DAY 1 – SHADES OF SOMAIYA

Neeyati Shah – II BPTh

Saloni Sankpal – II BPTh

Pranali Redekar – III BPTh

DAY 2 – PRATIBIMB

Jidnyasa Patil

Pahini Jain – I BPTh

Aishwarya Jalgaonkar – Intern

Sanika Godbole – I BPTh

Prisha Mehta – III BPTh

Spandita Deokule – III BPTh

Krisha Mehta

Akanksha Dekate – Intern

Krisha Savla

Khushvi Shah – I BPTh

DAY 3 – WORDDICTED

Dhruvi Busa – I BPTh

THE INCESSANT FEAR 
Have you spent sleepless nights twiddling your thumb over these incessant thoughts like what does the future hold for me ? What if I have chosen the wrong path? What if I lose someone who’s an important part of my life? .. followed by an endless number of “What if’s”
At some point or the other we’ve all given this a thought , majority of us are still unclear with what we want in life.
We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will cushion the blow. But the future is always changing. The future is the home of our deepest fears and wildest hopes. But one thing is certain, when it finally reveals itself. The future is never the way we imagined it. Thus the only thing that truly matters is to live in the present!
Moreover we’ve always been asked, “ What do you want out of your life? ’’
The answer to this is I want everything and I want to be everywhere because what’s wrong with wanting ? Wanting is trouble free and who would not want to live an idealistic life.
However if this vague question is turned into “ What pain are you ready to deal with ?’’
Here’s where you get your answers! This is the type of question that enables you to eliminate your choices based on the struggles/pain each step holds .
I’m not saying you have to choose an obstacle free path , because that’s just unrealistic. Every step in life is going to offer you new challenges and in order to reach the finish line , there’s no option but overcome your fear to succumb the rat race of success. Nevertheless once you know what things you don’t want, it makes your vision less blurry.
Say hypothetically you don’t want a career that has to deal with emergencies or that demands you to sacrifice your life for the well being of others ( which is absolutely possible as not everyone is born with the thought of say for example joining the army , only a few have the inner determination and potential to do so), or in terms of any relationship ,we all have expectations , although we are told to compromise and deal with it but deep inside we all have an imaginary ideal personality that we look for in another individual.
These aspects don’t directly help us choose ‘ the one ‘ (profession/person) but as we eliminate our choices based on things we are not ready to deal with or the pain we are not ready to suffer, we can always come to a conclusion that we’d never regret.
No qualms admitting the fact that having extraordinary goals and being zestful is great. But it’s important to not just be in love with the end result or your goal; fall in love with the venture instead.
Irrespective of what you choose to do, you will have to face inevitable challenges and not be oblivious to them.
And needless to say , at some point you have to make a decision!
Boundaries don’t keep other people out. They fence you in. Life is messy. That’s how we’re made. So, you can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them.

Saumya Bhatia – I BPTh

Sanika Godbole – INTERN

The mask : Companion since 2020

You see me in different colors ,types and varieties..

I treat everyone equally from the teens to the nineties!

I have seen it all…The sigh of relief when the report comes out negative.

The joy after stepping out of the 21 day quarantine!

The pains after losing your beloved..

The constant worries about pandemics’ ‘the end’ !!

You shall value happiness only if you have witnessed tears..

Victory comes to those who overcome all their fears !

Be patient and wear me the right way!

As I am your only protector as the doctors rightly say!

Merwyn Dantas – I BPTh

Growing up

Going through albums hit a storm of emotions in my mind

Of the most wonderful days that have gone behind

Those innocent and sweet smiles somewhere lost in time 

Just saddening to know those days could never be rewind
Who knew what we would become when we were small 

‘I shouldn’t miss my cartoon’ was the only stress, lol Just impossible to pen, all those memories in my mind 

How saddening to know those days could never be rewind

Shreya Naik – I BPTh

Juee Pawar – I BPTh

FURIOUS YOU

Anger, what a unique emotion it is. It puts your mind on autopilot and navigates through your thoughts like a drunkard driving rashly. It could either drive you to achieve something great or destroy your moment along with every other good deed you had in mind. It’s so powerful that it captures you in its vicious claws and tightly clutches you. It plays with your feelings and cuts a bruise so deep, so wide that you scream out in pain and that hurt which has harmed your heart is resonated and amplified in a very extensively aggressive manner to the people around you.
It is an emotion that demands to be vented out. It needs to be relieved off your back or it poisons your thoughts, words, and actions. You cannot keep it within you and expect yourself to act normal with the people around you.
It’s causes, effects, doings and aftereffects are just as harmful as the emotion itself. When you are furious it’s fury can be felt in your body as well as by the people around you. Anger makes you The Hulk, but I suggest you handle it like Fury.
When anger possesses you, you expect someone close to you to listen to your cribbing and assimilate the very sane reason of your anger. You expect them to sympathize. You expect them to understand your hurt and pain. You want them to see through your anger and analyze your situation.
You want them to support your opinions and tantrums first, and then console you. You expect the same resonating emotion, that is pure fury, from them. Only then, it’s fine if they pour water and sand on your blazing fire to douse it. That support is something that every angry person expects. You require to be understood by your loved ones.
But if that does not happen then sometimes you are fine with Anyone who is ready to resonate your emotions. You just want your anger to be heard and would go to any lengths to make your growl ring in everyone’s ears. In full force and under the total control of that vile emotion you forget your sanity too sometimes. Pouring out your hot lava on a tattle tale or Anyone who can deteriorate you with your own words also seems perfectly legit. That Anyone’s selfish nature, negative intentions are all overlooked, and you pour out your irritation and fury on them. Like the conniving person that Anyone is, they would take the advantage of your open bruise. Rather than stitching up the wound and applying an ointment on it, Anyone would pour a whole box of salt on it. Take all the information that your vulnerable self would spill with the increasing anger and then use it as a hidden weapon. Those raw emotions and words will be used against you when you expect it the least. An important moment could be ruined by those angry words when anyone would decide to use them.
The immediate response given when you are angry is vulnerable and it is a superb tool to extricate your deepest, darkest intentions, ideas, regrets, and feelings. The secrets you have stuffed deep down your heart just let go the
moment you lose your cool. They are placed wide in the open scrutinizing eyes of the people around you and you won’t even notice. So, your anger needs to be let out on a trustworthy and close person. The one who knows how to handle your temper tantrums. The one who can give you the right counsel, show you the way out of your temper. The one who can provide you with the perfect solution. And most importantly the one who can keep a hot mug of coffee in your hands and make you calm down only after completely listening to your anger symphony. Also, someone who gives you something to eat because anger is a consuming fire and makes you hungry (and I am pretty sure you would not want to face a hangry you). Your anger is safe in their hands. When such people give up on you and your tantrums, it hurts as if someone is boring a hole into your heart and strangling you with a wire — all at the same time. You want them to believe in your words. When it still does not work, the next level of acting out to them is successfully reached. You make sure that your actions speak out your anger. You make your fury felt with your stinging actions and harsh words. They get terribly hurt after that because you know— “Actions Speak Louder Than Words”.
This makes you even more angry and you are just about to tip off the edge, when you know, you just know that you have to clear up your own lava with your own precious little soft hands. And you know perfectly well that those pretty hands are going to be scathed by that chore. An option arises in front of you. A decision is to be made — whether you want to do something rash and mess things up or act mature by venting out the anger via doing some creative work or meditation (probably). The Rash Rebel Royalty act will char your hands beyond repair, but the Mature Matronly Manner will scathe your hands a little bit, save the day and bring your calm back. Being mature in such a matter is very difficult but it is equally important.
Your decision will decide the aftermath that you will have to deal with. Better the decision, lesser stuff to deal with and lesser messes to clear up later.
Although I’m explaining the dynamics of anger, I am not saying that always be calm or something on the lines that anger is the forbidden emotion. Rather I would like to mention that Anger opens your most vulnerable and a gullible side. It shows you the fierce as well as the soft spots of your overall demeanor. It challenges and really tests your spirit. It highlights the importance of calmness and acceptance. Anger gives an open-minded view to all your bottled-up emotions. Those emotions come out like bubbles coming out of a soda can after you vigorously shake it. Anger is just as good as it is bad.
It is a vent for the honest, a revenge potential for the sly and a driving force for the hard working. It is up to you to choose how to use your anger. Whether to make it a way to go jetting upstream or to make it sink you like an anchor tied on to you.
Use it wisely like a double-sided sword and defend yourself without slicing off your own hands. Getting angry, expressing yourself occasionally is good, healthy even but if you are constantly angry then you definitely have some issues to look after first. Also, every anger issue that you face must become a learning experience. Analyze the situation, understand your fault in it, and learn how to tackle that issue in light mannerisms. Make it a point to not get angry about the same thing again.
When anger rises, think of the consequences. Conquer your Anger in an angelic way and it will help you out.
“Speak when you are angry, and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” — Ambrose Bierce
Such is the enigma of anger. It can inspire you or conspire against you. I leave it up to you to choose.
And on a lighter note, “When you are angry, start back counting from 10 and sucker punch the person at whom you are angry at number 4! They won’t be expecting it then.”

P.S.: Don’t do that. It was just light humor and should not be taken as reality.
P.S.S.: Choose Very Wisely! Kudos to you all my readers!
Thank you for reading my thoughts!
Love (Not Anger),
Juee.

BEAUTY UNVEILED

It is said that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. The most conventional of the faces may also look the prettiest to someone else. It depends on the person who is judging you. Beauty is just another relative concept like being good or bad. To understand it better, I’d like to ask you something.
Do you think beauty means evenly coloured chestnut brown hair, all silky and smooth? Does it mean almond-shaped, doe-like, blue, or brown, kohl lined eyes? Does it lie in a fair complexion? Is it pink, full lips, a rounded chin, and a perfectly structured face? Or is it visible in a perfectly tanned, toned body with well-built biceps and triceps and long muscly legs? I doubt it lies in branded, expensive clothes and accessories to match. Does beauty mean a sharp jawline, high cheekbones and cut out collarbones? Does it mean being lean and underweight? And finally, is criticism of beauty gender biased?
I talk about all this because these are the beauty standards set by a few and followed by almost everyone across the = globe. Social media acts as the PR screen which promotes all these trends daily. It reduces the already diminished self-esteem of budding teenagers, young adults and the simple minded all around the world. They follow these trends by looking at their ideals (actors, models, beauticians, YouTubers, and influencers) and overlook the fact that their bodies are undergoing hormonal changes and the usage of unnecessary products will just hamper that process. Rather than waiting to become their own beautiful in due time, everyone wants to fasten the process and become beautiful now. Who does not want their Instagram feeds to look all aesthetic and pretty? To live up to and upstage these set standards, they are ready to harm their own health by following weird diets, overthinking (or sometimes not even thinking and doing whatever the world is doing). All this eventually surmounts to an ill effect on their mental health and leads them into trauma and depression. Which in turn goes up-to low grades in class and again more depression. The lost self-confidence is rarely regained, and its effects are seen in their adulthood too. In today’s world, many models like Winnie Harlow, Ashley Graham; actresses like Jameela Jamil, Anne Hathaway and singers like Alicia Keys, Demi Lovato and Serena Williams are rallying for body positivity. Self-love has been promoted right from Oscar Wilde’s era up until today by Beyonce, Michelle Obama and BTS. By now, the world should have been a significantly improved place. But as there are only a small fraction of people acting towards it, the change is gradual. It can be seen though. Yet the struggle for every other boy (man) or girl (woman) to be accepted by the society in terms of their definition of beauty is real. Just because some of you judge them by the stereotypical standards of beauty, they try to change themselves.
Now you may argue with me. You may say that if they are listening to any Tom, Nick and Harry and are changing their appearances, they are weak minded. I agree to disagree on that as whatever you say, it is a human tendency to believe and be influenced by the ideas and thoughts put forth by the society. Everything fails in front of the questions- “How will the world perceive me? What will others think?” All of us are afraid to flaunt our own beauty and try to adopt newer internet (and Kardashian) beauty trends. But we must gather the courage to break down the societal ideals of beauty and follow our own comfort and heart.
I do not deny that looking pretty and presentable creates a finer impression on the person in front of you. Sometimes you just must deck up because you have no other choice. But even then, you should know that you must sport a look that suits you and not follow the herd. We must not go around trying to create a façade. We should be happy and proud of our personality rather than those clothes. We must acknowledge and accept ourselves just the way we are. We must resist any self-demeaning thoughts and surge forward with our shining persona. Our behavior with the people around us, our attitude towards them and our honest demeanor makes us charismatic. We are what we see in the mirror of our minds and whatever anyone may say, we are beautiful, graceful, and strong. Beauty is within us. Beauty is not superficial rather it is deep-seated in every single cell of our body. It is there in every individual. Whether you are dark-skinned or an albino; obese or skinny; short or very tall; have too much acne or freckles; you still are handsome and alluring. The world may just see your face, but it covertly evaluates you on the basis of your inner qualities. It grades you for the person you are. It quality checks your personality. Looks may be important and all glittery but your intelligence, kindness, and honesty are the real gold. They maybe underrated but they are what make you big. What do people like Sudha Murthy, Sachin Tendulkar, Lata Mangeshkar, Malala Yousufzai, Mother Teresa, and Deepa Malik teach us?
They teach us that we can become big, alone with our personality and traits. Talent always overshadows Looks. Your intellect with a decent heart will make you big and not your beauty. This is something that is slowly being understood by our society. It will be realized only if we learn to love ourselves, only if we change our perspective of looking at others. Oscar Wilde has nicely put it as – “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” A kindhearted person with the right amount of hard work and a driven attitude will always surge upwards. You should be able to understand and process other people’s feelings. Your charitable behavior will benefit you along with the others whom you help. It will guide you to the path of righteous beauty. That, my friends, is real beauty and that is your attractive quality. You need no makeup and botox to become big (pun not intended) but only an honest and real heart.

“You don’t have to change a thing; the world could change its heart… No scars to your beautiful…” from Alessia Cara’s No Scars to Your Beautiful is a point of view that we use.
All these people have fought their own battles and now are urging us to fight our own. I think we should accept our own features and work towards developing our personality. Boost your confidence and work hard. We should know to create our own standards of beauty. We should hold our heads high and not pay heed to any destructive criticism. Then gossips and the things that are talked behind your back must not hurt you. Life is truly a race where whilst you run you never look back, you just believe in your abilities and run. And if you are worthy enough you will win it (without any fancy hair, body, and cosmetic products).

Believe in Yourself!
Now all of you know what beauty must really mean for all of us. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s make a difference and try seeing only the best in people.
All the Best!
Love, Juee.

Dhara Pooj – Intern

 UNSOLVED…

Another night has passed and a new day has begun

As I face the mirror, in my mind various thoughts run

I wonder whether my life’s a tragedy or just a stupid pun?

Whether I will be able to make most out of my life or none?

Will I be able to win the everyday battle for which I hustle?

Or will I be just another soul who’ll be lost somewhere in this crazy bustle?

Whether I’ll be able to achieve my feat or will I have to tussle?

Will I’ll be ever capable to solve this life – puzzle? 

My mind is still in a fix as I stand by the window pane

A series of thoughts make me wonder whether I am sane or have I gone insane

But , the prime question still remains unsolved 

Will today I survive, will I?

Shruti Jani – I BPTh

DAY 4 – REMODELLING SELF

DAY 5 – FASTEST FINGERS FIRST