Shishukunj

Handicapped

Debanshi Bansal, Class X D

Rohan, a teenager, would often stand on the terrace of the house and watch the colourful kites flying in the sky, wishing that one of the kites would be his. Alas! That was not possible. Two years ago on ‘Makar Sankranti’, that joy was stolen from him. That day still brought tears to his eyes. The dreadful day he lost his father.

His father, Motilal, was a factory worker, earning just enough to feed his family of three. It was Makar Sankranti and Rohan pleaded his father to buy a kite. Both of them started walking towards the shop when a speeding car hit them. His father died on the spot, leaving Rohan handicapped. Rohan could not accept the fact that his father was dead. If only he hadn’t pleaded his father to buy a kite and ‘charkha’!

So now, instead of having a ‘charkha’ in his hand, he held the saw. Instead of tying the strings of broken kites, he tied wood together to make ends meet for him and his mother. Instead of cutting the kites of other children, he was cutting wood to make furniture.

That day had indeed left him handicapped. Not physically, but mentally and financially. He was robbed of his childhood in a blink. Coming back to the present reality, Rohan wiped his tears and ran towards the factory where his father used to work. Not to revive a memory, but to start his work for the day.

From a Dream to Reality

Amey Choudhary, Class IX D

It was a pleasant Sunday morning and I was as excited as I could be. I could hardly wait to break the news to my grandmother. I left the house and headed straight to my grandmother’s home. As I drove, I remembered how energetic she was when I was young. She used to take care of me and play with me. But now she had arthritis and lived with a helper in her ancestral house. He took care of her, gave her medicines, cleaned the house, cooked food, etc.

Now, as I entered the colony, I was so excited. I found her sitting in a wheelchair in the porch. When she saw me, she was so happy and elated. She had a wide grin. I knew that the news I was going to break to her was quite important. I took her inside in the room so that nobody could hear us. She was a bit surprised but when I told her what I had discovered, she was so happy. I had never seen her so happy in my life. But after all, what I had discovered hadn’t been discovered by three generations.

I had found where the treasure of a Nawab of Lucknow was hidden. I will tell you more about it first: my great grandfather was a close friend of the Nawab. During the freedom struggle, fearing that he may get killed, he had given the treasure to my great grandfather for safekeeping. My great grandfather had hidden it somewhere.

Before my grandfather could tell my grandmother where he had hidden it, he was arrested on false charges of treason. He had left a clue and given it to my grandmother. My grandmother couldn’t decode it. She had then given it to her children and even they were unable to do so. Now when I received the clue, I decoded it and identified the place where it was kept. I told my grandmother where it was. It was under the peepal tree in the garden. My grandmother and I went there. I dug near the tree and found a box. Our eyes shone like crystals. As I opened it, I found a note and some crystals. The note was written by my great grandfather. It asked us to keep the whole thing a secret and protect this treasure with our lives. I saw tears in my grandmother’s eyes. When she looked at me, she didn’t speak but I knew she was very proud of me.

Why Not Praise the Thunder?

Maria Malik, Class IX G

I was happy, lazy staring at the window pane;

What I saw was thunder, lightning accompanied by heavy rain.

I never knew if paper boats could be caparisoned that way;

Dark creepy thoughts entered with a beam of golden ray

Colours of saffron, golden and yellow had disappeared that day;

Blue, black and grey had given way to dismay.

You could even take the wild thunder as a radio track;

Or maybe a ghostly sound, haunting and black.

My teeth were chattering, my lips rosy pink;

How can anyone hate these pretty puddles all the way, I think.

I pray to God to never let their paper boats sink;

To see them jolly, merry and happy after every blink.

Heavy rainfall can be equally bewildering;

Whatever it be cats, dogs or any human being.

The birds are spotted looking for shelter in this heavy storm;

I wish I could bring them in my blanket to keep them cozy and warm.

Am I the only one who enjoys every form of nature;

In this fake world of materialism created by every creature?

I hope to find someone who thinks the same as me:

Not cursing the weather but being thunder thirsty!

2. Five People I’d Like Helen Keller to Meet

Riddhi Singhania, Class X D(After reading Helen Keller’s The Story of My Life)

1. Bernard Morin

Bernard Morin is a mathematician, who became blind at the age of six. He studied in a blind school till the age of fifteen and had interests in Philosophy and Mathematics. The practicality of Maths so attracted him that he became a mathematician.

Helen Keller’s autobiography tells that she hated Mathematics. But I, being a maths-lover would have liked Helen to meet Morin, to know how abstract numbers can be so fascinating, even for those who can’t see.

2. Hadeel Ayoub

The autobiography of Helen Keller describes times when Helen got frustrated as she could not express herself, especially when she hadn’t learnt to speak.

Thus, I would have liked Helen to meet Hadeel Ayoub, who invented gloves with sensors that converted the sign language (lorm) into text and speech. It is very helpful for the deaf and blind, who can’t speak. I think, Helen would have been happy and curious to know how people use technology to make the disabled feel, that the world has never been different and easier for others.

3. Malala Yousafzai

Helen Keller has been known to achieve success despite barriers, and so has Malala. Learning and education was the goal for both.

Malala fought for girls’ education against Taliban and is the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. Helen, I think, would have felt nice to meet someone, who fought for her and others’ education even in the cannon’s mouth. Like minds make great acquaintance, and thus, the meeting of Helen and Malala would have been the most memorable, where both would inspire each other.

4. Keller Johnson Thompson

The name ‘Keller’, of course, tells she might be related to Helen Keller and, indeed, she is Helen Keller’s great grandniece.

Everyone has this aspiration, to meet the next generation or even one’s great grandchildren someday. But this wish, obviously, can’t be fulfilled. But I would have liked Helen Keller to meet her great grandniece, who, she would have been happy to know, was inspired by Helen herself. She was from her childhood told about Helen by her grandmother and Helen’s life inspired Keller to become the Director of Education at Helen Keller Eye Research Foundation, and even run school programmes about Helen’s life. Undoubtedly, Helen would have felt proud of her niece!

5. Riddhi Singhania

That’s me! I would have liked Helen Keller to meet me, or rather, ‘I’ would have liked to meet Helen Keller. This meeting would have been a gain for me.

Reading merely the autobiography of Helen Keller made her an inspiration for me. Even after the bitterness of not being able to express herself, she went on, and overcame her challenges to see and hear the world not with her eyes or ears, but, with love. Her tireless and successful efforts – to learn sign language, manual alphabets and Braille, writing books and later working for other blind and deaf people – make me wish for one chance to meet her. It would be really interesting to meet someone, about whom you are being taught in your course books!

1. Five People I’d Like Helen Keller to Meet

Vasudha Gupta, Class X D(After reading Helen Keller’s The Story of My Life)

Keeping in mind the immense growth in technology and the breaking of social stigmas, I would like Helen Keller to meet these five people, who I think would have a great influence on her.

1. Kevin P. Corcoran

He is the CEO and president of the Eye Bank Association of America which in 2016 provided 82,994 corneas for transplant, success rate being 95%. Helen would surely be inspired by how technology can help bring sight back to blind people and perhaps Helen would invest in this noble cause and feel happy how so many sight-challenged people are now being liberated of their disability.

2. William F. Austin

He is the owner, CEO and president of the Starkey Hearing Technologies which is the largest hearing-aid manufacturer. No matter how much success he achieves, he will always be remembered for his generosity and his vision: So the World May Hear. The foundation fits 100,000 hearing aids annually. Helen would be inspired and influenced by him as he used technology for fulfilling one of Helen’s dreams.

3. Malala Yousafzai

Malala lived in a society where girls’ education was not supported. At a very young age she became an activist for girls’ education resulting in even being shot by Taliban. It is only a spirited person that can truly understand the fiery spirit of others. Helen would be inspired by her and be led to believe that no matter what the odds be, struggle can make you rise. While Helen fought physical constraints Malala fought social barricades. After meeting Malala, Helen would feel grateful for the optimism shown by her own family and teachers in helping her overcoming her physical disabilities.

4. Hemant Gupta

He is the CEO of BSE Samman. The wealthy have always been approached for charity to social causes. Taking a step further, the central government of India made it mandatory for corporate houses to invest 2% of their profits to social causes. BSE Samman is a platform where these corporates can find genuine NGO’s doing good work. This helps to facilitate the movement of a lot of money to the needy effectively and easily. Helen would be influenced by the sheer magnitude and clear planning of such a platform for charity and would then move on to channel her charity through a better platform.

5. Bill Gates

While he is best known as the co-founder of Microsoft, he now focuses most of his time on philanthropy, running the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This foundation gives grants for initiatives and programs across the globe for agriculture development, emergency relief, global libraries, urban poverty, global health, education and the handicapped. Till now Bill Gates has donated $27 billion for these causes to many organizations including UNICEF. Helen would appreciate that Bill Gates was not just focusing on a particular problem faced by a sector, like she did primarily for the deaf and the blind, but he is trying to cover all the major problems across the globe across many sectors.

Watch Out!!!

(Class IX Story Writing Competition: One of the Best Three Stories)Kartike Chopra, Class IX F

10-year-old Sally gasped as she entered the large hall. It was made to hold a thousand people. Sally had read the magazine and wanted a peek at Olivia’s watch. Olivia was the daughter of Mr. Robson, the owner of Trapwire Industries. He was so rich that he could afford his personal watch maker Dortrund Revter. Olivia’s watch was worth $ 2 million.

Sally and her mother quickly recognized the 16-year-old girl surrounded by four bodyguards and adorning an exquisite dress with elaborate stitching and gem work and a diamond studded necklace. They went and greeted Olivia and thereafter retraced their steps.

“My watch!” Olivia cried. “It’s missing! I had it with me till a few moments ago!”

Mr. Robson could not believe that his daughter had lost the very expensive limited-edition watch. He quickly had everyone frisked at the exits. Two dozen guards were called and they first turned towards Sally and her mother. After all, they had been the last ones to greet the princess. Nothing was found. Nothing showed up in the flower pots either.

Olivia broke down and Mr. Robson rushed to console her and promised her another watch. T.V. reporters surrounded the girl. The huge doors of the hall were opened and the unfortunate visitors filed out.

As the valet brought their car, Sally tugged at her mother’s sleeve “Mommy!” she said, “Did you get a glance at the watch everyone has been talking about?” “No, my dear”, her mother said, “I wonder if the watch was ever there…..”

A significant statement, don’t you think? Maybe it was after all another gimmick of the rich world?

Honey and Poison

(Class IX Story Writing Competition: One of the Best Three Stories)Ayush Baweja, Class IX G

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. I was as excited as could be and could hardly wait to break the news to my grandmother. I left the house with my briefcase. Inside the briefcase was a single document – a contract from Mr. Sinclaire, Chicago’s biggest crime boss. He had called on me to be the getaway driver for a bank heist. A single mission from Don Sinclaire would pay enough to support my grandmother and me for years. I rushed to her and excitedly told her that our days of suffering were about to end. Ever since the accident killed my parents, she was forced to work long hours in the nearby factory. I jubilantly described my meeting with the Don and the contract. Yet, she did not reciprocate my elation.

Instead, she stared at me disapprovingly. Her deep, dark eyes bore into mine. She spoke with strict authority – “No”. I was taken aback. Clearly she didn’t understand the magnitude of the job. I tried explaining it to her, but she wouldn’t budge. She said that she would rather work till she died than live on stolen money. ‘She’s going senile’, I thought. This small setback wouldn’t come in between me and my money.

The night of the heist arrived. I drove the car swiftly through the night. Once we reached the bank, the men got out and inconspicuously extracted the money. No evidence was left behind. A clean job. We quickly left to escape. We were done. Easy money. But just as we turned the corner, I was blown out of my wits. In front of me were several policemen behind a number of police cars – all armed and in the center of all that was none other than my own grandmother!

I got out of my car, with my hands up, towards my grandmother, with a look of rage and that’s when she told me something I had never known. She said, “Your parents did not die in an accident; they were murdered. They were thieved of their lives.” I realized what I had done. I had committed a great mistake. The killer thieved lives and I had thieved money. I was no different from the killer. I regretted my decision and accepted my punishment. The day had taught me something – a drop of honey is better than a pound of guilty poison.

A Sleeping Genius

(Class IX Story Writing Competition: One of the Best Three Stories)Vidhi Dev, Class IX A

Tara had a problem, a very strange problem. Like every other problem she had, it involved her bratty younger brother, Shrey. Her family had recently moved to a smaller apartment, where she had to share a room with him. She had tried very hard to persuade her parents to let her stay in a different room. But it was to no avail.

So, Tara shared a room with Shrey. Now, coming to the problem, Tara discovered something. Her brother was not a light sleeper. He snored. But even worse, he talked in his sleep. It would’ve been fine had it been just nonsensical garbage. But unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Every night, it was different. He would recite pi or deliver Martin Luther Jr.’s famous speech ‘I have a dream’. He would sing songs ranging from the national anthem of the United States to the harvest songs of the farmers. And how can you sleep when that’s going on?

Tara was done. She was fed up. She was annoyed. But most of all, she was exhausted from getting no sleep. She tried telling her parents, but they would hear none of it. She had no choice but to go to Aunt Stella. Her aunt could help with any problem, no matter how big. She was basically the go – to person for everyone in the family. ‘She has a solution for every problem. No matter how weird it is, her solutions are even weirder!’

Thinking this, Tara immediately rang up Aunt Stella and filled her in on the problem. Her aunt listened intently and when Tara was done talking, Stella told her what her plan was. Upon hearing it, Tara was baffled. She highly doubted that it would work and expressed her concern to her aunt. On hearing them, Aunt Stella reassured her, “I know it seems like it won’t work, but believe me honey, it will”. Tara was still skeptical but she agreed to give it a try. What did she have to lose anyway?

That night, Tara waited for Shrey to fall asleep. He did and in less than half an hour, he was reciting the Gettysburg Address. That was her cue. Tara picked up her Hindi course book and started reading out the poems loudly. And surprisingly, that shut her brother up. Wonders never cease!

Tara could finally sleep peacefully at night for her brother never sleep-talked again. And she had her eccentric Aunt Stella to thank for it!

You Don’t Know My Story

Lakshya Somani, Class IX A

I am a soldier but you don’t know my story,

All your eyes can see is my glory.

I have seen days worse than you could have,

I have been there even when you should have.

I am brave, I am bold,

My hands do not open in front of gold.

To money and power, your souls you’ve sold,

But deep in my heart, my integrity I hold.

I have fought wars and seen a lot of blood,

You’ve seen parties and a lot of pubs.

I have witnessed sorrow and felt the pain,

You have danced and enjoyed in the rain.

Don’t think I live my life in vain,

Everything to lose, nothing to gain.

But my heart is dedicated and so is my brain,

Not to just one person but the entire human race,

I fight on the ground, not in space.

I am humble, I am bold,

I am a soldier and my story, now you know.

The Lion

I saw a lion in the woods,

It looked all fierce and crooked.

I thought of running away as soon as I could,

But I don’t know why, long there I stood.

I wondered what was the real story?

Is the lion what it really shows?

Is it just the King of the Jungle, as the world knows?

Then I gazed to the other end,

There lay a hunter in the bend.

He sat there with a shotgun,

His aim was at the little one.

The lion aware of this situation,

Had already lost its patience.

It was angry because as a father,

Someone dared to hurt its world.

Maybe that’s why the lion is fierce,

It just can’t see its family in tears.

That is how I want to be,

Who, in pain his friends, can’t see.

I may not be liked by everyone,

But that’s fine by me as long as my friends are hurt by none.

Book Review: The Hero’s Guide To Saving Your Kingdom

Aryan Tomar, Class VII D

This book by Christopher Healy, is a mix of some very popular fairy tales… with a twist. In most fairy tales we read, the princesses get to be the stars while all their knights in shining armor are mostly shunned. Almost all of them are referred to as Prince Charming. Not in this book.

This book is a newer version of the fairy tales from our childhood. All the princes of Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel are specifically named as Prince Liam of Erinthia, Prince Frederic of Harmonia, Prince Duncan of Sylvaria and Prince Gustav of Sturmhagen respectively. The book is humorous and sees the princes in awkward situations like being captured by bandits, sat on by trolls and even in the middle of an actual bar fight. All the princes have different personalities like the elegant Frederic, the courageous Liam, the somewhat weird Duncan and the gruff Gustav.

The book sees the princes trying to earn a name for themselves to make a reputation for themselves in an attempt to stop a witch from taking over all their kingdoms in a chance to prove themselves as heroes.

The book is a must read for all Shishyans and will be accompanied with many humorous moments.

Month: February 2018