Blog – World of Aanya Gupta

03 Oct

The Ultimate Argument

Words have so much power. They can be so venomous too. When you look at text messages, or even just comments slung callously at you, they feel like the occasional stinging slap. Except, with words, the redness on the cheek doesn’t go away. It festers, akin to an unmoving, unblinking entity which bulges outwards. Pus […]

Exercises In Style- A preview of the book…

01 Aug

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Exercises In Style- A preview of the book…

One woman. 50 days- no, scratch that. 50 different ways to describe the same day. One glass of something, one voicemail to a fellow named Cal, and a leather diary which keeps changing its mind… When I first picked up Raymond Queneau’s Exercises in Style, it immediately caught my attention- not only as an exercise […]

01 Aug

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Thoughts & Seeds

My eyes kept drifting to the second’s hand on the clock as it tirelessly completed round after round in its systematic clockwork manner. The teacher’s voice was rapt with focus, and my mind wandered in the face of her efficiency, hastened by the boredom of everyone else in the stupid class. My stomach grumbled and […]

01 Aug

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Alone

Alone with ourselves, Alone in the world Alone when the sun sets, Alone when it rises again. Alone because we have reasons, Alone even if we don’t. Alone in our religion Alone in our race Alone in our choices Alone when we can’t find ourselves, Alone even when we finally do. We are alone. Alone […]

20 Dec

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Milky Blue Orbs

Picture credits: Pinterest Milky blue orbs glazed over, almost translucent in the pearly white ocean on top of which they floated gently. The liquidated corners filled with the medicine poured into the iris as it dilated, then contracted again. Regular patterns, like a boat rocking in shallow, undulating waves. Like a mother placating a screaming […]

Greed overtakes Need: Is a Reset Necessary?

16 Nov

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Greed overtakes Need: Is a Reset Necessary?

Selected for the top 20 national finalists for the Nanhi Chhaan Essay Competition. There is a large Cabinet in the attic, which is 5 feet tall but not very wide, of classic Ikea finishing and rusted handles covered with splotches of grime. On the top left corner is a freshly woven spider web with gossamer […]

22 Sep

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Mango People

For me, mangoes have always been associated with the summer. Those sweltering lazy afternoons or the sun soaked evenings with my mouth full of sweet juice. What forms an inevitable part of my summer memories is something surprisingly versatile, and also the national fruit of India. Mangoes originated some 30 million years ago, hailing from […]

16 Sep

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Prayers for Mankind

The following are 4 original shlokas (prayers or hymns) which follow the style of the Panchatantra, ancient animal folktales from India which teach valuable lessons for the betterment of mankind. Shlok 4 “The courage to stand up for good is equal to have the courage to stand against evil.” They came in single filed groups, […]

11 Aug

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Exercises in Style- IV, V, VI

Ghazal (poetry of longing; 5 stanzas) She gazes at the mirror with a scheming stare, Reflection striking back its own gleaming stare. Thick eyebrows, thin smile, pasty complexion All together, delivering an unredeeming stare. The page in her diary is stark and empty, Meager obligations with their streaming stare. Yesterday, it was too full as […]