhi. Her book ‘Sixteen Drops of Ink’ was published by The Impish Lass Publishing House in August 2020. She has been published in numerous anthologies by The Impish Lass Publishing House. Praniti is also an internationally awarded free verse poet, having won the second position in the Poetry New Zealand Student’s Yearbook Competition. She has had her free verse and short fiction published in journals all over the world – including The Weight Journal, Teen Ink, Cathartic Youth Literary Journal, Borderless Journal, Literally Stories amidst others. 50

TO BE WORRIED ABOUT Lockdown findings – How I found my superhero yes, I like golden, local-fair, glass bangles – the kind my mother, my family label as cheap, for they are supposed to adorn the hands of the lesser privileged, but I love them, I hold them close the kind with gleaming paints, glitter-coated for they assure me, that wet, dark shadows is not the legacy of all of humankind and some leave glittery trails and footprints of shine and shimmer upon the ground on which they tread and, in my life – this glittery trail, this golden shadow is the legacy of your presence I am three years old. Or maybe four or five, but not a year older than five. In fact, I am scared of being even a minute older than five, for the fear that it may rip open the soft, carefully cushioned layers of my dreams. I’m running the courtyard of your house – your house, mind it not my house, and I’m looking at the clouds, my toddler’s eyes trying their best to capture the shape shifting brilliance of these balls of wool. Suddenly, I hear the sound of your car’s horn followed by the sound of you concluding a call with someone. As I hear your footsteps, I turn around – spin around – abruptly, and without caring about who’s listening, because people don’t usually judge a five year old, I cry out in joy on the top of my lungs, and fling myself into your arms. And, just like Aamir Khan lifts Ishaan in his embrace and throws him into the sky, and the way Ishaan’s spread out hands and stretched out palms aim for the stars, my hands and palms behave the same way. And, as I stay in a suspended mid-air position, I know there is a pair of strong arms waiting to catch me. I know that this pair of strong arms 51

won’t let me fall. After this, I run away and indulge in a game of hide-and-seek choosing one of the darkest places under the staircase. Of course, as always, I am scared of the rats, lizards and mice that lurk in this pitch darkness, that hold the darkness on their backs, a darkness that is so dark, there is no space for a single star. But, somehow my three year old heart is completely assured that I will not have wait as long. I know you will pull me out of this dark place, and hold me to your heart and laugh. I wouldn’t know why you were laughing, back then, but seeing your eyes flicker with light, light that goes on and off, and my toddler’s heart does not hesitate to create a direct analogy between the lights of your eyes and stage-lights. After all, the lights of your eyes are what shimmer upon my part of the world, upon my stage. In short, your joy is my joy. Suddenly, as your laughter comes to a stop – I burst out laughing. But today, after I have counted till two hundred and twenty two, you don’t come. I don’t know where you’ve gone. As I emerge out of the dark, my eyes clouded with emotion that is most definitely too strong and too intense for such a young heart, but as they say, an emotion is an emotion, no matter how strong or weak. The emotion that clouds the whites of my eyes is despair. How I yearn to tell you that all the times I rejoiced after ‘winning’ a game of hide-and-seek against you was not the joy of victory, but the joy of watching you look for me, the joy of hearing you call out my name, and I’d especially revel In the times I couldn’t be found and watch the way you’d frown, the way your voice would touch a point of shrillness, which was in simpler words, a point of urgency. And, just when your face and your expression would teeter on the point of crumpling into tears, I would reveal myself. There is so much of joy in watching you look for me. Look for me . . . . . 52

Cut to eleven years later I am sixteen. My eyes brim over with dream, as I go and make eye contact with the world around me. I want to become a writer and even though the world isn’t with me on this, you are. But, from a distance. Is it because I am a young woman now, a young woman who cannot be held close, because you never know what people might say. At the end of the day, you aren’t my father or my mother, or any close relative, so to speak.. And, as a horrifying pandemic grips the world in its iron-cold fingers, I feel as though these iron cold fingers are sifting through the layers of my being, I feel these fingers highlighting the voids in my heart. My friends idolize actors and sportsmen, and cover their walls with glossed-up posters. I think I’m very lucky, that I found my superhero within the close circle of my family. And, as the world shut outside, I opened within, and I became that five year old kid again. I ran through the courtyards of your house, despite being confided within the courtyards of my abode. I feel tiny wings pushing through the spine of my pen, as within the four walls of my room, I feel these wings beating to a rhythm, a rhythm that creates a new, beautiful world. It is this world where I exist the way I wish to, and you exist the way I want you to exist. You exist as my superhero. In fact, you are my superhero. Even though I believe that this is the strongest relationship in the world, I wonder, how much does it count? Most importantly, does it count at all? Today, I want to tell you that I am lost. I am in the dark spaces beneath a staircase that I have constructed, carved for myself. How do I tell you that I want to be looked for, and I want to be called out for? And, how do I tell you, that I want to notice that expression, that twilit pause between two emotions, when your 53

face that is otherwise confident, is on the verge of crumpling into tears, simply because it cannot find me in a game of hide and seek. Is it possibly crossing a line when I tell you that I want to be worried about? 54

LOCKDOWN: THE OPENING WITHIN All of us are presently thriving in the absolute heart of a crisis that is brewing around us. Every day is an icon of uncertainty and there is a great sense of distance all around us. In today’s scenario, the eyes do all the talking and behind the restriction of the mask, one can only make out the shape of words. Yet, this lockdown has brought about a roaring ocean within me, creating absolute tumult within. The condition within me is somewhat synonymous to the chaos observed when the sea waves toss and turn, when there is a relentless churning in the heart of the ocean and a ship is hurled across the vast expanse of the dark waters, making it seem as though it was a mere plaything. The intensity of the situation is so severe, that the stars in the sky seem to be crackling with an angry, white flame. In all, the factor associated with this lockdown situation, that has irked me so much is the practice of social distancing, how hugs and handshakes are frowned upon and how terms like social isolation, and distance have become the norms of the world. And, though this may not seem absolutely correct over here, but for me, this comes out to be a personal blow. As a person, I have always been a rigid robot. Whenever a relative or a loved one would embrace me, I would stiffen and never, ever be able to reciprocate. At that point in time, hugs and the practice of being hugged was something that I utterly despised. I never managed to comprehend the beauty of being held close, of being held tightly. For me, that was suffocation. When I went to visit my old English teacher a little while ago, she hugged me and asked me, or in fact, told me to hug her back, my arms suddenly transformed into stiff tree branches. I remember a lot of my loved ones asking me to open up, and I think I did succeed in hugging someone back, and I still remember that one, poetic line that floated into my heart after I did so. 55

“I see the world from over your shoulder, But this world, is a different kind of world, A world scented with a smile’’ The art of hugging is an absolutely mundane practice, but for me, it held a curious significance. For me, to be hugged and to hug was an experience in itself. I engage in the practice of creative visualization a lot, which involves imagining a utopian world for myself, and again, an essential part of this utopia involves me hugging my loved ones, without the slightest bit of reluctance. I have got many an opportunity to do so, but I’d always let the cold chains of hesitance pull me back. I believed that life would present me with opportunities to do so, and I guess I trusted the future too much. I would like to share a haiku I wrote on this emotion -- shooting star . . . finally I learn how to hug If I come back to the present scenario, the ‘’no hug’’ norm is excruciatingly painful. Truly, all those sayings about impermanence and how we must clasp our hands around the present moment, because we never know if it is going to return hold true. Once these moments fly by, they become poems on paper, bits of pesky prose that write themselves more than we write them. Yet, it is our responsibility as human beings who possess the ability to experience any emotion at all, to live the little bit of life tucked into the heart of every moment. Moments are grains of sand in an hourglass, and once they slide down the spine of the hourglass, to move into the next compartment, they never return, no matter how much we try. During this lockdown, I managed to excavate a plethora of regrets from within the nooks and crevices of my being, and I have put them down on paper. Truly, there has been an opening within . . . . PRANITI GULYANI 56

NISHA TANDON Nisha Tandon, a bilingual poetess has marked her name in poetry with her soulful poetry. An entrepreneur by profession, Nisha Tandon has used her life experience in a well-articulated and rhythmic tone in her poetry. Starting her poetic journey with her first collection, \"Footprints; she has come a long way in her credentials as a poetess. She has successfully published her second book,\"Chand Ehsaas\" this time in Hindi. Currently residing in Dubai, she has been an individual with various attributes. Apart from holding a reputed position in an HR & Training Consulting Firm, she has worked in hotels, educational institutions, and corporate entities. She has recently completed her next book of poetry, \"Myriad of Emotions.\" 57

MYRIAD OF EMOTIONS It was not until mid-March this year that a few harsh realities struck us. All along we had taken life for granted. We always thought, nothing absolutely nothing could bring the world to a standstill. Not any natural calamity, not a war nor man made disasters. But something eventually did. It was coronavirus, merely 80 to 120 nm in diameter that brought the fast-paced world to a complete halt and deprived us of our freedom. We were caged in our homes for weeks and months, unable to socialize and meet our loved ones. It restricted us from moving outdoors and all we could find solace in was, connecting virtually, be it celebrations or finding about the well-being. We heard of scary stories of how the world was enveloped by this deadly virus. There seemed to be no end to the aftermath of its infection. We helplessly watched as it took the world by storm. This was something we were not prepared for. If it is an illness, we seek support and treatments by spending money to bounce back to good health. But this virus not only attacked people’s physical well-being but also tested their emotional strength. “Work from home” became the new normal. As the companies downsized, people lost their jobs and money in everyone’s bank started depleting. This had a direct impact on the minds of people. They began to lose faith and patience and took drastic steps. Living in Dubai, away from the family, life seemed tough for us. We didn’t know how long this was going to last. The travel ban added fuel to the fire. Desperation to meet the family set in. Things could have just gone out of control had we not decided to make it work for ourselves. The onus lay upon us. It was a make or break situation for each of us. It was going to be a turbulent journey with all its ambiguities. The only solace we had was that we were not the only ones affected. Everyone around us was in a similar situation. How we dealt with it completely depended on us. We needed to be strong and look for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It was the only 58

hope that would see us through. For that we needed to change our lifestyle, our priorities, and our attitude. Unfortunately, as the fear of this unknown virus was setting in and the cases were on the rise, my husband tested positive. Our world came crashing down. I knew these were testing times and once again it was time for me to embrace my strength. I couldn’t allow the fear to seize our lives. We as a family got ourselves tested and fortunately the reports were negative. My husband was in home quarantine for a fortnight and with home remedies and precautions he got two simultaneous negative reports. We were very cautious about our movements after that. Another change we had to adapt to, in this lockdown period , was the introduction of Distance Rehabilitation Program for my younger daughter, who went to a Special needs centre in Dubai. She so looked forward to going to school daily and now it wasn’t going to be the same. There would be a drastic change in her life, and we wondered how she would adjust to this. But thankfully the transition was smooth and soon she got used to all her therapies online. The Center put in efforts to seamlessly organize all the sessions online, whether it was bakery, dance sessions, speech therapy or Art & craft. Gradually she got used to them but still missed in-person sessions with her teachers and interactions with friends. My older daughter had worked hard the last four/ five years to realise her dream of pursuing her Engineering in the US. Suddenly all her dreams came crashing down. Though she got her admissions in one of the best colleges in USA, she could not join on campus sessions. She was not the only one affected, we realised that. But for us it was difficult to see her deal with the situation. As a mother I needed mental strength to deal with her frustrations. With so much happening around, my life had turned upside down too, and I needed to channelize my energies in such a way that I don’t lose my positivity and remained sane. During these 59

difficult times it’s important to deal with myriad of emotions one experiences. The workload increased, there was no set routine, meal timings went haywire and last but not the least, “Me Time” was totally eradicated from the roster. I was perpetually found doing the household chores in the absence of domestic help. Though husband tried to help but he himself was struggling with this new format of WFH. Being in hospitality industry, staying in touch with the staff meant being in proximity. But it all changed, for everybody. This started taking a toll on all of us and it could have driven us to a point of insanity had we not decided to change it for ourselves. This is when we decided to prioritise. What needed immediate attention and then the rest. Gradually things started falling in place. Despite the workload, I managed to squeeze in some time for myself. And that is the time I picked up a hobby I had left behind in this race against time. I began to sketch once again that gave me solace and a sense of achievement. Initially it was not up to my expectations but gradually it got better. And soon I had filled up multiple books with my sketches. I shared them with my friends, and they were received so well that I also received orders. The satisfaction it gave me in inexplicable. I felt content with life. When the life was against the tide, I manoeuvred it in such a way that it found direction and a purpose. Another milestone I attained was fulfilling my dream of launching my website that tracked my daughter’s journey along with my poetry and sketching. It was a satisfying journey. In the normal schedule, it was even difficult to give it a thought. In this fast-paced life, when we don’t get time to pause and think, this lockdown introduced us to the hidden passions, emotions and desires in us that we never had the time for. It helped us in our journey of self discovery. We always undermine ourselves and don’t know about our capabilities. This period has taught us to survive with the minimal available. All the things that held great importance in our lives took a backseat and it helped heal relationships within the confines of the four walls. As a family 60

we began to understand each other’s needs better and became selfless. When God takes away something from us, he returns something else in abundance. We just need to open our arms to receive and embrace the change and look for opportunities. NISHA TANDON 61

SUJATA SENGUPTA Sujata has over 35 years of experience in teaching and education management. She is strong and courageous and can deal with various situations life throws across. She has excellent planning, team building, event management and communication skills. She enjoys cooking, reading and travelling. 62

RESILIENCE I live with my 88-year-old ailing mom in law who is bedridden and in a complete vegetative state. She has a feeding tube attached to her stomach. We have had a part time nurse and two full time helpers at home for several years. One helper went his village on leave. The other helper had never dealt with any elderly patient earlier, she was primarily a cook, but had taken up this job as she was needy. She is illiterate and easily swayed by what her family members tell her. In March 2020 my mom in law fell ill and due to the uncertainty of the Covid scenario, the maid was convinced by her family that my mom in law had contracted Corona and they told her to leave. One night she suddenly announced that she did not want to put her life in danger and wanted to leave ASAP. I requested her to hang on till I could get a replacement. The issue was that the local trains had already been shut down as a precautionary measure. The next morning, I contacted several bureaus, but to no avail. Lastly, I called the nurse, explained the situation. I asked her whether she could come and told her that she would need to stay on, on a full-time basis. Thankfully she agreed. She took over 5 hours to reach after using various modes of transport. This was sheer luck, as the PM announced lockdown in India the very same evening. The only downside was that the nurse’s salary doubled to around Rs. 75 K/month and she only agreed to tend to the patient’s needs. I became self - reliant, took over the sweeping, swabbing, washing of utensils and clothes, cooking as well as arranging for all the essentials during the period. I would be exhausted by the end of the day. Often, I felt very miserable that the nurse, being years younger than me did not feel the need to help out with any of the tasks despite getting a whopping monthly salary. All that she cared about about was getting her meals on time and the essentials required for taking care of my mom in law. This hurt me deeply, but I took it in my stride as I knew that there was someone taking good care of my mom in law. 63

One day, the washing machine broke down and though we bought a new one, we had no one to install it, as no one was allowed to enter the building premise. The washing machine was delivered at the gate and getting it to the 2nd floor was a herculean task, as the entire building was sealed due to several Covid positive cases. The nurse and I managed to cart the box home. Having no other options, we decided to unbox and install the machine. We struggled but succeeded. So, one problem was solved. Luckily I was able to address the unpredictable challenges that I was facing. I began taking walks in the terrace, as going out was not a good idea. I had been suffering from a nagging pain on the right side of my abdomen. One evening the pain became unbearable and I was forced to return home. Slowly the pain became unbearable. I contacted a doctor friend of mine, who suggested that I get a USG done to understand the source of the pain. The next day I went to the hospital, the scan did not find any abnormality as regards to tumors/hernia/ appendicitis. But it located multiple Gall stones. My doctor suggested a CT scan of the pelvis and abdomen as the pain radiated from between the appendix and liver. I proceeded to the CT scan area; it took me around 6 hours to complete the tests from the time I had entered the hospital. My son (who lives in another city) was worried as he could not get in touch with me as there was no mobile network in the Radiology Department of the hospital. Secondly, I was horrified seeing several Covid positive patients being brought in for CT scans. I wasn’t sure about how safe I was from contracting Covid, as I did my scans in the very same machine. The pain did not subside, thus my doctor friend recommended me to consult another doctor. He diagnosed that the pain was arising due to the Gall Stones and that I needed a Gall Bladder removal surgery at the earliest. The risk of contracting Covid in the hospital was pretty high, as I am Asthmatic. But I had no choice. My son flew down. I went through several other tests to ensure that I was not Covid positive prior to admission. The day prior to the surgery the Anesthetist gave us a shocking news. The CT scan of my throat and chest revealed two 64

tumors – one big and another smaller one. This shocked me to the core, but I decided to cross one bridge at a time. I went through the Cholecystectomy surgery, followed by biopsies for the two tumors and several other tests. I went for most of the tests all alone and received a lot of queer looks and questions from the others waiting for their tests. Most of the patients were accompanied by more than one family member, the look of fear was quite apparent in their faces. They couldn’t believe that I was striding in and out of the various departments of the hospital all alone in a fearless manner. Luckily my tumors turned out to be benign and following consultations with other specialists, I was advised to wait it out for a few months. That way I could recuperate from my current surgery and wait for the Covid scenario to improve. I was worried and frightened not knowing how things would turn out, whether I might get Covid, but I never let anyone sense my apprehensions. I drew strength and security from my son. He was by my side before, during and post the surgery. I endured the pain, the surgery and the battery of tests with great fortitude. Another challenge was the thought of being able to manage all the household work post the surgery, but luckily, I got a full- time maid who took over the responsibility of all the household work post my surgery. I decided against calling the previous maid back as she turned out to be unreliable during a stressful situation. This pandemic has taught me to have faith in the almighty and the resilience to deal with tough situations. It has been a great learning experience for me. 65

DR. M NAVANEETHA SRINIVASAN Dr. M Navaneetha Srinivasan is a Retired English Teacher. His educational qualification is M.A; M.Ed.; Ph.D. He had been the manager of the private sector in for 8 years and switched over to the teaching profession. He had been working in the reputed Sainik School with the capacity of an English teacher for 28 years. He had moulded many children to be the officers of the armed forces besides the poor casual employees to qualify themselves to complete grade 10 to get the permanent jobs. He had an opportunity to meet Kaviyarasu Kannadasan in reviewing his poems and got third prize. From the childhood he has been writing essays and poems in English and Tamil. He donated blood 27 times. He has a great interest in translation and social work like helping the poor children to be educated. He is blessed with a well understanding and meaningful wife and two daughters. Even though he is retired, he has not retired from serving the society. 66

A RAY OF HOPE Hope, Hope, I have a hope, I have a hope that my hope Has a scope to happen fully, Pray, pray, prayers heal thy wounds. Wounded heart gets healed. The story of sufferings gets sealed. Zealous prayers heal thy life. Heal thy life to have a healthy life, A healthy life is a wealthy life, Stealthy life is a filthy life, A filthy life is flimsy life, A slender, flimsy life is a withered life. Even a barren life becomes blossomed, Wishes, prayers help you to glow. The distant light is a ray of hope. Heaviness of the problems become light, Weariness of the life becomes dearly, Nothing worries, Fear has the fear, That comes so nearer to you. The presence of God is the absence of the worries. God is the vision, provision, God is the fatherly person, Yours and my needs are met out. Since He knows what the need is, When and where what to be given, Fear not, fear not, don’t fear. 67

God is the God of surprises, God blesses you abundantly. Nothing to worry, drive away the fear. To drive away the fear, far away, Prayer is the way to be away from the fear. 68

Has lock down ‘KNOCKED DOWN YOUR NORMAL LIFE?’ Has ‘Lock down’ knocked down your normal life? Do you have such feeling? Are you afraid? Are you apprehended? Have you felt that you are in house arrest or lock up? A man who has the positive frame of mind, he will not feel like that. He can see the brightness of life even if he has the small size of faith like the size of the mustard seed. If I am possible, nothing is impossible. Of course, the present situation is alarming, oppressive, and agitating. Desire to derive the way from the far away distant future. Except corona positive, accept it as a challenge. Whatever the adversary situation that you come across, fight till the end to reach the destination where you have to. As a child is carried by the father on his shoulders, most of us many times we expect others to do our life’s targets and to discharge our responsibilities. We want to taste the sweetness of success without much sweating. We never bother about the loss of the public. Our life is focused on ‘self’. We keep ourselves in the center and slowly we become the ‘self-centered’ We give top priority to our gains, benefits, and concessions. We are ready to lose anything including the meaning of the life. We compromise the truth by pledging our conscience and tend to be circumspect. Man is keen in seeking the bubble reputation even in canon’s mouth. We are always very much worried about the material losses and priority is given only on instant gains instantaneously. Basically, every man is a moral being. He knows what is right and what is wrong? The intoxicated or down cast feelings blind the reasoning power to analyse. The people who have such attitude alone feel that their normal life is being affected. What you see today is not the real. Definitely, the condition will be better. The stone gets repeated hammering alone will be shaped. The present youth’s future is a puzzle. They become the puppets in the hands of the authorities. The power that corrupts absolutely. In due course, they subsequently gain the fatigue, agony, and depression. Loss of sleep, irregular food 69

timings cause the mental illness and obesity. In the name of lockdown, many switch over to the ‘idiot box’ and switch on various channels at irregular intervals to have animal instincts to gratify the sensual pleasures and give a way to the carnal desires. Many become indifferent to the families as well as to the society. Slowly they tend to be antisocial elements. As a product of the society, you must have vision to strive excellence with a long stride. We must have the Passion, Respect for the people, Integrity, Dedication, Involvement, Commitment, Devotion and Diligence with the extraordinary creativity. The vision that you have the mission to enrich the quality of life. Everyday / Everywhere apply the values to suit the stress is to shun, dispel, drive away the fear that is the impression and the expression of the success. Get rid of the negative emotion is to get rid of the fear. You shouldn’t be untruthful, unfaithful, ungrateful, and unmotivated to exercise your will. You must have the will power to speed up your aim and accelerate the quantum of success. Talents vary. Whether you have versatility infested with multi talents or little talent in a restricted area, whatever it is. You have to put the maximum best efforts finding the strength with in that should be your ‘maxim’ (Actions speak louder than words) or birds of a feather flock together. So, good things come in small packages. That is the package of tour of success. According to me, as an ordinary being the lock down period helps me to tap my writing, create a niche to my dint of writing. Two hundred plus days have provided ample opportunity to create the awareness, understand in the family binding, showing the concern with the pandemic society, rendering the helping hand and wipe the tears of the poor, beginning to live for others. So, the talents in you must be identified, sowed, nurtured, and cultured. Trimmed, refrained, restrained behavioural pattern is a rich of your personality and the leadership qualities. Self-reliance, self-belief, self-analysis, or evaluation are the segments and ingredients of the quarantined life quarters, general trend in society. We are conscious of discipline. Most of us are disciplined on supervision. Split character differentiates 70

the reality and duplicity (deceitfulness, hypocrisy, double standard, self-conceit). The hooded personality is the double standard life is viewed as standard of living. Authority, authenticity cannot be in atrocities and agitation. Talents are varied. Talents are not short but channelizing the things is the problem. Negative occurrences (stimulate) instigate the repulsiveness. The attraction of the directions, destructiveness and forced to have extractions. My dear youth, you must know the synonymous of the company and companion. Company is to accompany either to accomplish or accomplice. Company does not promote friendships, comradeships. Companionship is not only referred to the friends, the people whom you interact, associate in our day today life activities also belong to that category. Good things and good personalities cannot be missed out at any cost. Intolerance is the root cause of the restlessness of the youth. Shut the doors. Close the windows. Open the windows. See the world in various files. Of course, it is the trend of the present situation. That is not real. Suicidal tendency, playing excessively with the games downloaded play with the life. You should accept the challenges, face the world courageously, achieve your goals ultimately. What you see is not real. Tomorrow, you can inhale the corona free air, fresh world, refresh your imagination and refrain your thoughts. You can see a dawn as you are a ‘Don’. Dr M NAVANEETHA SRINIVASAN 71

NEHA GUPTA Neha Gupta found her new passion in writing, and started to pen down her long-brewing thoughts recently. She believes in the power of the pen and considers it as a strong medium to bring positive changes to society. Her passion lies in exploring new places and new cultures; living in Japan for eight years and Sri Lanka for one year has added tremendously to her pot of experiences. She loves the company of young children and is an experienced teacher who holds the degree of B.Ed. She is currently living in Mumbai and working as a counsellor for an online education portal. She is an enthusiastic learner who is ready to learn from anyone and anywhere! This is her second write up for The Impish Lass Publishing House. 72

MEETING WITH SELF “If reality is like this, it isn’t my thing”, thought I Was it just the dullness in the air or my deepest cry? The sign of anxiety was seen clearly in my plate of food Wanted to escape from me if only I could This lockdown has brought many changes in my life Life came to a halt; the deepening crisis struck like a knife Those dark heavy clouds were turning my days into nights Desperately searched for something in the darkness, maybe a little ray of light Waited for the heavenly angel to come and lift the clouds Didn’t realize it was me all along who could only clear those doubts Meditation helped me reveal my true identity By lifting the fog of confusion from over my entity The deeper I travelled on the path of my inner world The easier it was to accept the situations of the outer world Acceptance of myself and others became easy for me As I progressed step by step from ‘somebody’ to ‘nobody’ The error memories of past which filled my subconscious mind Was being cleared; leaving behind a beautiful state of void To be filled with the love of the divinity The shower of this love washed away all my fear and anxiety 73

Soulfulness paved its way into my life day by day Resistance was no longer there; things looked beautiful the way they were Meditation gave me the vision to see the world as a whole Differences are illusionary as you and I are connected by the soul! 74

I TOO EXIST It was not the first time whenAnandita was sitting by the window, sipping her coffee alone while hiding the moisture in her eyes. She could recall the incident of the last night at the wedding reception of her husband’s cousin. This embarrassment was not new to her; somehow, she had prepared herself mentally for such occurrences; if only she could change the ugly truth of her stuttering problem, all her problems would vanish. She was sick to the core of being ridiculed, being ignored. She wanted to speak like everyone else. Anandita was, like any other child, ordinary in all areas of life. She was a bookworm; who would eat up books after books without even burping. She was keen on taking part in debates conducted in the school and was a proud winner for her house in the school every year. Her life was a dream to her and her parents until one day when she fell from the school staircase and suffered a stroke, which caused her neurogenic stuttering. She became quiet; her parents tried everything they could, but her condition wouldn't improve a bit. She abandoned herself from all the social activities; the school was no longer the same place for her. She started losing her friends and filled that void with her beloved books. She was brought back to reality by the sound of the news and her husband’s reaction to it, “I knew this was going to happen and it is the correct decision by the government, 21 days nationwide lockdown, probably this is the only solution for this dreadful pandemic Covid19, what do you say Anu?”. She quickly composed herself and replied to him with her sweet smile, “This means we get to spent more time together.” In return, he came and hugged his wife. She met Parihaar on the first day of joining the office and knew in an instant that he was different than others. Her stuttering did not bother him at all. She started liking his company, somehow 75

felt at home with him. Despite the reluctance from his parents, Parihaar married Anandita and stood by her side all these years, no matter what. There were some worries which occupied both of their minds, such as, what will be the impact of this crisis on their jobs and the health of everyone in their family. Parihaar’s job was unaffected by the situation; he dedicated the same number of hours for his work as he used to spend before the crisis, but from home. However, Anandita’s work got reduced to half, and so was the size of her paycheque, which was not the problem for her, but having so much free time in hand was something that she wasn't accustomed to. Due to her stuttering problem, she avoided attending social gatherings, but her work always kept her busy. Apart from work, she loved books, especially children's literature. The list of her favorite authors comprised many names starting with Enid Blyton to Ruskin Bond, Roald Dahl, and J.K. Rowling; she loved reading them all. She remembered how she spent her summer vacations by setting the target of reading one book a day and how her mother would be worried about the number of hours she used to spend in the community library. As she grew, the pressure to secure good grades also grew with her, and eventually, her leisurely reading time was reduced to zero. Sitting by the window while recalling the childhood days, she looked at the empty park. Before the crisis, there used to be a huge gathering of children every evening; some playing cricket, some riding their bikes while chatting with their friends; the smaller ones playing on the swings and slides. She loved sitting on the park bench, watching them play. But now a dead silence was killing the spirit of the park which was once filled with shouts and laughter of children. There were all the amenities for modern life on her campus, except for a library, which she always considered as an integral part of the development of any child. Society meetings were 76

ruled by the people who could speak fluently; she tried many times to suggest that there should be a library in the clubhouse where children can spend their time admiring the work of great minds of the world to boost their imagination. She knew in today’s digital world it sounded a bit old fashioned, but she was convinced nothing could replace the satisfaction of holding a book in hand and lose oneself completely in a different world. Now that she had plenty of time in hand, this dream of hers of having a library on campus started to make her restless. She started thinking of many ways to convince the managing committee about the importance of having a library within the safe premises of the campus. \"Speaking is not my strength\", she thought. “Then how can I put my point in front of the decision- making committee?”. She thought hard about it, and then like a flash, the idea came to her. “Aha! That’s it, why didn’t I think of this before? I am going to write about it, I will make people aware of the importance of reading at an early age through my stories and articles. Yes, I am going to do that!” Though she had never written before, all the reading done at an early age was helping her put her thoughts in a manner so that it would make people give serious thought to what she is saying. Social media has proved to be a blessing in the time of lockdown; she started publishing her stories and articles on various online platforms and started receiving huge appreciation for her work and the message she wanted to convey. It is said; that when your intentions are for the betterment of society, and if you are ready to take it up to any level, the whole universe starts to build a supporting net for you to climb further. The same was happening with Anandita; most of the society members came forward in support of a library. Today was the day of the inauguration of the library. Her proposal had finally gotten the nod from the managing committee; the restriction on the opening of the clubhouse was 77

too lifted off by the government. She handpicked some 500 books and decorated the place in a way that would enhance the experience of the reading for the children. And here she was standing in front of more than one hundred people to deliver an opening speech. She had never imagined that one day, people would gather to listen to a girl who stutters; they were the same people who had shown their restlessness during conversations when she tried to finish her sentences. But today, they all were there looking at her, waiting patiently for her speech. There was no haste, no disgust in their eyes, only admiration, and a big round of applause for a brave girl who found her way to reach her dreams, not one but two of them! With tears in her eyes, she thought, \"I too exist.\" NEHA GUPTA 78

SONAL JHAJJ Sonal Jhajj hails from Mumbai- A city of dreams. She has done her B.Sc in Human Development with Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) as a core specialization from S.N.D.T University, Mumbai. She has a teaching experience of 18 years in pre-school education. Her core expertise has been Life- skills along with Academics in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). She has conducted Teacher Training workshops and has given some inspiring speeches on relevant topics of Garbh Sanskar, Pollution of Thoughts and kartavya (Duties). She is a Teacher, Teacher Trainer, Special Educator, and an orator. She is skilled in Universal Healing. She strongly believes that if there is anyone who does not love you, for who you are those people are not meant to be in. She has written 8 anthologies for the Impish Lass Publishing House. 79

LOOK BEYOND IMPERFECTIONS The strength within during this lockdown has been a platter of treasured gifts that have blessed me with my power of meditation and healing energies, the dormant talents and skills and a secret dream- the dream that is a story in itself. The strengths I did not know I had and that helped me sail through violet storms and harsh turbulences which helped made my navigation victorious. As said by Richard M Nixon - “The finest steel has to pass through the hottest fires”. You are the person who can make yourself realize how wonderful the world is. You are unique and you have the power inside you to imbibe the qualities of sharing and caring among the few. The only realization we most often miss to have is unless we are trapped in the most unpredictable of circumstances, upheavals and situations of this beautiful journey of life, life will never seem to be the way we want it to be. We have to live it the best way we want it and yet we have to live the best way we can with all the positive energies in ourselves. There will never be a perfect life but we can definitely fill our platter with perfect and most cherished moments by opening the locked doors with our own mechanisms for which the keys are gifted to us by the supreme power. During this lock-down one realization dawned upon me that problems will never stay for long, they will either change their course, patterns or routes but they will be there in some way or the other to test our resiliencies. These problems do not come uninvited but they are the God’s way of protecting us, they are the signatures in the experience books of our life and do pass out on their own when the time and conditions are perfect. You will never find a solution to a problem because they are the right answers to our hidden and untapped qualities which need a bombardment from the outside to unlock themselves on their own. These are the answers to our most unanswered questions inside each one of us and a truth that needs acceptance. We transform ourselves into a much wiser and more matured being to accept the facts and the realities with utmost capabilities to 80

fight against them with great convictions. We need to enrich ourselves and have the courage to fix our own crowns with pride and confidence. The lockdown diaries will be the most cherished moments disguised as blessings with moments captured with our own struggles, the strength within each one of us that was in deep sleep and was awakened from the force externally and our own being underwent a sparkling transformation that is a trophy gifted to us by our own powers. Rather than getting worried about the future, let us be more wiser, healthier and resourceful by using our innate intellect and time to use the present moments and the assault that our gifted life has been attacked with the most cherished joys, happiness, and zeal along with the proper usage of time that will go down in the history – the history that will become stories for generations to come and these stories will make our gen next more stronger and resilient. The wise always use their worst time and moments into great productive outcomes and self -introspection techniques and convert them into joys of not missing out what we might have surprisingly been blessed with that is waiting to teach us something really worthwhile and make us realize that there is a power inside each one of us to beautify the garden of our own soul and to design the canvas of our own life with myriad of colorful moments and immerse ourselves in the outcome of the created landscape. The ones who always wait for the right moments do sometimes miss out on the best opportunities that have knocked upon their doors and are waiting to be let in to make inspiring stories in the signature coffee table books. This world is a house of darkness where every moment is blended with the light of a lamp and unless we trail on these unventured territories we will miss out on the most joyful of experiences and happiness that will lead us to an unknown, but an adventurous landscape where a lighthouse stands tall even amidst the dark end of the ocean. For this self-discovery journey we need to abolish the fear of darkness and to reign in the shining future with confidence so as to allow these destinations to become visible for us even 81

from the far end. This unprecedented assault on our life is like an uninvited light that has passed through an invisible lens deliberately to wake us up from a deep slumber and running behind artificial materialistic, momentary happiness and we need to change our vision to see the light of sheer positivity and march ahead with better constructive and productive outcomes in true sense. This light has been befallen upon us to be able to cast aside the fear of darkness. There was a virus inside each one of us that was like a parasite feeding on our inner desires, needs and wants that we all were in the race to win which in fact had become the number one lifestyle disease for which the cure was only within us internally. This virus has made every human on this earth realize the importance of our under -valued trapped energies and strengths within us which were going to be wasted. This beautiful lockdown moments and a roller- coaster ride has made me acknowledge my strength and has helped me wipe my tears on my own and has opened my eyes in true sense and increased my intellectual power and has made me see the stunning, diverse and awesome beauty of life which is transforming around us the present moment. Shake hands with these gifted moments and we will enrich others and be enriched ourselves too. Most of the time we tend to look out on life with shock rather than amazement. The variety, diversity, mannerisms of every human, the beauty hidden amidst the drudgery, the total contrasts, the hidden opportunities, the heroism factor in every ordinary human, our innate gifts, dormant talents and skills, our friends- just one genuine friend -is all so awesome. We need to learn to live in awe and go on trails with the wonderful moments of life and this will lead us to the door of true love-the most cherished and forgotten love. Try not to kill life with cribbing, cynicism, and criticism or have a sabotaging attitude towards every human. Rather than hiding the treasures in our heart and head for fear of they being stolen we need to share them and this sharing multiplies and we need to leave these as legacies apart from materialistic assets. The power of patience is a godly gift, a gift of all supreme 82

powers. When God has the power to hear the voice of every living being, He can do anything, anytime and is witness to everything for the windows of our deeds are open to Him. In the words of Carl Jung ‘Make this privilege of a lifetime to become who we truly are’. We must not make the behavior of the outside forces-people, situations and moments destroy our inner peace. This lockdown has made me a universal healer and the more healing I do, the more sensitive and my body becomes to recognize the bad energy. SONAL JHAJJ 83

AARTHI V. KARANAM Aarthi V. Karanam is a digital educator and a qualified early education teacher with a passion to teach. She is an avid reader and has a special penchant for writing. Her contributions include creative web content writing, several travelogues and children’s stories. She is a certified parenting coach. To keep herself fit, she is also an active member of the Pinkathon sorority. She hopes to inspire people and create a positive impact on them through her writings and paintings on social causes. 84

LOOK WITHIN The pandemic and the resultant lockdown are the fists of God into the face of man. It was not to break his face in but it was a jolt to his arrogance, a reminder of his significance or rather insignificance in the scheme of things. The power that is above us and permeates into the very sense of the being of a human is all pervading and merciful, benevolent and kind but it is also His function to bring the errant straying lambs back to the fold. When the Lord decreed that there would be light and out of unappetizing lumps of clay, he created the homo sapiens; the species that was blessed or rather cursed to be master of else all, be it other creatures, flowers, beasts, air or earth, the good Lord also blessed his best creation with the power of choice and discernment. But power is heady boss! And when man relentlessly exploited every sphere of existence to his advantage and nothing seemed to be sacred any more, when it looked like there would be nothing to be bequeathed to the future generations; even worse, there was an actual danger of there being no future generation, then the maker had not much choice. Did he now? The human race was steeped too deep in the filth of his greed, malice, selfishness and insensitivity and sins that God sent our nemesis in the form of the Pandemic and the lockdown. When the first lockdown was announced, it was a new order. We were in the eye of the storm. We went whichever way it took us, shook us. Humankind saw clearly and certainly what doom could befall if we did not let go of the ego and the arrogance. Some of us still didn’t learn but most of us understood our folly. tried to cope. It was a battle for the basics, it was an odyssey for survival. But it was always interlaced with hope. Somewhere, the pale gold of hope lingered, glimmered lighting up the path of shadows. 85

I know that it was this elusive hope that kept me going as I groped around in the dark passageways, grabbing at anything that came my way, walking on tight ropeways and snatching at tiny golden hoops of hope, faint but as omnipotent as the super power above us. I remember that space in time when it felt like things were settling down. There were talks of a vaccine to combat the Pandemic. The family was getting the hang of life now existing on line. We sleep walked through it all when one balmy day, we got news that we had to relocate. It was a shot out of the blue. While the restrictions on travel had been removed, it was a huge risk to relocate when your family consists of elders and children. The new place was a far cry from what we are used to. We are at home with the din and pollution and crowd and ungratefulness of the city life. It felt nervous to go settle in a village town that was yet untouched by modernity. It had escaped pollution and sophistication. It was also at the same time that the aftermath of the lockdown was getting obvious. The defences were crumbling. A tiny voice in the head was getting louder and stronger. I had to listen to it as it droned through the day about how suffocating it was getting cooped out in the house. That I was not some hermit who was abstaining from light and laughter. One fine sunny day, I felt the ragged edges of a breakdown creeping up on me. As I stared out of the window of my new house, a strange restlessness and fear sent a shiver down my spine. I wrapped my arms around myself, my eyes missing the lush greenery and the gorgeous heads of Dahlias and Sunflowers. The sweet songs of the birds and the soothing buzz of the bees did not move me. I felt a darkness envelope me, as if black clouds had suddenly been conjured out of nowhere. The fun-loving breeze seemed to me a tempest. The tiny voice in my brain now cocksure and grown in stature no longer whispered but commanded me to behold that I was finished. That there was nothing to look forward to. 86

My heart beating violently inside me, I ran inside my room locking myself up and plonking my hands over my ears trying to shut that voice out. After what seemed like ages, another tiny voice seemed to speak to me. I shut my ears even tighter but something urged me to listen and I did. I gingerly opened my eyes and I saw something incredible. Tiny loops of dull gold, twining and entwining themselves in to pools of light. My astonished eyes followed their direction as they vibrated up and down, graduating in to waves of soothing calm. I tried to grab at them but they expertly eluded me. I gave up after a good chase. Tired and resigned, I sat down on the floor. And I allowed the cascading waves to wash over me. I felt the dull thudding my head het lesser and lesser. The brokenness in me seemed to melt like snow in the wake of sunlight. The despair and helplessness got replaced by an unbelievable positivity. Tears streaming down my face, I looked in wonder at the source of this healing light. I followed the prancing loop of hope. The golden line wound itself around my wrists, my head, my very being and then lifting its tiny head, peered at me and I felt like I had been slapped as I recognised her. She was that weeny powerhouse of strength that nestled quietly in my breast; Every time I stumbled and fell, she used her invisible hands to life me up. Every time I fell in to a pit of darkness, her silvery light lit up my way to success. Her name is Hope! And it was her that put me on the right path. And it will be her that will drive this pandemic away and allow broken dreams to take wings again! AARTHI V. KARANAM 87

ABHINANDAN BHATTACHARYA Mr. Abhinandan Bhattacharya is a Secondary school teacher of English Language and Literature training students at the CAIE and IBDP levels at JBCN International School, Oshiwara, Mumbai. He is an avid reader which transpires into his passion for writing. He writes on social issues, human behaviour and relationships and touches upon the very fabric of the emotions and sensitivities. He has been honoured with several professional merits in the form of Nation Builder Award by the Rotary Club of Mumbai and the Dedicated Teacher Award 2019 by Cambridge University Press in a campaign run by the University of Cambridge and CUP witnessing more than 40,000 nominations from across 150 countries worldwide. He is a published poet and writer winning the National level Poetry Writing Competition in 2019 organised by Story Mirror Schools Writing Competition. Today, he is a certified teacher trainer, a resource person with Collins Learning India, CUP and MISA and a mentor not only to his learners but to countless teachers as well. He is also one of the esteemed editors of The Impish Lass Publishing House, Mumbai. 88

INARA a sudden chill on the mossy mead a flurry of tales from innocence recede in a drop of dew our hearts that rinse each new ripple - a crowned prince to fall together is a bright new hope to rise again is a challenge to cope, stay afloat for you're still in a fray this surging tide hides many a ray of hope and peace and love that persist a vista to cherish on rosy-winged tryst, tip-toeing dreams on the fragile horizon a season sped by in sighs so crimson the meandering tide surges and ebbs - a glimmering reminder of distant cherubs behold within; that cavern is lit a divine inara, an era of darkness to quit drift where you may - a sail to the breeze, bittersweet memories, forever in a tease the cycle goes on in a sweet rigmarole to embrace a dawn that lights up your soul ABHINANDAN BHATTACHARYA 89

ISHANI BEHARI Ishani Behari is an award-winning Marketing Consultant who was bitten by the travel bug at a young age. She loves to travel and experience new things wherever she goes. She was adventurous enough to go to Iceland for her honeymoon in January and her ultimate dream is to travel to all the countries in the world! Literature has always been her safe space and she’s spent countless hours reading and attempting to write short stories. Armed with an MBA degree, she spends most of her time creating marketing strategies & doing digital marketing consulting. When she’s not busy with life, she loves to explore photography and new cuisines. She belongs to Allahabad but lives in Gurgaon. 90

2020 – I WILL REMEMBER Hello! Yes, hello you! This lockdown has been such a dramatic experience, hasn’t it? Depressing? Scary? You say. Hmm… well you are right. But let’s not begin with that though! So… yes, this pandemic, this crisis, these past few months… such big words, what a post-apocalyptic world right? Complete lunacy, a very difficult time. But we’ve survived… better than that, some of us have thrived! We handled stuff. Yeah, there were times when the stuff handled us, but we adapted. We lent ourselves to a new world order and a new way of working and we’re still here. Some are not, I know. That was hard. We lost a few good ones, but shall we put that aside for another day - a rainy, gloomy, cloudy day. Look at us though. We’ve matured & endured, in the middle of this extremely challenging time. That’s nothing to scoff at! That means something. That has infinite value. I remember standing in my kitchen, feeling completely lost in the beginning of April. The early days of lockdown had gone by in a flurry of cool things like pastas, sandwiches, and milkshakes. That initial euphoria of fun and accomplishment had dwindled and now the craving for real food has started seeping in. Both my husband and I were clueless, ruing our naïve childhood defiance to learning proper kitchen skills. It was now time to overcome our reluctance and dread for the big step up. Many YouTube videos and frantic calls with both our mothers eventually led us to learn and to make basics like rajma chawal, gobhi aloo, matar paneer and more. With each dish, the confidence in the kitchen grew exponentially. I wouldn’t call us accomplished chefs but now we can hold our 91

own in a pinch. I see it in my lack of hesitation to cook now when my maid is on leave, or to try a seemingly complex new dish that I saw on a blog. You saw the food pictures, right? Everyone was sharing those on the WhatsApp groups… Yes, you can cringe, but you also understand why, don’t you! Any such feat during this doom and gloom helped. It also encouraged more conversation & appreciation, and we all crave that, right? I remember wading through all the junk, deep into the storeroom and dusting out my old diary. A treasured item for sure but relegated to the back of the old closet where it didn’t get any sunlight or love. I don’t know what made me go look for it, maybe it was something you said. I think I’d just wanted to read my old stories, the hopes, the dreams, and the innocence of it all. I don’t know how inspiration struck and I was able to churn out story after short story these last few months. Overcoming years and years of writer’s block was difficult. You know, you were there - I did it! And the immense high of getting those stories published, by an extremely reputed publishing house. Being able to finish a story would have been enough for me, but for it to get selected and PRINTED. IN. AN. ACTUAL. BOOK! Yeah, I know… woah! Yes, pulling on a thread of creativity worked wonders. You always said that one thing leads to another, well it did! It helped spawn so many chefs, authors, poets, singers, YouTubers, designers. It feels good to have a part of you that’s outside you – something that you created, something that wouldn’t have existed if it wasn’t for you. I remember thinking of so many old ones… the ones I’d loved and lost, the ones I’d lost touch with, the ones who made an impact on me and were gone from my life, I thought of so many old friends and acquaintances. You did too, right? So many people reached out. In hope, in sorrow, in apology, in joy, in healing. This basic human connection is all that we have. To 92