Shishukunj

If I could…

Ronit Banerjee, Class VIII C

If I ever had the chance to live a day as any other person, I’d without hesitation choose to be my favourite author, Dan Brown. Not just because I want to have as much wit as he does, to write endless, gripping and immensely thrilling novels, but also as he has the opportunity to travel around the world and admire some of the most illuminating historical landmarks and that in itself is more than satisfying.

Only the opportunity is not what matters, but also the ability to understand all of it. In a day, being him, I’ll probably go to Florence, Italy. Set in the lap of rich Italian Renaissance History and Literature, the city’s gravitas is just a treat.

But in all the beauty, it’s the haunting tale of Florence’s own aristocrat, Dante Alighieri, going through hell, heaven and purgatory, which attracts me the most. After some research about his book, ‘Divine Comedy’, I’ll go to the heavenly Saint Bapoli Gardens which will spark my imagination with its sobering effect on my mind as it is symmetrically aligned to the location fo the sun and the eclipse moon.

After such enlightenment, I would have enough material for my new novel. But, to pen down the chaos surrounding the horrendous Black Death, the predicament faced by the aesthetics of Dante, the uproar, the history fo the age of Michelangelo and Bernini, takes courage and creativity.

Dan Brown once said, “An artist’s life is royal, yet a tragedy,” showing his conflicts, which turn into beautiful pieces of art themselves. And thus, I’d like to partake in the life of this creative genius.

The Breakfast

Advaith Krishnan, Class VI G

The sun was bright. The birds were chirping merrily. It was late in the morning. ‘Hmm’, said Mr. Brown, the bear, yawning.

‘Bright morning. Might be able to get some breakfast.’

He came out of his cave. Mrs. White, his neighbor was also up and swimming in her pond. Mrs. White was a swan. She said, ‘Good morning Mr. Brown.’

‘Why is my name Mr. Brown? After all, I am a black bear. Shouldn’t my name be Mr. Black? That would have been so appropriate.’

Lost in these thoughts, he ignored Mrs. White. As he walked, still musing, he did not notice that the grass had cleared to a smooth black surface. Suddenly, a giant monster with glowing eyes and shiny scales came charging towards him.

Mr. Brown was not one to be scared by these antics. He had heard about these monsters from his uncle. He thought, ‘Maybe I should challenge it to a duel. I would be the first to defeat a monster.’

Mr. Brown roared loudly. The monster also responded with a high-pitched yell. Mr. Brown believed that the monster had accepted his challenge and ran towards it. He gave the monster a strong blow. The monster stopped with a shudder and many fruits fell from its head.

‘Hmm. Looks like it surrenders and is pleading me to stop. That’s why it is offering me fruits. Well, I’ve got my breakfast.’ Mr. Brown picked up those fruits and left looking for a nice spot to enjoy his meal.

A human came out of the car and after inspecting it, said, “That bear broke my headlight. It also took away our picnic food.”

Behind that Door

Adi Dantre, Class IX A

Sometimes, I wonder,

What’s behind that door.

Is it an empty space, all dust and floor,

Oak furniture, leather gloves,

Probably a millionaire’s galore?

Sometimes, I wonder,

What’s behind that door.

Shining diamonds, gold bracelets, ruby stones,

Probably a jewellery store?

Or could it be the land of Narnia,

Augmented with Aslan’s roar?

Sometimes, I wonder,

What’s behind that door.

Probably another world,

Where men are from Mars

And women from Venus?

And all technology a bore?

Or could it be a less cynical land where

The poor get more?

Love, happiness and trust would rule the floor,

Where chocolate and jelly bean would be daily galore,

Life and death won’t exist anymore.

If such a world really existed

Then I would love to step past that door.

Her She

With every second passing,

Her she is being killed.

Why this inhuman killing against her will?

Where lies the end to the boy manufacturing mill?

Is it when all voice shall be still?

No bangles, no skirts, no nail polishes,

No mother, no daughter, no sister, no wife,

When only men will step on this cynical bliss?

Great Indian Artists

Inter-House Board Decoration

Technology: Haephestus’s Skill or Hades’s Wish?

Abeer Shrivastava, Class XII A

Carrie P Snow once stated ‘Technology is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand and it stabs you in the back with the other’. It is appallingly obvious that mankind has surpassed its limits in advancing science and technology. Man has been constantly testing his capacity and ability in order to become god, unaware of its consequences.

In today’s world, necessity is no longer the reason for invention, the desire to progress is. The direction of this progress determines whether the society will develop along with it or not. This progress is achieved by technological development. As far as its direction is concerned, my views about it are skeptical.

On one hand, scientific advancement has tremendously improved and made our lives comfortable. On the other hand, it has worsened the same. For example, with the help of latest medical equipment and improved drugs, mankind has been successful in getting rid of diseases like small pox and polio and has discovered cures to anomalies earlier though inescapable. At the same time, human brain has forged bio-weapons like anthrax and give birth to phenomenon called biological warfare. Air conditioners and refrigerators, which were invented with the intention to keep us cool have a contradictory effect on earth. The CFCs they release have pierced the Ozone layer and have in turn caused global warming.

I support and agree that mobile phones have reduced work time and increased human efficiency, but their addiction has proved to be more harmful for the civilization than the radiation that they emit.

Science is a tool, if put in the wrong hands, can bring oblivion on earth but if put to use the right way, can ensure life for eternity.

Technology – Our Servant or our Executioner?

Juhee Goyal, Class XII E

Technology, in itself, is a summation of contrasts. It has the ability to control natural phenomenon to suit human needs and serve human purposes, as well as become the cause of natural disasters that take the lives of many; it has the ability to alleviate the pain of millions suffering from countless diseases, but can cause countless more; it has the ability to bring accessibility and convenience to many, while making the lives of others so complicated that they are unable to lead wholesome lives.

The impact of technology is too complex a topic to be stated as simply ‘good’ or ‘bad’. The line ‘If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner’, as said by General Omar N Bradely, underscores the fact that whether or not technology is good for civilization, depends on how WE use it.

Technology does have the ability to create a sort of ‘heaven on earth’ through a higher standard of living, eradication of life threatening diseases, and much more. All of which aid in the creation of an environment that caters to every need and want of humans. Sadly, at the same time, the multiplication of, in particular, these wants leads to the undirected use of technology, which, as aptly said by Charles a Reich, has the potential to destroy everything in its path: the natural environment, history and tradition, amenities and civilities, privacy and spaciousness of life – in short, civilization as we know it. Doesn’t this seem rather the opposite of what humans had envisioned technology’s impact on civilization to be?

Technology has indeed taught us that nothing is impossible: not even the total destruction of civilization by the very thing that was supposed to propel it forward.

हमसे और काम न कराओ

Amaysikirti Khurasia, Class IX F

हमसे न कराओ काम अभी हम छोटे हैं,

तुम्हारे बच्चों की तरह नहीं हम मोटे हैं |

हमारी उम्र है पढने की और लिखने की,

मगर रोज़ रचते हैं दीवारें तुम्हारे घर की |

नहीं मांग सकते कुछ भी हम मुक्त मन से,

रोज़ करते हैं काम पत्थरों के बीच भारी मन से |

नए कपडे, खट्टी मीठी गोली कहाँ नसीब में,

न ही हम बैठ के घूम सकते लम्बी गाडी में |

हम तुम्हारे बच्चों की तरह रोज़ आलस नहीं करते,

मगर इतना काम कर, हैं रोज़ अन्दर ही अन्दर मरते |

अब नहीं देख सकते छिले हाथों का खून,

मगर पैसे कैसे कमाएंगे सोच मन हो जाता है सून |

नहीं है मेरा अधिकार कि इस उम्र में मैं मजदूरी करने जाऊं,

सोच चुकी हूँ ये सच अब मैं सबके सामने लाऊं |

A Spinechiller

Selvi Katari, Class X A

“People often say, ‘There’s no such thing as ghosts. Well, earlier I was also one among them. Until one day, when it happened. I knew I would never sleep peacefully after that. The noises, those horrid sounds, the nightmarish night would keep me awake. I wished it to be a dream, for I desperately wanted the night to end and for me to wake up the next morning like nothing ever happened. Unfortunately, I knew this wasn’t my imagination.

Seventeen days had passed, but my mind replayed the twenty seconds of September all over again, for what seemed like the millionth time. it isn’t that I am a coward but I still cannot stop shivering.

The horrid ghoulish face of the ghost flashed in front of my eyes again. Seventeen days ago, I had gone to visit my mother’s grave for it was her tenth death anniversary. As I sat there in despair, I felt something moving behind me. As I turned, a soul from a grave behind had risen and was hovering over me. I can never forget the silver blood stained, transparent face, those red headlight-like eyes staring straight into mine or those long creepy pointed nails scratching my hands. I ran for dear life. It followed me throughout till I came out of the graveyard.

It’s been seventeen days, but the scars on my hands haven’t healed, neither are they any better. They surely are marks to further deepen my memories and they would never allow me to forget the incident.’ I concluded.

“Wow! That’s excellent! This will surely find a place in next week’s edition”, said the publisher.

Ostriches Can Fly

Anirudh Malpani, Class X A

As the light touched her limbs, she began to fly. She entered into a realm where she felt life was more about knowing, exploring and living than just sitting with the fear of height and the fear to fly.

Most of us have studied in our lower classes about birds and their different types. We know that ostriches cannot fly. But that day, I saw a flying ostrich! I was shocked. It seemed that the bird’s dream had come true. I was staring at her like a fool. She saw me and soon landed in front of me.

I got scared and took some steps back. She walked closer and I took some more steps backwards. But she kept coming nearer. Finally, she screamed, “Stop!”

I was shocked once again. It was not just a flying ostrich. It could even speak! She started speaking once again. “Why can’t we ostriches explore the world? We are also equal to you humans. We also want to fly, explore, know different things and be equal to the other birds that fly.”

I said, “Yes. What you say is all right and you can do all that but how are you able to fly! Ostriches don’t fly.”

The bird replied, “It is not true. We can fly but we don’t just because of a myth. Thousands of years ago one of our ancestor ostriches was flying very peacefully. But while she was flying, she laid eggs in the air and they fell on the ground and shattered. The same happened again with another careless ostrich and so from that time a belief was spread that if we fly, our eggs will crash and shatter.”

“That is great!” I said. “So from now you can do whatever you wish to. Now, I can understand that you can fly, but how are you able to speak?” I asked.

The ostrich replied in a menacing voice, “That’s a secret and let’s keep it that way.” She started laughing a wicked laugh and I ran away!