URULI-(FNL)

number of people. There had been nearly 26,000 plus people who needed this
financial support from the Govt. The details of these people have been shared
with the Assam Govt and the Govt has started sending Rs. 2000 to these people
in batches after verifying their details.

There are countless number of such cases. And their stories still continue. A large
number of migrant people have already left Bangalore, but many have stayed
back. With the economy opening up, we hope these people would be able to go
back to their earlier routine and fend for themselves.

It is important to state here the contribution of Assam Govt officers who provided
all necessary support to us as and when we required. There are IAS officers,
MLAs, MPs, top Govt officials, who offered unconditional support to many of our
requests. I am not sharing their names because I haven’t taken their permission.
But I must state that almost all of them rose to the occasion and interacted
without bothering about their ranks. Bangalore does not have an Assam House

and there is no Assam Government official
posted here. In the absence of such a person,
Pranab became the unofficial Nodal Officer.
Any issue that was highlighted to the Assam
Government had been diverted to him.

The role played by Karnataka Police has been
exemplary. Right from our Police Chief, to
other Police Officers and Police Station Heads
have been extremely cooperative. I am aware
of many such officers who have been working long hours to serve us as well as
the other residents of Bangalore. I express my deep gratitude to the entire
Police Force of Karnataka Police for rising to the occasion at such tough times.

I take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge those members of our
Association (Assam Association Bangalore), who provided immense support by
volunteering their time and contributing cash for various expenses. Besides our
Association, there are other Associations from Assam, who also provided their
services to many such needy people. I take this opportunity to acknowledge all
these people for their unselfish services.

However, the services rendered by PJB have been unparalleled, and I deeply
believe it needed to be told. And hence this article. The stories are not over
though. As I write this, I am aware of more and more such cases being brought
to our notice and our Covid Ninja Warrior PJB handling them with the utmost
seriousness, unmindful of his own comfort.

Thank you Pranab. God bless you! „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The writer Mukesh Sharma is a member of the Uruli team.

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A Physician’s Journey Through
COVID-19 : Still in Wilderness

Dr. Tapan Saikia

When did I become aware of this virus?

What was my immediate reaction?
What did I do in the initial days?
How did it start shaping my daily life and my interactions with
the people I am regularly in touch with : family, co-workers,
patients (old and new)?
Disadvantages
Advantages
What am I looking forward to - on short term and long term?
Prologue:
Circa 2020 was supposed to be an ‘audit year’ - taking stock of
what the world has achieved in the first two decades of the new
century and what to look forward to ?
Visionaries wrote volumes at the beginning of the new
millennium - VISION 2020. Now, look at the reality ! It’s doesn’t
always pay to be a visionary, especially if you do not consider
the role of Mother Nature in a deep sense. Most, if not all,
talked about technological advances and about how to be the
leader in a technology driven society. Yes, technology will continue
to surge ahead, as we can now tweak a lot; pushing forward or
slowing down many natural processes.
Then something came by; tiny, invisible to the naked eye : a
stealthy molecule, unannounced, perhaps known to some !
For whatever reasons, I haven’t been able to call it an enemy. It
is one of nature’s lessons; they often come in circles.

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When did I become aware of it?

The memories of 2002-03 of the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
have not faded away. My personal experience, not in terms of getting exposed
to it or treating patients, but one of our medical conferences to be held at
Hangzhou, China, had to be cancelled and relocated to Tehran. Then, there
was a reminder with MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) in 2009.
Warnings and awareness among scientists did not die away. A selected group
of people continued to work in the area; notably a special laboratory in
Wuhan, China.

Looking back, it seems I became concerned about the virus and its spread
sometime in mid-February. Earlier to that, I had thought that like SARS-CoV-
1, the novel coronavirus COVID-19 will
remain confined to China and its
neighbours. But, a few reports outside
China made me take a note.

I told our departmental secretary to
restructure our OPD appointments. She
became curious and asked what was the
need. Naturally, she wished to know
what had prompted me to think so and
I shared my thoughts; however, she
wasn’t convinced.

What was my immediate concern ?

As in the case of any infection of epidemic proportion, I perceived that there
would be measures to minimise its spread. Very honestly, it looked like an
influenza to me. However, in today’s world, I harboured no doubts that it
would spread like a wildfire, as it had happened during swine flu. Travel
advisories would be sent out, not restrictions. In the initial days, I wasn’t
worried too much.

What did I do ?

To begin with, I sent out an email to our CEO at the hospital on 3rd March
2020, enquiring about what measures were being contemplated in the wake
of the pandemic. He replied that they were having a seminar, upon which I
urged him to be more active, bringing in the hospital infection control team.
Fortunately, the team promptly became active, came up with educational
materials and printouts to be prominently displayed on all floors, OPD area
and outside. I kept encouraging them to remain active and be innovative.

I had a discussion with our departmental secretary on the topic of rescheduling
appointments for follow up visits : to postpone by at least two months. She

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was surprised and hesitant, but complied. Little did I know at that point of
time, that two months would not be enough for this pandemic.

I cancelled my travels for conferences and medical camps. Initially, the
organisers were unhappy; subsequently they understood. I declined the request
to be the mentor of the task force at the hospital. It was important to realise
that my age puts me on the wrong side and moreover, there are two tiny
grandchildren at home.

How did the events unfold ?

The sudden declaration for lockdown on March 24th, 2020 evening was like
a bolt from the blue. I felt that a ‘preparation time’ was necessary. A delay in
decision by administration should not be an excuse to punish the citizens. All
of a sudden, everything everywhere came to a standstill. I made an attempt
to document a daily account on social media platforms. Challenges were
many; with very little or no choice : I tried to find some solutions at home and

at my work place.

Water, water everywhere, not a drop
to drink. Numerous patients were
waiting at home or temporary
residences for treatment, to start or
continue, but at the hospital, OPD was
shut, patients couldn’t travel despite
urgency. We tried to assist over
telephone calls and through text
messages; we are continuing to do so.
It was not possible to cancel
chemotherapy regimens abruptly. The challenge was to decide who could
continue, what modifications would be suitable, what tests would be needed
to keep the treatment safe. Additionally, as in the case of most others, we too
struggled to get COVID-19 tests done until private laboratories were allowed
to come in.

Unfortunately, admitted patients became COVID positive, wrong reactions
erupted from administration. Doctors and other staff became positive, some
symptomatic and some asymptomatic. A child from Assam with paraplegia
became positive too. She had been doing well; one who earlier could not
move even a toe, could now walk with some help. Needless to say that we
were extremely upset when she tested positive but we are hopeful about her
complete recovery. A younger colleague who had been more concerned for
us, the senior doctors, and had repeatedly warned us to be cautious, tested
positive, including all his family members. While half of the family needed
hospitalisation, his condition was serious enough to require ICU care.
Thankfully, he has since recovered and been discharged. His mother, who is

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of my age, continues to fight for her life in the ICU. Another younger colleague
is down; she has a five year old son, who became infected too.

Observations on the management of COVID-19 :

I am not an infectious disease physician but our oncology patients and our

professional colleagues are getting infected with COVID-19. I have been

reading extensively on the management approaches of symptomatic patients.

It seems to be free for all. Task forces are trying their best under pressure

from various quarters; releasing cocktail treatment policies that make little

sense. Scientific community, working with the Pharma

industry, are on a fast track in an attempt to develop drugs We suspended
or vaccines. These are huge challenges as nearly all earlier our bone marrow
attempts to kill or prevent respiratory viruses have been transplant services
unsuccessful. Unless a serendipitous discovery happens, as blood

one cannot be too hopeful. Perhaps the virus will find its

own soft niche after doing the intended damage. components

Disadvantages : became sparse.

Suddenly, following the declaration of total lockdown, life I started getting

has changed for one and all. ‘Staying in’ meant a calls and
standstill, except for the essential services. A country used messages form
to have helping hands, often multiple people employed
for different household jobs, with the sudden void the onus old and new
cases. Each
was to fend for oneself. It was not different for us; needed
fortunately, our upbringing has helped to face the hurdles
without much difficulty. appropriate
counselling and of
At the hospital, patients could not come easily for treatment
or follow up. Trains, buses, taxis had stopped functioning. course, solutions.
Roads were manned by police with barricades at every

few hundred metres. A few patients, especially those on

treatment, found ways and means to reach the hospital. Then came the

mandatory COVID-19 test. We struggled to find laboratories as government

laboratories couldn’t take any. Cost in the private laboratories, once they

were allowed to perform the tests, was high and repeat tests were needed

every few weeks.

We had to be extremely cautious while deciding and administering
chemotherapy. The oncology community across the world huddled up trying
to find answers for the many queries that came up. How to treat solid
tumours and haematological malignancies? How to treat COVID negative
cases? How to treat COVID positive but asymptomatic ones and what about
the symptomatic ones? Experts commented in individual capacity and
professional societies suggested dynamic recommendations. We had to

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decide for our cases. Surgery got postponed, radiotherapy services were
shut in many, if not all. We suspended our bone marrow transplant services
as blood components became sparse.

I started getting calls and messages from old and new cases. Each needed
appropriate counselling and of course, solutions.

Advantages :

Travel to the hospital became easy. In the first month, there were very few
vehicles on the road. The fact that we were travelling only to the hospital
and back home, with no unnecessary travels whatsoever, we managed to
save on fuel. Simple, wholesome, home cooked food, with each and every
member of the family chipping in and the total absence of fancy, extravagant
restaurant food contributed considerably in saving up. Thank God for small
mercies, just prior to the pandemic, my wife and I became blessed
grandparents to a pair of twins, a granddaughter and a grandson. Hence,
we were fortunate enough to have an added escape avenue with the two
adorable angels being our oasis. Needless to say that, lockdown has taught
us how to survive with minimum need like it has done to most of the people.

Post COVID :

It’s not easy to predict, especially when we don’t have a blueprint; however,
some thoughts help. Working from home is not a choice for clinicians, unless
you are a diagnostic radiologist and ready to set up necessary instruments
for remote reporting. I am not workaholic but I cannot sit at home too. We
are not sure how our work pattern is going to shape up, a lot will depend on
the administration. This will vary between government hospitals and private
hospitals. Private hospitals will be under massive pressure to make profits. A
rise in laboratory, radiology and bed charges is predictable. Patients will be
forced to pay through their nose. This might lead to less visits to hospitals.
This pandemic has taught people that one can avoid frequent hospital visits
and that online consultations may be a less expensive option. There will be
legalisation of such consultations. Practising doctors will be paid less in private
hospitals. Insurance companies will have an important role to play.

Next couple of years will be crucial : we will have much to learn about
economic, cultural and medical management.

I am hopeful that we will learn to live a better life in a better world.

Nature has already hinted and in all probability will make sure of it. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dr. Tapan Saikia is Head of Medical Oncology and Research Director at Prince Aly Khan Hospital, Mumbai. Despite
holding responsible positions in several medical bodies at the national level, he dedicates a large chunk of his time
towards participating in medical camps in his home state Assam.

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SUICIDE
Basic Concept and Understanding

Dr. Dhrubajyoti Bhuyan Dr. Tribeni Bhuyan

What is suicide ?

In modern times, not a day goes by when one doesn’t read the news of a
suicide in the newspapers or for that matter, on news channels. But we are
always at a loss when it comes to understanding suicide wholly. The Merriam-
Webster dictionary defines suicide as the act or an instance of taking one’s own
life voluntarily and intentionally. Simply put, suicide is the act of killing oneself
with the intention to die and with the knowledge of the fatal consequences of
the act. Whereas, a suicide attempt may be a self injurious behaviour with a
non fatal outcome along with evidence that the person intended to die.

Who can commit suicide ?

Suicide spares no-one, it is rare in prepubertal age groups and higher in older
age groups. Males are three times more likely to die of a suicide but females
are three times more likely to attempt suicide. Over the years though, there has
been a shift from predominance of suicides in elderly to the younger age groups,
mostly in the age group of 15-24 years.

A look at the astounding figures

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one person dies every
40 seconds from suicide. Suicides are responsible for causing more deaths
than malaria, breast cancer, or war. And it leads second only to deaths due to
road traffic accidents among the youth aged between 15-29 years globally in
2016 and the leading cause of death in India. India is also said to have the
highest suicide rate in the South East Asian region and has earned the title of

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“Suicide Capital of South East Asia.” About 800,000 people commit suicide
every year in the world. This is where the world stands at when suicide prevention
happens to be one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the WHO.
These figures are an evidence for us of the number of lives lost due to suicide
which is largely preventable.

What can cause suicide?

While causes are many, no single cause actually leads to a suicide; rather it is a
delicate interplay of multiple factors that make an individual take the extreme step.

Broadly speaking, there are biological factors psychological factors and social
factors and it is a combination and permutation of this triad that causes suicide.
People who commit suicide or have suicidal thoughts or behaviours are more
likely to have a family history of suicide. Presence of underlying psychiatric illnesses
like major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorders increase
the likelihood of suicide. Substance abuse problems, major life events like loss of
loved one, divorce, major financial or legal problems, having chronic or terminal
diseases are also other factors.

Apart from this, research has been able to unearth the role of various neuro-
chemicals called neurotransmitters in suicide. It is now known that low concentrations
of a neurotransmitter called serotonin in our brain can cause suicide.

Social factors include being in a hostile environment with constant humiliation
or excessive criticism, rejection by family members/loved ones. Students, farmers
with huge debts to repay are special groups where suicides are very common.
It is also important to address suicide in children and teenagers which are
becoming commoner these days. Children and teenagers may also avoid talking
about the circumstances that make them feel suicidal. Common causes have
been found to be sexual/physical abuse, being the victim of bullying, substance
abuse problems, reading/hearing/knowing a peer who committed suicide.

Some people are at higher risk of suicide-this includes those with a history of
abuse-sexual or physical, those affected by some natural disaster, vulnerable
groups who experience discrimination like migrants, refugees, indigenous
peoples, lesbian, gay, transgender, intersex persons, prisoners. But the strongest
risk factor for suicide is the history of a previous attempt at suicide. Many
suicides take place impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the
ability to deal with life stresses like financial problems, chronic pain/illness,
relationship breakups and broken abusive marriages.

In the current scenario, the world is reeling under a pandemic which is no less
than a widespread crisis. A lot of people are stranded with no money to feed
them or even get a roof over their heads, people have lost jobs and also are
gripped by the fear of contracting the Covid-19 virus and also passing it on to
their loved ones. Social distancing has been misinterpreted with social isolation.

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While people are having less to deal with deadlines, back to back meetings
and late night presentations, newer troubles are creeping up. Staying at home
all day has led to an increase in domestic violence. Elderly couples living alone
are lonelier than ever. Family members are gluing themselves to their mobiles
and televisions with reports of how the virus is affecting the world leading to
increased anxiety, fear, and sleepless nights. Circulation of unverified texts and
rumours across social media platforms may create unnecessary panic and fright.
Pent-up frustrations, loneliness, financial crisis, and rise of domestic violence can
build up pessimism and helplessness. The lockdown imposed due to coronavirus
has led to anxiety, panic disorders and also an increased burnout among
caregivers of those with mental health issues. Under such circumstances, there
has been evidence of increase in the rates of suicides across all age groups.

What are the common methods of suicide?

Almost upto 20% of global suicides are due to pesticide self-poisoning, and
most of this occurs in rural agricultural areas in low and middle-income
countries. Other common methods of suicide include hanging, use of firearms,
or overdosing on certain drugs, drowning,self immolation, etc.

How does one progress through various stages of suicide?

Whatever is the cause of suicide, knowing how to identify signs of suicide in
your colleague, friend, family member, and student can lend a hand in
prevention of suicides.

--- Persons in the early stage of suicide will engage in pessimistic talk such
as “Life has become a burden”, “I wish I hadn’t been born”, “I wish I go
to sleep one night and never wake up again.”

--- Persons may further develop a wish to be killed-”I wish I am run over by
that train,””That car should have just hit me and ran off.” Other signs
could be social withdrawal, feelings of being trapped about a situation,
increasing use of alcohol or other drugs, reckless behaviours like rash
driving, talking about suicide, giving belongings away or making wills,
procuring means to take one’s life like gun or stocking pills at home.Such
persons will begin to feel worthless and insignificant and feel helpless
and trapped.

--- The person will then start harbouring active thoughts of killing himself/
herself, like “I would like to kill myself.”

--- Eventually, this person will start spending time on ideas about how to
kill himself and will plan with the intention to die (“I plan to kill myself
with my dad’s rifle when my parents go out tonight”). The person will
see no hope in continuing their lives.

--- If the person’s suicidal thoughts and behavior goes unnoticed, the person
may be able to attempt a suicide as per plan.

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Myths that shroud our knowledge about suicide :

Let’s also bust some myths related to suicide–
z Myth: People who talk of suicide don’t really mean to do it
Fact: People communicate their feelings and suicidal thoughts
before death and such individuals need attention and care
z Myth: Suicide is always an impulsive act
Fact: Most people have been harbouring suicidal thoughts from
quite some time before attempting suicide
z Myth: Suicide is a natural response to stress
Fact: It is not a normal response to stress
z Myth: People who are at risk are not undecided about the act
Fact: People who commit suicide struggle with their conviction
to die
z Myth: An attempt to suicide is mostly to seek attention

Fact: Suicide is a desperate cry for help, who are struggling
with themselves and is not equivalent to wanting attention.

What are the warning signs that should raise concern ?

Identifying warning signs involves knowing about them and also listening and
observing carefully for these subtle signs:

z Talks about dying, disappearing, running away to never return
back, or other types of self harm

z Changes in personality-sad, withdrawn or irritable, anxious,
tired, indecisive

z Changes in behaviour- difficulty in concentrating on work in
school, office, or routine tasks, increased use of alcohol

z Changes in sleep patterns- insomnia, often with waking up
earlier than the scheduled time, sleeping more than necessary

z Changes in eating habits- loss of appetite, overeating at times
z Fear of losing control-acting erratically, harming self or others

How to help ?

Once we have a hint or know that a person is contemplating suicide, we
frequently find ourselves at the crossroads on what is next. We can offer to
listen to the distress and difficulties the person is going through. Alert friends
and family and offer support to the distressed individual. Encourage the person
to seek help and treatment from a psychiatrist who is qualified and specialized
to treat mental illnesses with both medicines and other non-pharmacological
therapies as required.

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But the question is what to do when the patient is on the verge of committing
suicide or has already done the act? This is an emergency but more
importantly, do not panic! The patient needs to be rushed to the nearest
health care center for urgent medical treatment. Initially, the requisite
resuscitative treatment is given, followed by necessary general medical
treatment. Further assessment should continue to evaluate the cause of suicide
by psychiatrists. A proper history including the person’s birth history, childhood
and developmental history, family history and use of any substance is usually
obtained by a psychiatrist. Efforts are given to evaluate all spheres of an
individual patiently and to maintain a holistic outlook. Once the cause of
suicide is ascertained, treatment is started accordingly. It is also important to
involve the family members and loved ones in the treatment of the patient.
And an important aspect that needs to be focused on is psychoeducation,
which involves providing explanation about the illness, the treatment options
available and the best possible treatment option for the patient, duration of
treatment and how to follow up, what to expect and what not to expect, how
family members can help and take part in the treatment process. Herein,
family members should be explained that the patient becomes a high risk
for further episodes of suicide and have to make provisions to always be
aware of the patient’s wellbeing in the future, which is again done by the
treating psychiatrist.Various treatments are available in the form of medications
and therapies for the patients.

Various therapies available for the patient include cognitive behavioural therapy
which aims to eliminate distorted patterns of thought and behaviour and modify
the way a person thinks and behaves. Dialectical behaviour therapy is used to
recognize disruptive patterns of behaviour and how to address stressful
situations and has been found to be helpful in reducing the number of attempted
suicides. Electroconvulsive therapy is another effective modality of treatment
in reducing suicidal attempts.

What prevents people from seeking treatment ?

However, there are various barriers to seeking treatment and foremost is stigma.
Stigma or taboo surrounding mental disorders and suicide often discourages
individuals from seeking help. Reducing stigma is a Herculean task and involves
raising awareness about mental illness, educating the general population about
the warning signs, etc. Other barriers may include a hopeless and pessimistic
view of patients that seeking medical help will be of no use, or the attitudinal
factors like one can simply get over it and is just a matter of time.

Measures that can be taken beyond the individual level :

Stringent measures should be implemented in every country to reduce access
to means of suicide like procuring guns, pills, pesticides. Regulations that
prohibit the use of highly hazardous pesticides have the most imminent

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potential in reducing the suicide risk and have been successfully implemented
in Sri Lanka.

Introduction of alcohol use policies, policies to check selling of over-the-counter
drugs along with strengthening of household financial policies and health
policies by the government in low and middle-income countries can help to
reduce suicide attempts.

Responsible reporting across media is another measure that needs to be
given emphasis on. Suicide contagion is a term that was coined in the
Canadian Medical Journal after it was noted that dramatic reporting of suicide
with excessive elaboration of details and glamour related with celebrity suicides
can actually rouse suicidality in individuals harbouring suicidal thoughts.

Hand in hand in support :

Apart from offering support to the one who is feeling suicidal, one should
also offer support to those who have lost a loved one/family member to
suicide (known as a “suicide survivor”) and help them tide over the grief of
loss. While there are various support groups available online, one should
rather focus on building up a strong support system offline in the good old
fashioned way and remain connected. One should be encouraged to engage
in good community activities which in turn promote connectedness. A good
supportive environment goes a long way in preventing suicides.

There are various non profit organizations that provide online support and
help through toll-free numbers and online chat for free. Sneha Foundation
India, Vandrevala Foundation and Asra Foundation are a few to name.

People who find solace in seeking spirituality and practicing religion, should
be encouraged to so. It has been found that those who view religiosity as a
source of hope and assurance tend to mount over stressful times better and
also tend to have diminished risk of suicide. Most religions uphold suicide as
the greatest form of sin ever and equilibrating it to murder of another.

And lastly, one should remember that suicide is avoidable. And those with
suicidal thoughts and mental illnesses can always go on to live a better and
fuller life with the necessary support and care. It is only a mental illness like any
other physical illness and can be treated like any other. Caring for your mental
health should always go hand in hand with caring for your physical health, as
there is no better wealth than a healthy body with a healthy happy mind. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dr. Dhrubajyoti Bhuyan is an Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Assam Medical College and Hospital,
Dibrugarh. He can be reach @twitter : dhrubajyotibhuyan@dhrubaj45348009 & YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/
c/MentalWellbing

&

Dr. Tribeni Bhuyan is a Post Graduate Trainee, Department of Psychiatry, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh.

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Post Pandemic Education

Mrs. Lovely Dutta Prusty

We have always been talking about change, and that it is the

only constant thing in life. But it is easy to talk about change, and
quite difficult to actually accept it, especially when the change
turns our lives completely upside down. Often, people also ‘look
for a change’ in their lives as they tend to get bored of their
mundane routines and doing the same things over and over again.
But suddenly the entry of Coronavirus has compelled us to cheris
hour old boring and mundane lives.

Going back to those ‘normal’ days is a distant dream; one that
would probably never come true. The world as we have known, it
will not be the same again. The pandemic has brought home to
everyone the fact that the most important things in human life are
food, health and education. The virus has created ripples of panic
in these areas.

Among the things that are poised to change drastically, is the
Education sector. As a matter of fact, the change has already
begun and teachers as well as students across the world are reeling
under the impact of the virus and subsequent lockdown phases.

Visualize this : Until a few weeks ago, most schools had zero
tolerance policies of using phones in the school campus. In fact,
it was often quoted that teachers can function without their smart
phones. Because there are chances that students would get
distracted. From a ban on usage of mobile phones in the school
campus by teachers and students, to frantically training them to
conduct and attend digital classrooms is a giant leap in ethics!

Earlier, teachers were advised not to share their personal numbers
with students and parents for matters of privacy but today teachers,
parents and students are in the same WhatsApp groups, texting
at any time of the day. Privacy be damned ! Suddenly, online
classroom has become the need of the hour and going digital is
the only way forward.

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On a serious note, let’s look at the changes that will have to be adapted post
this ‘epic’ pandemic.

First and foremost, all educational organizations will have to tune into new
technologies and build an advanced technology infrastructure. There must
be a transformed learning environment in which digital tools allow teaching-
learning to happen 24/7. Teachers and learners must have access to more
data and information, within and without the classroom.

Teachers must stay updated on new digital tools and platforms that they can
use to reach across to their students. This entails huge expenses in teacher
and training. Besides, the curriculum also requires changes in sync with digital
learning. It must relate to students’ interests and experiences, highlighting
ways in which learning can be applied in their daily lives.

Secondly, teaching as a profession must be given due respect and
acknowledgement. Support from the parent community is a huge motivation
for teachers to carry on with their work in a positive frame of mind. Since
teachers are the nation builders, the nation must look after their well-being
and their future. Even during the lockdown situation, teachers are working
sincerely to ensure that there will be no gap in the education of their students.
Under the circumstances, the least that the parents can do is refrain from
writing negative comments on social media. Such comments demoralise those
who are sincerely putting in a lot of effort to teach through the digital medium.
Moreover, in the post pandemic education scenario, parents will be required
to invest their time and energy in their wards’ education. They can no longer
leave the onus of their child’s education on the school and the teachers
alone. So the best way forward will be to be on the same page with the
teachers and work in collaboration like a team.

The third challenge that schools and teachers will face once students return
to the classrooms is to keep them engaged. Having attended online classes
for a long time students will probably find classroom teaching boring, slow
and strenuous and might also depend on the teachers to provide all relevant
information. Teachers will have to create advanced lesson plans that will
compel students to invest in their own learning. They must be willing to step
forward to invest their energy and commitment to the learning environment.
They need to understand that tasks are worthwhile because they help them
meet personal goals they have set for themselves, not the teacher’s goals for
them.Therefore, much emphasis must be laid on student-centred learning
and engaging students as partners in the instructional process.

Much has been spoken about encouraging creative thinking in students but
it gets buried under the burden of a vast curriculum and a rigorous
examination system. In the preface to the 2011 revised edition of his book

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 114

Today ’s Out of Our Minds, Sir Ken Robinson observes that ‘The more complex
students will the world becomes, the more creative we need to be to meet its challenges’,
be and this is becoming increasingly clear in education and the workplace.
tomorrow’s In his book Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon?, educational thought
problem leader Yong Zhao warns, “National standards and national curriculum,
solvers. So, enforced by high-stakes testing, can at best teach students what is
the schools prescribed… As a result, students talented in other areas never have the
must harp opportunity to discover those talents. Students with broader interests are
on the discouraged, not rewarded. The system results in a population with similar
tenets of skills in a narrow spectrum of talents. But especially in today’s society,
creative innovation and creativity are needed in many areas, some as yet
thinking undiscovered.”
and
innovation Post the current scenario, ‘Creative Thinking’ and ‘Innovation’ must be
in the magic words. The objective of education, especially in India, should
knowledge not be simply to get a lucrative job but the true application of knowledge
application. to make the society, the nation and the world a better place. Today’s
grades and students will be tomorrow’s problem solvers. So, the schools must harp
unhealthy on the tenets of creative thinking and innovation in knowledge application.
competition. This must lead to the phasing out of the system of marks and grades and
the rat race to score higher percentages. To ensure that students get
enough mental space to think creatively they must be set free from the
shackles of marks and grades and unhealthy competition. The future
should be an open playing field for young achievers in every possible
profession of their choice.

In conclusion, it can be said that post pandemic education will have to
be about giving teachers and students the skills they need to succeed in
this new world, and helping them grow with the confidence to practice
those skills. With so much information readily available to them, the focus
must be more on making sense of that information, sharing and using it
in smart ways. While digital integration is fundamental to a thorough post
pandemic education, it is not enough to simply add technology to existing
teaching methods. Technology must be used strategically to benefit students.
Students are increasingly advanced users of technology so teachers must
update their own knowledge of latest trends and digital teaching platforms
and tools. Teachers must be forward thinking, flexible and curious and
adapt new ways of teaching as well as learn alongside their students.
School managements and the parent community must also provide the
necessary scaffolding for the teacher and the student to scale upwards. A
huge change in mind-set will lead the way to a revolution in the classroom,
school and the entire community. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Lovely Dutta Prusty is an educationist and a teacher & mentor.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 115

COMPASSION
During Difficult Times

Nitesh Batra

In his article “Pandemics Kill Compassion, Too”, David Brooks

states that if natural disasters like Hurricanes and Earthquakes
bring people together, pandemics generally drive them apart.
Covid-19 pandemic has shaken the world in innumerable ways.
It has affected almost everyone in the society. However, the
amount of distress that people have been subject to is varying.
Will this pandemic bring us together or drive us apart is only
for the time to tell. However, what will bind us together will be
the practice of Compassion while we transit through these
difficult times.

The lockdown ensued by the pandemic has impacted the poor
and uninsured the most. While some of us have found comfort
in our homes and loved ones, many have felt the sudden shock
of loss of shelter, income and maybe even a loved one. One
wonders why the suffering caused by the Lockdown is so varied
for so many. The virus did not discriminate against anyone. But
why did we?

Our society doesn’t discuss death much often until it happens.
As children we are not taken to funerals. We are not talked to
about death and emotions that accompany it. In fact, we are
protected and kept away from anything to do with death.
However, this pandemic has brought us face to face with the
most important fact about our existence - Death. In the great
epic Mahabharata, Yudhishthira answers Yaksha that the greatest
wonder in the world is that people believe that they are immortal
even when everyone eventually dies. The Coronavirus, has brought
to light the rough edges of our society that we don’t usually get to
hear or talk about. The pandemic has made us think about
questions like why we fear death even when it is a known fact.
Most importantly, one wonders how to go through this phase,

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 116

while protecting ourselves and dear ones but at the same time
being compassionate and sensitive to others around us.

Compassion has always been a key component for healing. The

roots of compassion lie in Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Karuna

(Sutra 1.33) - which means the desire to remove harm and

suffering. Compassion comes from the Latin word that means

to ‘suffer with’. We are all compassionate beings and

Compassion is natural to all of us. It is our innate ability to

understand the pain and suffering of another living being. A

13-year-old daughter drives her father on a bicycle for 1100

kms. That is compassion in action. The hardest part is to practice

it when things are not under our control and we need to let go.

We despair, knowing that

we can control most Our society doesn’t discuss death much
things in our lives. often until it happens. As children we are
However, many have

been able to dig deep not taken to funerals. We are not talked to
and cultivate compassion
even in their darkest and about death and emotions that accompany
toughest hours. Nelson
Mandela, who was in it. In fact, we are protected and kept away

prison for 27 years, from anything to do with death.

showed compassion and

generosity towards the

people who jailed him by forgiving them. His act of courage,

hope and spirit unified and liberated the nation of South Africa.

Compassion does not take away the suffering but helps us live
with the suffering. Compassion is not meant to smoothen things
out and to avoid confrontation. In fact, compassion is the
opposite. For example, Dalai Lama had to leave his home and
settle in India. He chose to be compassionate and use the power
of compassion to bridge the gaps between the two nations. A
compassionate practice would be to close your eyes and send
warm wishes to yourself, the oppressor and the oppressed –

“May I be Happy, May I be free of Suffering”.
“May You be Happy, May You be Free of Suffering”.

Change is difficult - it always has been - because we think we
are in control. It reminds us about how impermanent we are.
Like most things in our life - this is also a change that will pass.
However, we should hold onto one of the key components of
our value system, which is to be compassionate.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 117

We need to look beyond

We are all compassionate beings and our labels that come in
compassion is natural to all of us. It is our the way of our
compassion and look at
innate ability to understand the pain and
the lowest common

suffering of another living being. A 13-year- denominator that binds
old daughter drives her father on a bicycle for us - Humanity. The
Charter of Compassion
1100 kms. That is compassion in action. The
hardest part is to practice it when things are proposed back in 2008
not under our control and we need to let go.
suggests that

Compassion, which is

rooted in a principled

We despair, knowing that we can control over determination to
most things in our lives.
transcend selfishness,

compassion can break

down political, dogmatic,

ideological and religious

boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is

essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity.

The pandemic has brought to light multiple divisions and cracks
in the society. But at the same time it has also given rise pro-
social behaviour with many coming to aid others. David Brooks
ended his article with the following statement- “Maybe this time
we’ll learn from their (individuals who do pro-social activities)
example. It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to take steps to fight the
moral disease that accompanies the physical one.” Let this
pandemic teach us ways to unite than divide us further.May we
come out of this dark phase as a more compassionate, sensitive
and a unitedrace. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nitesh Batra is a Yoga, Mindfulness and Compassion Practioner and Instructor. He has learned Yoga under the
Krishnamacharya lineage and is the founder, teacher at Ashtanga Yoga Sadhna in Bengaluru. He is also the founder of
The Mindful Initiative, which specializes in teaching Mindfulness and Compassion practices. He also hosts The Mindful
Initiative podcast. Nitesh is India’s first and only Graduate and Certified Instructor of Compassion Cultivation Teacher
Training program from Stanford Medical School’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education
(CCARE).Nitesh has worked for firms like Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and US Department of Veteran Affairs. He has also
produced two award-winning Feature Films in India.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 118

FITNESS
During
Corona Times

Angshuman Dutta

The world has been shaken to its core with the deadly COVID-19

(popularly known as Corona) virus outbreak. It has literally brought
the world to a standstill and world economy is on the throes of a
recession. It brings to fore once again how susceptible we are to
these superbugs and how hapless we are in spite of the massive
progress made in fields of virology and medical science.

Most viruses are difficult to manage and cure; the most infamous
amongst them being the dreaded HIV. So, prevention remains the
best cure. You must have suffered at least once from “Viral Fever”
and you must know that medicines don’t cure it; they just alleviate
the symptoms temporarily-as in the case of the Coronavirus.

To prevent the spread of this virus, public health agencies across
the globe have banned public meetings and gatherings including
schools, colleges, parks and gyms. The streets and workplaces are
now populated by masked men and women-like straight out of a
futuristic Sci-Fi movie; not pleasant times to be an earthling!

So, how can we keep ourselves healthy and strong in these trying
times - the only defence we have against this virus is a strong
immune system which can be brought about through regular
exercise, good rest and a healthy balanced diet. This is not the time
to try out fad diets or under eat. We need to make our immune
system strong and resilient. So, lots of fresh seasonal fruits and
vegetables are the order of the day. One needs to soak is the sun.
The sun since time immemorial has proved as an incinerator of
evils and germs alike. While I am not saying that the sunlight will
kill the virus, get in the morning sun if possible; we need it to
produce the crucial Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is a critical component
of a robust immune system.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 119

Vitamin C is a great antioxidant and immunity booster. So citrus fruits are
the order of the day. You can also consider supplementing with it. In fact, we
need all the micronutrients so that there are no loose ends in the immune
chain. Take care to get enough protein. Proteins are crucial for the immune
functions and make sure you have some quality protein in every meal.

Gyms are closed in most parts of the world; however, that does not give you
an excuse to be lazy and sleep in. There is a whole lot that can be done
without using gym equipments or free weights. The easiest is taking a brisk
walk; you can run, trek or cycle too. Functional body workouts like push ups,
squats, sit ups can be easily incorporated
into your drawing room or hall. For the
more proficient fitness buffs, challenging
calisthenics is the order of the day.
Kettlebells are a lifesaver, as far as yours
truly is concerned. With one simple tool,
you can get an amazing cardiovascular
and strength workout done in under 30
minutes! So, if you have access to one,
use it. Or this may be the best time to
invest in one of your own. Trust me, it's
worth investing in it. If you can afford it, I
would suggest take an online PT class; this is necessary so that you stick to
the routine more than anything else. Most of us otherwise have the tendency
to take it easy.

Community workouts are not something I would recommend at this point
of time. The idea of a quarantine is to reduce social contact; if we do group
workouts in a crowded park-the very motive is then rendered useless.

Last but not least, try to get adequate sleep. Research shows that adequate
sleep improves the T-cell function. T-cells are crucial for the body to fight
infections and fight against viral affected cells. Lack of sleep, and stress can
suppress the functioning of these life-saving T-Cells. Sleep is vital for recovery.

One simple yet crucial step would be to maintain a daily schedule of sleeping
and waking up. This will enable the body to function as per its natural circadian
rhythms. This is an often overlooked but vital clog in recovery and maintaining
optimum health.

We already know how important it is to maintain personal hygiene at this
point. However, it’s one thing we can always keep reinforcing. Wash hands
frequently, avoid unnecessary socialising and stay positive. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Angshuman Dutta is a fitness educator, consultant and coach. He can be contacted at [email protected])

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 120

The Balcony

Saswati Borthakur Dixit

Just out of practice, Jaya found herself awake with a startle. She stole

a wink at the bedside clock. And then she remembered, no office today,
just another day of doing nothing. She grumbled some gibberish and
pulled the comforter all the way up to her head. She so wanted to go
back to sleep but the muffled voices from the living area wouldn’t let
her. That had to be Parag. He just knew how to push all her buttons, all

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 121

fresh and chirpy in the mornings. Whatever! She threw the comforter away and started
her drunken walk to the bathroom. No, she wasn’t actually hung-over, but that’s a part
of her morning routine. She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. She seemed to
have aged overnight. Parag. This guy turned me into this, she mumbled under her breath.

Jaya headed straight to the kitchen to prepare her ginger tea. Her secret ingredient is a
bay leaf tossed into the bubbling tea. Only she seemed to appreciate the taste. Parag
hated it, but she couldn’t care less. She couldn’t care less about anything now.

She liked having her tea on the balcony, even though it’s kind of hot out there. With
knees to her chest, plopped on the cane chair, she wondered where it all went wrong.
She didn’t plan it that way. She had planned for happiness and success. The success she
had but the happiness part ? Well, never mind.

As she gazed ahead, like

always, she was annoyed with She never plucked the ripe tomatoes,
the ugly buildings that blocked she didn’t have the heart to do it.
her view. She took a deep She would water it and nourish it
breath and thought, “Just a few
weeks more and I’ll be out of with homemade compost. She would
here.” And with no warning, the sometimes stand by Parag’s desk,
images came flashing at her. place a hand on his shoulder but say
Jaya and Parag had been so nothing. During meals, usually, she
excited to move into their own would set Parag’s plate but they

home after spending years in would eat in silence. But these days,
rented flats. She had she would ask Parag if he liked the
anticipated so many things- food. Parag had been noticing these
doing up the interiors, having subtle changes in his wife who had
friends over, and eventually once been his lover. He noticed her
welcoming a little munchkin. talking to the tomato plant in a way
Oh, how would she pamper she hadn’t in years.

her little girl (in her head she

was always sure of a baby girl),

running after her, laughing at

her antics and whatnot? And like most things, this dream too fell apart. She and Parag had

long given up the hope of conceiving. Countless visits to the doctors yielded no results, and

she had made peace with the fact, or that’s what she thought. She couldn’t put a finger on

why, how, or when she and Parag drifted apart. But they did. They now lived under the

same roof but in different worlds. Divorce was an option she had been considering for

long.But just when she had decided to do something about it, the pandemic struck. And

what worse than two people caged together who didn’t care about one another. Well, I’m

stuck now and have nowhere to run, Jaya let out a sigh.

She ran her eyes to the space around her, tiny but her very own. She had painstaking
stalked Pinterest posts and had done up the balcony. She had left a portion of the

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 122

balcony uncemented and it now has a spread of the softest grass. At least there’s one
thing I am proud of, she thought. And while she was admiring her creativity, her gaze
stopped at the corner. What’s that? Is that a weed, a twig, what? She put her cup down
and got down to investigate. It was a plant that had somehow grown on the grass but
she wasn’t sure which one.

Jaya’s gardening knowledge extended to the potted plants she had ordered on Amazon.
She quickly clicked a picture and sent it to her mom. “It’s a tomato plant”, her screen
flashed with the message. She was relieved. She didn’t want tomatoes to be growing in
her sacred balcony. I’ll just pull it out and throw it away. She went inside to retrieve her
digging shovel. Now, she got down to work. She carefully put away her precious planters
and then knelt in front of the tomato plant. And just as she was about to murder the
plant, she noticed something. Tiny green cherry tomatoes were hanging and hidden by
the leaves. It was as if the mother plant didn’t want anyone to harm her babies. She
searched for more such green balls and sure enough, there were three more. Jaya didn’t
have the heart to kill the plant. She quickly got a glass of water and poured at the base
and oddly, smiled at herself. It’s so hot, the plant must be thirsty she thought.

She was already exhausted by the little adventure when she went back inside. Even if
Parag noticed something different about her, he didn’t comment. Jaya was feeling giddy
for no reason. After the lockdown started, she had lost all will to do anything nice. She
was in a sales job and when her office was shut down, she had nothing much to do apart
from replying to some generic emails in the comfort of her pyjamas. She thought of
taking up a few hobby classes online, but that too fizzled out quickly. These days, all she
did was have endless cups of her favourite ginger tea and binge on true crime shows,
tucked away in the guest room. She knew Parag was busy with office work but they were
two worlds apart now.

She headed to her bedroom, pulled out a soft cotton pink coloured kurta. Then she
remembered that the kurta was a gift from Parag when he had visited Kolkata on an
official trip. Halfway into putting the kurta back, she changed her mind. She’s going to
wear it anyway. She had a nice, relaxing shower, washed her hair, and came out in her
bath gown. Just when she was putting the kurta on, Parag entered the room. Parag
turned away. Jaya, who Parag had seen every inch of, was suddenly conscious of being
half-naked in front of him. They both stared at each other awkwardly and surprisingly,
Jaya smiled at him. He smiled back but went back to the living room.

Something changed that day. Jaya was changing. Every morning, she would wake up
early, take her favourite cup of tea to the balcony. And in between sips, she would
lovingly prod the tomato plant, admire the growing tomato babies and pat the plant, as
if saying, “You are doing a good job.” She never plucked the ripe tomatoes, she didn’t
have the heart to do so. She would water it and nourish it with homemade compost. She
would sometimes stand by Parag’s desk, place a hand on his shoulder but say nothing.
During meals, usually, she would set Parag’s plate but they would eat in silence. But
these days, she would ask Parag if he liked the food. Parag had been noticing these

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 123

subtle changes in his wife who had once been his lover. He noticed her talking to the
tomato plant in a way she hadn’t in years.

One evening, as Jaya was going through a magazine, Parag mustered up the courage
to break the silence.

“Jaya?” As she gazed
“Hmm” ahead, like always,
“What happened to us?”
“What do you mean?” she was annoyed
with the ugly
buildings that
“I mean we were the dream couple. We had everything going blocked her view.
for us. We have become the sort of people we promised we She took a deep
would never become”
breath and
“Hmm” thought, “Just a
few weeks more
Jaya kept silent, staring out of the window, nowhere in and I’ll be out of
particular. here.” And with no

“Parag, I am sorry I punished you for no fault of yours. I warning, the
yearned for a child but somehow I blamed you for not having images came
a child. I am not trying to justify it but that’s what it is” flashing at her.

“But we can always work things out”

“I have been thinking about us separating and I’ve been
thinking this for a while now. The thing we had is now beyond repair. We have been
together since high school. We are no more than a habit for each other now. Maybe we
grew too comfortable with each other. Maybe we are two very good people who are just
not meant to be together.”

Jaya got up and left for the balcony. She smiled at the tomato plant. She caressed the
leaves and whispered.

“Even you are doing it alone. You came from nowhere and look at you now, standing tall
and proud. If you can make your way through the concrete, so high up from the ground,
so can I. You might be a feeble plant for others but for me, you exude strength and grit.
You have taught me things that are beyond the wisdom of wise people.”

The twilight was surrounding the once chaotic city that’s eerily silent now. No incessant
honking, no blazing headlights, no one to smile at. But Jaya felt so much at peace. For
once, she was sure of her decision. She was no longer afraid of being locked down at
her home for she was sure she’s going to fly. She finally can see her life ahead, clearly
and brightly lit. And the little plant in the corner seemed to agree! „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Saswati Borthakur Dixit is an engineer, ex-banker and now a full time editor, creative and content writer. Originally
from Jorhat, she is now based in Lucknow.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 124

The Quarantine Muse

Dr. Sabreen Ahmed

In the long days of the cruel spring when the inhabitants of the

earth had sullen down to living private lives and many non-writers
tried hard their chances with the ink, Meena Baruah, a high school
teacher too tried passionately to play with words. Writing is no
less a luxury but hardly a profession for one with multiple roles
both public and private while not accustomed to professional

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 125

mincing of money out of words. Writing for Meena Baruah often came easy like a

bathroom shower and often never came at all till she waited endlessly for the house

chores to end in the absence of her maid Shanu which hardly left free time for herself.

Sometimes even after the work gets done and her world falls asleep, she absurdly waits

for her pen to flow though nothing pours out, as the three tramps waiting for nothing in

Waiting for Godot. The leisure provided by Covid-19 quarantine kept the qualms pretty

much the same. The incessant wait for a creative spark and the impatient wait for a

miraculous creation of the vaccine for the never healing pandemic had been no different

for her and the world outside. Reading too was no less easy. It needed space and

concentration and the control to resist temptation from getting swayed away by the

social media. The notifications on the Android screen was in itself too much of a task.

The maverick mind played its

quirky games every while to

Meena poured her heart out to her beguile the writer from the
colleagues but the forced isolation snatched real intention on paper to
seamless digressions, not
away the opportunity. Her ailing father who always the psychological thrill
of the stream of
lived with her only sibling had an ear- consciousness thoughts, but
machine and he hardly talked on phone. more often to dull daily
Often her brother’s wife would call her to drudgery that cannot be

give the frigid details of her septuagenarian avoided in living a robotic life
in a mechanical world
father for whom the quarantine was even suddenly coming to a stupor
more difficult with the irregular supply of his with the fear of death.

daily newspaper in their remote small town Meena, still a struggler in
far away from cities and provincial hubs. many ways in the art of

writing for pleasure was a

novice with mind games. But

her observation of life was sharp. Hued with dappled colours of creativity, she loved to

watch the sky at times when the cottony clouds resembled a utopian land of dreams and

lifted her ever soaring ambitions of being creative enough to gain some fellowship or an

award. She rejoiced with the small birds chirping in the manicured nature of her terrace

garden. She loved when the sky bleeds red amidst the patches of the billowing clouds. In

their redness she imbibed the sanguine human feelings that made the world a better

place despite hunger and hatred and a never ending race which suddenly became placid

due to an intervening virus. Time had come to a standstill. Her teenaged daughters most

of the time hooked to their phones never had time to talk with Meena beyond basics;

they never discussed dreams or good food. Cuisines were rated more in terms of home

delivery apps rather than in mother’s love while her dear old businessman husband, too

practical to be passionate, immersed in solitary online chess games in his bedroom.

Meena poured her heart out to her colleagues but the forced isolation snatched away

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 126

the opportunity. Her ailing father who lived with her only sibling had an ear-machine

and he hardly talked on phone. Often her brother’s wife would call her to give the

frigid details of her septuagenarian father for whom the quarantine was even more

difficult with the irregular supply of his daily newspaper in their remote small town

far away from cities and provincial hubs. Phone calls became rare in the age of

social media, and Meena dwindled in

the fragile space between living and Her teenaged daughters most
existing. Rejoicing was never a part of of the time hooked to their
their family agenda.
phones never had time to talk
There was hardly a time when all four of with Meena beyond basics;
them had a hearty laugh together.
Mornings were no less busier. After they never discussed dreams

treating the vegetation in her terrace or good food. Cuisines were

garden and pruning her ornamental rated more in terms of home
plants in the ground floor veranda, she delivery apps rather than in
would take a longer bath and spend more
time than usual in her guxaighar in mother’s love while her dear
conversation with her deities till the rest old businessman husband, too

of her world comes out of its sleep. The practical to be passionate,

only respite after lockdown first phase was immersed in solitary online
that her maid Shanu started coming more chess games in his bedroom.
regularly. Shanu’s husband was a migrant

worker in Chennai and was stranded at

the unhygienic slums for days together and now started his journey back on foot along

with many others to the next nearest city in search of livelihood. At least he was lucky to

have some money with him and a phone to stay in touch with his family. But within a

short time Shanu lost all contact with Amir, her husband and poured her anxiety to

Meena. Meena was empathic with concern for Shanu even tried to call up some contacts

in the administration, her old friends, to give her the whereabouts of the returnees

from other states at the borders. Suddenly Meena found a cause to fight for and pestered

the authorities tirelessly, though not without fruit. Finally Amir along with his associate

was traced at the checkpoint in the Srirampur border. Since their journey crossed several

vehicles and routes,they were put up in the nearest quarantine centre with assurance

of safe return. An emotional Shanu fell at Meena’s feet “Baideo,you are my saviour,

Allah will always bless you.” Meena smiled and said: “Shanu you will never understand,

but you are my precious muse, and my readers will always love you.” „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sabreen Ahmed has received her PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi in 2013. She has done her post-
graduation from the University of Delhi and graduation from Cotton College, Guwahati. Her area of interest is Gender
Studies, South Asian English Writing and Contemporary Theory. She has an anthology of poems entitled Soliloquies to
her credit. She also edited a seminar proceeding in book form captioned Indian Fiction in English and the Northeast.
She writes freelance for The Assam Tribune, The Thumbprint and Cafedissensus. Currently she teaches in the Dept of
English, Nowgong College, Nagaon, (Assam) as an Assistant Professor. She can be contacted @Sabreen54321@gmail.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 127

Something
DIFFERENT

Rajdeep Kar

It was August 2001, the 8th semester exams were scheduled to

start by the end of December. Being his last birthday in Assam
Engineering College (AEC), ‘Mr. Nobody’, which is how he
preferred to be referred to, wanted it to be something different.
However, he had no clue about what this ‘something different’
could be. On the morning of his D-Day, Mr.Nobody walked up
to Dilip, one of his Mess Boys, and said, “Accha, aaji mur
birthday buli gutei Hostel’or loraborok bhaldoray Paratha-Chicken

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 128

khuwaar kotha bhabisu. Chicken tu olop dry hobo laagibo dei. Kimaan kilo holay bhaal
hobo?”. With a broad smile on his face, Dilip responded, “30 kg maan holay sobay
borhiyaakay khaabo paaribo, Dada”. With the money in hand, while Dilip took the next
bus to get the required logistics from Fancy Bazar for the ‘small feast’, Mr. Nobody was
still restlessly pondering on that ‘something different’ thing.

Chicken-Paratha was ready for lunch. Mr. Nobody, along with some of his friends and
Mess Boys started serving the food to all his boarders of their hostel. A few of the hostel
mates, remembered the occasion and managed to mumble their birthday wishes with
their mouth full, while others just concentrated on devouring the ‘Chicken Dry Fry’;
which incidentally, had turned out extremely delicious.

In the afternoon, ‘Mr. Popular’, one of Mr. Nobody’s closest buddies and also his
childhood friend, came down from his hostel. With a warm, tight b’day hug, he handed
over a packet of WILLS Navy Cut to Mr. Nobody and proudly said, ”Eiyaa lo turb’day
gift”. He then further added, ”Pisa yetaa kothaa bhaabi aasilu…Tini maah’or pis’ottu
aami AEC'r pora ulaai’e jaam. Kiba etaa koribo laagisil nohoy tur ei last b’day tut”. As if
Mr. Nobody was just waiting to hear these golden words, he immediately
rejoined, ”Abbey moi xeitu’e maatha maari aasilu. Ki kora jaaye kibaa etaa bhaab
sunn”. After approximately five minutes of pin-drop silence, Mr. Popular came up with
an unexpectedly interesting thought, ”Mast idea etaa mogoj’ot khelaaisay. Eibaar tur
b’day cake cutting tu Girls’ Hostel (H-8)’ot koru bol. Aaji loikay xunaa naai tenekuwa
kunuba’e korisay buli”. Although he was a bit taken aback, Mr. Nobody blushingly
responded, ”Abbey ki kowo ? Paagol hoiso neki ? Raaiz’e gom paalay kene etaa bonim
be!”. But, in no mood to budge, Mr. Popular was like, ”Abbey eku nohoy, bol” a n d
almost dragged Mr. Nobody to Sheikh Brothers, Pan Bazar.

Pastries in Sheikh Brothers were really famous back then.The flavour selection, inscribing
“Happy Birthday” on the 5 kg cake and packaging was completed by 4 pm. Suddenly,
Mr. Nobody, in a slightly nervous tone, called out to Mr. Popular, ”Abbey, din dahaaray
tu imaan daangor cake tu loi H-8 jaabo nuwaari. Kunuba’e dekhaa paalay borbaad
hoi jaam. Ki koraa jaaye?” M r. Popular, responded with a thoughful nod, ”O... xeitu
pisay thikay koiso. Etaa kaam koru; 6 ta boja’r bus khon loikay wait koru. Tetiyaa college
paau maanay olop aandhar’u hobo aaru H-8’or usor’ot kunu loraa’u probably
nathaakibo”. Both of them agreed to this ‘bang on’ solution. Accordingly, they boarded
the 6 pm College Bus from Kachari with the cake in a big plastic carry bag, just so as
to avoid any ‘suspicion’.

As planned, Mr. Nobody and Mr. Popular de-boarded the bus at the H-8 stop and
started moving towards the Hostel with the cake in hand. Everything so far seemed to
be working as planned; not many AECians were on the streets. From a distance, it
seemed that there were no ‘Girl-Guy’ couples chatting outside the H-8 Main Gate. As
they approached their destination, somebody from behind shouted, “Abbey, tohoti
eyaatay ki kori aaso?” On turning around they saw, it was Mr. BBC; yes, that’s how he
was nick named by everyone.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 129

It was a known fact that if BBC got to know about ‘something’, it was just a matter of
time before the entire college would be knowing about that ‘something’. So, in case
anyone wanted to do anything secretly, BBC knowing that secret would be their worst
possible nightmare.

Anyways, coming back to the H-8 scenario, Mr. Popular, maintaining his safe

side,responded, ”Eneiaaru, AEC’r last b’day buli Mr. Nobody’e taar b’day cake khuwaam

buli aahisay. Pisay toi eyaatay kenekay?” M r. BBC, ”Abbey moitu notes lobolay

aahisilu”. Then, with an angled smile, he turned towards Mr. Nobody, ”Happy B’day

be, toi cake di lo, moi goi thaaku dei”. Knowing exactly what was coming, Mr. Nobody, in

a nervous tone, told Mr. Popular, ”Abbey, cake cutting

baad de. Eyaate packet'tu karbaak handover kori

BBC’e goi canteen puwaa’r aagotay jaau bol. In the afternoon, ‘Mr.
Noholay kaamur’or koob’ot moi nijor hostel
nepaamgoi aaru“. But, it was a bit too late. By the Popular’, one of Mr.

time, Mr. Nobody had finished his sentence, their Nobody’s closest

H-8 friends had already started gathering in for buddies and also his
the ‘Cake Cutting’ ceremony; someone got a table, childhood friend,
someone got a big candle and someone else got a
kitchen knife, so on and so forth, to make the event came down from his

a ‘memorable’ one. hostel. With a warm,

Once the cake cutting, b’day song singing and the tight b’day hug, he
cake smearing/eating rituals were completed, Mr. handed over a packet
Nobody started walking towards his hostel all by
himself; Mr. Popular had already left while of WILLS Navy Cut to
Mr.Nobody was accepting his b’day wishes. For a
change, he thought of taking a round via the Mr. Nobody and
Chemical Building. However, when he reached there, proudly said, ”Eiyaa

he heard a lot of AECIANs screaming and swearing lo tur b’day gift”.
his name in the college canteen. Well, yes, in case

you are wondering, it was that loud.

Assuming that BBC had successfully done his ‘job’, Mr. Nobody almost started running
towards his hostel, fervently praying that nobody would notice him in the dark. By
Divine Intervention, he successfully reached his destination without the catastrophe
of being spotted.

Well, of course, Mr. Nobody made sure to keep himself ‘Hostel Bound’ or almost ‘Room
Bound’ for the next two weeks for obvious reasons...! „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The writer Rajdeep Kar is a member of the Uruli team.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 130

In CONVERSATION
with

Deeplina Deka

Dr. Saurabhi Sarmah

I still remember my first interaction with Deeplina Deka during one of our Durga

Puja celebrations! A sweet girl with a very humble personality, it did not take more
than a just quick interaction to create a nice bonding with her. When I approached

Deeplina requesting her to share her experiences and thoughts as an artist, she
quite cheerfully agreed to do so. One of the most promising singers of Assam and

also an actor, Deeplina has a lot to share with us. Here is a snapshot of our
conversation on varied facets of life, creativity and art :

Saurabhi: First of all, thank you so much Deeplina for
responding to our request and sharing your thoughts
and experiences with us. Well, let me start with the most
common query that I have in mind. You have an
engineering background and you are an electrical
engineer by education, if I am not wrong. So, how did
this shift happen? How did you get involved with the
field of entertainment?

Deeplina: Well, to begin with –Yes, I was an engineering
student and from childhood, I have loved music and
dance along with my studies. I also loved badminton
during my school days. But I never thought of pursuing
singing as my career or let’s say my profession. But
after completing my engineering, I did a song called

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 131

Nuwari Nuwari Thakibo Nuwari, and
surprisingly it received overwhelming
support from the people of Assam; the
audience loved it a lot. After that, I got
a chance to work in the movie ‘Mission
China’ produced by Zubeen Garg. I was
fortunate enough that people of Assam
supported me here as well by showing
their love. Soon after that, I started
receiving queries from people asking
about my next projects and shows. And
this was a major boost; a great
motivation to take up music and acting
professionally.

Saurabhi: We are going through a very
difficult time! The Pandemic has shaken
the world! How do you respond to this
situation?

Deeplina: Indeed we are going through a very
difficult time. We never thought we
would face such a situation in our
lifetime. Since it’s a reality, we have to
face it; we can’t ignore it. Just like - in
everyone’s life there are both good and
bad phases, we need to consider this
phase in the same way and face it. The year 2020 has been quite unpromising for
all of us. Also, till date, there has been no discovery of a vaccine or any kind of
medication to fight against this virus. So whatever precautionary measures have
been suggested by the government and healthcare professionals, we need to follow
them very strictly. I would suggest – let’s help each other as each one of us is going
through a very difficult stage - be it economically, physically or mentally. Let’s
offer a helping hand! And if we take all these measures, we will win very soon. I
am very positive about it!

Saurabhi: Do you think an artist has a role to play in a situation like this? I mean, in the
wake of Covid-19.

Deeplina: Indeed, an artist can play a very important role in this situation! You know,
Leonardo da Vinci once said “Art is the queen of all sciences communicating
knowledge to the generations of the world”. So, during this crisis time, we, the
common citizens of the world are mentally and economically affected, and herein
an artist can play a major role by boosting up people’s morale and mental state,
and creating awareness. Artists are very emotionally attached to the common citizens

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 132

and vice versa. So, when an artist requests common people to take care of themselves
by adhering to precautionary norms, I believe common people will listen to it.
People love artists and the message becomes very effective when it goes out from
an artist. Any art form or artist can be helpful in this situation – be it a singer,
dancer, actor or a painter. Art is a beautiful language that includes real
communication and freedom of thought.

Saurabhi: What is the future of the entertainment industry in Assam in the years to
come?

Deeplina: Well, this is a very difficult question for me. Because unfortunately the entire
entertainment industry is suffering very badly due to this pandemic. This is a situation
of life and death as the economy is also down. So first, people will try to save
themselves and save their life rather than entertaining themselves. In a situation
like this, entertainment will be the last thing to indulge in. Similarly, the entire
Assamese film industry including the music industry has also been affected very
badly. But, I am very optimistic that we will recover soon. Because we are not
alone, the whole world is going through the same situation. So once this pandemic
is over, we will start our journey together and I am sure we will succeed to bring
back the normal stage. Also, we have the option to use the digital platform and the
artists are actually using this platform to express their creativity and help people as
much as possible I am sure, we shall overcome this stage soon!

Saurabhi : Modhulogon - a recent release by you and the audience has welcomed it
wholeheartedly. Would you like to share your experience about this project?

Deeplina: Well, Modhulogon was released just two days before the lockdown was
announced. It is a very beautiful song and quite close to my heart. The whole
team- Pranab Priyankush Baruah, being the singer, lyricist, composer, and my co-
actor and PallabTalukdar, the music director - were very worried as the lockdown
came immediately after its release. But, to our utter surprise, we received
overwhelming support and love from Assamese people living across the globe
who contacted us via mail, message and calls to say they loved it a lot! We feel
really happy to know that the song has been able to provide some kind of solace,
peace and happiness during this difficult time...we are glad!

Saurabhi: I have seen you showing a deep concern for people suffering from mental
health issues. Would you like to share something about it?

Deeplina: First of all, I must say I love this question! People who want to discuss this
topic, I love them too. It’s a very simple math…when we have fever or cough or
cold, we consult a doctor and take medication. But when we say – ‘I am feeling
lonely’, ‘feeling low’ for no reason or with some reasons, that needs real concern,
and should not be avoided. I think people who are aware of the consequences of
depression and related mental health issues, should get together and create some
kind of awareness in society.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 133

There is a myth existing in Assamese society where it is considered that only mad
people go to a psychiatrist. And this myth should be busted now, it’s high time! In
today’s world due to various reasons, people, especially the teenagers, suffer from
a lot of anxiety and depression. Our lifestyle has changed, there is too much
exposure to everything - all these have led to various mental health related issues.
Everything has changed with the course of time, so these taboos relating to mental
health should be removed too. And yes, I have also suffered from some sort of
depression and when people ask me about it, I speak about it quite openly. And I
am happy that you also have asked me this question! I believe depression is a
state which can be cured either by a psychiatrist or by someone very special to you.
You just need someone who would listen to you. When we feel low, we should talk-
it could be your mother, husband, father, wife, loved ones, children or a guide or
mentor. And if you don’t have anyone to share your thoughts, you should go to a
psychiatrist. Basically, we should talk...and that is how I got cured. And I feel proud
to say that, and I expect everyone to open up about this topic, discuss and seek
help, if required!

Saurabhi: How would you describe the music that you typically create? What makes your
creations unique?

Deeplina: Well, I believe each and every single person is unique in his/her own way just
that we need to realise our uniqueness. Similarly, each singer is unique in his/her
own way. So when I did UriUri Jai - the first solo by me, the feedback I received
from the audience said that they liked the soft melody, the song was very natural
which they could relate to their day to day life. And I think that makes my music
unique and different! I don’t do very complex music, I do music which is relatable
to our day to day life... Be it Rati Bihu, Sui Diyana, Uri Uri Jai, Modhulogon, Gabhoru

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 134

Bihu, Tumi Ahile - I am sure, you will get a natural touch in all. I have not done
much - nearly 7/8 songs I have created and in some of the songs, video direction
and conceptualization have been done by me. I have tried to give a different
touch to each one of them. And the audience seems to love them. I am thankful
to you all !
Saurabhi: You are a singer and actor both! How do you balance between both?
Deeplina: Actually, I don’t consider myself as a professional actor. And I don’t think of
myself as a professional singer either. I never thought about it. I always wanted to
do a 9 to 5 job with my engineering degree. But, my destiny brought this to me.
People call me singer cum actor as I have done a few acting projects also. And I do
love and respect these titles. I think balancing is tough as both singing and acting
are two different art forms. But every art has a common thing that is emotion. If
you have that emotion, if you have the feel, then it becomes easy! I think balancing
was easy for me because I never thought of both the forms differently. The second
most important thing is - if you are passionate enough you don’t have to create a
different time slot for each, time gets automatically managed and everything gets
balanced. It’s quite simple.
Saurabhi: Who is your role model?
Deeplina: I don’t have any particular person to be considered as a role model. I get
inspired by different people in different ways. For example, if I like someone’s
honesty, I like the other person’s passion. I always try to learn the positive things
from each individual I come across, and apply that learning in my life.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 135

Saurabhi: You are young! And a successful woman too...Would you like to share your
success mantra for the millennial.

Deeplina: First of all, thank you so much for letting me know that I am successful! To be
honest, I don’t consider myself to be a successful woman as I have just completed
two and half years in this industry! But yes, there are people who have given me
tons of Love and Support, and accepted me. In a situation when there is no dearth
of talent, if someone likes my song - yes, that’s a success for me! I don’t have any
success mantra as such. I always like to do what my mind says. I don’t think I need
to prove myself as a successful singer or actor to someone or thesociety! What
matters most for me is my happiness and if I am happy doing something and my
happiness is providing entertainment to the audience, then it’s all good. I like to
dance, I like to play and when I do all these, I try to do them with complete honesty,
dedication and passion. I am also grateful to my selfless friends- the Assamese
audience - which I have earned throughout these years. Their love and support
along with the support received from my friends and family members have helped
me a lot to succeed and move on. For me, success is all about inner peace and
happiness.

Saurabhi: What are some of the future projects that you might have planned for?
Deeplina: Unfortunately, I don’t plan much! I do things instantly. However, there are

certain things in my mind like I have a plan to do a solo album in the coming days
and few acting projects. I want to produce good stuff for the people of Assam.
Saurabhi: Would you like to pass any message to the society which is under tremendous
uncertainty due to the outbreak of this pandemic?
Deeplina: I have already mentioned that there are both good and bad phases in our
life. Although we are considering 2020 as a bad phase, we also need to find out
positivity in it. I feel, there are few good things that have happened also - Mother
Nature is reviving; it is breathing clean air; there is a balance in the ecosystem and
the environment becomes pollution free. I just want to say- don’t panic, don’t be
depressed. When the pandemic will be over, we will start our life together and all
will be good. So, stay happy everyone! We shall overcome soon. Thank you!
Saurabhi: Thank you Deeplina. The Team Uruli wishes you All the Very Best for your
future ventures ! „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Saurabhi Sarmah is a member of the Uruli team.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 136

The Earth’s Plan

Emon Kalyan Dutta

The Earth is up with a plan,

to see the bikini babes soused in the sun
become lovers and savers of corals in the long run.
The Earth has a plan to bring out the boys,
onto the grey trails of turquoise hills
but with their bikes free of emissions.
A plan to convert charmers into wise choosers,
of plants before plastics,
beaches before beers,
love before sex.
The Earth is up with a plan.
To make farmers before gamers,
soiling hands before clicking keys,
coding logic for helping trees.
The Earth is good at planning,
for taming vile temptations
and curating a happy haven for all earthlings. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Emon Kalyan Dutta is working as an analytics analyst in Accenture. Off IT work she likes traveling and creative writing.
She owns a blog emonkalyan.wordpress.com. Her debut fiction named ‘Mirror of Muse’ was published in 2014.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 137

The First Love Letter Translated by

(Original poem by Ganga Mohan Mili) Dr. Dipak Kumar Doley

I started the first love letter

Mastering the flickering lines of some novel
Or verses from the Romantic poets, in a closed abode
I opened up the doors and windows of my mind
Along with the beats of my racing heart
I started the first love letter

At all costs
With mighty words
I will snatch your inflorescent heart!!

Going through many a times
Tearing apart like marbles
I threw away the words
Laden with the dreams of greenery

I have been the sole witness
To many such unwritten, unread letters

Miles of agonizing distance
Separates each letter from the other!

I realized for the first time
The intense power of words,
Words that abridge life and guide us
To the routes of ecstatic wilderness.

It’s still a wonder for me
How all the emotions of my youth
Flow in the words of a closed envelope,
Like the Puthi fish in a shoal. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Dipak Kumar Doley has done his M.A. in English Literature from the Department of English, Gauhati Universityin
the year 2004, with specialization in American Literature. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor in the
Department of English, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh. Prior to that, he worked as an Assistant Professor in the
Department of English, Digboi Women’s College, Digboi. He has received his Ph.D.from Assam University, Diphu
Campus on the topic, “Representation of the Marginalized Female Voices in Select Partition Fiction from India and
Pakistan”. His areas of interests include Partition Studies, Modern Poetry, Modern Drama, Post-colonial Literature, American
Poetry, and Indian Drama. He can be contacted @[email protected]

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 138

Surreal Life

Anindita Das

Betwixt real and unreal, life turns absurd

With the obscured images of the days ahead…
Nothing to look backward too!
Faith wavered, hopes shattered,

Surreal it is!
Time to reflect, to be besieged by the thoughts rejuvenating
A tryst with the “new reality”,
To move on amidst adversities
Beguiled by the aberrations
Of love and contentment
An ardent desire to bury into your arms’ comfort
Unfastening the shackles of bondage
To move on beyond the universe
Making it real… „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Anindita Das is a teacher by profession and a journalist by choice. She is currently associated with Newsmove as Features
Editor and Senior Correspondent of The Thumb Print. A freelance content writer, editor, and a translator, she follows her
passion by dabbling with poetry, cooking, singing and listening to music.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 139

He Merely Wields a Fork, Knife, or a Spoon

Raag

Across the plains of Serengeti

where the Lions stride with the wapiti
walks the brave Maasai hunter
even he knows better like all wise men do
that he might sling an arrow better than the best
a rhino in its eye stare
back down an elephant mad
but the kitchen turns this intrepid man
tamer than a house cat, meeker than the lamb
For he knows that for his own good
that it is best if he opens his mouth not to roar
only to shove a piece of food
as he merely wields a fork, knife, or a spoon
There once lived a dark queen that stepped
nary a foot in the kitchen
When asked what the poor should partake
unwisely offered the advice to eat a cake
she that knew not a skillet from a fork tine
hence was consigned by the french man to the guillotine
Alas! if only she had opened her mouth
to shove that same piece of cake
since she merely wielded a fork, knife, or a spoon
For fools that know not
between coriander and cumin the difference

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 140

God in his infinite (un) wisdom gave such men a tongue
such men ought know that at best a decorative it is
better yet a tool to move the food in the mouth side to side
considering they merely wield a fork, knife, or a spoon
What does such a man know if he knows
not what a ladle or a skillet is used for
when such man’s mouth doth open
and sound emanates
may they only utter superlatives
best or better yet best-est
when describing the efforts of the dear
I mean dear-est
on the grounds that he merely wields a fork, knife, or a spoon
speech is merely silver while silence is golden
so stay quiet you fool
for you merely wield a fork, knife, or a spoon
If such men’s mouths do open
and sounds do emanate
other than wonderful-est, amazing-est, best-est
or simple the classic-est word of all greatest
when describing the efforts of the sweet-est
heresy it is
deserve they
as the Queen of Heart quoth
Off with their heads
For such men are better off without anything above their shoulder
All things considered they merely wield a fork, knife, or a spoon
gasp that such men exist that know not
if this a poem, an ode, perhaps a haiku be
lips part and out comes the sound of prattle
or worse yet the sound of a rattle
surely capable are they at the dining table of the vilest crime
But recollect what our one and only Lord prayed on the cross
Forgive them for they know not what they do
taking into account they merely wield a fork, knife, or a spoon. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Raag is a Software Development Manager from Maryland, USA. He loves blogging and penned this poem during the
lockdown period.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 141

Nature - Then, Now and To Be

Kaushik Mohanty

Things haven’t been the same since humans have been,

Nature has suffered, its beauty and grace whetted thin.
Just for a couple extra quid, we ignore silent cries,
To save on a few miles, bother not to stifle the sighs.
In the name of science, we have ridden life threadbare,
Instead of blissful permanence, choose alluring despair.
This may not be the first, neither be the all-ending last,
But heed those cries, those sighs and heed them fast.
Your time is but fleeting in this expanding universe,
Your choices are though lasting, many being a curse.
You’ve but cared for needs only in this situation dire,
Yet have given nature time to rekindle its birthing fire.
As the ones with intellect and knowledge beyond par,
Pause a while, think and try to look beyond the far.
After this is all over and behind us in the past,
Think of your choices, and if their benefit will last.
Understand what is a need and a desire,
For not always this subtle will be nature’s fire.
Things haven’t been the same since humans have been,
Nature has suffered, its beauty and grace whetted thin. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Kaushik Mohanty is a lucid writer who thinks logically and feels emotionally - not vice versa. Occasional photographer
and painter.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 142

Musings on Life

Abhilasha Saikia

Life for a life is all we ever do,

and deciding to blindfold was the easiest of all.
Because all we live for is for oneself.
We let the forest turn red and grey,
We let out poison in the air,
We are lured by greed.
Just this way we kept going on
and we kept on losing our insight.
Alas! Hazy are the stars today.
How conflicting these thoughts are,
that we admire fauna yet we plunder them.
It’s all a pell mell,
Yet amidst the chaos we love to live on. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Abhilasha Saikia is a student of MSW – IV Semester, The Assam Kaziranga University, Jorhat.

√˙˜ ¸—‡…± – ¬ı¸ôL ø¬ıÀ˙¯ ˚ 143

Culinary Courtesy Corona

It all started with my little one, Krishang pestering for his Annie Bora Dutta

favourite sweet ‘Milk Peda’ during the start of Corona
Lockdown. As a mother it was obvious to heed to his request
and I naturally turned to the modern-day God called Google
for the answer. I was inundated with videos of tons of people
show casing their culinary skills, which can make you forgo
the master chefs. I had to select a recipe which required the
least ingredients, as Corona has taught us how we must not
go shopping every other day and survive on what is available.

As everything has to be balanced, the less ingredient menu
had to be compensated with more cooking time and I earnestly
churned the milk for two hours in the hot pan in the hot
Bangalore summer to bring out the Pedas. When my husband,
who is not a foodie, saw the Pedas he counted them and said
“What you wasted two litres of milk formaking only nine
Pedas?” Saying this he put one whole Peda in his mouth, but
did not comment – whether it was good, bad or ugly. It is this
lack of acknowledgement of home cooked food that I was
never inspired to explore much into cooking. Next, it was the
turn of my little one who first smells the food before eating,and
with excitement he said “Ma, this really smells like Peda. I will
have one today and have half every coming day so that I can
save for longer time”. These words made my day, as I had
never imagined of making ‘Milk Peda’ in my life. And when
you make your family members happy, there is nothing more
full-filling than it.

In the evening with pride I shared the picture of my new culinary
venture in the WhatsApp group of my AEC’97 college girls’
gang along with a Belated Mother’s Day wish. There was a
prompt response from my best buddy Jhimlee from Bangalore
with the picture of her home-made Kalakand. She had inspired
her daughter Zaina, who is just twelve years old, to make
Chicken Momo. While the girls were admiring the pictures of
food, our friend Nirmali residing in Numaligarh, Assam posted

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pictures of her home-made Quiche,
Dhokla and Pizza- each looking very
delicious. Her kids were missing bread
so much, that she started baking all
kinds of bread-brown, white, loaf, etc.
at home.

The culinary venture started pouring
from the girls in the US.Our mate
Nilanjona made 100 Gulab Jamun on
Mother’s Day in order to treat her sweet
tooth in the sweetest way and had
breakfast only of Gulab Jamun. Her
daughters made Lebanese dinner of
potato stuffed grape leaves with mint chutney, which was a painful
four hours of cooking, but the result was beyond words. Likewise,
Pinki Roy was exploring exotic cooking of Jalebi, Gulab Jamun etc.
and her daughters made Frittata.For the items like Frittata and
Quiche I had to browse the internet to know the meaning.

There were these cake baking experts Nayanmoni and Bobby who
were unleashing amazing cakes from their oven. Suman in Guwahati
was inspired and shared pictures of her snacks. When my boys heard
all the updates on cooking, they pestered for pizza which they were
missing so badly. Myself and my two boys sat down for two hours to
research from the internet the recipes for pizza baking without yeast.
I wished they spent time for their school research projects with as
much interest. We had a rocking time with full family baking pizza
without yeast in fifteen
minutes, which elder
son Soureen called
Chicken Dominator of
Domino’s Pizza.

In a weeks’ time the
AEC’97 college girls
WhatsApp group was
inundated with pictures
of exotic foods from all
across the globe. None
of the girls had
imagined they will be
undertaking these exo-
tic cooking and had to

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acknowledge it was all courtesy Corona. All these home cuisines
were also coined as “Atma nirbhar khana”.

The human body is referred as food body, which means the
body is nothing but accumulation of food. In ancient Indian
culture there was utmost significance given to the cooking
process, wherein prayers were offered prior
to start of cooking and the chef had to cook
happily as a service to the people who will
eat. There is a story of Mahatma Gandhi on
this,which is lesser known. When Gandhi was
in jail, one night he had a night-mare that
he had killed his mother. Next day morning
he went to his jailor and asked if there was
any change in the jail kitchen the previous
night. The jailor replied the regular cook was
on leave and in lieu of him a convict was
asked to cook and the convict was charged
with the murder of his mother. Hearing this
Gandhi could relate to his nightmare. The
thoughts and emotions of the chef percolate into the food
cooked, and that is why mothers are regarded the best cooks
as they add the emotion of love to their cooking.

The ‘I’ in this narration is not myself but a mother and the idea
of this narration started from a Mother’s Day wish.All mothers
nourish their family happily without seeking any
acknowledgment alike Mother Nature which nourishes all living
beings without seeking any acknowledgement. When a family
member disrupts the norms continually, mothers give
reprimand in order to teach a lesson and to correct them.
Likewise, right now maybe mother Earth is giving us Corona
infection asa little reprimand for misuse of natureand to change
to a better world for us. So, stay safe and crack up the family
with culinary ventures with all Courtesy Corona. „

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Annie Bora Dutta, is an engineer from Assam Engineering College and working in IT Industry,
Bangalore for more than twenty years. Being an avid reader from childhood, had a natural
desire for writing, which was fulfilled with the first write-up in Uruli in 2019.Would like to thank
all her AEC’97 batchmate of girls whose culinary skills gave the idea to pen this article.

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The Pandemic
As I See It

I am on my second maternity break. So, I decided to Subasana Goswami Sarma

come to my homeland Assam to spend some quality time
with my dear ones. As planned, I had come to Jorhat on
January 25 accompanied by my family. I was pretty
excited because this was to be one of my longest
vacations where I would spend time in this beautiful land
with dear ones. I even persuaded my sister Sudarsana,
living in Australia, to come to Assam so that we can have
our best time together.

Then, one day, sometime around January end, we heard
the news about the outbreak of Covid–19, but never
thought that the pandemic would give a pause to the
entire world.

Covid-19 has changed the life of every Individual. I have
seen here that the tea Industry of Assam has suffered a
lot. Unemployment rate has increased significantly. The
stock market has seen its worst phase in terms of loss.
Tourism, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Aviation, E-
Commerce, Hotel industry – all are experiencing a real
tough time. Indian economy is expected to lose over Rs.
32000 crore every day during the first 21days of complete
Lockdown.

On the bright side, I am happy to hear again the chirping
sound of the birds. Mother Nature is breathing easy on
earth once again. Kids are spending quality time with
their parents and family members. It seems we are seeing
a dimension of life that we might have lost long back.

I hope and pray that the pandemic is over soon and
we find a vaccine to save human lives and restore
the economy. „

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Subasana Goswami Sarma is an MBA from IASMS, Bangalore having more than 10 years of
experience in the field of share trading. She lives in Bangalore with her family.

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Sumanta Baruah

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Sumanta Baruah draws cartoons on topics from science and environment to politics and current
affairs. He is a software engineer by profession and is a senior manager at Samsung R&D
Bengaluru. He has been drawing cartoons for English and Assamese publications since the
1990s. He drew a cartoon section Bijnanar Xoite Aru Ekhantek in the science magazine Bijnan
Jeuti (Assam Science society) during 1995-2003 and now draws a cartoon section Nirikshan for
the literary magazine Satsori (Pratidin Group). He contributed science cartoons to Current Science
(IISc), Resonance (Indian Academy of Sciences) and Science Reporter (CSIR-NISCAIR). His work
has been exhibited in national and international cartoon exhibitions. His cartoon exhibition Smile-
with-Science was held in Indian Cartoon Gallery, Bengaluru in 2010. He spoke at a TEDx event
(TEDxSIBM Bengaluru) on the power of science cartoons in February 2020. He regularly publishes
cartoons on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook through the handle @SumantaCartoons. Sumanta
hails from Biswanath Chariali and is an alumnus of Cotton College and Tezpur University.

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Raktim Baruah

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Raktim Baruah is a B.E. from Assam Engineering College, Guwahati. He is currently working as
General Manager with Mersen. He is a Fitness Enthusiast, participates in Marathons within and
outside the country and he enjoys a game of cricket at any given opportunity. He loves to draw
cartoons and does a great job showcasing man and moods in various situations.

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Nimisha Sharma

The Gateway

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Nimisha Sharma is currently studying at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She is a final year student of BCom, ACCA
program.

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