Snippets of the mind by Gagansvaid

Being the progeny of druggie parents isn’t a piece of cakewalk. There are scars, pain, a constant battle that needs to be fought and a feeling of sheer helplessness. A home which is meant to provide you with warmth, love and security turns out to be a place where you dread to go. The music blaring makes you want to cringe, the smell of alcohol suffocates you and the presence of unknown people makes you hide somewhere in the corner of your ro om. She could hear people laughing, shouting and slurring downstairs. She knew tomorrow would be another messy day for her, with all the heaps of syringes, bottles strewn everywhere and even her parents lying somewhere on her floor. It gets worse when she sees her father forcing her mother to sleep with his friends because that’s an easy way to get hold of more drugs. Sometimes when her mother would be sober, she would rebel and would get beaten up badly. Lost in her thoughts, she heard a blood curling scream coming from downstairs. She rushed out

5. I have always been inspired by my mother. In childhood the way she started her day, with preparing breakfast for me and lunch for school. The way she taught me late nights, prepared meals for me with all her love and heart. I have always been so much inspired by her.  Then I grew up, from school to college and there came a point in life when I started disagreeing with her. Her ideas about my life and my ideas for my life clashed many a times, but she always found happiness in my happiness. Although she had many dreams for me, but I couldn't stand up to her expectations. Still she never left my side.  When I look at this bond between me and my mother I thank God with all my heart for giving me such a close friend in my mother who could play both the roles perfectly. Like mothers are and we have seen in films or real life—the best film, we can see how a mother can sense what is cooking in her child's mind instantly. Now that child grows up into a man like me, throug

By Kasak People often tell me how painful it is to be away from people they love. It is as if the brief moments of unison do more harm than good. Sometimes countries are different, sometimes time zones clash. The work required to sustain the relationship is way more than any futile brain drenching fling. I had heard of this pain but never quite felt it. People say and write vivid things, which find their way from the ubiquitous serious of repetitions. ‘I love you more than you’ll ever know”, “you have my heart”, “my soul craves your presence” and so on. Other than that, they resort to fancy whatsapp emojis to display their affections. Some even start doubting the authenticity of their relationship if the number of kiss emojis their S.O sends is less than the previous day. ……………………………………. I have had muses before and they have made me feel a variety of emotions which I experienced, interjected, fought and finally bled on hidden corners of Microsoft word. But I never quite

4. Today when we are no longer in a relationship of love, we are actually in a relationship of love. Breaking the ties of being considered lovers, we tie a knot of being considered lovers. We tried to understand what we meant to each other, and finally in this journey I can say that we have found our place in each other's life. Friendship was a word over which I always pondered, but with you in these last two years I have felt it, I have lived it and yes I have understood what it means.  A wonderful feeling which gives rise to a craving for each other. A craving to see the sunshine in each other's eyes, to feel the warmth of friendship in your presence. I couldn't have asked for more in this college life, than a friend in you. The present gives me an enriching feeling to be proud of my luck, which brought us close.  Starting from the time when you made me realise what it was to love, to the time you made me realise what it was to be friends. I had been a wanderer sea

3. Be those the  passages of th e heart or be those the rhyming scales. Altogether knitted together I had my soul asking me several questions. But matter of factly, the soul was questioning itself. So it had to answer itself as well. The difference of my soul and the 'me' had to be sorted out. Or moreover why was it, that I was trying to mark the difference between the two if both meant one only, that was  'myself' . My soul and 'me' questioned their individual identities and then agreed on being just 'myself'. Nothing superior or inferior when life is like a boat while I sail in it incessantly. I sail in my thoughts, in my reactions, my reflections over different issues, concerns which form their presence around me. The questions I discussed about already so far, are dealing with my past, present and my future.  In order to find their answers I hit many junctions, and the hunger doesn't descend but only perpetuate and grow. In findi

1. Who are you what defines your identity , is one such question that I have been asking myself for a long time over and over again. I like to dance on my own tunes, I don't expect an audience to see my dance, for it is what I do for myself. I like to sing, although I wouldn't ask for an audience to listen to my songs. I want to write, and this time I want an audience that talks to me. For the many roads that I followed in my life, at the end it was writing only that took away my heart. This is a field where I do not compare myself with anyone else, because like in arts—everyone has one's different artistic approach to go about understanding the subject one is working on, given one takes that field seriously. In dance also, or in any form of art this can come into view. There are competitions to find out the best competent out of a group of artists. There is nothing wrong in that I feel. For winning or losing doesn't make us better or worse. What it does is to for

Who doesn't know, the present circumstances, the continuous wastage of resources, the showcase of ill manners as honking on roads alive, to throwing dirt wherever one likes to, I ask, who remains unknown of these facts of life? I heard to introspect was a good option, The dreamers of the utopian world, I question you in all my senses, How longer do you think, Are you following your very road? Do you take any actions on your own, or you wait for the government, to bring the much needed change, when you see the reality of life, in front of your eyes! Pollution, pollution, not enough good air to breathe, air, air—oh, is it poison that I heard? I think I must be right, for that is what stands in everyone's sight! I wish to breath, live in this city, but do you think, is the condition this easy? Well, if you want to bring the change, then you have to start from yourself, Isn't it? I plead with a heavy heart for nature!

Written by Ritika  Sarraf Freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of speech are some of the rights that the Constitution of India guarantees us. Every constituent of our 1.2 billion population is well versed with their fundamental rights but how many know about fundamental duties, let alone disposing them? Shouldn’t our freedom be limited by our duties? Can we, in the name of freedom of expression, malign the very soil which has nurtured us?  Stretching the limits of their freedom indefinitely, some JNUites raised slogans like – “ Bharat teri barbadi tak jang rahegi, jang rahegi ” , which effectively translates to- “We will fight till India is destroyed”. Studying in one of the prestigious educational institutes of the country, centrally funded through the Indian taxpayers' money, these students who the nation sees as its future torchbearers are sloganeering against the very spirit of this idea called India. The same country which has given them all the oppor

I remember, what I would say in those days.  I would say, "Yes, the words are less, Yes, the words I hold for you in my heart of hearts, Those words, are less. How much should I tell you, When my words don’t let me say? How can I but not express to you, When you are my night, my day? But you know, like I said, My words are less, my words are less. I know, I should not complain, I know the sunshine I saw, For you it was disdain, I know, our thoughts were never same. I know, that six years were less, Lesser to say to you, What I kept hidden, just for a day, When I would say, and you would listen. That day never came,  do you know why that is so? Because, the words were less." Then finally one day,  I picked upon my dictionary, and that day you know I slept, with open eyes. For that day, I learnt a few words, three of them being, “I”, “Love”, and “You”. Yes, you heard it right, “I”, “Love” and "You”. That ni