Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Ekta Yadav] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see myself lying on the floor of a room where all of my memories hang on the yellow wall. The laughs I had, the conversations I had with myself and, the tears I shred linger inside this room. I am trying to stand up but I can't, these memories weigh heavier than life. “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... please mail to me at mayankaustensoofi@gmail.com.

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Pushkar Raj] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see the stories played out on these lands before. This city, Dilli, has seen everything. Its (hi)story stands out as the testimony to the might of human will as well as the failings of its ambitions. Nature and time are great levellers. I feel the irrelevance in our existence. Yet, the desire to leave this place better than what we found is what keeps us moving ahead towards the promised land, towards the ultimate horizon of bliss. I open my eyes to live again, to make an effort towards it with renewed vigour. “We the Isolationists” series urges folks from any part of the world to share

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Aina Afroz] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see hundreds of books scattered around me, pleasantly hopeful rays beaming in their eyes. Ah! I would read. All will be well. I am at leisure. No meetings. No hangouts. Love thing? Are you mad? Love in the time of Cholera? Alright! Love in the time of Corona? Seems ludicrous. I am self-centered. But why am I craving to meet My People? To really meet them! My Claustrophobia.. Eating my insides. Am still on a hopeful note. “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

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Shikha Tiwari] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see myself in Pachmarhi where I spent most of the years of my life. I see myself in a swimsuit, sitting on a rock, too scared to jump into the fairy pool, till I hear my friend’s voice screaming “lets dive in." I see myself spending my evenings at Shruti’s place, where her mother makes crispy crunchy snacks and serves with chai. I see myself making plans for jungle safari with my friends, which apparently ended up in Laxman’s sweet shop the other day. I open my eyes and see nothing different. I am privileged that I have got a home and loving

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Leela Satyan] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see a soul trapped in trepidation. The pandemonium it is in right now, seems to be a trailer to the movie that follows. It suffocates in this imposed imprisonment and yearns to be amidst the tribe it once belonged to. The eyes that embraced, and the palms that caressed the curls falling loose on the temples, are the most missed among the rest. I look forward to welcome those lovely days again to lock me in their awe and create memories for a lifetime. "Love is all I need", yells the soul, but its voice is strangulated by the dark demons of the

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Soumya Das] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see myself ten years down the line. Even though it seems extremely courageous to imagine a future amidst this situation, I want to think of myself in the future. I hope i am finally happy in ten years and don’t have the same philosophy that i have as of today, where i consider happiness to be delusional, and sadness as something real to hold on to. I hope I don’t hold onto certain memories as though my life depends on it, or foster the leftover sadness like my own child. But most importantly, I intend to have grown up into a person who

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Humaira Haroon] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see the nine coffee cups I own. It starts by my hand tracing a hardback, my friend's conspiracy of Shakespeare being a farce. Multitude of bells ringing in the background as I take my exit. I don't know how credible any of it is. Or anything. The earth has grown destitute with unsourced credibility. But our emotions remain. I am angry so I buy two Shakespearean novels, same day. I see two cups in the next frame. One with an owl, the other, a peacock. I know what I am. I buy the peacock. Nine lives they say. And yet, each one of it is taken on a whim. “We the

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Padma Sinha] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see you. You meet me! Like a soft voice in my head. Like molten silver on Thames on a full moon night. Like a calm breeze. You caress your finger under my loose strand of hair, Twirl it twice and hook it behind my ear. Sometimes you are me and at other times - all that I am not. You are one and I'm the other. You fit right in the crevice of my incompleteness And I fit in yours. Friends and lovers- Yesterday, and till the end of the world! “We the Isolationists” series urges folks from any part of the world to share a brief diary starting with “I close

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Sarthak Gupta] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see myself drowning. Drowning in my own thinking so profound that muscles don't want to move to the verity. In the ocean of illusion, I drowse deeply. Just like about everyone else these days, I find myself in a situation where I couldn’t imagine ever. Do I hear summons? Summons claim, I've been a brothel, hawker of illustrations and thoughts. The isolation introversion complains that I have changed the meaning that adhesion is a mess. And I open my eyes to read the last line of your note. "You are the museum of my detritus." I close my eyes and play the paused song, "I am