URULI-(FNL)

Vandana N.D.

„ Dramatic Night

„ The Island

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Vandana N.D. enjoys painting, drawing, clicking photographs, and going on long leisurely walks. She has been drawing
since childhood on anything that she can find such as scrap paper – old question papers, unused application forms,
apparel packaging paper, apparel price tags, pots, pebbles, etc. For the past few years, she has been painting on canvas
sheets and boards.

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ARACHUVITTA SAMBAR

Recipe by

Mridusmita Saikia Venkat

Lockdown meals are about minimalism, frugality and zero wastage but wholesome at

the same time. It is also about being simple and easy to cook, with people trying to settle
down in the new normal. However, this time is also about experimentation and exploring
unique, never before tried dishes. Social media trends shout it out loud and clear!!!

Here is a unique recipe of a sambar called” Arachuvitta sambar. This is a sambar
you will find specially in the TamBrahm (Tamil Brahmin) households and I have learnt it
from my sister-in-law. This sambar recipe is without ready-made sambar powder. The
word ‘arachuvitta’ means ‘to grind’. The sambar is made with roasted spices and is
prepared from scratch.

Ingredients:

1. Tuvar dal (arhar dal or pigeon pea lentils) : ½ cup
2. Turmeric : ¼ teaspoon
3. Vegetables : carrots, beans, radish, drumstick etc. I have used only carrots
4. Tomatoes : 1-2 , optional, since tamarind is used ; I use it for the colour)

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5. Shallots ; 3-4 OR medium sized onion : 1
6. Oil/Ghee : 2 tablespoon
7. Mustard seeds : 1 teaspoonful
8. Dry red chilies : 2
9. Curry leaves : 1 sprig or 12 to 15 curry leaves
10. Tamarind pulp : a pinch or Tightly packed seedless tamarind : 1.5 tablespoon ;

soak it in ½ cup hot water.

Sambar masala :

1. Dry red chillies : 4 to 5
2. Coriander seeds : 1 tablespoon
3. Fenugreek seeds : ¼ teaspoon
4. Chana dal : 1 teaspoon (husked and split
Bengal gram)
5. Whole black pepper : ½ teaspoon
6. Oil/ghee : 2 tablespoon
7. Fresh grated coconut : 4 tablespoon

Method :

1. Pressure cook the tuvar/arhar dal/pigeon pea lentils with the turmeric powder
to 6-7 whistles and thereafter, mash the dal with a wired whisk or spoon. Keep
aside.

2. In a small pan, heat 2 tablespoons ghee/oil. Add the ingredients for
the sambar masala, except grated coconut. Dry roast the spices. Allow it to cool
and grind it along with the grated coconut and a few tbsp of water.

3. Next, add 2 tablespoons of ghee (I use ghee as it enhances the flavour). Add
mustard seeds, dry red chilies and a pinch of asafoetida. Stir and sauté till the
red chilies change colour.

4. Now add the curry leaves.
5. Next goes the onions. Fry until translucent.
6. Add the carrots (along with other vegetables) and finally, add the tomatoes.
7. Now add the freshly ground sambar masala and turmeric and sauté for some

time.
8. Add some water, tamarind pulp and allow the vegetables cook.
9. Finally add in the cooked dal and allow it to boil. Once you are comfortable with

the consistency, garnish it with coriander leaves and add a teaspoon of ghee.
Your piping hot sambar is ready ! „

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Mridusmita Saikia Venkat is originally from Dibrugarh, Assam, She has been a Bangalorean for the past 14 years. She
works for an MNC and holds the post of a Senior Human Resource professional. She dons the hat of a travel enthusiast,
experimental cook and an amateur blogger in her free time.

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CHICKEN ROULADE WITH MANGO SAUCE

Recipe by

Sushmita Roy

I have always enjoyed trying out new recipes. Cuisines of different countries

have never ceased to fascinate me. My teenage son is a diehard foodie and
so is my pretty little princess. They love to try out different dishes and are
particularly fond of Continental and Middle-Eastern cuisine. Fortunately, there
is no dearth of eateries offering cuisines from across the globe in the city of
Bangalore where we live.

The ‘Lockdown’ due to the novel coronavirus pandemic has changed the
scene entirely. Restaurants are under shutdown and getting food from outside
comes with a risk.

So, I took it upon myself to try my hand at preparing some of the exotic
dishes that my children are fond of. Cooking with love always brings out
good results and my reward has been the polished plates and happy faces.

The dish I am sharing here is a roulade, which gets its name from the
French word “rouler” meaning “to roll”. It is a European dish wherein a flat
piece of meat is rolled around a filling of cheese, vegetables, or other meats.

CHICKEN ROULADE WITH MANGO SAUCE :

For the Chicken Roulade :
Ingredients
Chicken breast : 2
Salt : to taste
Black Pepper : 1/2 teaspoonful
Garlic : 4 cloves
Mushroom : 12-14
Raisins : 12-15

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Cheddar cheese : 1 tablespoon
White Sesame Seed : 2 tablespoons
Olive oil : 2 tablespoons
For garnish:
Sautéed green peas, sweet corn and mushrooms

Method :
1. Place the two pieces of chicken breasts on a foil paper and flatten them out by beating
with a rolling pin. Season the flattened chicken breasts with salt and pepper and apply a
drizzle of olive oil.
2. Finely chop the mushrooms.
3. Finely chop the raisins as well. Place the chopped mushrooms and raisins in a bowl.
4. In another bowl, mix a pinch each of salt and pepper with grated garlic. Add grated
cheddar cheese. Mix well. Lastly, add the raisins and mushrooms and mix again.
5. Place the raisin-mushroom-cheese mixture on the flattened chicken breast and roll
the chicken breast with the help of foil paper.
6. Bake the chicken roulade in an oven at 180 degree Celsius for 10-15 minutes.
7. Take it out from the oven and let it cool
8. Coat the chicken roulade with sesame seed.
9. Add olive oil to a pan and fry the sesame seed coated chicken roulade for 5 minutes.
10. Take the fried chicken roulade and cut into two inch wide pieces.
11. Decorate the platter with sautéed green peas, sweet corn and mushrooms.

Mango sauce recipe :
Ingredients :
Mango : 1
Lime juice : 1/2 tablespoons
Pepper : 1 teaspoonful
Salt : to taste
Garlic : 2 cloves
Olive oil : 2 tablespoons
Red chilli : optional

Method :
1. Take all the above ingredients and blend in

a mixture.
2. Pour the sauce alongside the chicken roulade. „

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Sushmita Roy is originally from Dhubri, Assam, but Bangalore has been her home for the last eighteen years. She
juggles between being Director and Centre Head of Avin Networks Pvt Ltd at her workplace and being a loving mother
to her two children at home.

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PARATHA MADE WITH CURRY LEAF PASTE

Recipe by

Piyush Plabon Das

I have grown up hearing stories from my mom about my maternal grandpa’s culinary

expertise and I am fortunate enough to have tasted some of the gourmet dishes cooked
by him. Mom never fails to fondly remember that my paternal grandpa was the biggest
foodie she has come across in her life; his taste buds, she says, had unmatched sharpness
for perfection where taste and flavour were concerned.
I am a foodie too. Although I would on rare occasions, don the chef’s hat while at home,
it was not until I was on my own in a foreign land for my studies, that I discovered my
passion for cooking. Even after an exhausting day at the University, I would not shy away
from cookinga decent meal for myself. I explored a whole range of dishes and cuisines
and thoroughly enjoyed my culinary adventures.
So, here I am, sharing the recipe of a recently cooked dish as a tribute to both my
grandpas.
‘Lockdown’ cooking has been different from normal cooking because it involves maximum
utilisation of minimum ingredients. Moreover, cooking for the 5-member family feels like
cooking for five of me.
PARATHA made from paste of Curry Leaves (Noroxingho Paat) :
Before I go into the details of the recipe I must mention that the extract of curry leaves
(Murraya koenigii) is used to prepare a quintessentially Assamese dish called Noroxingho
di Maas’or Jul ( Fish Curry with extract of curry leaves). The residue left over on the
strainer after the extraction of juice is usually used to make fritters (pakora/bor).
I decided to use the ‘leftover residue’ differently.
Ingredients :
Curry leaves : 1 bunch
Onion : 1 medium size, finely chopped
Ginger : 1/2 inch, finely chopped
Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoonful

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Nigella seeds : 1 teaspoonful
Cumin powder : 1 teaspoonful
Refined Oil : 2 tablespoons
Curd : 1/2 cup
Wholemeal Wheat Flour : 2 cups
Salt : to taste

Method :
1. Wash the curry leaves and separate them from
the stalk.
2. Put them in the mixer-grinder, add a little water
and grind to paste.
3. Extract the juice and keep aside. Do not be too
harsh so that it is not squeezed entirely dry. We
now have the main ingredient which is the leftover residue of curry leaf paste.
4. In a pan, heat the refined oil.
5. Add cumin seeds and nigella seeds and allow them to splutter.
6. Now, add the chopped onion and chopped ginger ; stir and fry till the onion
changes colour and turns pinkish.
7. Add cumin powder and stir.
8. Now add the residue of the curry leaves. Keep stirring.
9. Add salt to taste.
10. When oil comes out at the sides, turn off the flame and allow it to cool down
11. Take the ‘Aatta’ in a kneading bowl and add the curry paste mixture to it. Start
mixing and folding in.
12. Add curd and keep kneading. Using curd instead of water while kneading ensures
a soft dough. When the dough is soft and supple enough, divide it into equal
balls. It should be good enough to make eight Parathas.
13. To make the Parathas, roll out the balls into round shape, apply refined oil,
sprinkle wheat flour, fold into square or triangle shape and roll again.
14. Fry the Paratha i n a tawa or flat pan, brushing refined oil on both sides.

T h e Parathas are done and ready.

I served the fluffy, flavoursome Paratha with Chicken Curry, the regular type served for
Sunday lunch which my ‘Koka’ called the ‘Gotaanugotik Murgi Maangso’r Jul’

PS. Curry leaves have many medicinal qualities such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory
and potent antioxidant effects apart from beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal, cardiac
and nervous systems. Hence all the more reason for optimally using the herbal plant. „

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Piyush Plabon Das has just completed his masters in Global Politics from Durham University, United Kingdom. When he
is not busy with research work, he likes to spend his time composing music and trying his hand at cooking new dishes.
Photography is another passion of him.

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TANGY TOMATO CHUTNEY

Recipe by

Himadri Bhushan Das

I am pretty much comfortable in the kitchen and although I am not a

great cook (my wife is), I make it a point to make myself useful by preparing
a meal off and on.

We are a 2-State Couple, I hail from Assam and my wife Preethi is from
Karnataka. Therefore, it goes without saying that our daily meals are a
beautiful blend of traditional dishes of both the states. While Preethi makes
the most awesome typically Assamese pitikas a n d khaar; I take pride in
making a good rasam and some lip smacking chutneys.

Lockdown has been interesting, albeit challenging. It has involved finding
gaps for household chores amidst Work From Home in progress. But
sitting together at the table for every meal of the day has been a welcome
change and efforts taken at cooking have therefore been worthwhile.

I am sharing the recipe of a Tangy Tomato Chutney. It is a family favourite
and the Vitamin C of the fresh green tomatoes gives the satisfying feeling
of boosted immunity.

Ingredients :

For the Chutney :
1. Raw green tomatoes : 8, chopped (the local round ones are ideal)
2. Green chillies : 4-5, slit
3. Sesame seeds : 2 tablespoons
4. Peanuts : 1 tablespoon
5. Asafoetida - 1/4 spoon teaspoonful
6. Tamarind : 1/4 inch
7. Jaggery : 1 teaspoonful, grated
8. Salt 1 teaspoonful

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For the tadka :
1. Oil - 2 teaspoonful
2. Mustard seeds : 1 teaspoonful
3. Curry leaves : 10-12
4. Dry red chillies : 2-3

Method :
1. Cut the raw tomatoes into small
pieces and keep aside.
2. Dry roast sesame seeds over
medium flame until they
splutter and emit its typical
aroma. Remove and keep them
aside.
3. Dry roast the peanuts until crisp. Keep aside.
4. Into a kadhai, add 2-3 drops of oil, roasted sesame seeds, asafoetida, peanuts,
chopped raw tomatoes, slit green chilies and tamarind.
5. Put on the lid , cover and stir fry the whole mixture until the tomatoes are cooked
in their own juice and become mushy. (Do not add any water as the water released
from the tomatoes is enough)
6. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool down.
7. Once cooled, transfer to a mixer. Add jaggery and salt. Grind to paste.
8. Take out the nicely ground paste in a serving bowl.

For the tampering (tadka) :
1. Heat the oil in the kadai. When piping hot, add the mustards seeds. Allow to
splutter. Add the curry leaves and the dry red chilli.
2. Stir and remove from flame.
3. Pour the ‘tadka’ over the Chutney and it is ready to be served as an accompaniment
with Dosa/Idlis/Roti/Chapati/Paratha. „

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Himadri Bhushan Das is working as a Lead Engineer, Control Systems for TVS Motor Company. Prior to this, he had a
thoroughly enjoyable stint as a PhD Researcher & Teaching Assistant at the Imperial College London. In stark contrast to
his passion for developing control system and system level simulation for advanced power-train concepts suitable for 2/
3 wheeled vehicle, stands his passion for music. Her daughter and he is training in Hindustani Classical Music. However, he
enjoys listening to and singing all genres of songs.

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SANDESH

Recipe by

Bulbul Kharghoria

Sandesh is a delicious Bengali sweet which is widely popular all over India and

abroad.

It is often made during festivals and on special occasions. There are many variations
of making sandesh, based on different flavours and shapes.

Traditionally, sandesh is made by curdling milk and draining out the excess water,
thereby obtaining the chhena or cottage cheese.

During the lockdown brought about by the Covid19 pandemic, the enforcement
of home confinement and restraint on mobility, resulted in a sudden ‘awakening’
of my sweet tooth and the development of a strong craving for Sandesh. Alas !!
Neither could I visit a sweet shop nor could I feel safe about ordering it.

One day, I saw that the milk that had been kept in the fridge had curdled, possibly
due to frequent power fluctuations. I felt as if this was an indication that I should
try to make the desired sweet at home. Now, there is little need to say that ever
since lockdown, I have had my hands full with household chores topped with
online classes, but the prospect of making Sandesh excited me nonetheless.

Lockdown cooking means that we have to optimally use whatever is in the house,
as purchase of grocery and essentials is accompanied by the tedious task of
sanitising the purchased items.

All said and done, I got all set to make the traditional Bengali sweet that I had
been craving for.

Ingredients :
1. Chhena : from ½ litre full cream milk
2. Sugar : 1 tablespoonful; powdered
3. Curd : 1 teaspoonful

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Method:
1. To prepare the chhena, bring the milk to boil. To that, add either 1-2 teaspoonful
of vinegar or lemon juice.
2. Alternatively, if the milk has already curdled slightly, you can add 1-2 teaspoonful
of curd with the aim of curdling the milk further. (This is precisely what I did to
obtain the chhena for my sandesh) .
3. Place a clean muslin cloth over a large strainer and pour out the curdled milk.
4. Tie the ends of the muslin cloth with the chhena/cottage cheese in the centre,
thereby making a potli and hang the potli for at least one hour, so as to drain
out the excess water from the chhena.
5. Now take out the chhena and mash it with your hands for around 8 to 10
minutes or until it becomes a smooth paste.
6. Add powdered sugar, and knead it well into a ball. While making the ball, if you
notice any cracks, then you need to knead the chhena for some more time to
rule out cracks and make the ball smooth.
7. Now, heat a kadhai or preferably a
non-stick pan, add the chhena a n d
keep stirring for around 5 minutes over
low flame. Be careful not to overcook
as that will make the chhena grainy
and dry.
8. Transfer the chhena on to a plate
and allow it cool.
9. Divide the chhena and make equal
sized portions and roll them between
the palms into round balls. Press with
fingertips to flatten them and make
patterns of your choice while
t h e chhena is still hot. You can garnish as you please with finely chopped nuts
or with saffron.
10. Allow to cool for 4 to 5 hours. Voila !! My batch of fresh homemade sandesh was
ready to be served.

I could hardly wait to taste the sandesh I had made all by myself. I did not have any
flavouring agent at hand, so I skipped that ingredient in my recipe. The usual ingredients
used for flavouring are cardamom powder or rose water.
I was truly overjoyed that my maiden attempt at making sandesh had turned out to be
a successful one. My husband and daughter were also as thrilled as I was. „

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Bulbul Kharghoria's hometown is Dhemaji, Assam but she has been living in Bangalore for the last 13 years. She is a
teacher at St.Petres School, Bangalore. She finds teaching very fulfilling and love her job with heart and soul. Her
hobbies includes cooking, baking and gardening.

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COOKIES

Recipe by

Priyanka Sharma

Cookies are small cakes made from stiff, sweetened dough; either

rolled and sliced or spooned out on a flat pan and baked.

Most of the ingredients used in cookies are similar to those used for
cake, but with lesser liquid and higher proportion of sugar to fat.

During the first few days of lockdown, when almost all of us had gone
into a state of panic, baking cookies and cakes helped me unwind
and de-stress. It also enabled me to engage our kids in the baking
activity.

Lockdown has been a new experience with the fear of running out of
essential commodities; hence, simple cooking and baking have posed
as the need of the day.

Cookies can be prepared with very basic ingredients which are usually
available at home. My endeavour has always been to make baking a
joint venture for our family. The children would look forward to
partaking in the baking activity. Our daughter would happily help in
getting all the ingredients required for baking the cookies or cake
ready on the table and also help in mixing the batter, although I
would make the final dough. While the mother-daughter duo would
be busy with the preparations, our son would be buzzing around the
kitchen, doling out expert comments while waiting to have the first
bite. The siblings would share their own jokes, and for reasons best
known to her, our daughter would call her brother ‘Pinocchio‘.

Here I am sharing two simple and basic cookies recipes.

BUTTER COOKIES :
Preparation time 15 min
Baking time 15 min

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Ingredients :
1. White Flour (Maida) : 3/4 cup
2. Powdered Sugar : 1/4 cup
3. Butter, at room temperature : 1/4 cup
4. Baking powder : 1/2 tsp.
5. Salt : a pinch
6. Choco chips : (optional)
7. Vanilla essence : 1/2 tsp

Method :
1. Mix the butter and sugar till no granule remains and the mixture is fluffy and soft.
The butter will change colour.
2. Sieve maida, baking powder and a pinch of salt together.
3. Add the dry mix to the butter mixture. Add vanilla essence and mix it with a fork
into a soft dough and keep it aside for 5-10 min
4. Make small balls and flatten or you can give your desired shape using cookie
cutter. You can press 2-3 choco chips on top of the cookies (optional)
5. Preheat oven at 180 degree for ten minutes. Arrange the cookies in a baking tray
with a butter paper on it. If you don’t have butter paper, you can use a normal
white paper by rubbing some butter on the paper.
6. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Once it is done,
allow to cool completely and enjoy with tea or any hot beverage.

CHOCOLATE COOKIES :
Preparation time 15 min
Baking time 15 min

Ingredients :
1. Maida : 1&1/2 cup
2. Powdered Sugar : 3/4 cup
3. Butter at room temperature : 1/2 cup
4. Baking powder : 1/2 tsp.
5. Salt : a pinch
6. Coco powder : 1/4 cup
7. Vanilla essence : 1/2 tsp
8. Choco chips : 1 tbs

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Method :
1. Mix the butter and sugar till no granule remains and the mixture is fluffy and soft.
The butter will change colour.
2. Sieve maida, baking powder coco powder and a pinch of salt together.
3. Add the dry mix to the butter mixture. Add vanilla essence, choco chips and mix
it with a fork into a soft dough and keep it aside for 5-10 min.
4. Make small balls and flatten or you can give your desired shape using cookie
cutter. You can press 2-3 choco chips on top of the cookies (optional)
5. Preheat oven at 180 degree for ten minutes. Arrange the cookies in a baking tray
with a butter paper on it.
6. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Once it is done,
allow it to cool completely and enjoy with tea or any hot beverage. „

Note - While arranging the cookies, don’t place them very close to each other because
the cookies will spread a bit.

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Priyanka Sharma along with her family, has been residing in Bangalore for 15 years. A preschool coordinator, she has
been managing a centre for last 6 years. She loves to be around kids as their company makes her feel young, active
and keeps happy all the time.

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Grisha Sharma

CYANOTYPING

A Method to Develop Pictures at Home

Mid academic year, I learnt how to make ferri ferrocyanide, a

beautiful deep blue pigment, as a confirmatory test for iron(lll)
ions. I must have been a little obsessed with it because a day later
I knew tons of random facts about the chemical, the most intriguing
one being its historical use in making blueprints. I searched
YouTube for procedures on how to do this and found that the
procedure had been modified to develop pictures in a process
called cyanotyping.

I’ll spare you the chemistry, but basically I needed two chemicals,
a mixture of which would turn blue when exposed to sunlight
(more specifically, UV light). Since I didn’t in fact have these
chemicals lying around in
the spare cabinet, I
approached my teachers
for permission to raid the
lab. One lunch break
spent opening cupboards
later, a friend and I were
armed with the necessary
substances and got to
making the solutions.

I knew I wouldn’t be
allowed to take the
chemicals home so we
smuggled a small
amount of the solution in

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a bottle wrapped with black duct tape which I then stored in a drawer, and
promptly forgot about until two weeks ago when it caught my eye.

I had already prepared all the components needed to develop photos through
this process (which was essentially only photographic negatives and a pane
of glass), and didn’t actually develop any simply because 12th grade got in
the way. But seeing as I was so incredibly bored during the lockdown, I
decided there was no better thing to do to chase the boredom away.

What I needed to do was apply a thin even coating of the solution on a
piece of paper, allow it to dry then place the negative over the prepared
paper. The glass is
placed above the
negative to make
sure that it’s
pressed flat
against the paper,
essential for even
coloration.

The solution is
photosensitive.So I
set up a
sophisticated dark
room, by which I
mean I huddle
under a table with
my gear inside
a black garbage
bag, and set to
work. Fifteen
minutes later I’m sitting in the hot afternoon sunlight waiting for the negative
to finish getting exposed.

Once done, I eagerly get a tub of water to finish the last step of the process.
To wash away the chemical that hasn’t changed composition in the sunlight
due to the negative. I swish the paper around and am delighted when I
slowly see a picture being formed in that pretty blue I fell in love with.

Leaving the picture aside to dry, I considered the project a success and
thus spent many afternoons since making cyanotypes. „

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Grisha Sharma is a student of 12th grade who wrote her board exams this year. She is highly interested in chemistry
and greatly laments her inability to possess her own laboratory. Despite this, she finds projects to occupy herself,
including soap making and essential oil extraction, as well as baking, writing, and the occasional photography.

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Parthiv Goswami

Lockdown Days of a Student

It all started as a minor outbreak in China and the rest of the world

was cool, thinking they were safe. But it didn’t take long for this
outbreak to become more dangerous than the two World Wars.

When I heard my friends talking about it in school, I had no idea
what they were talking about. I couldn’t help thinking, what in the
world is “Corona”? But then when my dad was watching the news
on TV, I heard our prime minister say that there’s going to be a
lockdown for 21 days.

21 days!!?? Are you serious? Is this “Corona” so dangerous? What
would I do sitting at home all day?

Eventually I made it through the lockdown which lasted till April
15th. I thought the scientists must have found the vaccine already,
and everything would become normal again. No more sitting at
home. We will be back to the usual daily life…….But, ‘NO’!!! Then
came “lockdown 2.0” and BAM!! ‘Stay at home’ for another three
weeks. Of course you can kill time by doing things like cooking,
sketching, exercising etc... But doing the same thing every single
day will certainly make you feel bored.

Luckily for me, I have these live football and coding classes that
keep me going. My dad says that this will keep happening for a
year. A year??!! I thought that 2020 which happened to be a Leap
Year will be something new and something that doesn’t happen too
often like the Olympics or something. But by new and different, I
didn’t mean this.

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Dad also says that the scientists need to find the vaccine before the
governments lift the series of lockdowns. He says that it takes a lot of
time to make a vaccine, and he explained some “scientific” things to
me that I forgot totally. Except that it takes a lot of time.

I can’t wait to just get out of my home and meet my friends and
relatives. I am sure you are also feeling the same...I mean, who
wouldn’t? I think I’ll spend at least one full day outside after all this is
over.

The “scientific” things my dad told me

I tried my best to remember a few things, and then finally……I had to
ask my dad again.

Corona is a family of viruses, and COVID-19 is the real name of this
family member (virus). Nobody knows how this virus came to be or
how it became a pandemic from an outbreak, but the real danger of
this virus is that it spreads too fast and triggers problems in your
respiratory system.

Now, no one would want that, so the world has been locked down
and everyone is forced to stay home.

According to my dad, around 60% of the people in the world will
defeat the virus, without any medical help. Around 35% will need
medical help. 10% will be seriously ill… their lives will be in God’s
hands.

Finally the rest 2-3% will not make it. It may seem small, like… it’s
only 2-3%. But the population of the world is around 7.7 billion and
2-3% of it is a lot. It is around 142 million!

And you will be sorry if you were over confident and ended up among
those 142 million people. Preventing this is kind of like revising
‘good manners’ from your childhood, like covering your mouth while
sneezing using tissue etc... So, I think this lockdown is not that bad
after all, if we ignore the boring part. It is a learning experience for
humanity in many ways. There will be a new ‘normal life’ for people
across the globe after all of this. „

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Parthiv Goswami is a student of Class: VIII at Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir, Bangalore.

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Berlina Mazumdar

My Thoughts on

CORONAVIRUS

There is a poor family in Gujarat who used to earn money by stitching other’s worn

out shoes. We all know that because of the outbreak of Covid-19 caused by
Coronavirus, nobody can come out from their house. So, how will that poor family
earn their money now?

The government has told people that they would give food and money, but the problem
is that the government does not know how many actually needy people are there. We
think that the government has money, but it cannot afford to provide food and money
for all the people for a prolonged period. So the government decided to deduct
money from the salaried people to support the needy people.

The coronavirus started in China and later, it spread all over the world. Now, we can
see that China is doing fine while the other countries like the US, Italy, Spain are
suffering a lot. Sadly, our own country India has been badly affected by the pandemic.
The scientists are trying hard to find a vaccine, and medicines to tackle this global
pandemic. Nobody is allowed to travel. Few people are dying because of this virus. We
all are in a bad situation. To stay safe, it is better not to go out of the houses, especially
kids and old people. Nowadays, because of lockdown, kids have to play inside the
house. They spend time watching TV and making crafts. Some kids are studying and
attending online classes. If an adult needs to go out, he or she should not leave the
house without wearing a mask and gloves. We must make it a habit to wash our hands
with soap after coming home from outside.

If you don’t want to be affected by this infectious virus, you should take necessary
precaution, as we all know that precaution is better than cure. „

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Berlina Mazumdar is a student of Class 4 at St. Peters School, Bangalore.

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Koel Roy Choudhury

The Happiness
That Had Locked Down

Ira opened her eyes and sighed, “Another day.”

Just the thought of all the work that had to be done today,
irritated her.
She heaved herself out of bed, placing one foot at a time on
the cool tiles. She had to wash and hang up the clothes—
Oh!She needed to take out new pegs from the attic—there
was ironing to be done, and then there was also the pile of
dishes lying in the sink. Ira sighed again as she brushed her
teeth and decided that it was time to face the day, whether she
felt up to it or not.
She basically had no choice. There was no way that she could
take a breather, she couldn’t even go out.

‘All because of this lockdown’, she thought, whilst tying her
hair up into a bun.
Every day was no less than a torture. There was always so
much to do, but it was nothing new. The same monotonous
work every single day. It was the same before and now all the
more boring because of the lockdown.
She started to prepare breakfast.
Her husband walked down the hallway yawing.
“Oh! Hey honey, you’re up already?”
“Hmm…”
“Are you making breakfast?”
“Can’t you see for yourself?” she said, glaring back at him.
“R-Right…” he gulped down a glass of water and left, as it
seemed to be safer for him to do so.

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After a while, she put the knife down and she glanced at the
clock.
‘Ahh...it’s 9 already…’
She washed her hands and wiped them on her apron as she
walked towards the kids’ room. Only after lots of pulling and
yelling, did the kids wake up and Ira returned to the kitchen,
with half of her patience and energy drained.
—-——
After another busy day, Ira threw herself onto the couch.
“Ah...finally” she closed her eyes for a while before she grabbed
her cup of tea and sipped it.
She was finally able to get some rest in the evening. She
sighed as she remembered the things she had to do next. ‘Oh
God !!Work never seems to end; anyway, let’s forget all that
and focus on my dear Mr.Cup of Tea !!’, she thought, focusing
her attention back on a little bit of relaxation.
“Moooom !!! Ella has taken my pencil.”
“Mooooooooom!!!!! Eva took my pen first.” Her children
shouted at the top of their voices.
“Just return the stuff to each other.” she shouted back.
“Aaaah !! Why are you pinching me ? Mom, look at her!”
“You started it. Ouch !!Stop !!”
The children kept shouting, Ira ’s tea-break was disturbed. She
put her cup down and stormed into the room and roared,
“Can’t you keep quiet for once ?!”
The children turned towards her and felt a chill run down their
spines as they saw a menacing aura around their mother,
and felt like horns could pop up on her head anytime (yeah,
they watch lots of cartoons). As their mother kept scolding
them, they started bawling their eyes out.
“Oh !! What’s happening here?” their father came in.
‘Mr. Angel... Good timing’ thought the children.
Ira turned and spoke before her husband could say anything
more “You... don’t come in to defend your children now. They
have to learn to adjust and accommodate.”
“Uh-huh…okay…Haha…but, are you scolding them for just
fighting with each other ?”
“Ye s ”
“Isn’t that weird… it’s not like they have never fought for silly
reasons earlier, right?”
Ira got annoyed, “Well you won’t understand my point of
view, hmpppphhh!! Forget it. Manage your dinner”

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So saying, she stormed out and into her bedroom, banging
the door close. The rest watched cluelessly with their jaws
hanging.
Ira lied on the bed and took a deep breath, and before she
knew it she fell asleep.
—-—
Ira opened her eyes. ‘Ugh, it’s so hot!’
She got out of bed and walked over to the balcony rubbing
her eyes.
‘Ahh… it’s so quiet’...
Ira glanced at the beautiful stars, which decorated the sky
giving it the look of a bride. She felt refreshed.
Suddenly she heard something.
There were many voices, she was sure of it. They had an
ethereal quality; like the voices were singing solemnly from
the other side of a canyon. Ira straightened up and blinked
a bleary eye at the blank television screen. She shook her
head again, wondering just how tired she was.
The voices were beautiful, but they were loud, and this was
three in the morning she thought her ears were ringing.
Nevertheless, Ira padded down the hallway to the kitchen.
Entering the kitchen, she saw plates lying on the counter,
everywhere. The dinner plates were stacked on one side, the
dessert plates were set in a checkerboard pattern on the
floor beside them, and the serving dishes propped up on
chairs.
Ira shook her head for the third time, brushing a stray curl
out of her eye and making sure she was actually seeing
what she thought she was seeing. Surely, this was just a
terrible prank from the kids, some sort of twisted apology...
they did things like this all the time...
“She’s here! Look! Look!”
The dishes vibrated. She realized where the sound was
coming from.
“...still maintain silence and greet her.” one said.
They rose again in perfect harmony, vibrating with each
word, “Nice to have made your acquaintance.”
With that, the dishes rolled up on their sides and rolled past
Ira. Some swerved around her, others stopped for a moment
in front of her feet.
They paid silent tribute to Ira, until the very last dish, a
mismatched china plate Ira seldom used, slid past her. Their

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porcelain voices rose once more in ringing harmony, sounding
even farther away, there was a smashing.
“Oh no! An accident” cried the knife.
Ira turned and ran to the living room, without a second
thought, amid the tinkling of broken glass and piles of powder.
Ira could hardly believe what she had just witnessed.
She sank to her knees beside the rubble. “Hahahahaha ! I
must have gone insane. Haha ! Dishes talking? What
nonsense!”
What just happened? D-Did she witness the dishes speak?
—-—
It had already been two days since Ira started to hear the
voice of the dishes. It was hard to keep her composer right.
She had to endure all the chit-chat alone because no-one else
could hear them. So she avoided speaking and tried to ignore
everything except her work.
“Honey i’m putting this plate here”
“Ye a … ”
“Hey come on! Cheer up, okay?”
“Hmm” she tried to control herself. But it was almost like it
was written on her face that she was struggling, which made
everyone worried.
“Look at me!” Tiny Teacup said. “I’m filthy!” He winced as he
noticed the tea stains all over his body. There were lipstick
stains on his rim too, and he was starting to smell more of tea
than he cared to smell. Coffee was his favourite—coffee—
when
would they ever learn?
“Who’re you to complain?” said Dinner Plate. He didn’t even
want to take a
breath, because the curry stains would end up in his mouth,
and all the grime
from the other dishes might touch him too. He shuddered.
“It’s about time we do something. Hey, ma’am please wash
us”
“Yea, please. I hate sweets. They make me feel so sticky and
all ants climb upon me.” said the spoon who was used for
eating pudding by Ella.
Ira couldn’t reply until her husband left the kitchen, “I will
wash all of you. But let me finish cleaning. I’m busy. Noone
will help me, you know. Ugh, it’s so annoying” she said,
frowning.

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“Hmph such a stupid person. Of course, the only thing you
know is how to find excuses.” said the grumpy tea pot.
“What?”
“Hey don’t waste your energy, she won’t understand.” said the
chopping board.
All of them agreed to it and kept chatting.
“Wait, what do you mean…what do I not understand?” she
finally asked rather angrily.
Silence fell upon the kitchen.
“You always keep nagging around” the plate spoke up.
“Yea, it’s not like you’re the only one working.”
” You get annoyed for no reason.”
“You are….”
Ira burst out in frustration, “STOP!! I don’t understand… I haven’t
done anything like…”
“Ira…”spoke a calm voice. It was the little yellow cup with a
broken handle. He was very old and wise. It was a cup Ira
cherished like it was a treasure since childhood, which is why
she had it even now when its handle was broken.
“Ira. Calm down.”
“Uncle yellow… please explain...what’s wrong with me….what
do they mean? Why am I so frustrated?”
“Well my dear, listen to me well.” all turned to him.
“I know it’s not very easy to keep calm all the time, but you
should understand, it’s hard for all; everyone has their own
problems. Your workload has increased and that is totally
understandable. But don’t forget yourself. Spend some time
alone and give attention to yourself. Express your views calmly
to your family and then you’ll see how they’ll cooperate. And
lastly, don’t feel negative. You are the one who’s pouring anger
into yourself. Think positive, be happy. Your happiness lies within
you.”
“...” There was a moment of silence.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Ira started clapping which was then followed
by a series of claps and cheers.
“Thank you Uncle Yellow.”
“My pleasure dear.”
—-—
Ira entered the living room, where everyone was sitting.
“Hey…” she smiled
“Mom!!!” cried the kids who ran and hugged her.
“Ohh?”

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“Mom, we are sorry.” said Eva
“Yeah, we will not trouble you nor fight; we will be good
children!” said Ella
“And we’ll also help you out. It must have been hard on
you” said her husband.
“Aww. That’s so sweet of all of you.”
“Come mom, let’s all watch this movie”
“Yeah!!!”
The house was once again filled with warmth and happiness.
—-—
“I think,” piped up Mrs. Saucer, “that we should sing a
song.”
“Why?” asked the knife.
“Well, it’s the last day we will be audible to her”
“Then I think yes, let’s enjoy!”
“Oh well,” Mrs. Saucer said, “you did see that Marinna
Liquid advertisement on TV yesterday, didn’t you?”
“Oh yes.” Dinner Plate shuddered. “They were eating dinner
in front of the TV. Ahh that weird atmosphere has finally
vanished. Look how happy they are now.”
“Yes well, the dishes sang a song,” Mrs. Saucer said. “Did
you hear? Marinna
Liquid has the power of a hundred citrus fruits in one
bottle. I propose that we sing a song, just like those dishes,
we might become younger and more beautiful.”
Dinner Plate sniffed. “It’s all hogwash you know. If they did
have that much power, they’d corrode us all to porcelain
dust!”
Mrs. Saucer had her way. She argued that they should sing
Ira’s favourite song—”Aaj mein oopar aasman niche”—
Dinner Plate had finally agreed, so did the others. They
might have a better harmony that way, and besides, it was
a much more artful song. The dishes burst into singing the
song.
And Mrs. Saucer—as usual—had missed a half note and
the tablespoon was a little off the beat, nevertheless it
soon ended up in a happy and harmonious melody. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Koel Roy Choudhury is a student of Class: X at Indian Public School.

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Golden Hope

It initially was chaos, Anwesha Saha

Hustled in a world of billions.
Social distancing wasn’t a thing back then...
Families got separated, and so did souls from humans.
Schools shut down and so did our sanities.
Everything had gone black for a moment.
Believe me, I’ve felt deep distress,
Through these days, these tough days,
Everyone complaining about how nasty the days have been;
and about all the lovely lives stolen away...
But every problem comes with a present...
And this time - it was the presence of Hope;
That Hope, we can use to stay strong and fight,
Like we never did before, as we used fists and feet.
We never had time to use it until now,
Social distancing brought the family closer,
Just yesterday, I met my brother’s eyes for the first time,
Him peeping through the little gap of the door.
That connection - so rare, so precious.
Yes, this pandemic brought us closer,
If we feel a little harder, hope will glisten within our hearts.
It will warm our nature and say how decisive we can be.
Our brains are loose now,
While we work on what we undermine,
While we sing with our dad and mom.
Our stress levels are down, as we listen to the music we love.
Nature isn’t plotted by us anymore,
We can hear the sweet chirping murmured in our ear.
And the ocean waves gently landing,
Not abused by pieces of metal and scrap
Hope is a golden of life,
And what I learned is that I need it to be strong,
And face challenges where I might seem weak.
I believe in myself, but with Hope, I believe in everyone.
Hope is always with us, we use it wisely,
And never forget how this started and got us united. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Anwesha Saha is a student of Class 6 at Frankonian International School, Erlangen, Germany

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Anayah Saleh & Aron Saleh

When our words twinned during Lockdown

Lockdown has put my wicket down

I can’t play or go to the town
I am becoming mad
And I am troubling my dad

We feel like animals in the zoo
And animals come visiting us peek-a-boo
I have become super crazy
And mom always calls me lazy

Though I am happy I don’t need to study
But I am sad that I cannot see my buddy
I do video calls with my friends
Showing them my toys is the new trend

I am trying to write a story
It has some facts and some history
I am watching movies daily
And still left with plenty

Under the fan I sit
To chase away the heat
From morning my parents cook
While I sit and read a book. „

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Anayah Saleh & Aron Saleh are studying in Class III at DPS East, Bangalore

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Novel Coronavirus Nakshatra Raj Das

The new Coronavirus pandemic

Was an unexpected new kick
We can either follow the required trick
Or else go outside to fall sick.
Unfortunately there’s no vaccine for this disease
Which technically separates our families
But as our preventive efforts release
We can eliminate the virus with ease.
Now everyone has to wear a mask
When they go out for an essential task
Every time we go out or bask
Be aware, the police can ask.
When we finish our work outside
We soap-wash our hands keeping all other works aside
Sanitize outside items, few rules to abide
So that Coronavirus has no place to hide.
We can stay at home and read books
And learn how to be good cooks
While nature restores some old looks
That were initially destroyed by the crooks.
This is why Coronavirus deserves many claps
But of course, even some slaps
Coronavirus has helped nature restore its maps
And also maintain our little gaps.
It is a widespread invisible gun
That can easily kill our fun
Due to lockdown, nature’s healing has just begun
For a better place under the sun. „

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Nakshatra Raj Das (Niyor) is a student of Class 9 at DPS, Bengaluru.

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Dhrupad Goswami

My Assam

Assam is the Land of Peace,

Where the mighty Brahmaputra softly breathes.
Fishing is very common in the state,
An activity that is full of elate.

It is where all people live harmoniously,
And their handicrafts are done beautifully.
All year farmers' crops grow well,
From lot of ploughing by a bull with a bell.

The tranquil sky with birds flying above,
And the flapping wings of the humble dove.
Assam is famous for its forest & vegetation,
Its flora and fauna being fascinating attraction

The festival Bihu is special and unique to the state,
Various colourful orchids attractively decorate.
Assam is famous for aromatic tea,
And blessed with Maa Kamakhya as its identity. „

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Dhrupad Goswami is a student of Class V at Kensri School

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Sanjana Goswami

Exam Over

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Sanjana Goswami is a student of Class VI at DPS, Whitefield.

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Rushank Nil Borgohain

Life in Covid Times

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Rushank Nil Borgohain is in Grade 3rd of Delhi Public School, Whitefield.

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Aaryan Aman Shah

Night Owl

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Aaryan Aman Shah is a student of Class II at Vibgyor High School, Bangalore.

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Trisha

The Tree

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Trisha is a student of Class III at DPS Bangalore East.

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Rithvik Sanagavarapu

Confined But Not Broken

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Rithvik is in 6th grade of Greenwood High International School, Bangalore.

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Akankshya Borah

Kamakhya Temple

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Akanksha Borah is in Class IV at Mount Litera Zee School, HSR Extn. Bangalore.

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Trigya Nayan Das

Avengers Corona War

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Trigya Nayan Das (Tuhin) is a student of Class V at DPS Bangalore.

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Corona Related
Word Search

Soureen Dutta

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Soureen Dutta is a student of Class VII at Greenwood High International.

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