Kurseong: The land of white orchid - Rishona Chopra

Helen Lepcha belonged to the indigenous Lepcha community, an ethnic group scattered across Sikkim, the Darjeeling Hills, the southwestern parts of Bhutan and the Ilam District of Nepal. Born on 14 January 1902, in Sangmu Village (South Sikkim) to Mr and Mrs Achung Lepcha, Helen was the third of seven children. 

Her family moved to Kurseong shortly after she was born. Surrounded by lush green tea estates with well-pruned bushes, the towns of Kurseong and Darjeeling started witnessing the arrival of education and infrastructural development in the early 19th century. This created ample job opportunities compared to the then princely state of Sikkim, leading Helen's father to move to Kurseong.

Kurseong is a beautiful town known as The Land Of White Orchids. It was initially called "Karsan Rup", which means The Land Of White Orchids. Even Mark Twain spent some time here. However, Kurseong is most popularly associated with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, who was imprisoned in a bungalow here by the British.

Helen Lipcha, also known as Savitri Devi, helped Netaji Boe escape and supported Mahatma Gandhi in the Non-Cooperation movement.

I have learnt and heard of many fighters and towns but never of Kurseong. I never even knew there was a girl named Helen Lepcha who played such an essential role in history. I genuinely salute these unsung heroes who were brave enough to risk their lives yet not be famous.

The one question I would like to ask the author is - Does the story of Helen Lipcha inspire you or relate to your life in any way?

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

The Great Tribal Warriors of Bharat - Anvesha Rana

The meticulous lines drawn out from the intricately woven Indian history narrate a tale of valour and patriotism, chivalrous and courageous fighters astounded the invaders with defiance for crumbling in pain their fragile and ancient machinery might lay down on the battlefield. Still, the spirit of freedom ignited further after losing. Indians unified is a resilient symbol of Pure Indian Strength; our most significant asset lies in our people.  A girl of mere 14 years of age being a mentor to Kasturba Gandhi, or a British official holding a man defeated, in his highest esteem. It is not the power but the personality of Indians that is embedded, leaving indelible impressions on people. Helen Lepcha, a lady of substance from the Lepcha community, helped Netaji Bose escape and was a chief member of the Non-Cooperation movement. Our impregnable freedom is a culmination of the endeavours of numerous freedom fighters; the depths of oppression create such heights of character. Our Independence was not a birthright. It was fought for with life and death by these tribal communities. Anvesha Rana Grade 10-B Gyanshree School

Player Of Games - Gaurangi Rastogi

There is a question for all teenagers here, including myself. "Do you feel that being a teenager is too good to be true?" 

My answer would be yes, as I  have been facing a lot these days, like Peer pressure, jealousy, experimenting with new genres of books, and trying to get my act together to make a comeback to this world of writing blogs and writing a book called "now let me tell you. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I am giving a short intro. So, a teenage girl called Amanda was working as an intern at a graphic design company. She was satisfied with her job. One day, while she was walking back home, she was abducted by some men. The rest will be told in the book. These days, I am studying a lot and the Holiday Homework is just so much. Seeing this problem in managing everything in my life is a challenge I am trying to solve now. This would answer my question to people who question my capabilities, but I will give them intense competition in life. 

I end my writing with the note, 'Just Do it, Girl!' 

Gaurangi Rastogi 

VII 

The Doon Girls' School 

Self-realization - Rishona Chopra

Do you know yourself?
When we are asked about our weaknesses and strengths, don't we take quite a long time to understand ourselves? We try so hard to understand others but do we honestly appreciate ourselves? 
The human brain is full of complexities and thoughts that we, too, fail to understand. We need to understand our passion, our capability and to what extent can we reach.

I was asked who I was,
And there was a pause,
A long stretch of silence,
I was thinking as if it was science.
I realised I fail to understand who I am,
Did I have the ability to pass a challenging exam?
I needed to understand by ability,
Years pass by,
I still don't appreciate my being.

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Happiness From Within - Rishona Chopra

Happiness is one of the most critical and defining qualities of life. Everyone wants to be very happy all the time, and no one wants to lose their happiness at any moment. There is nothing more important than being happy in human life. 

It's the top priority of all humans. But at the same time, everyone feels that happiness is not permanent and comes and goes away very quickly. 

This is because the source of happiness for most people today is external and external sources in our present lives keep changing and going through ups and downs. Some people in the world also feel that this is how happiness has been eternal - unstable and temporary in nature, and there has never been any time in the world when happiness was permanent. All of us want happiness in our lives, but so many bad things are happening in the world; how can we be happy on earth? Here's the answer, we don't get happiness from things and situations. Even the worst thing in the world can have a positive side!! So if we look at each case positively, we can easily be happy. We do not get happiness from the environment but from within.

According to the world happiness index, the World Happiness Report is an indicator of global happiness. The rankings are based on reports of respondents' assessments of their own lives, and articles on national happiness are included. The report also compares other elements that influence (quality of) life. The rankings of national happiness are based on a Cantril ladder survey. Nationally representative samples of respondents are asked to think of a ladder, with the best possible life for them being a 10 and the worst possible life being a 0. They are then asked to rate their current lives on a 0 to 10 scale. There is a tale about Birbal in a similar context. Once a man came up to Birbal and said that his home did not have space, so Birbal advised him to bring goats to his house and take them out after a day. When the goats were there, the house was so whole and small, but when they went out, it felt so much bigger! So happiness is just a perspective of looking at things!

There is this quote by Lewis B. Smedes - To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. This means that when we have a conflict with someone, they are also bound by negative feelings, and so are we. We both are sad and want to solve the fight, but our ego does not allow us to do that. So if we once set the prisoner as the person who we fought with, not only will he be free from the negative feelings, but so will we.

I feel happy today,
An aim to smile every day.
It's a unique ray of hope,
That gives me a new scope.
To do something good,
I misunderstood,
The word happiness.
I thought there was a reason for this smile.
But all this while.
I was wrong to think,
That happiness could shrink.
It was something even more unique,
That came from within and was sentimental.
I couldn't possibly want something more,
 But to be happier than before.

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

What makes me think who I am - Tenzing Dhekyong N

I belong to Pestalozzi, which makes me feel proud; whenever I go to school, the teachers treat me as a special one because Pestalozzian children do excel in their academics and as well as in the field of sports. I am very grateful to be a Pestalozzian because Pestalozzi has taught me to be independent and mature enough to judge right or wrong and the innovative ideas that make me feel who I am. Expressing my gratitude towards someone makes me think about who I actually am. 

Tenzing Dhekyong N
https://pestalozziworld.com/about/where-we-work/indian-village/

When I Die - Reveda Bhatt

So, God gave me a new life to live, but, you know, let’s face it, I am not immortal, so I have to die one day. I know I’ll be walking toward the cliff one day and disappearing into the grieving, shallow darkness.

To those who think -Thinking about death is depressing, or maybe I am depressed. Ahh, that’s a straight-away no because thinking about what’s going to come one day is absolutely normal, be it a new start to life or a jump to death. In fact, thinking about it gives me a unique perspective on how to look at life - it’s just the beginning of the end. That may sound weird, but personally, it inspires me not to hold on to a moment looking for the lost one but to move on to see what the next brings. Plus, it’s all about perspective -if we hold on to one side, we might miss out on the fun on the other.

Plus, one thing I read recently- “Cycles exist because they are excruciating to break.” So, you see, this end called death exists because if it didn’t, either way, nobody wants to leave, keeping aside the matter of suic*de because something in them forces them to end this suffering once and for all, maybe because they never saw the brighter side of things. Don’t take any of it personally, please.

Now, about me - I want to serve humanity for a good reason, a good cause. And believe me when I say
that, “It will never change!”

Not going for materialistic things in excess. I want to give them away to the needy. In fact, a part of what we earn, we should give away because nothing is ours. Once we leave, it’ll just be the things belonging here-they don’t go with us.

I am sure, doing all that, after a moment, I’ll find myself walking toward the cliff I know has an end - Free falling.

“That’s why when I die, I want people to remember me for life I lived, not for the money I made.”

Then, vision widening lights off!

Reveda Bhatt
Grade 9
The Aryan School