One Such Story

It was a lockdown for all. Every open window told us a new story. This was one such story. A little different from yours and mine and under the blind eye of many. This is the story of the 4 crore migrant workers of India. Perhaps not yours or mine, but of the families that waited for their people to come back home. Every morning the sunlit beam through their doors rose hopes in them to see their loved ones safe. This is one such door. Not yours, not mine, but it leads to a home. A home suffering under the rugs of India, abandoned from basic amenities. Perhaps not yours or mine, but somebody’s.

Illustrated by: @shreyashi_chauhan

Image by: @shreyashi_chauhan

Location: Mayan Village, Uttar Pradesh

The New Canvas

Remember all those times you had ideas, big and small but never the time or the energy to pursue and realize them? And while you continued with the hustle-bustle of daily life, you kept a secret half-hidden away; the secret passions that were yet to be unearthed because you never had the courage. And now new horizons have opened up, buzzing with energy that completely overcomes the claustrophobia of it all. Afterall, the pandemic has taught us a thing or two about impermanence. It’s time to try new things and let go of inhibitions. It’s time to catch a breath and follow your dreams.

Illustrated by: @scribblinallday

Image by: @shilpawadhwahora

Location: Delhi

The Lady Next Door

Those were the times. I’d get up flustered, cursing at the watch for showing me that I was late, yet again, for my morning workout. Breakfast would usually be a sandwich on the go as I’d juggle tying my shoelaces and my hair at the same time, elbowing my way through crowds to secure that coveted empty seat in the metro. And now, I need no alarms to wake me up. Mornings are made of warm cups of tea, steam wafting through my window as I wait. I wait, staring out my window, waiting for the lady next door to wave back.

Illustrated by: @scribblinallday

Image by: @aparuparoy

Location: Kolkata