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campus beat INDEPENDENT STUDENT MAGAZINE
Many Colors Many Events
The Frontline Commandos
Colleges across India celebrated the festival of Holi in different
Story of the unsung heroes of the corona battle who are supporting
frevours and styles.
the flow of essential items
W W W . C A M P U S B E A T . I N
campus beat Managing Editor Sefali Rani
Co-Founder Brand and Communication Youth Outreach Operations Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Social Media Lead Social Media Executive Social Media Executive Social Media Executive Social Media Executive Social Media Executive Social Media Executive Social Media Executive
Madhu Priya Sahay Uddeshya Harsh Astha Priya Gurleen Kaur Paprja Apurvam Apurva Roy Harshita Kumari Hritik Singh Riya Singh Anuradha Raj Roshni Shashank Pandey Vivian Micheal Sanjana Srivastava Nishita Khalkho Kumar Priyanshu Ritika Kishore Aditya Misra
EDITORIAL OFFICE Noida Extension West, UP campusbeat.in | news@campusbeat.in Campus Beat is an independent student news club run and managed by the Wake Up India Foundation. www.campusbeat.in
APRIL 2020
Table of Contents 08
06
06
Lockdown must boost you Prelims preparation by Lohit Matani, IPS
08
Campus Princess
16
The Frontline Commandos
The Road to Miss India 2020 at the
23
04 05 09 10
Editor's Note COVID-19 Guidelines Campus Updates Importance of Holi Celebrations
12 14 26
Kalaripayattu Cupcake Receipe Articles by College Students
Lovely Professional University
The story of unsung heroes of corona battle
23
Casual Outfit Ideas Divya Katna talks about how to feel comfortable and yet remain trendy
16
editor's note Campus Beat is delighted to announce the first issue of its monthly digital magazine. The aim is to provide another quality platform for Campus Beat to connect with its readers. It will also help us to keep you updated with all the major events of the month. Coronavirus spread has threatened us all. In this edition, we have covered safety articles around the pandemic and success stories of government servants who are working tirelessly to combat it. Month of March was also marked by the Holi Celebrations. In the campus updates section, we have included an article on why this festival is celebrated and how different college campus celebrated it. In the Exam Watch section, we have included a detailed analysis and preparation strategy for the upcoming civil services examination. Learning is an ongoing process and we rely heavily on your feedback to improve ourselves. Please do drop in your feedback and suggestion.
Sefali Rani MANAGING EDITOR
Procedures for Self-Quarantine under Covid-19
Self-quarantine is recommended for individuals who have been directly exposed to the new Coronavirus or have history of travel in infected or heavily populated areas.
Stay at home.
Wash your hands.
Limit all your nonessential travels.
Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol or hand sanitizer.
Unless you're going out for food, medicines or other essentials.
Check your temperature.
Stay in a specific room.
Check your temperature at least two times a day.
If you're sick or suspect yourself to be sick, it's best to stay in a designated room or area away from others.
Watch for other symptoms.
If possible, have a designated toilet and bathroom as well.
Aside from fever, Covid-19 symptoms include cough, difficulty breathing, and fatigue.
Practice social distancing. If you need to go out, maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from others.
Call your doctor or hospital before visiting. If you need to seek medical attention whether for viral symptoms or other medical care reasons, contact your doctor or hospital ahead of time so they can prepare and take precautions for your arrival.
Source• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov)
EXAM WATCH
LOHIT MATANI IPS Lohit Matani, IPS Maharashtra Cadre, currently posted as Commandant, State Reserve Police Force, Maharashtra shares his strategy to crack Civil Services Examination. Lohit has authored three books: Internal Security, An Introduction to Civil Services and Public Administration and Policy published by Oakbridge Publishing.
Coronavirus Lockdown must boost your Prelims Preparation The Civil Services Prelims examination is getting tougher by the day, and to excel through it, you will need an aggressive and intense approach. Most of us have been affected by the adversities due to the impact of coronavirus. But it is said that during adversities real heroes emerge. As we almost complete the 21-days nation-wide lockdown, it is time to reflect:
do you want to take a backseat and watch as the number of COVID-19 cases shoot up, or take this unique exam head-on with more vigour and liveliness to prevent such cases from ever happening again? The choice is yours! When you go to where your fear lives, your freedom starts to display itself. You fortunately have your chance to claim that freedom now.
What other than ensuring thousands of poor migrants get their meals two times a day can be a bigger motivation? What can be more challenging than containing a dangerous disease that has affected the entire world. As we move into the final months of examination, here’s a short yet aggressive strategy that you should follow to get through this exam. You must divide your preparation into two phases: April and May. Revision should continue for both the months. For April: I would suggest to still devote some time for your mains preparation in this month. Make sure you revise all the General Studies subjects thoroughly by April end.
Don't change your sources now and make sure you are doing multiple revision from the same source. For May: For the last 30-day, you must get into extensive revision mode. Start with revising previous year question papers and coaching institute's mock papers that you have solved. By the start of May, you should have revised your static portion at least 3 times.
Always remember, sometimes you should push the limits to achieve impossible things. Every human has innate potential to achieve the greatest things. Even when things are boring and uninspiring to do, do them anyway. Success awaits you on the other side of the fence. Good Luck!
Do you want to take a backseat and watch the increasing COVID19 cases or take this exam headon with vigour to prevent such cases from happening again? LOHIT MATANI Commandant, State Reserve Police Force, IPS. Maharashtra
FBB CAMPUS PRINCESS 2020 AT LPU The Lovely Professional University student organization cell organized “Fbb Campus Princess 2020”, Road to Miss India 2020. Among the panel of judges was Ruhi Singh - Miss Universal Peace and Humanity 2014. Her vibrant and confident aura filled the auditorium while the students cheered for her. The auditions this year broke last year’s record of excellence. Picture Courtsey: LPU Student Cell
CAMPUS UPDATES
FOR WEEKLY CAMPUS UPDATES, VISIT OUR WEBSITE
Lit Fest at IIM Udaipur
LGBTQIA+ Meet The LGBTQIA+ Club hosted its event ‘Untold Stories’ where ISB had the opportunity to listen and interact with individuals from the community. The event saw great participation from students, professors, and staff and left the crowd with really great stories
The Literary Club of IIM Udaipur, organized its annual literary fest ‘Leap Day Lit Fest- 20’. The theme this year was 'Stranger than Fiction' and multiple events such as Debate in fiction, What's your pitch, Escape room 2.0 and 'Gaming Eve', were organized. Speakers such as Ms. Savi Sharma, Mr. Ashish Bagrecha and Ms. Helly Shah graced the event with their presence. A creative writing workshop was held where Mr. Omair Tarique, Co-founder of TSS and Ms. Svrnima Poddar, writer at TSS, gave the assembly pointers about effective writing as a means of communication.
Leaving A Trail Sunburn @ IIMK L Little Sis Nora made hundreds of people dance at their beats with Sunburn Campus, which came to IIM Kozhikode for the first time!
The IIMB fraternity savored the appetizing dal baati, churma, kachori, and various other cuisines as part of Rajasthani-Marwari regional dinner. The lit-up mess extension playing 'Padharo Mare Des' songs saw the Rajasthani-Marwari community members dressed in their traditional attires serving food for the concluding regional dinner of the season.
With roads filled with colored powder and people drenched in water balloons, Holi has become known as India’s most vivid, joyous festival. The festival of Holi ushers in a carnivalesque mood among people of all age groups, every year. As we moved across colleges to record their way of celebration, a question came to our mind, why Holi has expanded from just being a South-Asia festival to a worldwide phenomenon.
EXPLORING THE COLORS OF LIFE WHY DO WE CELEBRATE THE FESTIVAL OF HOLI
Why is Holi Celebrated? ‘ According to Bhagvata Purana, King Hiranyakashipu-the king of demonic Asuras, who could neither be killed by a man or an animal-grew arrogant and demanded that his subjects should worship him as god. The King’s son, Prahlada was an ardent devotee of the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu. So, he defied his father and continued to worship Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu was infuriated and subjected his son to cruel punishments. The angry king plotted with his sister, Holika, who was immune to fire, to kill his son. Holika. When the pyre was lit, the boy’s devotion to Lord Vishnu helped him walk away unscathed while Holika, from whom the festival derives its name, was burned to death despite her immunity. Later, Vishnu appeared in the avatar of Narsimha, half man and half lion, and killed the king. How is Holi Celebrated?
Colors, Gujiya and lots of fun mark the Holi celebrations. We have collected some photographs from different colleges campuses for you.
HOLI SIGNIFIES THAT LIFE IS THE MOST COLORFUL FESTIVAL. According to another legend, Lord Krishna had developed a characteristic blue skin colour after Putana, a demon, poisoned him with her breast milk. Krishna worried if the fair-skinned Radha and her companions would ever like him because of his skin colour. Krishna's mother then asked him to approach Radha and smear her face with any colour he wanted. The playful colouring gradually evolved as a tradition and later, as a festival observed as Holi, in the Braj region of India. There are several other legends and traditions associated with Holi. The customs and rituals may be different across regions but what unites them is the spirit of this festival of colours.
K A L A R I P A Y A T T U BY SULEKH KUMAR VARMA- A STUDENT OF KALARI KENDRAM DELHI AND PRACTICING KALARI SINCE 2016
KALARI IS AN ART TO CONNECT THE MIND AND THE BODY - GURRAKAL SHINTO MATHEW (KALARI KENDRAM)
Known as the oldest form of martial art, Kalaripayattu originated in South Indian state of Kerala. It owes it origin to 3rd Century BCE and is the oldest surviving martial art in India. Unlike other martial arts, it not mere a technique of combat, but an art that connects the soul and the body. ‘Kalaripayattu’ is the combination of words i.e. ‘Kalari’, meaning battlefield and ‘payattu’ meaning fight. Based on the Hindu tradition of Guru-Shishya relationship, this ancient form of martial art has been passed through ages from gurus to the students. THE TRAINING Being the oldest form of martial arts, Kalari is regarded as the ‘Mother’ of all the martial arts. Even after comprising the deadliest forms of combat techniques, the students of Kalari are asked to abide by the code of ethics, perseverance and self-discipline. Its use is strictly intended for self-discipline. As said by Gurakkal Adam Phillips of Kalarilab, “unlike other martial arts, the fighting techniques in Kalari are not explicit, rather these are embedded in the various stances and movements of Kalari; one has to understand the entire philosophy of this form, to decipher these techniques.”
The training of Kalari begins with the worship of Kalari god called ‘Poothara’, who is usually situated on the south-west corner of practice arena. Thereafter students
are expected to touch the feet of the trainer or Guru (called Gurakkal in Kalari tradition). After a gentle message of sesame oil, the students prepare their body for the practice with a few of the warm-up exercise. The fighting techniques of the Kalari are derived from crouching attack positions of various animals, which forms the various stances of Kalari, more popularly known as ‘Vadivu’. The eight vadivus are: Varaha - Wild Boar, Gaja - Elephant, Marjara - Cat, Simham - Lion, Sarpam - Snake, Kukkuda - Cock, Mayura - Peacock and Haya - Horse. While the ‘vadivus’ are meant to impart strength and flexibility to the body, it equally make a person agile to respond to the attacks. Most of the fighting techniques are derived from these ‘Vadivus’. The entire training of Kalari can be divided into 4 parts: a) Meipayattu or Meithari These are the basic sets of exercises which prepares the body for Kalari. It comprises the basic leg movements and stretching exercises. More often, it is regarded as the ‘beginner level’. b) Kolthari It is the second level of the training and involves training in wooden weapons. This is meant to serve as a training instrument for co-ordinating the intricate movements of the body and feet and also as a stepping stone for the proper execution of the advanced techniques. c) Ankathari It forms the final phase of weapon training. This comprises the deadly weapons like dagger (Kattarom), Sword and shield, flexible sword (Urumi) etc. Urumi is a deadliest weapon, unique to Kalari (and India). It is a long flexible sword measuring about 6 feet in length and sharp at both sides. One has to acquire mastery over wielding techniques before using Urumi. d) Verum Kai This is the hand-combat system of Kalari. It is a training for defence without using any weapon against an armed or unarmed person. It comprises different techniques of locking, gripping, throwing and attacking. A unique art of this part is ‘marma vidya’, where the knowledge of vital points is imparted.
This knowledge forms the basis of healing techniques of Kalari known as ‘marma chikitsa’. However, marma vidya can also be used against opponents to make them immovable during combat. BENEFITS TO STUDENTS
While Kalari is beneficial to the people of all the age groups, it beings’ special benefits to the students. It imparts agility and spontaneity in their thought and action. It raises the energy level of the students and they can focus on their study in a better manner. It also increases concentration which in turn improves the retention capacity of the students. Moreover, it imparts self-confidence in the students and teaches them to handle the situations of life in a better manner. KALARI IN NORTH INDIA While there are number of Ashrams imparting training in Kalari in South India, there is a Temple of Kalari in North India. Kalari Kendram, run by Gurakkal Shinto Mathew is one of the best Kalari training centres in North India. One may visit to https://www.kalarikendramdelhi.com/ or subscribe to YouTube channel of Kalari Kendram Delhi to get details of the training.
HEALTHY & ORGANIC CUPCAKES
BYÂ ANURADHA Dessert is a course that concludes a main meal. The course usually consists of sweet foods and beverages, such as dessert wine or liqueurs, but may include coffee, cheeses, nuts, or other savory items. In this lock-down season, treat yourself with healthy and organic cupcakes.
CUPCAKE RECIPE
"PERFECT FOR PARTIES AND CELEBRATIONS"
1. Preheat oven and prepare a cupcake pan with liners. 2. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside. 3. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine. 4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined. 5. Slowly add the water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined. Please note that the batter will be very thin. 6. Fill the cupcake liners about half way and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
7. Remove the cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling. 8. To make the frosting, combine the butter and shortening in a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth. 9. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. 10. Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of water or milk and mix until smooth. 11. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. 12. Add remaining water or milk as needed and mix until smooth. 13. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
'WHEN YOU SHARE A CUPCAKE, YOU SHARE LOVE'
THE FRONTLINE COMMANDOS STAFF WRITER
The impact of coronavirus has shocked us to our core. Apart from the numerous health implications, there have been several social and economic impacts as well. While the government is working their best to combat this crisis, people from different walks of life has emerged to support the needy. When the country is witnessing a large number of migrant workers 'walking back' to their homes in villages from far-away cities, several families have decided to go all-in to fight this crisis by preparing and donation essential items and ration to them. PM Narendra Modi asked us to step up and show our gratitude on March 22nd to those who are ensuring the wheel is running – the medical professionals, the bakers, the government servants, the defence forces,
the sanitation workers, the delivery boys, and the food and the medical stores. These people are the unsung heroes of Corona Battle – our very own frontline commando. As we researched different cities, we found several civil society organizations and individuals taking up the responsibility and ensuring the flow of essential items is smooth. Nobody is showing up in their balcony to clap for them, or shower flowers on them, yet they are working tirelessly day and night to ensure the needy get what they want. In this article, we present five such stories, from different cities of India, of unsung warriors who have been supporting our battle against the deadly coronavirus in their own unique ways,
PICTURE COURTSEY: NAVEEN CHANDRA, LINKEDIN
01. SAHAYATA INITIATIVE Bharat Kanojiya and Sandeep Karosiya, Nagpur Nagpur is one of the worst hit cities in times of the migrant crisis. Taking cognizance of the situation, Bharat Kanojiya and his friend Sandeep Karosiya decided to take up the responsibility of distributing essential food items to the needy. It started with a simple WhatsApp message stating that they are planning to locate the homeless and needy, and distribute them essential items. In a short span of time, help started pouring in and team went from led by two people to 50+ members collecting, locating, and distributing essential food items.
WANT TO SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE? CALL SANDEEP KAROSIYA AT +91- 9881237521 'The food packets we distribute contain 3 Kg Rice, 3 Kg Aata, 1 Kg Daal, 1 Kg Salt, 1 packet each of Haldi, Mirchi, and Dhaniya, 1 Litre Oil, 1 Kg Sugar, and Chai Patti', said Bharat Kanojiya. He continued, 'We connect with our team to report the daily status of the distribution and strategize on the effective collection. The team has now 50+ members and we're looking forward to help as many people as we can.'
02. CORONA ME KUCH KARO NA Rajeshwari B, District Magistrate, Dumka, Jharkhand
Impact on mental health is one of the most talked about subject in times of lockdown. To combat this crisis, Rajeshwari B, the District Magistrate of Dumka in Jharkhand has come up with a unique campaign:Â Corona Me Kuch Karo Na "Staying indoors for an extended time can get boring, but it is a good opportunity to revive your lost skills," said Rajeshawi. She continued, "We know there is immense talent in each one of you. The Dumka Administration is giving you an opportunity to showcase your skills as a Family." The participants are required to perform any creative activity - paint, dance, sing, or play musical instrument and post a video on social media with the hashtag #Corona_Me_Kuch_Karo_Na. The enthusiasm with which the people of Dumka have supported this campaign is clear from the number of feeds you get when you search for that hashtag on twitter. Rajeshwari has also formed a natak mandali who dress as Coronavirus and YamRaj to motivate people to use masks and stay at home.
03. PEOPLE PEACE FOUNDATION MANJEET KAUR MATANI, AMRAVATI AND JALAGAON
The People Peace Foundation being led by Manjeet Kaur Matani is supporting the slums in Aramavati and Jalagaon by distributing groceries and essential items. 'The idea is to ensure that those who have been impacted the worst or lost their job due to lockdown should get their meals at least twice a day."
IT IS NOT JUST A TASK, BUT A DUTY TO SUPPORT THE NEEDY
Manjeet has roped in the support of State Reserve Police Force. "With their support, we have effectively identified the list of families in slum areas, and thus a targeted distribution of the essential items is in place," said Manjit. She continued, 'We make it sure that the elderly don't have to walk out of their huts to collect the supplies. We approach them and hand over grocies". The People Peace Foundation is distributing 15-days ration and hand sanitizers.
04. WE FIGHT AS A FAMILY NAVEEN CHANDRA, IAS, MALDA, WEST BENGAL
AÂ post went trending on social media platform Linkedin - the story of a IAS officer whose family went all-in to fight the corona battle. Naveen Chandra posted as Assistant Magistrate in Malda, West Bengal. Talking about his family, Naveen posted: 'My sister is a doctor, at the absolute frontline. I am in the IAS, on the field, all days of the week. My wife has joined me as a volunteer. My family is fighting for our nation in this time of crisis, you can too. Stay Home.' Naveen Chandra has been known to implement creative ways to tackle solutions. He has also started Community Kitchens across his district to ensure no one is left hungry. He makes sure that social distancing protocols are followed while people visit the community kitchens
KEEP WALKING THROUGH THE STORM. YOUR RAINBOW IS WAITING ON THE OTHER SIDE.
05. THE LONE WARRIOR IN THE CITY OF LAKES: BHOPAL
Bhopal and Indore account for about 80% of Coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh. In such times of crisis, Kushlesh Singh Rajput has taken upon himself to distrbute the essential items to those who have been afftected by the lockdown. 'We're priviledged to have access to regular ration and other essential items. The same is not the case with the people who have lost their job due to the lockdown,' said Kushlesh.
Learn From the Experts
Amit Sinha Faculty and Author, Indian Economy
R Rajagopalan Ex-Director, IOI Author, Environment & Ecology
Neeraj Nachiketa Faculty and Author Science and Tech
Lohit Matani, IPS Commandant, SRPF Maharashtra
Sagar Srivastava Forest Range Officer MP
Dhanashree Patil ICAS, MoF Author, Essay Writing
Casual Outfit Ideas by Divya Katna Let’s admit it: We all have those days when lounging around in sweatpants and a baggy Tshirt sounds ideal. In fact, some days it feels like there are a million other things we’d rather do than put an outfit together.
Divya Katna (@divyakatnaofficial) , a Youtuber and a fashion enthusiast, collated an outfit collection from Spoyl to suit all occasions. Use these trendy outfits and make your closet feel fresh and alive again.
@DIVYAKATNAOFFICIAL
To ensure you’re getting the coolest (and easiest) outfit ideas out there, wear your personality. For a long time, clothing was used as a mirror to represent where you belonged socially. But now the lines have blurred thanks to the rise of streetwear in fashion.
Develop a Reading Habit during Lockdown
APURVA ROY
'Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary' Reading is the best habit you will have for yourself. This Quarantine is becoming boring because we have never faced a situation like this before. We all loved the eat-sleep-repeat mode, but when actually the time has come to eat-sleep-repeat, we want to do something interesting, something productive and something which is not boring. But reading in itself sounds very boring, tiring and something which takes a lot of effort. So here I am to help you read more books this Quarantine. Quit Early:
If you are stuck with the book for long and you are not able to finish it because it is not interesting enough to read it fast, then quit it as soon as possible. That is not the book you are looking for. If you don’t quit, you will be stuck and lose your interest in reading itself. That doesn’t mean that reading the first few pages of every book and quitting. Read 2 to 3 pages and understand what the book is all about and whether it is according to your interest or not and then leave the book.
Read Two Books Simultaneously:
Even if you quit the 'boring' book as early as possible, there are still chances that you would get bored of the book that you found interesting earlier. Interesting, but that’s how the human brain works.
'A READER LIVES A THOUSAND LIVES BEFORE HE DIES' We cannot stick to the same thing for a long time. Therefore, I suggest that you read two books simultaneously whenever you get bored. Make sure that both the books are completely different from each other in terms of the subject matter. Believe me this helps in reading and you’ll comparatively finished both the books faster. This will even help your brain to retain things faster because you would be switching between different subjects. Define a Reading Goal: In order to create a reading habit and culture, it’s important to start off by setting a goal. This goal should be articulate and backed up with a purpose. Start by thinking about how a consistent reading pattern can help you grow in different areas of your lifespiritual, academics, career, relationships and more. When you find concrete reasons and a purpose attached to your goal, you’ll be more motivated to keep pushing and achieve it.
Have a Dedicated Reading Time: Most of us don’t have a dedicated reading time and that makes it even more difficult to read books. We do not consider reading as an important task that needs be scheduled. Put away distractions such as turning off the TV and other things that may hinder your reading time. Ready for at least 30-40 minutes a day is a great start and would help you develop a concrete reading habit as you’ll always look forward to having your ‘me time’ that supports your reading goals. Define the Number of Pages you would read: If you are someone who has just started reading or someone who is coming back to reading after a long break then this will really help you. Set a target to read 20 pages daily, 20 pages seems a very small target but even a small start is good enough. Initially you will find it easy to read 20 pages daily but as you gradually start developing the habit to read try increasing the number of pages you read everyday.
DESIRES MOTIVATE THE LIVING AYUSH KUMAR Somewhere around 8 months ago, my friend suggested and challenged me to watch “The fault in our stars” without shedding a single tear. I watched it today. Rather, I tried watching it today. “Depression isn’t the side effect of cancer. It is the side effect of dying”. With this very dialogue, it was conspicuous that I was not going to finish watching it. I insisted myself to continue. 45 minutes and I turned my phone off and went to eat, trying to forget whatever I watched a few minutes back. But a familiar face, draped with the same grief I saw on Hazel Grace’s face kept coming across my mind steadily. I felt restless. It had evoked the most horrible memory of my life. 16th May 2018: I was completing a sketch as I had to leave for my native place (Muzaffarpur in Bihar) to accompany my mother back home. I took a bus at 7:30 PM and reached my place the next morning. I had barely met my grandparents when my mother received a call from my uncle, her brother. My cousin ( I would rather refer to him as my brother here because he was like the one) was critical. He had been fighting bone cancer for 2 years. His health kept deteriorating during these years. And the call that day told that things had worsened. We were taken aback. My uncle was trying his best to deal with his son’s and perhaps, his hardships. Anu was taken to the best hospitals in Delhi. From Gangaram to Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Research Hospital. Sometimes he would show improvement, start feeling better, come back home, and after a few days, he would vomit, lose consciousness and have to be shifted to the hospital. We weren’t able to figure out what went wrong each time.
The doctors on 17th may, 2018, the morning I reached Muzaffarpur, called my uncle to expound his health condition. He didn’t have much time left. My grandma couldn’t help. She began crying. My mother held her close, consoling her. Grandpa silently sobbed at another corner. I sat there, dumbstruck. The glorious memories of our childhood flashed through my mind. I saw a toy car kept on the shelf on my right. It reminded me of how mischievous we were. We would dismantle those toy cars gifted or bought by our parents into parts to understand the physics. Once we put our blue toy car into flames as we expected it to jump out of it like the car in the movie “Tarzan the wonder car”. As per science, the car failed to fulfil our expectations. We were thrashed, for obvious reasons. I smiled, yet I felt heavy at heart. We decided to leave for Delhi the next day. We reached Delhi. Anu was in RGCRH. We arrived late at the station and decided to visit the hospital the next day. Entering into RGCRH was like entering into an entirely different world. The world of grief, pain and hardships. The hospital was crowded with the valiant fighters.They lay in their wards. Some silently gaping at the wall, some drawing stuffs on papers, talking to their family. Within no time, I was aware that it was going to be tough to face Anu. We took the lift to the paediatric ward. Anu was 18. I gathered all the courage I had to push the door and enter inside. The ward had around 6-8 kids. Uncle sat at the sofa aside the 3rd bed to my right. I lead Maa and my grandparents to his bed. Within seconds I was standing in front of him. My heart sank at the sight
For a moment, I felt like I had seen a corpse. Anu lay on the bed silently, in a white blanket. He appeared frail. His closed eyes were turning black. He had lost hair as a consequence of chemotherapy. I frantically touched his shoulder, to wake him up to make sure he was alive. Uncle pulled me back. Hands must be sanitized when you touch a patient. I realized my mistake and sanitized my hands. I sat beside him. There was an awkward silence. No one spoke anything. However, I tried talking to Anu. After a brief meeting, we were interrupted by the hospital staff. They asked us to enter the room one by one. More than three relatives aren’t allowed inside the ward. We hardly had anything to talk about. I talked to him for a few minutes. I told him that I was there for more than a week, hence I would be coming to meet him at home. He was to be discharged the next day. He smiled at me, but I felt something missing from that smile. Maybe it was the lifelines. I don’t know why, but I assured him that he was going to be fine soon. He bid bye to me. I left the ward after everyone. Everyone was sobbing. I was still in hold of the freaking moment. My uncle came out of the ward to talk to us. We strode through the corridor. Grandparents and Maa sat with Aunt while I sat aside my uncle. I was discussing the details of Anu’s case when I was staggered once again. The sight was distressing. A man, in his forties, walked towards us, with a 3-year-old kid. The little boy had worn a red and blue denim mechanical suit. His nose was covered with a surgical mask, and he had a white patch over his right arm, a few inches from his shoulder. I am not a doctor, but it felt that the patch was probably for the chemotherapy injection. He held his father’s finger in his right hand and walked towards us in a way a 3 feet teddy bear would walk. Both fathers shared the progress in their kids’ cases. My uncle gently pulled the little boy towards him. He resisted as he didn’t want to play. He shook hands with his uncle, adjusted his cap and walked back to his ward. I was shocked. I didn’t talk to anyone on the way back.
Two days later, we met again, at his home. I realized, Anu wasn’t enthusiastic about anything anymore. He had bought a guitar a few weeks ago. He was a little happy to see me though. I took him for a walk after dinner. I kept trying to make him speak up his mind. But, he desisted to say anything. Rather he asked me about my life, my career, my girlfriend etc. I kept including sentences like “you’ll be well soon”,” I will teach you guitar once you recover”. He kept nodding to all of them. He was fatigued after a 15 minutes walk. I suggested to go back but he insisted to walk for a little more time. He wanted to ask me about a girl whom he mistook as my girlfriend. I helped him settle down in the bed. I removed my cap and took a selfie with him. One of my uncles had died a few weeks ago. Hence I had to shave my head owing to a ritual. I had an intuition that day. We had lost him. Not physically, but mentally. I left Delhi on 27th. I couldn’t hug him. I just couldn’t. I just held his hands one last time and told him that he has to be positive to recover. I told him that he would be fine one day. I left the room. I didn’t turn around. Two Months later, we received a call from my Grandma around 8 PM. She was crying on the phone. I understood what had happened. My sister and my mother burst into tears. After three days of continuous vomiting, Anu had become extremely weak. Anu was lying on the MRI platform, for his tests when his chest expanded suddenly, and then, he went lifeless.
I AM LOOKING AT YOU BECAUSE I LIKE TO LOOK AT BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, AND I DECIDED A WHILE AGO NOT TO DENY MYSELF THE SIMPLER PLEASURES OF EXISTENCE.
I didn’t have the guts to see him, neither could we have afforded four flight tickets. Hence, I booked tickets for my parents. So what’s the point of telling this long and disheartening story? What I wish to express is: we can never realize what the patient goes through. At some point in time, they lose interest in life. They accept death way before than the time it arrives. This is reflected in their behaviour as well. I noticed the same when I talked to Anu that night or when he stopped playing the guitar. He would call anyone and ask to meet him telling that he wasn’t sure about his life. The disease completely shatters and breaks not only the patient but also his family. All we can do is to try filling their last days with some moments of happiness and smile. I listened to lectures and speeches by various doctors where they said that one factor which contributes to the recovery of the patients is their spirit to live. It is the positivity that works wonders. They should be treated like what they are going through is nothing
in front of their high spirits. Many a times it may also happen that all such efforts go in vain. They put the swords down, exhausted by battling for so long. In that case, all we can expect is a miracle. This is what Augustus Waters tried to do. He made Hazel feel things she had overlooked, thinking that the end was near. When Augustus said,” I am looking at you because I like to look at beautiful people, and I decided a while ago not to deny myself the simpler pleasures of existence”, it would have filled a feeling of ecstasy in Hazel. We cannot prevent them from getting depressed. All we can do is to make them feel loved. Nobody knows, one day a surge of positivity might take place in them. Well, if you’re thinking about whether I will finish watching the movie or not. Well frankly, I don’t know. I might watch it tomorrow or never. However, I would like to mention one thing here, this movie is an excellent and exemplary masterpiece. I could have written a fancy quote to end this. Perhaps a few things need to end simply.
THE ART OF MANLINESS MANLINESS. What exactly our mind reflects when we hear this word? Strength, power, gentleman, hardcore body and how can we forget the famous 6 packs abs? Let's look at some facts based on a Survey: 57% men we surveyed believed that “being a man” meant being physically tough. 46% men are most likely to feel guilty about their health and diet. 41% compare their bodies to other men. 23% in the 25-29 age group say they do this constantly and 45% are insecure about their weight. But have we ever wondered what exactly manliness word refers too? The traditional male quality of being brave and strong. By brave and strong, I don’t mean a person who just keeps on bullying people for no reason. But instead, a man who has enough strength to protect the people he cares about. Brave enough to help the weak and accept his emotions. Nowadays, people have misunderstood the real meaning and their so-called ‘fascinations’ meaning of being strong. Aren’t we all aware of the trend of having 6/8 packs abs? Those rocksolid hard body? But is that really what defines manliness? The person who has a toned body is considered strong and the one with a chubby body is treated like a loser. The Art of Manliness is more about behaviours and manners. I am not against bodybuilding but the only thing I am disagreeing to is the fact that strong and toned body is not a prerequisite for manliness. What’s the point of having such a fit body if you can’t even show some etiquette and politeness. Developing some manners and selfcontrol can help in adding points to a good body and same can decrease too. We live in a society where people are influenced more from what’s on this screen. Have you ever wondered what kind of a person your dream body achiever is in real life? That person might be a bully and would be around hurting people in some way. Would he still be your “role model”? No, right? So, isn’t that simple to accept? This fact is what matters more are the etiquette and manners of a man. A man with a toned body and manners is a gem but a man without a “toned body” but manners and respect are no less than a gem too.
PAPRJA APURVAM
SOCIAL WORK
the SECOND INNINGS
The members of Wake Up India Foundation, Ranchi Chapter conducted a food drive at an Old Age Home. The event included several fun activities and the elderly enthusiastically participated in activities like Antyakshri and Dance competition.
PICTURE BY: SHUBHAM DUTTA (@SHUBH_1622)
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