Suppress them not
Let them ebb and flow
Opinions, notions, emotions
Break the shackles
That bind you to silence
With anchored inhibitions;
In thoughts, voices, words
Our world is made, unmade
In never-ending cycles
A constant alchemy of change.
Last year, I blocked a few people on social media and exited WhatsApp groups due to differences in opinions. Well, not exactly that because different thoughts are enlightening, but due to trolling. Harsh words, bigotry, and bias were the hallmark of these discussions.
Needless to say, even these people must be relieved to have me exit from the group because now no one could challenge their point of view. We all love to believe we are right and our ideology is the best. Fair enough, but then why troll and abuse diverse ideologies. At that point in time, I wrote Trolled into Silence.
Over time, the situation has only worsened. Polarization, in almost all aspects of life, has manifested in crude ways. It is a global phenomenon. Innocent banter and sarcasm are also frowned upon because everyone is oversensitive. The cherry on the top is fear of the repercussions of speaking out.
As an admirer of art, especially by children and young adults, I am discovering breathtaking work ever so often. Here is an inspiring story and some verses from my archives that found the perfect fit in paintings by Debarghya Chaudhuri.
Sixteen years old, Debarghya is searching for purpose through art. His art is crazy and real. Debarghya, a happy and energetic teenager from Gurugram, India, is on the autism spectrum. He has found a fulfilling passion in painting landscapes and abstracts. On this quest, he is being noticed in the professional art world. His paintings are enlisted with professional art galleries and international exhibitions.
Ansh has showcased his work in 43 exhibitions. His paintings have found global affection with more than 400 of his acrylic paintings adorning the homes of patrons in India, Canada, German, Dubai and Hong Kong. He has been featured in newspapers and regularly participates in art competititions.
When you seek beauty and bliss, it seeks you out in return, in its myriad forms. After writing about Shreyan’s creativity, I came across another brilliant, young artist. Ansh Batra, a 14-year old boy, delves mostly in abstract paintings on acrylic. Ansh started painting in his early years and has found refuge and expression in shapes and colors.
A kaleidoscope of colors, the paintings bring cheer and joy. Sometimes, they also reflect inner chaos and jumbled visions, as the artist seeks answers. Whatever be the medium, a work of art can be interpreted in several ways and Ansh’s work resonated with some verses in my archives.
Just waves in the sea
Dewdrops on a petal
Clouds pregnant with rain
Life in motion, fluid, pristine
Souls waiting to be free
Musings by ANEESHA SHEWANI
Acrylic on Canvas by Ansh Batra
Acrylic on Canvas by Ansh Batra
There is no apology
For being simply you
A yellow leaf
Is pretty still
In verdant foliage
A sign of autumn
In a life well-lived
MUSINGS BY ANEESHA SHEWANI
The kiss of a setting sun
On the lips of a dying day
A final blush, an orange glow
Before a black shroud
Covers the last ray
MUSINGS by ANEESHA SHEWANI
Acrylic on Canvas by Ansh Batra
Acrylic on Canvas by Ansh Batra
Dreams explode
Under the pressure
Of restless nights
They now float free
From my eyelid to yours
In triumphant audacity
Musings by ANEESHA SHEWANI
Ansh is a special child with autism. His art has received the unconditional love and blessings of his parents. Anshul, his mother, with utmost humility says that Ansh is learning to work with colors and canvas and will continue to learn all his life. A preview of Ansh’s work is available on his Facebook page managed by Anshul.
With unpretentious and dedicated pursuit of his passion for different strokes, Ansh has showcased his work in 43 exhibitions. His paintings have found global affection with more than 400 paintings adorning the homes of patrons in India, Canada, German, Dubai, and Hong Kong. He has been featured in newspapers and regularly participates in art competitions. His work reflects the depth of the caption in a Facebook video that features his artistic method – “We’re all little broken; last time I checked broken crayons still color.”
It all starts with a vision – be it a venture, a painted artwork, a sheaf of writing – and many a times across time and space they converge. A delayed monsoon made me crave the soul nourishment of the rains and I rummaged through some of my micro-verses looking for succour. I came across two previously written poems to feature on my blog.
Yesterday, like everyday, I was browsing through The Special Mom – Samavesh, a wonderful group created by dear friend, Kreeti. A post by Joyashree, caught my eye. It was a painting by her 12-year old son, Shreyan, His art was complementing the verses I had dug out from my archives.
I reached out to Joyashree and shared how beautiful the artwork was and the words I had written. As we chatted, I got to see another brilliant piece on the theme of boats and stormy skies by Shreyan. It was touching.
In absolute awe and delight at the acrylic painting on paper, I am sharing two of Shreyan’s pieces here with his mother’s permission. Joyashree says, a fun-loving adolescent, Shreyan loves to paint water bodies and shapes.
The little boy
Floats a paper boat
In a puddle on the road
To him it is the ocean
He on a voyage aboard
Musings by ANEESHA SHEWANI
Rain-filled clouds
Like cotton glaze
On a summer sky
The sun playing
Hide and seek
A silver lining here
A rainbow bridge there
MuSINGS BY ANEESHA SHEWANI
Acrylic on Paper by Shreyan Chakraborty (12 years old)
What is most inspiring about this artwork is that Shreyan is a special child, having been diagnosed with autism at the age of 2 years. Painting is his refuge and voice. He is expressing his vision of beauty and adoration for nature. We catch a glimpse of his beautiful mind and soul through his artwork.
Shreyan is one of the many whose creativity has found a platform on Samavesh (Inclusion). Kreeti has put her full force and compassion behind this amazing group of pure souls, who bring so much joy through their pursuit of creativity. I have seen intricately designed jewelry, clay work, and renditions of music and dance on this platform.
The profile of Samavesh says, “Let’s change the narrative, celebrate and showcase their talents and brilliance, and not their challenges.” Challenges, however, are a part of life and here is a shout out to all the lovely parents who are helping their children overcome everyday hurdles – one hug, one encouraging word at a time. Thank you, Joyashree, for bringing brushes and paints to Shreyan to brighten our world.
To learn more about collaborating with Samavesh and endorsing the work of these children, you can write to: contact@thespecialmom.org
Books were bought with care and cherished; not hoarded into digital spaces because someone recommended the next best-seller. Reading was not competition; it was relaxation.
Rumi
I have a Rumi Pocketbook in my desk, since more than two decades, and once upon a time it gave me much succour. That was before the age of the madness of devices. It moved around with me one house to another, packed in boxes. Then, it lay quietly in a drawer, waiting, holding words of wisdom in it’s bosom, until my 11-year old son retrieved it and asked if it was age-appropriate for him to read! My heart overflowed with joy!
It is important to have books in the house – hardcovers, paperbacks; diaries, 📒 notebooks and stationery – little treasures, waiting to be discovered. Let your children unearth the bounty, find solace and refuge in the power of the written word. My son writes in his little Harry Potter themed journal or blogs only after jotting down ideas in a notebook. He loves glitter pens and gel pens, and no batch of bookmarks🔖 or post-it notes are ever enough. We share our love for stationery and to his credit I have introduced him to the indulgence. I blogged about this earlier also.
Blue Pen Strokes 