Riya's Riyaaz

As August arrived, last year, the day to go on the study trip was getting closer. The fifth year students were grouped with the fourth year students in accordance to their research questions (the fifth year's according to their thesis). I was to do gender studies on educational campuses of Vijayawada on basis of the information collected by fellow fourth year students. My interest in gender studies was near to zero, as gender is a sensitive subject and needs much more effort and research on the field than the 5 days time that was given to us. I was nervous, annoyed and skeptical about the days I would have to spend in Vijayawada doing research.  We landed in Hyderabad on August 15, '18. After a long 6 hour bus journey we were in our hotel, resting and anticipating the affairs of the next day. The universities to be visited were sorted, the applications were prepared and we four girls (Charlie's Angels, as Rohit Mujumdar enjoyed calling us) set out, looking for answer...

Done by using a cutter and paint Done by using poster colors A remake of an artist's work Straw Painting

Yesterday was the last day of the Annual week at school, the Annual Day. After all the groups had presented their respective electives we departed for lunch break only to come together for a class photograph. I came across a few old photographs from my first year at SEA and decided to send a group photo that we took in the first year of school. Someone came up with the idea to recreate it. After a long time of setting up the camera and taking class photo, the way we used to in primary school, we were pumped to recreate the "original" version. Our mouth ached by the constant smile we put up for the camera. Sitanshu sent a before-after picture on our Whatsapp group. Shrushti came up with a #5yearschallengeatSEA (foreseeing the 10 year challenge that has been going on, on Instagram). Instantly, my Instagram was flooded by the picture & hashtag. Meanwhile, the other batches took their turns for class photographs. Later we all came together on the school ground for a group ph...

The coast touches the land of Mumbai on the west. Growing up here sunsets have being an integral part of life. One unforgettable experience was my first study trip to Murbad. A village in Dahanu, 2 hours away from Mumbai. The horizon was graced with fields and trees unlike the infinite ocean in Mumbai. Amidst the "concrete jungle" one doesn't get a sense of the vastness of the sky and the beauty it holds. On our last day we spent time on the canal edge admiring the sunset, that will only be alive in our memories until we visit this place again...

She is the dandelion wildflower, Today, with the wind, she flew across the farms, the courtyards of your town, Across the river, through the forest & the mountains, Over the valley, And vanished into her favourite crimson red light, at dusk. You stood there watching her, Today, you set her free.

She bore the pain in her body, that echoed, until it became unbearable, then, she drew, aggressively, coloured it, with sin, locked it where she couldn't find, until tomorrow, when, she'll have to do it again !

- thoughts while sitting at the Pondicherry Promenade I wish I was a wave... I wish I was a wave... I would wash the sea shore with fierceness, I would roar at the shore and immerse in the depths of the ocean, I would make kids and couples on the beach happy, I would take away the reckless, I would let the wind make music with me, I would emerge and re-emerge to feel the heartbeats race  of the surfers on my lap, I wish I was a wave, I would be free...