Shishukunj

At home

Art by Mallesh Kamdar, IX D, Raghav Sachdev, Class VIII B, Tanisha Shah, Class VIII B

Art by Mallesh Kamdar

Art by Raghav Sachdev

Art by Tanisha Shah

Thoughts

Muskan Lilani, Class XI B

There is someone in my room

who drops his tears at my life,

He searches for the happiness of my life

and pours his black blood in it.

Never thought that this mystery person

can be our own thoughts

clouding up above our soul.

(Muskan’s poem was also published in the Children’s Magazine – Robinage)

Once my grandparents were travelling to my cousin’s place on a scooter. After spending some time at my cousin’s house, as they prepared to leave for home, my grandfather called my grandmother and told her to sit on the scooter. After a while, he thought that she had sat on the backseat and drove away. In reality, my grandmother had just come out of the house. She tried to stop him but grandfather didn’t hear her call. On the way, he kept thinking that she was sitting behind him and kept talking to her. After a while, he found it strange that he wasn’t getting any replies from her. That was when he turned and he realized that he had left grandmother behind. He took a U-turn and went back to pick her up. He found her walking towards him. They both had a hearty laugh as they headed home. When my grandfather shared this incident with me, I just couldn’t stop laughing!

Besides my family and friends, I also love animals, especially dogs. I hate it when someone hurts them. Every day, in the morning, I go for a walk with my mom. One morning I noticed my friend Tina throwing stones at a stray dog to keep it away from her house. I felt very bad. The dog is also a living being. It may get hurt. If the dog got angry, it may even bite her. She could have just tried to scare him instead of hurting him. I later talked to my dad about this. He told me that there are some organizations which adopt stray dogs and that we can also stop this by spreading awareness amongst people. I will also talk to Tina about this.

A poem for my favourite family member:

The Angel of my Dreams!

Oh! There’s a lady,

She sometimes calls me lazy.

Just think about her,

It will really make you crazy.

Whenever I cry,

She asks me, oh why?

She always makes me smile,

And keeps her sadness in a file.

Oh this wonderful lady,

Is the angel of my dreams.

Can you guess who she is?

Yes, of course, it is my mom!

Raksha Bandhan

Anushka Mimani, Class X B

Some think of it as just a thread,

Some fail to comprehend the deeper meaning.

For me that little piece of coloured string-

Signifies our bond, our love and all the feelings,

That we share towards each other.

And even though I’m not beside you today,

I want you to know, I want to confess to you my dear brother,

That, all those silly brawls, the smiles fun and laughter we shared,

Will always stay priceless, always remain cherished.

Just knowing I have someone to count on, just knowing that someone still cares,

Makes me feel so happy, makes me feel so blessed!

Independence Day

Naman Pandey, Class X D

Today, I woke up and felt the sunrays awakening patriotism in each and everyone. Patriotic songs were being played in every street and locality of the city. The Tricolor, seen usually during cricket matches could be seen raised high by everyone brimming with pride.

Independence Day, the word alone fills you with a feeling of patriotism and love for the country, but it also leaves behind some questions. Are we really free? Have we overcome each and every hurdle? No, but we have certainly tried. Just after independence, our country was just like a chaotic jigsaw puzzle. We have done a pretty good job of putting these pieces together. We are yet far from completely fulfilling the dreams of our valiant freedom fighters who gave their life for our freedom.

We, the youth, are India’s future. It is our responsibility to take India to the true realm of freedom. Let us together give India a fresh start and turn it into the epitome of development and peace.

Jai Hind!

My India Experience

Stephanie Downing, Exchange Student (Hawaii – USA)

Namaste! Although this is my 4th visit to India, this has been my first trip to Indore and my first time learning Hindi. I am half Indian but my familiarity with Indian culture, history, and the language is poor since I have lived in the US my entire life.

My first impression of India when I visited 12 years ago for the first time was the consistent honking of all the cars and auto rickshaws. In my hometown of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, very rarely do commuters blare their horn when driving and if they do, they are subjected to nasty looks and expressions from other divers.

Before arriving to Indore, I along with the other exchange students took a 14 hour train from New Delhi. This was my first time on an Indian sleeper train and it was truly an adventure to say the least.

At Mandu

I was surprised to see how close the quarters were and how difficult it was to use the bathroom while moving 100 km per hour.

I was also amazed to see how much unoccupied land there was as the train travelled past the villages. Some of the villagers lived so isolated from society and probably had no access to supermarket, a hospital, or other modern day essentials. I wondered how these people were able to get by when extreme weather conditions occurred or if there was a medical emergency.

Throughout my visits to India, I have experienced on many accounts, the kindness and generosity of the Indian people. I have created some of the most meaningful relationships during my visits, which is always the best memory I have of every trip to India that I’ve had. These relationships have contributed to the acceptance and understanding of other cultures and beliefs around the world.

I look forward to spending another month here in Indore and feel very grateful to have this amazing cultural opportunity.