Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Tumin Sheth] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see Bianca, a 21 year old-young furious Italian. She is sad because she cannot meet Alessio. She is sad because she cannot walk on the outskirts of Quartu Sant'Elena. She is sad because she cannot look for seashells on the Spiaggia del Poetto Beach. She is sad because she cannot find paneer for her curry. She is sad because she cannot dance on Panjabi MC. She is sad because she cannot travel to India to meet her friend. “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 Nabiha Fatima] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see myself standing in front of a mirror. Although the reflection was mine but there was some addition to it. A girl with bloodshed clothes due to the veins that burst from her scalp. Her pale skin was way brighter than her intentions. Her hands were resting on my shoulder while we communicated through our minds. The loneliness felt in this time was no longer in existence. I was resting in peace with my shoulder friend. “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...

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Sana Awan] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see a world much taken for granted. Somewhere in the middle of my begonia porch, I feel a nagging pain of neglecting what we had. It has now become a gall of time. Everyone is having a paradoxical existence. The concept of defamilirization is well understood in the very time where hugs and kisses mean enemity and hostility. “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

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Charvi Kain] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see my great-grandmother nursing me in my sickness. Her translucent hands massaging my wrists as she looks at me intently, her peculiar bluish-grey eyes piercing through her bone-white ghunghat. She rubs dollops of warm ghee on my skin as I focus on the labyrinth of wrinkles on her hands, like the river-lines I trace in the country's map in my school textbook. As she finishes with one wrist, she squeezes its core and declares to me the secret to curing my flu - keep the wrists warm and you shall be healthy. I open my eyes and reach for a jar of ghee,

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Saher Hiba Khan] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see myself sitting on my terrace with a copy of Pride and Prejudice, the sun is quite bright and makes you feel sensitive. As my eyes look up from the novel, I suddenly see my lucky blue bird who comes to visit me from time to time. Ive been seeing this blue kingfisher for 8 years. People are dying of starvation because of this lockdown, and this makes me feel guilty to be privileged. But this utter hope that everything will get better is as firm as my faith in God. This pandemic may have taken lives but has given us and

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Jigyasa Agarwal] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see a comma pushing the full stop. I see betrayed roads, dispatched lives, unsettling air of loneliness while my heart pushes me to feel the clear sky, falling leaves without being crushed, mending relationships and silence. Then I get up and make a cup of coffee, sit at my terrace, reconciling my heart and my mind, and start writing a corona letter to a blogger, ascertaining, this would be the only best part about quarantine. “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

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Anjani Raval] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see birds chirping on a Banyan tree and flying without any fear. I see flowers blooming and fading, following their everyday routine. I see the sun still shining for us. But then, I hear those always-crowded roads whisper that they also feel lonely and scared. I see a mother praying for her daughter who lives far away, and that daughter sprawled on her bed, unable to sleep, urging for just one safe visit to home. I see the world trembling and the countries crying. But amidst this all, I see people standing strong and with their hearts filled with hope, that this too shall

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Maganjot Kaur] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see myself myself sitting alone in my room and doing the highest form of activity--contemplation. With soft jazz music playing in background. I married my love, Jaskaran Singh, a couple of months ago after being in a long distance relationship with him for more than 4 years. He lives in Canada and I'm here in India waiting for my spousal PR application to get approved so that I could start our life together there. His flight was booked for India on 3rd of April but got cancelled because of the corona. Now, sitting thousands of miles apart in anticipation and anxiety, we both wonder

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Carla Caddy] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see myself hearing a peaceful world outside flourishing. Birds chirping, the waves embracing the shore and the breeze rustling the trees. The world continues to exist without us, yet we cannot exist without it or each other. Everyday people hurt and judge one another, show ignorance to those who should be idolised whilst putting others on a pedestal. Habitats and animals are destroyed who have more right than any of us to peace. So why can't we love and respect everything around us? We have a chance to give back and make a difference, let's not waste it. “We the Isolationists” series urges folks

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Anam Ghazi] I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona... and I see Light waiting endlessly like a forlorn lover to emanate spots of Life Sun kissed breeze stuck sitting in the longitudes of Time Eyes forcefully capturing the hunger of the unheard and unseen melancholic Voice Now, I see the Light of the Sun sprinting towards the Voice, and making the bylanes sparkle in hues of gold, whispering in it's ear, "Yes, there will be Love in the time of Corona." The Eyes of the Voice smile in beaming wonder as it walks the glowy path with a fresh lease of air to find its way through the Hands of Time. “We the Isolationists” series