Scintilla 3.0
# Sleepless Nights
Nights.
Sleepless nights belong to me
As if that’s all there is to be
My nights seem oh so long
Thoughts buzzing round my head
As lying here in my bed
Tried praying off to sleep
But thoughts seem hard to keep
Mind strays from this to that
A thought brings forth a tear
Sometimes bliss sometimes fear
Tossing turning while awake
Trying to sleep for goodness sake
Cant get settled any way
Trying hard no matter what
So unsettled seems my lot
So I lie here struggling still
Passing time my mind to fill
On things that matter not
Dwelling on the things now past
Until some sleep I feel at last
-Anjali Makhijani
SYBSc Biotechnology,
VES College of Arts, Science and Commerce
# The Land of Gods
Uttarakhand is often referred to as the ‘Land of the Gods’ due to the numerous holy Hindu temples and pilgrimage centers found throughout the state. Mainly known for its natural beauty of the Himalayas, the Bhabhar and the Terai, nobody ever thought that this beauty would soon result in a disaster,
a disaster that was waiting to happen, so as to avenge man for what he has done to nature.
20 June, 2013. It so happened that landslides damaged several houses and concrete structures, killing those who were trapped. The heavy rains resulted in large flash-floods. Entire villages and settlements such as Gaurikund and the market town of Ram Bada, a transition point to Kedarnath, obliterated, while the market town of Sonprayag suffered heavy damage and loss of lives.
It had been a week and the death toll rate kept increasing just like Shikhar Dhawan’s strike rate. Jokes apart, and yet the government wants us to keep smiling. Whoa! Is that the Indian spirit?
Let me talk about the Indian spirit. I don't know how politicians manage to get themselves into the limelight for every single cause. The media isn't bothered about the families of the sufferers but they seem to only showcase the politicians’ relief work.
It is said that we cannot do anything to arrest the fury of nature. But can we blame everything on nature? We can only brace ourselves. There were no warnings by the government, no evacuation plans, no disaster management, etc.
It was a natural disaster aided by man-made errors and neglect of the government. A week had passed by and more than 50,000 pilgrims and natives were left stranded. Evacuations were needed to be carried out immediately.
It will take years for things to get back to normal in Uttarakhand. The Government will be incurring a lot of expenditure and is all set to lose its tourism revenues. Uttarakhand was nature’s way of restoring balance. A lesson for the greedy, but a lot of the ‘Aam Janta’ also had to pay for it.
I salute the courageous people of Uttarakhand and the Jawans for tackling the disaster so bravely.
Uttarakhand is indeed the ‘Land Of God’ as God resides in the hearts of the people of Uttarakhand!
-Sowmya Ramakrishnan
SYJC, Model College.
Nights.
Sleepless nights belong to me
As if that’s all there is to be
My nights seem oh so long
Thoughts buzzing round my head
As lying here in my bed
Tried praying off to sleep
But thoughts seem hard to keep
Mind strays from this to that
A thought brings forth a tear
Sometimes bliss sometimes fear
Tossing turning while awake
Trying to sleep for goodness sake
Cant get settled any way
Trying hard no matter what
So unsettled seems my lot
So I lie here struggling still
Passing time my mind to fill
On things that matter not
Dwelling on the things now past
Until some sleep I feel at last
-Anjali Makhijani
SYBSc Biotechnology,
VES College of Arts, Science and Commerce
# The Land of Gods
Uttarakhand is often referred to as the ‘Land of the Gods’ due to the numerous holy Hindu temples and pilgrimage centers found throughout the state. Mainly known for its natural beauty of the Himalayas, the Bhabhar and the Terai, nobody ever thought that this beauty would soon result in a disaster,
a disaster that was waiting to happen, so as to avenge man for what he has done to nature.
20 June, 2013. It so happened that landslides damaged several houses and concrete structures, killing those who were trapped. The heavy rains resulted in large flash-floods. Entire villages and settlements such as Gaurikund and the market town of Ram Bada, a transition point to Kedarnath, obliterated, while the market town of Sonprayag suffered heavy damage and loss of lives.
It had been a week and the death toll rate kept increasing just like Shikhar Dhawan’s strike rate. Jokes apart, and yet the government wants us to keep smiling. Whoa! Is that the Indian spirit?
Let me talk about the Indian spirit. I don't know how politicians manage to get themselves into the limelight for every single cause. The media isn't bothered about the families of the sufferers but they seem to only showcase the politicians’ relief work.
It is said that we cannot do anything to arrest the fury of nature. But can we blame everything on nature? We can only brace ourselves. There were no warnings by the government, no evacuation plans, no disaster management, etc.
It was a natural disaster aided by man-made errors and neglect of the government. A week had passed by and more than 50,000 pilgrims and natives were left stranded. Evacuations were needed to be carried out immediately.
It will take years for things to get back to normal in Uttarakhand. The Government will be incurring a lot of expenditure and is all set to lose its tourism revenues. Uttarakhand was nature’s way of restoring balance. A lesson for the greedy, but a lot of the ‘Aam Janta’ also had to pay for it.
I salute the courageous people of Uttarakhand and the Jawans for tackling the disaster so bravely.
Uttarakhand is indeed the ‘Land Of God’ as God resides in the hearts of the people of Uttarakhand!
-Sowmya Ramakrishnan
SYJC, Model College.