THE COGNITION TREE

January 01st - 15th 2019 Issue Volume 1 | Issue 1 AN INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM INITIATIVE The Cognition Tree Kolkata to Embrace Human Book Library Culture Thecognitiontree.com | An In- dependent Journalism Initiative Amid the party tunes of Christmas and New Year, the City of Joy has quietly and ”For last year’s words belong to last graciously welcomed with open arms the year’s language and next year’s words celebration called life by hosting its first await another voice. And to make an ever human library. With its first session end is to make a beginning.” – T.S. Eliot scheduled on Jan 13, the library will host people from multifarious backgrounds to Wishes its Readers and Extended Fam- share bitter-sweet memories of their life. ily Members a Very Happy New Year. Readers will have a novel experience of interacting with them and the number of applicants has already crossed 200. News In Brief A Step Towards Positivity ‘PUBG’...naam toh suna hi hoga n i h i l i s t i c , v i o l e n t a n d m o s t l o v e d v i r t u a l g a m e o f t h i s e r a Player Unknown Battle Grounds- The Most Polular

The provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Gov- Game of 2018 ernment in Northwest Pakistan in a surpris- er members. There are numerous servers ingly shocking revelation has declared the Rohit Ganguly (@Rohit_Ganguly) to accommodate this huge membership. ancient Hindu religious site of Panj Tirath in Peshawar as a national heritage site. De- n online game by Tencent Gaming What can be more satisfying than winning a riving its name from the five pools of water which gained popularity in just ten situation? Here in PUBG, gives a virtual expe- present there, the premises of the temple months became the most played rience of warfare ground. The player is posi- fall under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber A tioned in one of the four namely, Eran- game in the world. Initiated on February of Commerce and Industry. Believed to 2018, the number of downloads is more gel, Miramar, Sanhok and Vikendi, and one belong to the mythical king Pandu from than 400+ million bagging prestigious Goo- has to compete against 99 live players to win. The Mahabharat, this friendly gesture of gle awards like “Best of 2018, User’s Choice 100 players compete against each other, Pakistan has been greatly appreciated. Awards, and Most competitive” app of where the winner of the match gets a trophy 2018. This was the first time that ‘User’s which they call Chicken Dinner. The players The Dark Side Unveiled choice award was fan favorite allowing us- can also team with their friends and PUBG of- Picture source: Google ers to vote for their favorite app and games. fers an option to make a squad of four friends, Weapon attachments - I love this feature. It or Three people, or two players team and solo. enables you to adjust weapon to your will. Electronic gaming has generated billions Tired of recoil on SMG? No problem, here’s of dollars with millions of players around the When asked “Why do you like PUBG so compensator and vertical foregrip. Want world fighting, buying, crafting and selling much” 3/4 commented that they teamed up to load shotguns faster with bullets? Here’s

Named after the Moon goddess of Chi- nese mythology, Chang’e-4 is a first of its kind spacecraft to explore the side of the moon that perpetually faces away from the earth. Scientists have confirmed that explorations on this less trodden site might just reveal to mankind basins rich in minerals. It has been marked as a major achievement technically and symbolical- ly. Celluloid Mourns the Demise of the Stalwart Director of Indian Cinema

Picture source: Google in a variety of online environments. PUBG have stood to be the most populous of all. with their friends and battled and the excite- bullet loop. Want to be silent? No problem, This massively multiplayer online game drew ment gives them a sudden adrenaline rush. here’s a silencer! The best thing is that some millions of subscribers, who brought the The popularity of the game escalated be- weapons share same attachments, so you company an estimated $6 billion this year. cause of their choice and precision of nam- could swap that silencer between them ing the weapons. They used the names like as you find a need to shoot from each. This game is different from tradition- M416, Mini14, AWM, UMP9mm, Kar98, M762, Yes! PUBG has worked to that accuracy. al games one plays online. Each player UZI, the graphics and the sound effects are logs into a unique server provided by the similar to the real ones delivering a hands- PUBG really relies on total game sense company and competes amongst oth- on virtual experience of these deadly arms. and also extreme amounts of real-life di- rectional skill and quick thinking situations. National award winning director Mrinal Sen PUBG relies on yourself to hear where the who has enriched the history of Indian cine- A 2006 study found that almost shots come from and where footsteps are one-third of female players and near- ma with films like Neel Akasher Niche, Bhu- Realistic weapon physics - Bullet drop, re- coming from, making it more immersive. ly 10 percent of male players had dat- van Shome, Pdatik and Mrigayaa passed coil, bullet velocity will discourage play- ed someone they met in a game. away on Dec 30. One of the ambassadors er new to PUBG like me to shoot from All I can say about this game is a nutshell of parallel cinema his films were best known a large distance, but I guess you learn STAY LOW, GO FAST, KILL FIRST, DIE LAST, SAY WHAAAAAT.... for the realistic portrayal of social dilem- how to adjust your scope over hours. ONE SHOT ONE KILL, NO LUCK ALL SKILL! mas. An ardent follower of Marxist ideolo- This game is available free in Android, Source: Encyclopaedia gy and a rebel Mrinal Sen’s movies deftly Source- Quora Windows, and iOS. However, you need counteracted mainstream hindi movies. Britannica to purchase it to play the PC version.

Want your articles to be featured? Do you have wisdoms to share and photographs to be showcased? send in to us at: [email protected] 2 January 1st - 15th 2019 Issue Volume 2 | Issue 1

Divulging into the Fascinating World of ‘’- an Anime which Altered the notion of Pirates

a ludicrous yet consequential storyline. It provides the readers crewmates on the way who present the viewers with a co- Rapti Mukherjee (@Rapti_mukherjee) with a quintessential tale of treasure hunting and simultane- lourful array of characters. Luffy is probably the dumbest and ously explores friendship, empathy and synergy that are es- funniest protagonist in anime history; however his reliability oaring fearlessly through the raging seas, marking their sential for the ultimate achievement of a common objective. and loyalty towards his crewmates is unquestionable. Each trail with terror; pirates have been perceived as miscre- A fearless pirate king by the name of Gold D Roger was able of the characters is distinguished in their own way. They bring ants through the ages. The engrossing medium of cellu- to acquire the greatest treasure of all times known as One to the story their individual motives, strengths and weaknesses S Piece. Prior to his execution, he revealed these facts which, and are tied together by the formidable bond of friendship. loid has portrayed pirates as raiders of the ocean time and again. But, what if you came across a story that presents a in turn, lead to the beginning of the great pirate age. An am- totally novel perspective on the enchanting world of pirates, bitious village boy, Monkey D Luffy, commences his journey The storyline of One Piece as envisioned by Oda is multifar- and their adrenaline infused adventures that searches for not with the terminal aim of becoming the ‘pirate king’. Luffy, ious. It proceeds in a linear direction, and as it progresses, only the tangible treasures but experiences the turmoil of the who possess the power of the ‘Gomu Gomu no mi’ (devil’s the characters somehow trace their links with each other; human emotions as well? The vibrant realm of Japanese man- fruit which empowers the user to stretch his whole body in this keeps the audience captivated till the end. Another ex- ga and anime “One Piece” illustrated by Eiichiro Oda provides a way similar to the most elastic of rubbers) encounters his ceptional feature of this anime is its soundtrack which cre- ates the appropriate mood for reflection of a particular situation. The unpredictability of the plots leaves little space for assumptions. This is perhaps the sole reason as to why an anime with over 800 episodes still manages to fasci- nate a large pool of dedicated viewers. Those beguiled by mystical creatures, take a special interest in One Piece as it is dominated by mer- maids, fishmen and others. The animation is enthralling, the underwater scenes in the Fish- men island arc and the atmosphere in Skypiea arc are no less than any visual treat. From the scorching deserts, snowy mountains, lethal vil- lains to the engaging battles, One Piece has it all to establish itself as one of the most popular anime belonging to the genre of action and adventure. The comedy and the seriousness can make one laugh and cry at the same time. However, as interesting as it might be, the vast number of episodes is enough to make anyone hesitant to begin with the series. Sometimes the filler episodes seem to make

Picture source: Google the pace slow, making the viewers restless. Nevertheless, it is difficult to discontinue the GENRE: ADVENTURE, FANTASY series if one gets the essence of the anime, WRITTEN BY: EIICHIRO ODA its highly gripping revelations and plot twists. PRODUCED BY: PRODUCTION I.G, TOEI ANIMATION It is a great watch which will fill your leisure with a story that may seem simply hilarious ORIGINAL RUN: 1998- PRESENT and adventurous superficially, but guards be- CAST: AKEMI OKAMURA, KAZUYA NAKAI, MAYUMI TANAKA AND OTHERS. neath its layers, characters and situations of immense emotional depth and relevance.

flavors, from action-focused titles like At- tify, but a glance at the pop culture R i s e o f A n i m e C r a z e i n U r b a n I n d i a tack on Titan to the gore-soaked insani- shows anime’s fingerprints everywhere. ty of Tokyo Ghoul. Romance anime titles Shahsi Dip (@Shashi.Dip) plained as using the signature aspects usually fall into two categories, comedy, Tumblr and Instagram are full of an- of the Japanese-style of animation, and drama. Some titles, like Toradora!, ime memes. Sites like MakeGirlsMoe like vibrant colors, dramatic panning, manage both, drawing laughs while let fans generate their own personal- Author, Waves Within (Horizon and characteristic facial expressions. pulling viewers heartstrings. Fantasy is ized anime identity from scratch. An- and Beyond) another genre of Anime which shows ime characters are popular options Since the World of Anime is vast, so it’s not just heartbreak, fighting, and for Halloween costumes, regardless of many genres are there to fulfill every- “I am the hope of the universe. I am the melodrama; it’s a place to explore the age, and anime remains one of the one’s choice. Even if one is not a reg- answer to all the living things that cry out boundaries of the imagination. Paprika biggest drivers of the cosplay commu- ular anime fan, the genre finds ways to for peace. I am the protector of the inno- is a spellbinding tale of scientists inves- nity, thriving at conventions worldwide. cent. I am the light in the darkness. I am tigating hu- truth. Ally to good! Nightmare to you!” man dreams. Manga are Japanese comic books an- ~ Son Goku ( Z) When some- other craze in urban India which often one is look- serve as the inspiration for an anime series. While going through the above quote, ing for a story Just like the other countries, India is also didn’t you feel that it’s a word of a with less cha- not an exception. Anime has become great man? It’s actually the protag- os, then “Co- extremely popular among those we onist of Dragon Ball series speaking. lourful” is best call ‘mid-teens’, and especially among I am pretty sure about a fact that most which won the middle school students. Because of the parents have a limited knowl- the 34th Jap- it is a stage of life when young people edge about anime because the ear- anese Acad- feel freedom, but are in many ways lier generations has never explored emy Prize. actually very confused. In their grow- it, neither did they pop up back then. ing time they along with the peer pres- But, actually there has grown to be Anime influ- sure, the children are divided by count- a separate World of Anime which is ences are less other things but united by animes. so addictive and larger than reality. seen in hip- hop too as nu- Unlike what a few believe, watching So, what is this mesmerizing World of An- an anime series is not a waste of time. ime? Most of the people may say, it is an Aside from the fun and excitement that abbreviation of the English word anima- Picture source: Google comes with every action, most anime tion, but it is quite false really. Instead, merous rap artists over the years have series, if not all, incorporate life lessons. bleed into our everyday life in the form it’s how we say “animated cartoons” in referenced or its characters The people behind them usually ex- of music, video games and big-bud- Japanese language. So, anime means in their work. An American cartoon “Ad- press the true meaning of friendship, get Hollywood movies. Moreover, An- any cartoon for the Japanese audi- venture Time” wears its anime influenc- love, justice, hope, respect, peace, and ime encompasses a diverse range ence, no matter it’s made in Japan or in es on its sleeve. As the cable television other good values which makes these of storytelling styles, from horror to ro- other country. Outside of Japan, how- evolved in the ’90s, channels like Car- shows addictive and hence, the craze mance, and everything in between. ever, it is known as “animation made toon Network and Sci-Fi programmed is increasing day by day as the resourc- Hence, the Panime comes in countless in Japan.” Anime might be better ex- anime blocks. Its impact is hard to quan- es to avail these stuffs are very easy. January 1st - 15th 2019 Issue Volume 2 | Issue 1 3

Raunak Nayak and given a different inclination to live. and it’s the direction. People from all age specific visual elements for its characters. groups take this form of art quite serious- (@concorddesigns) The craze for Japanese anime isn’t re- ly, and characters and genres have their Anime, unlike Cartoon, is not an all-for- stricted geographically. Anime Con, dedicated fan following. This is no surprise laughs show. Anime originated in Japan an annual anime convention that was as the characters narrate stories which are and is aimed not just for humor but quite uch like Japan, there are plenty of started in 2010 in New Delhi, has grown relatable, psychologically mature, dra- often branch into stories that deal with se- otakus in India too – you can sure- into one of the biggest celebrations of matic and conceptual at the same time. rious issues, adventures, romance or any- ly find few in the hostel floor you pop culture, anime, manga, and gam- thing else for that matter. Anime is way M ing in India making it a gala time for the However, in India, anime has been for more relatable than many other forms of live in or in the street you live. Anime Cul- ture has been that gust of wind that has Cosplay enthusiasts. The convention fin- long stayed a foreign concept. The rea- visual entertainment. Moreover, Anime is taken the young ished its fifth edition in October last year. son being the absence of appropriate not just a source of entertainment as many generation like times it has knit- way too wildly. ted stories that Mostly the ge- have actual- neric audience ly influenced of this Rhapsody the real lives of has been young, people. A ma- confused people jority of the an- obsessed with imes are based computers and on manga pop culture. But comics which more than we were not easily can speak about available in In- the sustainabili- dia until online ty of daily anime shopping com- viewing in their panies started lives, these bunch selling anime of folks have DVDs and man- found a mean- ga comics from ing of watching other parts of these regularly. the world. In recent times, And much like there have their Japanese been a num- counterparts, In- ber of websites dian otakus too that provide have come to re- direct stream- gard anime sub- ing to anime and have re- culture as a strong Picture source: Google part of their identity. They have taken this lieved anime geeks to a large extent. as a wholesome attitude wearing tees that In Japan, anime is like a cult an has often focus of this genre in Indian art and en- reflect their fondness in Anime Culture and taken the shape of a mainstream entertain- tertainment. Probably there was an abso- Nevertheless, Indian fans stay connect- sharing Social and Blog posts that directly ment rather than just being usual sit-coms lute absence of fandom as well. One of ed and try to improve their Japanese influence their peers to indulge in the same. that we are used to. It is as commonplace the most common misconceptions that street cred through Internet forums and and celebrated as Bollywood is in India. have confused a lot of mass is the dis- Facebook groups like Animestan and Mostly the people who have engrossed Anime is somewhat vibrant and expressive tinction between ‘cartoons’ and ‘anime’. Animeindia. These are regularly browsed a lot into this genre of interest have ex- and in circumstances pretty more agile in On an actual note, these are two differ- to get more information that can have pressed a strong belief stating that anime its way of delivery to the audience. If you ent styles of animation altogether. While a good lot of participants in cosplay- and manga are the most beautiful things have come across a few of them, you must cartoons and anime are both caricature ing events, trade anime merchandise, that could happen to them. Cosplay have noticed that an anime lags in no any sketches that are in turn animated, the and viewers for anime music videos. has somehow put life in the sabotaged aspect with scripting of cinematography latter has a very distinct style of art using What the World Said on Behalf of Anime Perception In India

COURTESY: TECHNOLOGY

COURTESY: THE ECONOMIC TIMES 4 January 1st - 15th 2019 Issue Volume 2 | Issue 1 Canvas of third eye Through Lenses

Picture courtesy: HRITANKAR DAS “Calcutta is like a work of modern art that neither makes sense nor has utility, but exists for some esoteric aesthetic rea- son.” ― Amit Chaudhuri, A Strange And Sublime Address

Picture courtesy: MANOJ KUMAR “One must be a sea, to receive a polluted stream without becoming impure.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathus- tra January 1st - 15th 2019 Issue Volume 2 | Issue 1 5 Picture courtesy: ANUBHAV CHAUDHURY

“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for lone- liness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty -- it is not only a poverty of loneli- ness but also of spirituality. There’s a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.”

― Mother Teresa, A Simple Path: Mother Teresa

Picture courtesy: DEBOSMITA ROY

“We all need a technological detox; we need to throw away our phones and computers instead of using them as our pseu- do-defence system for anything that comes our way. We need to be bored and not have anything to use to shield the boredom away from us. We need to be lonely and see what it is we really feel when we are. If we continue to distract ourselves so we never have to face the realities in front of us, when the time comes and you are faced with something bigger than what your phone, food, or friends can fix, you will be in big trouble.”

― Evan Sutter, Solitude: How Doing Nothing Can Change the World

Picture courtesy: SHAYAN CHAUDHURI “Quiet is peace. Tranquility. Quiet is turning down the volume knob on life. Silence is pushing the off button. Shutting it down. All of it. - Amir” ― Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner 6 January 1st - 15th 2019 Issue Volume 2 | Issue 1 Never Give up ATTITUDE..!!!

Artistic Sakshi Khandelwal (@Khandelwal.Sakshi44)

This are often stories about girls who came to this world with lots of aspira- tions, dreams, desires, imaginations, but ended up in a society where she was not respected just because she is a ‘GIRL’. It stung me a lot and I always CORNER said to myself why I was born? I threw a lot of questions myself but I didn’t get one single answer. I just accepted that I can’t do anything for myself A New Year and Beyond and my family and I just gave up and that was the biggest mistake of my life. it.... When we think our life is hard and we are giving up on that be- cause we think our life is unfair, think again because when we think that Anik Banerjee (@InTheSpotLight94) way, then we are being unfair to ourselves. Sometimes, problems are not too big, rather we are too small because we cannot handle them.

Picture source: Google

As the countdown begun, the show was just in the full swing, there were the lights, the sounds, and the momentum, through the dying night.

They were banging the grounds, they were hanging around, Picture source: Google with painted faces; everywhere sounded of commercial I believe in the power of words. The words can make us, break us, they can heal our soul, traces, they can damage us forever. So, when we accept ourselves the way we are, the world colonial essences. recognizes us. It all starts from within us. I am highly thankful to my parents for consenting to my wishes and my college, which bestowed me with this ‘NEVER GIVE UP ATTITUDE’. Does someone need to be praised? Should anyone be blamed? Hence, just after I got admitted, I went on to show my talents, spirits and every- one praised me. I was happy. Consequently I started knowing myself. I started No... showing people who I am and yes I am worth it. Gradually I fell in love with my- self. Remember one thing, on the road to success there is always a “we”, not a It’s just a passing night of fame, “me”. All my beloved friends, my close seniors stood by me and will always be with all its resounding echoes of shame. there throughout my life. Thousand times I fail in my life and I am thankful for that because failure is simply a result but the bigger thing is that you’ve tried at least. So I am through, We want everything perfect. We want ourselves to be perfect. But, I am not per- and you shall be too, fect and I can boast of that as I am a human battling against the currents of time. stepping in the fresh dawn, both happily and strong, If our soul is perfect from within that’s all right. than you did through the night of woe, into a blissful tomorrow… If you’re still thinking why we have been sent here if we are still jugging with the concept of why are we here then we haven’t lived yet. We worked hard. We Common Resolution make money for ourselves, that’s not life. Go out and seek for people who need you, help them to make their life better. Become that sponge which can ab- Debangana Chakrabarti (@Debs. sorb all the negativity and become that person who can emit beautiful positive vibes and when you realize that you have changed someone’s life you will live Drama) always. NEVER GIVE UP is a way to live always. Live your life fully. Be kind to your- self. Accept yourself the way you are then, we can definitely be kind to others. Lasting Promises....!! Krishita Kandoi (@Krishita.Kandoi.1)

The story of the past 365 days is nothing but short of a rollercoaster piled in emotions. However, one constant that stayed throughout the changes this year brought were the resolutions I made whilst the commencement of 2018, resolutions, I will be taking with me into this new foremost year. I had promised myself that no matter what happens, I would al- ways be there for myself. I had prom- ised myself to love ev- eryone; strangers, friends, fam- ily and self alike that anyone could feel it with ev- ery exhale. I had prom- Picture source: Google ised myself that I would for- give myself if the previ- Another year, another resolution. ous resolution could not be kept for loving is a Still, a lack of some motivation. dangerously hard task, a force akin to mag- Let’s first start with the basic informa- ic and sometimes it drains you out. I had tion, promised myself to allow myself to where we can continue with that un- laugh even when the world remind- wanted conversation. ed me reasons not to. I had prom- ised to cry, to al- low myself to show So, how weak I really felt and once in a me and my stomach was having this while not to hide it. I had promised chit-chat, myself to hold on to people as hard as where I ordered my stomach to not possible for people are temporary and just collect fat. they leave eventual- ly. However, I had also But, was my stomach obeying to that? promised myself to open the gate for those I just kept resting on the mat. who do want to leave- you can’t force an individual to stay when they want to leave. Lastly, I had prom- Sometimes, keeping your soul happy is ised myself to breathe. the main thing, And it wasn’t easy. On some days, my friends had to remind Being fat or slim you can still rule as the me to breathe and on other days my family held my hand while king or the queen; I cried. When the world keeps breaking you down, broken promises Being healthy just adds an extra wing. seem futile. However, these promises were my backbone throughout So, search for the things to unstring. the journey of 2018. All I can hope for is for 2019 to be kind to ev- into a blissful tomorrow… eryone and allow all those broken souls to heal. Happy New Year. January 1st - 15th 2019 Issue Volume 2 | Issue 1 7 Yet, Again..!!! New Beginnings..!!!

Raunak Nayak Ankita Ghosh (@[email protected]) (@concorddesigns) Twinkle spent hours rippling around the bed, thinking about the atrocities life was showing her. She was pursuing arts at a college in Bareily. Coming from a typical Mar- wari family, the stereotypical believes they hold protruded quintessentially. Twinkle’s dream of becoming a travel blogger and exploring new and distant places wasn’t a rosy way. She barely had been to places in Bareilly, excavating the world comes second. The internet enticed her to learn more about the budding professions, whilst she chose to blog over anything else as she had the flair for writing. Twin- kle’s father was skeptical about her daughter’s independence and he wanted her to marry a man of his choice and settle down. Love marriage at her house wouldn’t have been a small reason for a major heart attack to her father.

Picture source: Google The chime holding the sleek aperture, of chastity and belief, bliss and carica- ture. The peace and solace, the warmth, the glittering frolic, rhyming with emo- tions.

Rolling into another heap of grass, covered in dew, while it approaches lives of few. The synchronization and the empow- Picture source: Google ering ringing the bells, merging memo- ries, weaving the wrath. Twinkle tried controlling her feelings according to her family norms, but the teen’s aroma couldn’t skip her nose too, where she also fell in love with a guy at her col- Realizing the petrification, I walk the lege. Rajat, an extremely good-looking yet humble guy who loved her equally but lonely roof, was no different in bounding her and overprotecting her in doing things she want- Awaiting for the soul that transforms ed to do which later resulted in acute obsession. Twinkle gasped for breath as she me to blue. almost chocked being a caged bird. She needed an accentuated flight towards And there she stands in her awkward her freedom, a flight of decisiveness, determination, and serendipity. Till the hands self, in the clock took a couple of rounds and the dusk was falling heavily, twinkle set- Transfixing my strings with glue. tled for something better. She got up the bed, opened her closet, took out her camera, put on her dress and got her initials ready. The clock struck twelve and And yet, another time, I hope to dive the crass cacophony outside greeting the new year broke the night’s tranquility. in, Articulate and enigmatic, proportion- As the crowd cheerfully welcomed the new year, Twinkle stood up, wiped her tears ally devilish at times. and smiled at her spirit of welcoming new aspirations and resolutions. She left I need somebody, and that be just the room without breaking the silence of the night but breaking the strings which you, have got two fine ends carrying societal limitations and emotional values on ei- for love that beholds, better be true. ther of its ends that always restricted her into choosing a life of her own choice. Glorifying You..!!! Holla! Psychedelic,and Living into another hopeful Time Barsha Gupta (@[email protected]) Raunak Nayak (@concorddesigns) Heyy, Here I am with my psychedelic world. Full of tales that are mundane and grey. Nothing lavish to cher- ish or nothing pretty holy to love. Yet it is this loneli- ness that has petrified my feelings to endeavor the dark and shout out to the world and say, “I am that Long lost world, that you wish you never had in your Life”. Sickening are the days, tiring are the nights, if you still want to speak few words, drop in there’s lots of time. A rejoicing ambience of perfection and a stimuli to grow the healing, has never been part of Picture source: Google the story. An anonymous soul with a transient phase Time passes by and memories fade away. of brain that has been through the intersection of Life and Cosmetic Death. A cosmos, unwilling and The strings of attachment gets entangled with the strings a rhythm, struggling is what has defined the robust- under oblivion’s curse, ness of the soul to fight and the clumsiness of the brain to resist. “What am I to you?”, questioned the And everything round up to a mess. emphatic heart to the unamused soul. The answer wasn’t mere words. They were variations in frequen- Over the years, our priorities will change, choices will cies, gliding down the wave that echoed in sudden change, Likes will change and dislikes too. strangeness. An arrangement of Life and Death well lit for another year, a quake residing and a breath But The relationships between hearts may break , reverberating. But the one with the souls involved grow stronger day by Is it the long lost tale or a song long lost? day. Is it an undrafted letter or a chirp unbestowed? I have kept you bounded with the thread of my verses And hence, I promise you Is the mimicry an option or a way out of the pun- gent, poignant Life? That my ‘last words’ will still be somewhere revolving around you, And just being unresolved and unbent on propor- tions that once had ended every branch that grew, Praising you and wanted to feel the holy faith and fall off the roof, yet another time. Thus, welcome to the constriction Glorifying you . called Life and a saga called “2019”. January 1st - 15th 2019 Issue Volume 2 | Issue 1 8

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Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent and National Geographic Fellow Paul Salopek’s 21,000-mile Out of Eden Walk is a multi- year experiment in slow journalism. Moving at the beat of his footsteps, Salopek is walking the pathways of the first humans who migrated out of Africa in the Stone Age and made the Earth ours. Along the way he is covering the major stories of our time—from climate change to technological innovation, from mass migration to cultural survival—by giving voice to the people who inhabit them every day. His words, as well as his photographs, video, and audio, are creating a global re- cord of human life at the start of a new millennium as told by villagers, nomads, traders, farmers, soldiers, and artists who rarely make the news. Join the journey at outofedenwalk.org and on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @OutofEdenWalk.

Picture source: National Geographic

The prime focus of Salopek’s address towards the students dents were baffled and sure enough, most of them began Rapti Mukherjee (@Rapti_mukherjee) was the importance of storytelling in today’s fast-paced questioning the relevance of such a perilous project. How- world. For him the essence of any story elevates the longer ever, their uncertainty was soon engulfed by Salopek’s pos- one dwells on that. “I would tell students not to get hung up on itivity and passion towards the project as he suggested not o outside. Don’t tell anyone and don’t bring your the medium, whether it’s digital journalism or writing on stone. to be overwhelmed by the number of miles but to regard phone. Start walking and keep walking until you no It’s the quality of the stories. Digital, writing with charcoal on each day as an opportunity to gather stories ranging from Glonger know the road like the palm of your hand, lambskin, whatever your medium is, spend enough time to technological innovations, climate change, dominance of because we walk the same roads day in and day out, to be the expert, the master in that story”. This is the core ab- modern equipment over traditional tools, cultural struggles, the bus and back home and we cease to see. We walk stract of the novel proposition of slow journalism and through and so many others. Throughout the session, there was little in our sleep and teach our muscles to work without think- his magnificent journey on foot; Salopek yearns to re-discover or almost no information regarding any women-centric sto- ing and I dare you to walk where you have not yet walked the home of humanity. His journey is all about the common ries. The same was questioned by a faculty member to whom and I dare you to notice. Don’t try to get anything out of it, man and their everyday stories, a fact which he kept on em- Salopek expressed his inability as a man which deterred him because you won’t. Don’t try to make use of it, because phasizing throughout the session. Apart from the enchanting from getting much information from the passing women on you can’t. And that’s the point. Just walk, see, sit down if visual glimpses of his journey, Salopek shared some interesting the roads. “Most women used to avoid crossing my path you like. And be. Just be, whatever you are with whatev- whenever they saw me er you have, and realize that that is enough to be happy. coming”, he replied. ‘Out There’s a whole world out there, right out- of Eden Walk’ is not only side your window. You’d be a fool to miss it. confined to barren or un- inhabited lands but is also Taking his first steps towards his venture at one of the world’s an exploration of the met- oldest human fossil sites with 21,000 more miles to go with- ro cities and the noisy high- out U-Turn, he has provoked to embark on a journey others ways. Salopek’s walk on can solely dream of, to walk on the path less traveled. A two foot had been interrupted time Pulitzer Prize winner journalist, Paul Salopek is out on a several times due to war walk around the world to retrace the first steps of humanity. like circumstances in Syria Born in California and raised in Mexico, Salopek has reported wherein he had to take the for The Chicago Tribune, The Atlantic, National Geography help of alternative trans- Magazine and various other publications adjoining his con- port like ships and cargo. tributions. His entry into the field of journalism, according to him happened merely through an accidental situation which Answering the clichéd is almost like “Nothing happens without any reason”. Since question about his advice then, there has been no looking back and the greatest ever to budding journalists, Sal- project undertaken by Paul Salopek is his ‘Out of Eden Walk’. opek replied most enthu- An ardent believer in the concept of ‘slow journalism’, the siastically, “Please come, ‘Out of Eden Walk’, which started in Jan 2013 from Ethiopia, we need your heart, we through the vast barren stretches of the Middle East, Salopek need your mind”. There finally, reached India. Taking out some time from his excruci- could have been no other atingly busy schedule, he visited NSHM Knowledge Campus, Picture source: National Geographic wisdom more encourag- Kolkata to enlighten the students regarding his project and ing than this for all those with a passion to create and master throw light about his covered journey and more thrill to come. stories about the people who accompanied him in different their own stories with intent to influence global circumstances. segments of his walk and also the dire situations they faced. People, no matter wherever he went, perceived him with an “Walking is falling forward. air of curiosity and were often reluctant to answer his ques- “Not an inch of this antique vista Each step we take is an arrested tions. Paul even expressed his ordeal when he had to cover distances alone and other times when he came across over hasn’t been fought over, cursed, plunge, a collapse averted, a di- enthusiastic partners who had to be convinced to go back to blessed, claimed for one divinity their homes after months of tireless walking. On being asked saster braked. In this way, to walk about his experience in India, Salopek answered with con- or another. It is a land worn smooth becomes an act of faith.” tentment that unlike most other countries, in India everyone has a story to tell, that eased his efforts for collecting content. like a coin traded through count- ~ Paul Salopek less fingers.” ~ Paul Salopek On hearing the number of miles remaining for the walk, stu-