SEPTEMBER 2020

LITERARY DIGEST www.literarydigest.in | SEPTEMBER 2020 | VOL # 1 - ISSUE 05

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW Meet Sanna K. Gupta

POETRY Hindi & Urdu from Meenaxee’s pen

FEATURE Celebrating Traditional Handicrafts

SEPT ISSUE Cover photo by: AMAN SIDHU INSIDE: THE BOREDOM FIX

MARCH OR DIE THE WHEEL OF DESTINY EVERY ‘BODY’ IS A GOOD ‘BODY’ THE TIMES OF COLOMBO

SAGUNA JAIN

The FOUNDERS

She started her career with the ‘Times of India’ way back in 1992, but soon moved to Chandigarh, where she started teaching journalism in the Deptt of Mass Communication, Panjab University. Went on to own and manage the first event management company in the ‘city beautiful’ called Event it Right! Then she turned a consultant for events, business development & media. Fundamentals Consultancy Group, her consultancy firm in association with her new venture Intyoutive, that she is a partner in, works on three verticals design and publish in-house magazines, offer consultancy to start ups and organise literary workshops and events. Daily post, one of the newspapers that she was a consultant with carried her weekly column on parenting for over five years. A mother to two boys, aged 23 and 20, Saguna is an ardent golfer and believes in the simple mantra - we all live and learn!!!

HARDEEP CHANDPURI He is a media professional with a keen interest in the ‘written word’ and started writing weekly columns for ‘The Tribune’, called ‘Popthrob’ and ‘Jukebox’ while still in college, which were a huge hit with the youth. He completed his Masters in Mass Communication from Panjab University, Chandigarh.

After studying in Australia, USA & Canada, he moved back to India in 2001 and launched ‘Radio Buzz’ in the year 2002. He is a renowned broadcaster and trainer having hosted more than 8000 radio shows in India and abroad. He is often credited for revolutionising the radio scene in North India. A proud Limca Record Holder, for his brand ‘Academy of Broadcasting’ he is also the Founder of Ferntree Publishing, the Gen Secy of Chandigarh Literary Society and co-Founder of Inkspire. He is now jointly launching a print magazine this year.

SHONA SINGH She is a Masters in Journalism from the University of Westminster, London and also a holder of a Diploma in Freelance Journalism from UK. She did her schooling from Convent of Jesus and Mary, Simla. She has had an exceptional career in media, starting out with the ‘Indian Express’ and as a golf columnist for the ‘Financial Express’, New Delhi and is currently a special golf correspondent for ‘The Tribune’. An experienced golfer and a regular contributor to ‘Golf Digest’, she also extensively covered golf in Europe for the ‘Golfing Yours’. Her passion for writing and golf also led to regular contributions while travelling on the Asian Tour. A Press Officer at the IMG run Indian Open and BILT Open, India's biggest professional golf tournaments, she used her vast experience to set up the media office of the players’ initiated Professional Golf Tour of India.

CONTENTS 04 Author Interview

11 March or Die

06 The Boredom fix

07 Meenaxee Raj’s exquisite poetry

14 To the woman left behind by the martyr

15 Punjabi@

08

17

Celebrating traditional handicrafts of India

The Wheel of Destiny

10

19

Designing your dream garden

Every ‘body’ is a good ‘body’

21 The Times of Colombo

All the opinions and views expressed in the articles stories/features etc., belong to their respective authors and DO NOT reflect the views of the Literary Digest or Intyoutive Ventures. Any Brand/Movie/Publishing House names mentioned in the magazine are ONLY used for representational purposes and the copyright/trademark is the property of their respective owners. The brands, if and where mentioned/used are not associated with us in any manner. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts/Forums/Tribunals in Chandigarh (India) only.

The Literary Digest is an online publication of Intyoutive Ventures.

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Intyoutive Ventures reserves the right to accept or reject submitted articles/features/poems etc.

Sanna K. Gupta She is a former architect, an author, columnist and a graduate from the prestigious Deakin University, Australia.

INFLUENCES Writers who weave complex characters and stories, crisp writings and leave the readers with an element of surprise have always impressed me. I have been an ardent fan of Chitra Bannerjee Divakurni for the way she weaves the characters in her book, in shades of grey. Paulo Cohelo, Manju Kapoor, Sigmund Freud and Khushwant Singh have influenced the writer in me in one way or the other.

ABOUT BOOK ‘Hands That Disobeyed’ is an unusual love story where a woman who is suffering from Alzheimer’s finds love while being in a happy marriage.. The story talks about the monotony that matrimony brings and the “unclassified love” that most of us take to our graves. The book also talks about how acceptable is emotional infidelity in the garb of platonic love.

in the possibility of a platonic relationship, unexplained companionship and love beyond the realms of social norms. All the characters in my book are formed very carefully, observing people from real life. There are subtle nuances that a writer picks from real life and then makes them come alive on paper.

Since my book has a lot of sub plots, it keeps introducing characters every few pages. A lot of homework in terms of reading, writing and re-writing was done while forming the characters.

REASON TO BUY THE BOOK ‘Hands That Disobeyed’ is a story that either every reader has lived or would want to live. If you are looking for a refreshing story that is going leave an impact on you even after the book then you can’t miss this one.

THE SUPPORT This novel is a very bold and evocative story of a woman and for a first time author to come up with a story like this requires lot of conviction and lot of support from the family. I am glad that I could overcome the fear of being judged because I have a very supportive spouse.

THE ROAD AHEAD I am working on my next book, a non-fiction this time. It is based on real life stories of Punjab and it’s people. This is very different to my first book and is a very research oriented project.

YOUR MESSAGE Keep editing! Writers like sculptures need to keep chiselling their work. Be open to feedback but don't let that bog you down, evaluate your work every now and then. Read a lot, writing is an acquired talent and reading THE JOURNEY gives a new perspective to It took me three years to come out with ‘Hands That Disobeyed’ thoughts, vocabulary and ideas. as it took me about two years to INSIGHT We often get scared when told of write the book and about a year PUBLISHING EXPERIENCE My experience with Ferntree how much someone loves us. We to edit it and then make it Publishing has been excellent. As publisher friendly. I was very somehow feel we might be an author, I did not feel lost in walking into something we don’t sure not to go with any vanity publishing and I was waiting for the hierarchy of the organisation. want, something perilously They helped me understand the my script to be picked up by a tantalising so we shrink back. process of being an author from traditional publisher. My own There is intensity in love that a writer. From choosing the belief in my manuscript helped only a seasoned woman can cover to finding the right me take all the rejections very exhibit, the one who is distribution network , it has been quintessentially wrapped in her positively. The book is now a smooth run with Ferntree. getting a good response and in own desires and clothed in her duties towards life. ‘Hands That retrospect, it all seems worth the Thoroughly professional and transparent with their work, yet Disobeyed’ is a story of a woman wait. they make you feel at home. who discovers love very late in life. It almost makes you believe

Ever sipped lemonade from coffee mugs?

Or tried eating popcorn with chopsticks?

No. This post is not about any trending FB challenge; it's about examining an old adage, 'Variety is the Spice of Life', (quite old actually- appeared for the first time in William Cooper's poem 'The Task' in 1785).

You'll all agree with me when I say that humans are infamous for getting bored with anything and everything, all too soon. For instance, you buy a new car you love, thinking that it will make you happy every time you drive it, but not even a month has passed, that the excitement is all gone!

Now, it's just another car. Or, you reach out for your favorite drink. The first sip tastes delectable and nearly overwhelming, but moments later, you're hardly noticing the taste as you drink it. This is even true for listening to your favorite song, smelling flowers, drinking tea, watching funny videos and many such pleasures. We are consumed by the pleasures we get from certain experiences because they instantly lift our mood, making us feel thrilled, delighted and even ecstatic.

Unfortunately, the effects of these pleasures are almost always quite fleeting and ephemeral. In other words, we get used to them rather quickly and boredom begins to set in.

Getting bored of something that gave you pleasure initially is termed by psychologists as 'hedonic adaptation', which simply means satiation. Everyone experiences it for nearly everything that makes them happy- a major reason behind

The

BOREDOM FIX boredom and unhappiness.

The fix?

Try unconventional ways to experience the routine tasks. And this is where coffee mugs and chopsticks come in. In one study, 68 participants were asked to eat some popcorn. Half of them were asked to eat conventionally, one popcorn at a time, and the rest used chopsticks. It was found that those who ate with chopsticks enjoyed the popcorn eating experience more than others. This is because when something seems new, people not only pay more attention to that experience, they even enjoy it thoroughly.

Go ahead, try eating popcorn or nachos with chopsticks, and if you really want to get adventurous, sip water from wine glasses, lemonade from coffee mugs and eat each slice of pizza in a different way. Even post it as the new FB challenge, let it trend, what the heck!

The bottom line is that variety is the spice of life, sprinkle some of it every day to make each moment of your life count!

Contributed by:

ADITI AHLUWALIA Psychologist and Counsellor

तुम ने कब से सीख ली बाज़ारी बात लगता है पढ़ आए हो अखबारी बात हफ़ दं गलो ं म होती ह भाड़े की िजरह चुप चाप पड़ी ह मु े की बेचारी बात अब बातो ं का रं ग है हरा या केस रया सतरं गी थी ं कभी तु ारी हमारी बात कहते ह बातो ं से मन ह ा हो जाता है कैसे उठाएँ बार िक ह अब भारी बात

MEENAXEE RAJ लािज़मी नही ं अब कोई िकरदार रखा जाए ज़माने भर का ख़ुद को ताबेदार रखा जाए शाही ख़ज़ाने को यूँ बरक़रार रखा जाए मािलक ए असबाब को ही ख़रीदार रखा जाए शाइ गी का इस जहाँ म कोई मोल नही ं अपने ऐबो ं को चलो सरे बाज़ार रखा जाए नर ए सुख़न का नही ं कोई क़ायल यहाँ अब इ हारो ं को ही असरदार रखा जाए

Meenaxee Raj is an officer with the Haryana Administrative Services, presently posted as Joint Transport Commissioner and Chief Vigilance Officer, HAFED, Haryana. She has previously been a judge in Haryana and Rajasthan for about three years. She pursued her BA (Hons) Sociology from Govt College for Girls, Sector 11, Chandigarh and LLB from Delhi University. She has been the only woman SDM of Ferozepur Jhirka, a remote subdivision of Mewat. Besides, she has served the Education Department Haryana as Joint Director, Joint Secretary to the Governor and Joint Director Urban Local Bodies, Haryana. She is the youngest civil servant in the country to have been a member of a Govt of India Committee along with sitting High Court judges. The Committee gave its recommendations to Govt

of India on

international parental child abduction, an issue of imminent international relevance. She has an Urdu poetry book to her credit in the name of ‘Paighaam-e-Sukhan’, which was released in 2017

by Hon’ble Justice Anil R Dave (Retd JudgeSupreme Court of India).

Celebrating the TRADITIONAL HANDICRAFTS OF INDIA MUD & MIRROR WORK

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ud and Mirror Work (also known as Lippan Kaam) is a traditional mural craft of Kutch, Gujarat, India. ‘Lippan’ or mudwashing using materials locally available in the region, like mixture of clay and camel dung keeps the interiors of the houses cool. Though the work is limited mainly to the interior walls, it can be found on the outer walls as well. These scintillating murals bring life, gaiety, and beauty to the generally harsh life of people of Kutch.

Mud and Mirror Work is mainly done by the women of the Rabari community. The women are so experienced in this art form that they usually don’t draw or trace a pattern before beginning work. Rabari is the pastoral community of Kutch, living in the outskirts of its villages. They dwell in a few clusters of communal or family houses known as Bhungas which are designed and built to take care of their practical needs in the harsh climate of Kutch.

Various communities in Kutch do mud-washing in their own distinct style. Artisans of the Muslim community practising this art-form stick to graphic and eye-catching geometric patterns of ‘lippan kaam’.

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Mud mirror work gathered attention of the modern world for its intricate pattern and aesthetic perfection and has made a full transition from its unknown modest stature to the mainstream art world, decorating the walls of urban homes

SEEP-KA-KAAM ‘Seep-ka-kaam’ or Mother-of-pearl inlay is a popular craft practised in the city of Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Products such as boxes, lamp stands, candle stands, ashtrays, chessboard, flowerpots and photo frames etc are created under this craft-form. Tools such as grinder, metal cutter, shell cutter and woodsaw are used for crafting purposes. It is also known as ‘oyster work', as it uses the glimmering iridescent inner layer of material that lines oysters and other mollusc shells. The craft was brought to North India by the Mughals where it flourished thanks to a plentiful supply of pearl oysters from the Indian Ocean.

PICHWAI PAINTINGS Pichwai is a style of painting that originated over 400 years ago, in the town of Nathdwara near Udaipur in Rajasthan, India. The word Pichwai comes from 'pichh' meaning back, and 'wai', meaning textile hanging. Intricate and visually stunning, pichwai paintings, made on cloth, depict tales from Lord Krishna's life. Creating a pichwai can take several months, and requires immense skill, as the smallest details need to be painted with precision. Lord Krishna is often depicted as Shrinathji in Pichwais, which is the deity manifest as a seven-year-old child.

Other common subjects found in pichwai paintings are Radha, gopis, cows and lotuses.

Contributed by:

Himani Galhotra Founder Touchstone Interiors

DESIGNING YOUR DREAM GARDEN Planning to create a beautiful garden in your front or backyard. You can achieve your goal by following some basic fundamentals:

T

drainage of your garden in mind. For example: If you have some large tree in your garden, nothing sun loving would grow below the tree due to lack of sunlight & photosynthesis.

You can place the rocks, stones & moss between stones, some climbers that grow in shade and also the area under the tree could be used for sitting by installing waterproof garden furniture or natural rocks, could be used for the purpose. You can grow water-loving herbs such as Italian sweet Basil, Mint & Wheat grass etc., in lower areas where you get more water in your garden, similarly herbs like Lemon grass, Rosemary & Oregano should be planted in controlled watering areas.

I have been often asked by many that I should write about the best potting mix for people living in ats/apartments to grow plants in pots for their balconies & terraces.

he first and foremost rule to begin gardening All-purpose potting mix suitable for majority of is to know about the type of soil (analysis).

Types of soil are Clay, Sand, Loam, Peat & Silt plants: Sand part 30% + Earth/Soil part 30% + 20% Coco etc. The best & easy way to ďŹ nd out the type of soil in your yard is, to dig down one to two feet deep into Peat/Peat Moss + 20% organic compost the visible top layer of your soil. This way you will be For Succulents or cacti: The potting mix could be able to identify the clay, sand or chalky texture of made by using soil + perlite + sand in equal your soil. proportions.

Improving your soil is one of the most important tasks within gardening to get the best blooming garden and healthy plants. Soil improvement could be done through mixing one kind of soil with another, for example: loam+sand and by adding natural stimulants readily available in the market, like various kinds of plant mixes, fertilizers Contributed by: & organic manure to stimulate better growth of SEEMA SHARMA plants.

A Masters in Ecology & Environment and Diploma holder in Healthy & fruitful soil could be achieved by Landscape & Horticulture from University of Canberra, Seema has making it rich in nutrients through addition of designed and executed prestigious projects like Airtel Campus organic matter and proper drainage to avoid water Gardens, IT Park Chandigarh, Infosys, DLF Valley (Kasauli, logging. Going the organic way, you can add dry & Amravati, Hyde Park) etc and founder of Merry Mind Landscapes. rotten leaves, organic compost & cattle dung compost to your garden.

Irrigation or watering of the garden is another most important factor, especially, if you are planning a large grassy lawn. It has to be uniform, leveled & well-drained. The next step for you is to plan your garden on paper, for that you need not be a landscape architect, just jot down a few points on the basis of the amount of light you receive in your garden, climatic conditions and the plants suitable for these conditions. You can mark your area length & breadth-wise, pathways, stone laying, artefacts & props by keeping the existing features & water

MARCH OR DIE A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE CORPS OF GUIDES

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he North West Frontier of pre-partitioned India was where the Indian Army came into its own and became the most professional volunteer Army in the world. The Frontier became a sort of a classroom or a precursor for the Indian Army's stellar role in the two World Wars. Accounts of life on the Frontier have been documented over the ages and are replete with tales of bravery, derring-do and undying loyalty. No place on earth has perhaps seen continuous conflict, as the Frontier has seen.

Armies over the ages have marched through the barren hills of the Khyber Pass to lay claim to that ultimate prize- India, The Jewel that many a Crown sought. Philip Mason, one of the best chroniclers of the old Indian Army has described the Frontier as “...harsh, fierce and jagged; rocky peak, serrated ridge, dry icy upland, stony breathless valley that pent up the heat; a marksman behind every rock; a war of sniping and ambush and long marches at night, occasionally the rush of yelling fanatics sworn to die for the faith of Mohammad…”

The Frontier played a leading role in a game of shadows and intrigue played out between the imperial Empires of Britain and Tsarist Russia in what has now come to be known as The Great Game, immortalized by Rudyard Kipling in 'Kim'.

The term “The Great Game” was originally coined

by Captain Arthur Conolly, one of the earliest players of the Game and who met his end at Bukhara, where he and another British officer, that he had been sent to rescue, were executed by the Emir. In the 19th century, the British Government in India was very wary of the expansion of Tsarist Russia South of the Caucasus Mountains, taking the Khanates of Central Asia into their empire and thus knocking on the very door of its Indian Empire.

Afghanistan, by virtue of its geography was considered to be a buffer state between the two rival empires and both sought to control this wild untamed land. Afghanistan therefore

became a very important pawn in the game being played out and by extension the North West Frontier needed to be policed and guarded when the British East India Company moved in after the fall of Sikh Empire in the wake of the AngloSikh wars.

The Indian Army was involved with the North West Frontier for a century. It began with the invasion of Afghanistan by the Army of Indus in December 1838, which became to be known as the First Afghan War. The intention of the British was to install the pro-British Shah Shuja (a former King of Afganistan in exile in India at the time) on the throne of Afghanistan in place of Dost Mohammad, the Amir of Afghanistan and thus thwart the Russian progress towards the Frontier of India. Shah Shuja was installed on the throne in August 1839, but his rule was short-lived. The Afghans rose against what they perceived to be a British puppet in November 1841.

In Kabul a mob stormed the house of British Resident Sir Alexander Burns and lynched him and thereafter laid siege to the British Cantonment.

Promised safe passage by the Afghans after a series of negotiations the remnants of the Army of Indus marched out of Kabul in January 1842, numbering some 700 Europeans, 3800 Indians of the Kabul Garrison and 12,000 families and camp followers.

Constantly sniped and ambushed en-route, the remnants of the British 44th Foot (Essex Regiment) made a last stand at Gandhamak where they were annihilated. Only one man, Dr William Brydon, made it back to the British Garrison of Jallalabad. Thus ended the first foray of the British and Indian Armies in Afghanistan. In September 1842 an Army of Retribution entered Kabul and ravaged it, burning the famous and spectacular Char Chattra, the covered bazaar of Kabul to the ground. It, however, made one thing clear to the British and that was that Afghanistan could not be garrisoned and the Frontier had to be held at all costs. Suffice it to say that the British restricted themselves largely to punitive expeditions on the Frontier thereafter, rather than invading the country in force.

Following the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in June 1839, the Sikh Empire disintegrated, largely on account of internal strife and an abundance of 'Mir Jaffers' in the Lahore Durbar.

The British and Sikhs fought a series of wars known as the First and Second Anglo Sikh Wars between 1845-49. Following the defeat of the Sikhs in the Second Anglo Sikh War, the British annexed the Punjab and in the process inherited the wild North West Frontier. The Frontier had now become a British problem and policing it was no small feat.

It was essentially a question of how to protect the farming population of the Indus Valley from the roving bands of Pathans, who would descend from their mountain fastnesses to plunder and pillage the villages in the plains. As there were no units of the East India Company in the Peshawar valley, the nearest being in Lahore, it was thought expedient to have troops loyal to the British in the area itself.

Thus was born one of the most iconic formations in military history-The Punjab Irregular Frontier Force or simply the 'Piffers'.

The Piffers have in fact given the postIndependence Indian Army its most successful, iconic and loved commander - none other than Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw who was

commissioned in the 4th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment. The Piffers were formally inducted in the Indian Army in 1886, prior to which they were under the orders of the Punjab Government, though nominally under the control of the C in C, India.

The Piffers had many iconic Regiments like the 51st Sikhs, 5th Gurkha Rifles (FF), amongst others. One of the most legendary units, however, was the Corps of Guides, uniquely comprising of both Infantry and Cavalry in one regiment.

Following the collapse of the Sikh Empire and the British taking over Punjab, an enormous task faced John Company's administrators- the policing of the volatile Frontier. Sir Henry Lawrence, who founded The Lawrence School, Sanawar in 1847, was tasked with this unenviable task in the capacity of Resident at the Court of Lahore and Agent to the Governor General for affairs of Punjab and the North West Frontier. Sir Henry was assisted by a brotherhood of men, who later came to be known as 'Henry Lawrence's young men' to take on this onerous task.

Sir Henry chose two young officers of his coterie - Harry Lumsden and William Hodson as Commandant and Second-in-Command respectively of the Corps of Guides. William Hodson went on raise another iconic regiment, The Hodson's Horse or 4 Horse, which today is a senior Cavalry Regiment of the Indian Army's Armoured Corps.

(To be continued in next issue......)

Contributed by:

SUMER SINGH BRAR

The author is an alumnus of The Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan, The Lawrence School, Sanawar and The Army Institute of Law, Mohali. Hailing from an Army background, the author's father was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. The author currently resides in Panchkula and is a practicing Advocate in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh.

ANXIOUS Mistakenly used to mean “eager”. Anxious means “to be uneasy or apprehensive; worried.”

Incorrect I am so anxious to see my new grandson.

Correct Shanaya grew anxious as her turn to speak drew closer.

ENORMITY Mistakenly used to mean “enormousness; immensity” Enormity means “outside moral boundaries; heinous on a huge scale; excessive wickedness” Incorrect We were overwhelmed by the enormity of the Taj Mahal.

Correct The enormity of the regime's crimes was beyond belief.

ETC. Mistakenly used to refer to people. Etc. means “and so forth; and the rest.” It is used at the end of a list of things, not of people.

Incorrect The course is of benefit to web designers, graphic designers, fine arts students, etc.

Correct Bring any kind of dessert such as Gulab Jamun, Gajar ka Halwa, Rasmalai, etc.

IRONIC Mistakenly used to mean “an amusing coincidence”. Ironic means “an outcome opposite from the expected outcome; an intended meaning opposite to the literal meaning.”

Incorrect How ironic that we have the same birthday!

Correct How ironic that he spent his life trying to achieve fame, yet it was his death that made him famous?

MORBID Mistakenly used to mean “sad; unpleasant”; Morbid means “diseased; unhealthy in body and mind.”

Incorrect His morbid disposition is his only companion.

WORDS COMMONLY MISUSED

Correct He is mentally unstable and has a morbid fascination with death.

OFFICIOUS Mistakenly used to mean “like an officer.”

Officious has nothing to do with the words officer or official. It means as “aggressively nosy; meddlesome; excessively forward in offering service or advice.”

Incorrect He handled the task admirably, in an officious and commanding manner.

Correct My friend is an officious guy who is always barging in with unwanted suggestions and offers of help.

PERUSE Mistakenly used to mean “to look over casually; to glance over quickly.” Actually Peruse means “to read or examine thoroughly, with great care.”

Incorrect I perused the book quickly and decided it wasn’t for me.

Correct Peruse this report carefully, to ensure there are no ambiguous statements or inaccuracies.

TO THE WOMAN LEFT BEHIND BY THE MARTYRED The saluting gunshots

by MONICA AURORA

About Monica Aurora A 62 year-old living in Goa, Monica is the wife of a retired businessman and they have two married sons.

She has been a poetess for five decades, having published a book: ‘Milestones in my Life’ - in 2009.

Her poems have been published in the local newspapers and also a magazine.

After dabbling in voluntary achoring for several programs, training children and adults for public speaking, she found poetry to be therapeutic.

Poetry may be her hobby, but it gives her great satisfaction to share it with others.

The bodies wrapped in tricolour The anger, the regret, the vows To avenge each martyr; Yes-my country has bravehearts That fills me with respect and pride, And a national feel of pain; But what is it that nags my heart, The heart of a woman That can empathize With a woman in personal pain The permanent loss of the wife, the mother Of the soldier who will not come again To see how she bravely held the fort Whenever he was away, How she instilled values and integrity In the little ones at home, How she fortified her nerves to Brave each day with spirit, And counting silently the day he would return.......

And here, today, she salutes him For what he did for people He did not know (But who belonged to the nation He had pledged his life to Above the pledge to his own family), And she, through streaming tears Bids him farewell, Yet with a voice that shames the cowardly, she booms: Jai Hind!

RUPINDER SINGH AULAKH is a Design Engineer based in Seattle (USA).

He calls himself an ardent observer and art enthusiast.

He ďŹ rmly believes that art saves us from our own negativity and acts as a mode of absorption and contentment.

His passions include writing, and promoting punjabi culture through creative photography and Punjabi calligraphy.

NOMENCLATURE By: Dr. Ashita Sharma

What's in a name, You say Everything my friend...

If a hideous monster Resembles ' a flower ' Do not soften it By calling it 'Corona'.

Unless, blissful, oblivious One does not know The meaning!

But it is repeated, Over and over Every second Broadcast to the world Describing its notoriety.

Like no one, Would be insensitive To refer to, A serial killer as 'Adonis’ However handsome The bloke maybe.

There are matters More pressing you say, Why ponder over...It's just a name!

Maybe it's the scariest War of our times When the uncertainty Of every day Is translating to Harder times ahead.

Maybe it is the Depressive lockdown When the clapping The lamp lighting Is not holding, The promise it should.

The dipping finances The falling currency The impending fees The trying times Embracing the hardships As ordinary people would...

Has left us, With a sense of doom, And a yearning, For a merciful 'Holding of hands’, By the people Who matter to lessen the burden, In lieu of the havoc Created by The Corona.

POETREE Dr. ANU DUA SEHGAL

A poetic heart; a passionate mind and a gypsy soul - she writes poems to celebrate the beauty of words and take a break from the cold and loud world of Twitter

A THANK YOU NOTE FROM THE KNEES The injured leg And the paining knee; Not strong enough To stop the crazy me.

I have miles to go for 100 Days; Rain, sunshine or storm Come What May! The hilltop you see Down from the valley; That’s my zenith, Not these streets or Alley.

Not a marathoner, sprinter Or running for gold This is my life’s battles; My personal goal.

Calling you, the one, Running away from life; Smell the coffee; tie your laces; Join me to feel alive!

Because even when the odds Are against 10 to 1 Together we can do it One more kilometre we run!

(A humble feeling of taking part in 100 Days of Running Challenge with the group The Run Club that has members who run despite the challenge of a prosthetic leg.....and inspire non-runners like me)

carefully, had said.

“But, Sir,” David had countered, “there's no real cause it's just a gunboat crisis.”

THE WHEEL OF DESTINY A Story of the Great War Opening Chapter of the forthcoming book ‘The Wheel of Destiny’ by Mandeep Rai

M

oving briskly yet like a shadow, the thirtyone-year-old David Freeman, a career diplomat, who was Principal Secretary to Sir Edward Grey, emerged at 11.40 a.m. from the opulent office of the Foreign Secretary, a look of deep concentration on his brow. Tall, with a broad forehead, wearing a blue blazer and striped blue tie to match, he looked to all outward appearances a picture of good grace and brightness, and yet none of it was reflected in his reflective, blue eyes.

Entering his chamber, he stood at the arched window and gazed at the interplay of sunlight and dark grey clouds. 'If war breaks out, mornings will no longer be beautiful,' he thought involuntarily and inwardly winced. It was a stark moment of stillness as a strange echo of the future engaged him. In the distance the Thames, flowing soundlessly on to eternity, reflected the passage of time even as he seemed to rise above the river of life and take a bird's-eye-view of the scenario. 'The Thames has a calming effect on Londoners, being more a symbol of permanence and benevolence than passion and pride,' he had written in his diary a few days back. In response to those words he said to himself in his mind, 'I wish Berliners had something equivalent to calm them and make them less volatile.'

Disengaging, he took his chair and glanced at the desk calendar: Friday, the 14th of July, 1911. 'Friday is my favourite day,' he would say so often, 'for I have the weekend to look forward to, when I can devote myself to myself.' But Fridays would not be the same anymore, he half-suspected, for what Sir Edward Grey had said to him minutes earlier meant that Europe was in for a long haul.

“A single salvo could mean war,” the Foreign Secretary, a sparse man who weighed his words

“No longer - the PANTHER has been replaced by a warship, the BERLIN. The Germans are spoiling for a fight.”

What Sir Edward was referring to was the ongoing crisis in Agadir, an innocuous port in Morocco. On the 1st of July the Germans had, in a show of strength, sent the PANTHER to target shore installations, ostensibly to protect the German traders in Agadir from attacks carried out by rebel tribesmen, who had risen against Sultan Mulai Hafid, but actually to intimidate France, which was on the verge of declaring Morocco as a protectorate. In response to the bitter protests of the French Government the Germans had taken the audacious step of replacing the PANTHER with the BERLIN, which had indulged in aggressive posturing. By way of an explanation the German Foreign Ministry had clarified that the warship would depart when the situation in Morocco became normal. This had caused distress both in France and Britain as indirectly the Germans had expanded the parameters by claiming that it was not just the situation in Agadir they were concerned with but in the whole of Morocco. And what was worse, they had obviously thrown the gauntlet, taking the stance of a stronger power that was not afraid of using force instead of diplomacy. Sitting at his desk, David played the entire conversation with Sir Edward over in his mind.

“Sir, I don't really understand this, hostilities against France won't remain localized. Germany will have to fight on both fronts,” David had said, “against Russia too.”

“The Germans know that yet there's this collective craving for war in Berlin….”

“But mere posturing cannot lead to war, Sir, if there's no real cause.”

“That's the catch - they are trying to push France into a corner to provoke a rash reaction, and then use it as a pretext to start hostilities.”

“Ham-handed, Sir, Bismarck wouldn't have done this….”

Sir Edward, who had famously remarked in 1907, 'It's the lees left by Bismarck that still foul the soup,' had almost grimaced and then found himself grudgingly agreeing with David, “Bismarck was diabolical, a master strategist, kept France off balance…but yes he would have played it differently; would have avoided direct confrontation with France.

“After his dismissal the Chancellery is like a

rudderless ship, never far from an impending crisis.”

“He wouldn't have dumped the Reinsurance Treaty in the first place.”

“Hmm... yes, he would've renewed it. The Kaiser's impulsive, didn't fully understand the ramifications,” Sir Edward had responded.

That was the key moment and David had sensed immediately that Sir Edward, aware that he had written a thesis on the Reinsurance Treaty, wanted him to take the baton forward.

“My take, Sir, is that the Kaiser's advisers goaded him into believing that Russia had more to lose if the Treaty lapsed. There was collective failure at the top and this had more to do with the lack of evolution of the social order in Germany.”

Sir Edward's raised right eyebrow had been an indication that he had found the reply intriguing, even as he had said, “Interesting - the lack of evolution of the social order. Why do you say that?”

“Look at it this way, Sir,” David had answered, adjusting his stance in the chair, “the Industrial Revolution changed society in all major European countries except Germany. Elsewhere the industrialists rose as an alternate power-centre to the feudal lords or the nobility. But in Germany the industrial development further reinforced the feudal order. The leading families, with vast landholdings, nearly all of them having a fortress or two, set up huge industries, creating greater wealth in their own hands, thereby not allowing a rival power-group to come up. These people are the Kaiser's leading advisers. They told him that the Reinsurance Treaty actually protects Russia from Germany and not the other way round.”

Total silence had reigned for a while, before the Foreign Secretary had said, “We'll have to negate that somehow. It's in our national interest to avoid war between Germany and our allies.”

David quickly glanced through the files that had been placed on his table in his absence then cast these aside, not quite inclined to look into anything new at the moment, his mind still preoccupied by what had been discussed.

After a while, he gazed at the desk calendar to check the next appointment of the Foreign Secretary: 12.40 p.m. – meeting with the Home Secretary. 'Oh! brother,' he said to himself, for the Home Secretary was the impetuous Winston Churchill, whom he regarded as some sort of a maverick politician who could come up with three explanations for an event, sometimes even before the event. There was nothing he had been able to do to reduce Churchill's influence over Sir Edward; the two of them, though of divergent temperament and character, were good friends and genuinely admired each other.

Once when the topic had come up, with David sensing that he had an opportunity to run down Churchill, who

was widely regarded as inexperienced and liable to jump the gun, Sir Edward had effectively closed the opening, saying, “Winston's very versatile, has boundless energy, great clarity of thought and tremendous courage – is always ahead of everyone else.”

David had not reacted to that, although he had been tempted to add, 'Also, plunges headlong into things, is opinionated, interfering and thinks he knows best.'

It was 12.50 p.m. when a messenger came round and told him that he was wanted by the Minister immediately.

When David entered the plush office of the Foreign Secretary, with its high ceiling dwarfing people's perceptions and benchmarks of resplendence, the very air was electrifying and it was instantly clear to him that Winston Churchill was zealously making out a case for naval intervention at Agadir.

“A warning not backed by the intent to use force is self-defeating,” Churchill was saying with characteristic gusto, “If our Fleet is moving to Norwegian waters next fortnight, any warning given to Germany would be disregarded with impunity. We need sufficient force within cruising distance of Morocco to make them sit up and pay heed.”

“But how could the Admiralty plan the northward movement?”

“Well, McKenna's idea, I suppose…,” Churchill left it at that.

“I'll take it up with him.”

“There's no point in our flailing our arms if our warships are steaming in the opposite direction. If we're to land a punch our fist should be ready,” Churchill added for good measure.

“David, I want to see the First Lord this afternoon.

And fix an appointment with the PM for this evening,” said Sir Edward with a nod, which sent his Principal Secretary on his way. .....(To be continued in next issue)

MANDEEP RAI A gifted writer, known for his impeccable research, Mandeep Rai is a former IRS officer and has authored ‘In The Shadow of the Pines: A Story of the Raj’, ‘No Friends - No Enemies’ and ‘When The Vulture Descends’.

EVERY BODY is a

GOOD BODY

“

I am not what I think I am. I am not what you think I am.

I am what I think you think I am.

- Charles Horton Cooley

W

e are social animals living in the realm of perception. Perception ranging from how we feel about ourselves to how others feel around us. And this is what makes us who we are or at least forms a major part of our personality. The four-letter word 'Self' might be simple enough to understand in its literal meaning but when we attempt to dig deeper, it entangles us in a spiral. And the only way to escape is to unlearn everything we have downloaded into our minds since our childhood consciously and unconsciously.

The way we behave, the choices we make regarding our health, finances and the way we look is based on our perception thus forming a personality which we cannot outrun.

And when it comes to confronting that personality, our perception of our own self is the first step. And improvement can only be made if we question our self in every step we take and make necessary changes to suit our end target. Similar is the case with our health and fitness.

What is the one thing you do when you look in the mirror?

Most of us will have the same answer whether you admit it or not and that is to look for flaws in us and to constantly hide them from the outside world.

What if you woke up every morning saying " I love you" to yourself and being grateful for the wonderful life we have?

What if you look yourself in the mirror and instead of noticing your flaws and trying to hide them, you embrace them and thank the almighty for being unique?

What if instead of feeling sorry for the way

your body looks, you make conscious efforts to stay consistent with your diet and workouts? Wouldn't it be amazing if we could snap out of the world of perception and do what fills our soul? The answer to each of these questions might seem exhilarating and kind of the perfect recipe for the best version of our self but it's not that simple. We homo-sapiens hardwired to protect ourselves from discomfort and uncertainty and these two factors are what stops us from taking steps towards the better self. We are afraid of things which make us vulnerable and we will do everything to stay in homeostasis.

But there is a way to break the mould and that way lies in the power of consistency. We brush our teeth everyday for two minutes and if we look at the micro effect of those two minutes, they don't make a difference but consider the macro effect and we realise that those two minutes everyday over years keep on compounding to provide an exponential level of protection to our mouth from germs.

Similar is the case with our health and fitness. That two hour workout every week might not be the answer but consistent 40 minute effort everyday is what will make all the difference in the long run. And you will never know the day or time of the year when you start feeling great or your confidence soars. But you will see the results. And once that consistency becomes a norm, you slowly start drifting towards your goals and achieve them with much ease.

Also the 40 minutes of a quick sweaty ride will make you fell good about yourself and might lead you to chose a salad instead of a croissant and a cold coffee. And if you make these choices enough times, you would have formed a habit which inturn will become the part of your personality, leaving behind the lazy bum persona of your past self.

And before you realise you will wake up one day, look yourself in the mirror and say those three magical words " I love you".

Contributed by:

RAGHAV LOHIA Touted as one of the city’s leading CrossFit elite athletes and trainer, Raghav is passionate about fitness, outdoors and human body mechanics.

UNDERSTANDING TYPOGRAPHY Typography is the art of arranging letters and text in a way that makes the copy legible, clear, and visually appealing to the reader.

Typography involves font style, appearance, and structure, which aims to elicit certain emotions and convey specific messages.

uppercase character (U.C.)

cap height

baseline

ascender lowercase character (l.c.)

ear

terminal

Typography stem

bowl descender

counter

link serif

bracket

terminal

‘x’ height

point size (type)

The TIMES of

COLOMBO Colombo, despite its small size, offers a perfect tourist brochure for anyone who decides to take a break and fly right into this beautiful beach side destination.

A city with an overdose of gems ranging from expensive stones to rubies and sapphires to garnets, shining in various colours is a sight not worth missing. From gems to the next most famous product of Sri Lanka, their tea. Sri Lankan tea, famous that it is, is available in a number of flavours leaving us mesmerised to find that certain flavours even exist.

Strawberry, blueberry, cardamom, cinnamon and of course loved by all the very own green tea are just a few flavours that I picked up while shopping in Colombo. With prominent hotels like Taj Samudra, Cinnamon Grand and The Kingsbury splashed all over the city, one can check in and indulge in the best that these grand hotels offer.

ODEL: One stop, where you can add anything and everything to your shopping cart is at their very own brand ‘Odel’. The intoxicating room of perfumes welcomes you the minute you step into this shopping empire. With Spritz and splash of sprays, you saunter into the fashion and clothing section.

Never ending options to choose from will keep you occupied for hours. A section of this wonderland is devoted primarily to gifts and souvenirs, leaving you happily filling up your shopping cart with things not just for yourself but for your loved ones too.

‘Odel’ pretty much covers your need and desire for shopping in Colombo, leaving you with ample time to explore and unwind in their innumerable food destinations.

HARPO'S COLOMBO FORT CAFÉ: To start with, the first place to strike off is this one. With the options of sitting either indoor or outdoor, their cuisine is a mix of European and Mediterranean.

Fried Prawns is something that I would personally recommend here.

HELADIV TEA CLUB: Once you are done with the entree and the main course ,the next step is to treat yourself to some dessert. Not far from Harpo's Colombo Fort Cafe, to be honest in just 10 steps you land into this pretty little cafe full of divine cupcakes and pies and everything sweet and nice. Dive into their super soft chocolate cake or the extra delicious red velvet cup cake and it's a sure shot gate to heaven.

overflowing and starters making its way to different tables it's an excellent place to hang around for sports lovers. Funky chandeliers, a pretty well lit bar and happy waiters makes the place all the more appealing and fun loving.

Few drinks down we bid adieu to this lively bar and crossed the road to greet the next in line pub.

serves just makes you sit and wait for your next order. If you are in Colombo, this has to be on your list. Colombo is a city swarming with wide variety of restaurants offering different cuisines making it a task so tedious to pick and choose one from the other. Once you give this little food city a visit, you will definitely come back

THE LONDON GRILL: As we say, the best is left for the last, so here it is. The next food stop was The London Grill in Hotel Cinnamon Grand. This fine dining restaurant so far has been the best in terms of ambience and decor, very classy and traditional.

The walls are so exquisitely done up in an old London fashion and the elegance of the restaurant just overflows from each and every corner of it. Once you are seated, they hand you a classic looking big black leather diary which leaves you utterly confused as once you open it, you are lost in the world of food and drinks.

London Grill serves almost all the best whiskeys to scotch and wines to cocktails. The live salads that they make for you and the extra buttery bread that The Grill

again. Maybe for the food or the music or just the ambience but this will be a city worth coming back to.

MINISTRY OF CRAB: The ministers of this crabby place being the famous cricketers, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. You will never come across an empty table here.

Excellent food with excellent service, one has to try their crabs for sure and their yummy cocktails.

THE MANGO TREE: Being an Indian, I always end up getting a twinge for Indian food.

The tandoori roti and butter chicken can never leave me alone.

And in midst of all the prawns and crabs, I found this place to satisfy my hunger, The Mango Tree. Honestly the food was scrumptious. Not even once did I mention that a certain dish would have tasted better back in India.

Everything was cooked to perfection and each dish was absolutely mouth watering. This and only this place has to be on your list if you too, have a craving for yummy Indian food.

THE BAVARIAN, GERMAN RESTAURANT AND PUB: The Bavarian, a German pub has quite a young crowd cheering and watching sports. With beer

MONEY, MONEY & MONEY: Coming to the logistics point of view, well all these places are extremely pocket friendly and affordable. So be it Ministry of Crab or The London Grill, you will be served with the best and the cheque will not take away that smile from your face or the feeling from your stomach at the end of a delectable meal.

Contributed by:

PREETI TALWAR

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

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