Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Céline Bignon] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see the makeshift office I made by my bed, ersatz of my own productivity, while the news of the world occupy my mind. The digital world offers solace in allowing one to retain one’s job, and allocates times and resources into feeding the stray felines and canines. Unexpected victims of a world centred on humans and their ability for greed, other creatures of nature might escape the ruffle, but some will come down with us. It is up to us to lower the blow. “We the Isolationists” series urges folks from any part of the world to share a brief diary starting with “I

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Nipa] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see myself at my desk in office, all alone, surrounded by empty workstations. I punch into my keyboard but the screen is blank, it’s swallowing my words. The printer at the far end starts spewing paper. I pick up one A4 sheet: “You have been warned,”it says in bold. All the computer screens come to life, flashing the same message. I start screaming but only silence escapes my parched mouth. I run towards the door, it’s locked. On it are taped the words, “You are trapped in your own bubble.” “We the Isolationists” series urges folks from any part of the world to share a

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Raveena Parmar] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona and I see myself imagining the world I used to live in. I see hope to live like I once used to. When I close my eyes I don’t want to see the reality But I want to see the vision of a flock of birds flying peacefully in the baby blue sky. I want to see trees blossoming in the spring. I want to see Mother Nature waking up from her lethargy. I want to see little children playing and running around in parks, under the mighty sun. I imagine myself there feeling the breeze on my skin. But when I open my eyes I’m embraced by the reality, I see the walls

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Zehra Mahdi] I close my eyes in my self-isolation from corona... and I see myself walking on bridges laden, and walls smeared, with nostalgia, often visiting the villages of 'What-could-have-been'. I remember the past as if it was another world. I live these days as if in gestation, and I await the end of pandemic as if a new world is waiting on the other side. I remember Delhi from memory as well the several men I had interviewed over the years. I wonder if Delhi is being kind to them, are they stuck at Anand Vihar, maybe. I open my eyes, the past, present and future has become one, submerged in misery, sufficed by

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Vishal Gupta] I close my eyes in my self-isolation from corona... and I see visuals from the same dream I am having since months, standing at the ghat of Banaras, but this time her hands are not interlocked with mine rather I am losing them, slowly and everything around turns distant and hazy, she’s not standing beside me anymore. The setting sun is replaced by the moon drenched in bloody red, its reflection can be seen in Ganges. “We the Isolationists” series urges folks from any part of the world to share a brief diary starting with “I close my eyes in my self-isolation from Corona... and I see...” Not more than 100 words. With

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Disha Patel] I close my eyes in my self-isolation from corona and I see myself healing just like this earth, feels like I was hurting myself, and I was allowing other people to hurt me and never looked after myself, in this every day's busy life I never sat quietly and, always tried to avoid reality. But, now, I am finally nourishing myself. In the distance, I see people disappearing, and I can feel a void inside me. Still, for the first time, I am allowing myself to let go of something I no longer can hold, allowing myself to discover new choices, new ways of life. I can't see myself anywhere but here, and

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Khansa Fahad] I close my eyes in my self-isolation from corona and I see a mess. I'm entangled. I'm stuck. I'm surrounded by boxes. Boxes of different sizes. Some colourful, some dull. Some heavy, some light. All interconnected. By strings. They're choking me. These strings. Boxes that I have put my life into. Box of Career. Box of Education. Box of Work. Box of Responsibilities. Box of Expectations. Box of Worries. Box of Fears. There, I see a tiny little box of Hope. Ohh! there's a box of Happiness too. Box of Joy. Box of Love. Why are they small? What's happening? I'm drowning. I need to let go. Let go of the burden. The heavy boxes. The dull ones. I'm breathing now. “We the Isolationists” series urges folks from any part of the world to share a brief diary starting with “I close my eyes in

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Pragya Gurungl] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona and I see my home that had to be left closed, for fear aroused from facial features that would not sit too well with the ones around. I see wary dread in eyes that crossed in my travel from the Southern city to Northern hills. "Where are you from? Where do you go? If there is any worry, let us know?" I see another house, the one I left years ago in search of reasons and means of my own. Ever smiling, ever welcoming parents, desperate to have their only child back. A house that only grows more flowers each time I visit. “We the Isolationists” series urges folks from

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Souzeinal] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona and I see my younger self, so full of dreams. An old friend, while checking up on me, sent me photos of two pages of her old slam book. It was from almost a decade ago. I close my eyes and think about who we used to be when we were young. So hopeful and optimistic. I open my eyes and sigh. “We the Isolationists” series urges folks from any part of the world to share a brief diary starting with “I close my eyes in my self-isolation from Corona... and I see...” Not more than 100 words. With a horizontal-sized selfie, along with your city name...