Editorial
With the month marking India’s independence behind us, a lot of questions linger in the air. On one hand, India has become the first country to land a spacecraft on the moon’s south pole, with Chandrayaan - 3 being declared a success. The sight of many women...
Teachers are Special ….. Teachers are Teachers
Dr S. Reshma Praveen MSc, BEd, PhDs, BD, MD, MBA, MA Ed, MA Psychology, PGD in Art Therapy is a resident of Dubai,an author of 19 books and an educator and master trainer.Every child is unique with a lot of potential, the best possible way to explore thatpotential is...
Face to Face With Dr Salma Raheem With Ayesha Syed, Content Creator
Salma Raheem is a Lecturer in Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour in the Work, Organisation, and Management Group. She completed her PhD at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the Department of Management, where she held...
Voices of Women Who Lost Their Husbands to the Prison System
Neelam Sukhramani Professor & Head Department of Social Work, Jamia Millia IslamiaI make every effort to keep the memory of their father alive in their mind – after all, he is their father and I have to perform my role as a mother. Even if he committed a mistake,...
Traditions
Have you seen creation getting scraped out of the walls of generations like bloodHave you seen DNAs getting poured into cups disguised as wagesHave you seen eyes getting suffocated with the death of innovation? The world have seen people on the path of their...
Give, Give Charity
Sanctity of humanitylies in the provision of donation.Neither a luxurynor any possessionlead a way to His devotion. The sincerity of buildingthe heart’s rhyme and rhythm right,will grow a virtuous seedof kindness and compassionto a great height. So, practice this act...
Free Press -The People’s Guide
Amidst a world of fractured trust,Where media’s light has turned to dust,We face a battle fierce and grim,For truth and justice to unshackle the dim. Once heralded as the people’s guide,Media’s essence now seems to hide.Leaders revel in their veiled disguise,While...
A Mother’s Heart
A smile that soothes the darkest nights, Her laughter:a symphony of pure delightsIn her gentle touchall fears subsideA refuge found, where love will reside In the embrace of dawn’s first lightA love so tender, a heart so brightShe stands as a beacon steadfast and...
Homage to Triennium
Budding writer/poet hailing from the town of Vaniyambadi, Tamil NaduA dime a dozen of three years we presume to survive.Greeting from your students with no smiles on their faces.Though paperwork the night before seemed like a gruelling race.Some days are just...
My Dear Son…
My Dear Son,The faster you grow,like a river responsibilities will flow,Never give up and miss the glowFor the Almighty’s help will be there from above and below.Surround yourself with the pious indeed,They will help and guide whenever in need,Your efforts and...
It’s Possible
Son: Are you sure? I don’t think so.Mom: Yes, my dear. It will happen for sure.Son: Tell me, how is that possible? We buried grandma one year ago. Her body must have decayed. And you are saying we will meet her in the Hereafter.Mom: Why do you doubt? Let me ask you....
Ground Report From Violence-Hit Nuh & Gurugram
(Bulldozers entering to demolish the alleged accused of violence)Saif Ul Islam is a Delhi-based practising advocate, associated with APCR, the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights. On July 31, Communal violence gripped Nuh, the sole predominantly Muslim...
Lessons From Great Personalities Embracing Peace: A Journey of Harmony & Unity
Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the...
Editorial
Manipur has been burning since May. The Prime Minister of India was observing an intense silence on the violence which was escalating in Manipur every passing day until a video of a horrendous act went viral. The video showed two women being paraded naked and sexually...
Uniform Civil Code: Decoding the Anxieties
Nabeela is a Delhi-based lawyer primarily working at the Supreme Court of India. In addition to litigation, she works as a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Law and Religious Affairs.Today, when we have the debate of the UCC, we do not even know whether...
Child Labour: Concerns, Solutions & Laws
Quarratul Ain Ifrah is a young fiction writer from Kalaburagi, who haspreviously written Hunt Down the Memory Lane in 2022Good God! To think upon a childThat has no childish days,No careless play, no frolics wild,No words of prayer and praise! Letticia Elizabeth...
Caste System Among The Indian Muslims A Reality or Myth?
Nazreen completed her Master’s in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University.yuñ to sayyad bhī ho mirzā bhī ho afġhān bhī hotum sabhī kuchh ho batāo musalmān bhī ho(You are Sayyid, Mirza, Afghan; But tell - are you a Muslim?) The couplet captures with the greatest...
Tacenda
Vania Syed is a 19-year-old English Literature student, a published poet, an avid reader and a book reviewer. Her first book wasThe things unspoken, Leave hearts broken, Hidden behind sealed lips, Dead soul and blood drips, Things we keep inside our hearts, Dare not...
The Grief By My Side
Nooshin is a dentist, a mum of two kids and a lover of English literature.I could go to the tallest mountainFeast my eyes upon the breathtaking view..The initial thrill sends shivers through meBut tears find their way out andI hold them back with my head held...
Childhood
Maliha Iqbal is a student and writer based in Aligarh, India.Many of her short stories, write-ups, letters and poemshave been published on platforms Live Wire (The Wire),Creativity Webzine, Histolit, Countercurrents, Times ofIndia, The Palestine Chronicle, Café...
August Winds
Maliha is a high school graduate and currently pursuing medicine. She is an artist, writer and poet, writing on personal development, faith and current affairs.It brings potions for a poetA lovers amuletAnd solace for wanderersAugust is dizzy for me.When I dig up the...
Children’s Corner: Quizzes Galorel
1) Who was known as the “Nightingale of India”for her beautiful singing and her contribution tothe independence movement?a) Sarojini Naidub) Annie Besant2) Who was the first woman president of the Indian National Congress and actively participated in the...
Discourse With The Prayer Mat
There were still a few minutes to Fajr when his eyes opened. He felt a kind of stinging dryness in his throat, doubtlessly due to thirst. He got out of his bed and was about to head for the kitchen when he heard a wailing sound from somewhere around him. He turned...
The Unseen Wounds
Tasneem is a freelance writer by profession. She graduated with mastersin journalism and mass communication and has written articles for various publications on different topics.Domestic violence is a significant issue in India, affecting individuals especially women...
REAFFIRMING JUSTICE BEYOND SUSPICION AND RUMOUR: THE ‘BHAGWA LOVE TRAP’ DEBATES
Moreover, the whole narrative of ‘our’ women and ‘their’ women eventually portray women as chattels for transactions in both communities. Women are boxed and categorized as lesser beings who cannot think for themselves and can be easily manipulated. Instead of...
A JOURNEY OF SELF REALISATION
Oh the Month of Dhul Hajj, What an honor you store, One of the Pillars of Islam gets its existence in you, Where everyone is equal before their Lord There is no discrimination between the Black & the white Between the poor & the rich Behold, where being mindful of...
FACES
I have: A face for you, A face for them A different face for everyone A loving face for my kid An honest one for my spouse? A pleasant one for my parents A goofy one for my friends A concerned one for my patients A happy one for relatives. A friendly one for the...
WHEN THE STARS WILL SHINE
Some days you can’t help, But let depression absorb you, Nothing’s good, but nothing’s bad either, All you know is that, There’s this persisting sadness that you can’t quiver, There are days when you perceive how wounded you are, There are times when you had to pick...
THE LOST SOUL
“This poem represents the state of a tormented soul blinded by worldly riches, trapped in lies and away from the Creator when hit by a calamity, there is nowhere to go.Her eyes were swollenHer lips were chappedNobody would careShe knew nobody would Her voice was...
WHY REMEMBER DEATH?
I have been taught to remember death from a very young age – right from six or seven years when the prime worry should be whether my favourite colour was pink or blue! My Madrasa teacher thought it was better if we actually realized we would die one day. I don’t blame...
MANIPUR BURNING!
To say that ‘Manipur is burning’ is not merely a gross understatement, but belies the terrible reality which has gripped the tiny State in North-East India since 3 May. For an alarming amount of time now, Manipur has been experiencing unprecedented violence and...
ADDING A DASH OF TRUE COLOURS TO THE INCLUSIVE WORLD
I went home and asked Ibrahim which one was him. He said the black child is Ibrahim. My heart just sank! He hates himself! Black is his least favourite colour. He uses black/brown shades only when he is upset. After so many awareness initiatives from family, school,...
THE REAL REASON
Teacher : Why are you late? Student: I missed the bus ma’am. Teacher : Why did you miss the bus? Student: Because I couldn’t reach the stop on time. Teacher : Why couldn’t you reach? Student: Because I couldn’t reach the stop on time. Teacher : You should have got...
DICTATORS OF JOURNALISM & IRRESPONSIBLE MEDIA
Recently Shweta Tripathi, a reporter of Republic Bharat, was seen holding an umbrella posing to be reporting from Dwaraka, a city in Gujarat, which was hit by Cyclone Biparjoy. She was seen holding herself strongly against the strong winds while making an effort to...
A MAJORITARIAN PLANK RETURNS: UCC ON THE CARDS, OR A RED HERRING…
UCC must be rejected point-blank, unitedly, and with a comprehensive critique of both overt and its covert ideological aspects. In a country with an immense diversity of practice and faith, there should be no space for such a bill. This vision is falsely being carried...
TOWARDS MEANINGFUL WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN THE WORLD OF POLITICS
In the past year or so, we witnessed Muslim women and girls being stripped of their hijabs and their fundamental right to education. We can only hope that governments that have ridden back to power on the back-breaking work of civil society interventions and ground...
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: DRIVER FOR ALL OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS
World Press Freedom Day on 3 May is an annual commemoration adopted by the United Nations in 1993. This year is the 30th anniversary since the UN General Assembly’s decision proclaiming an international day for press freedom. The theme this year is significant:...
DEALING WITH DRUG ABUSE: APPROACHES AND SOLUTIONS
World Press Freedom Day on 3 May is an annual commemoration adopted by the United Nations in 1993. This year is the 30th anniversary since the UN General Assembly’s decision proclaiming an international day for press freedom. The theme this year is significant:...
WHAT ABOUT OUR PRECIOUS DAYS?
Oh! People… just listen to our stories. What a strong body we have, carrying a lot of load without any fame.What a strong heart we have, no one just listens to our beats.Plastic metal goes in our eyes But who will listen to our cries?No pen to write, no bags no books...
CURIOSITY & SATISFACTION
At the banks of an ocean satAn eagle and a curious cat.What such big water meantOf that, both were ignorant.Satisfied the eagle seemedCat on gushing waters leaned.And then the cat to the eagle said:“Sitting back is I think badWe should explore this world in frontLet’s...
SORRY, MY CHILD…
Sorry, my child… Even at times of threat and troubles... You were taught to heal but not to flee… In vain were your countless hours and endless struggles.. Stripped out of your joyful youth by a community insane... For whom you bartered all your happiness, for their...
LEARNING WHILE EXPERIENCING
One thing I learned from this journey is that we possess hidden powers to face any situation. We can handle anything through “learning from experience.” We have the strength to overcome all problemsIt was the night of February 28, 2023, and my journey to Saudi Arabia...
THE PROUD ROSE
Once upon a time, in a desert far away, there lived a rose who was very proud of her beautiful looks. Her only complaint was growing next to an ugly cactus. Every day, the beautiful rose would insult and mock the cactus on his looks, while the cactus remained quiet....
HATE SPEECH VS DOG WHISTLE
“Hate speech is an effort to marginalize individuals based on their membership in a group. Using expression that exposes the group to hatred, hate speech seeks to delegitimize group members in the eyes of the majority, reducing their social standing and acceptance...
CINEMA, FROM ENTERTAINMENT TO PROPAGANDA
Which films are tax-free? The movies that are socially relevant or have inspiring stories are made tax- free. Now the question arises: are people being affected by the human trafficking shown? Is it having a positive impact on people’s lives? Is it that much of a...
A QUICK REVIEW ON THE INCREASED INCIDENCE OF CHILD LABOR IN INDIA: CAUSES, TYPES & SOLUTION
“Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, modern slavery, human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of these worst kinds of child labour”The International Labor Organization (ILO) announced 12th June as the world day against...
Editorial
Health is a multi-dimensional concept. Aura’s April issue celebrates that - from the various health concerns in the physical and mental realms to the necessity of spiritual health in the sacred month of Ramadan that is currently ongoing. The long shadow of the...
India Cries for Justice
Human Rights defenders cry for justice! Thanks to those who have had the courage to stick their necks out for the poor, exploited and other vulnerable sections of society – the reality is still on the canvas! Many human rights defenders are still paying the price for...
Panchayati Raj System In India And Women
• In a male-dominated society, giving political powers to control and develop society to women who were not considered worthy enough even to control their own lives was a big step. • When we hear of a “Sarpanch” of a Panchayath in India, what do we imagine? A...
World Earth Day
I wish I could tell, I wish I could yell, To all the people living on me, Why don’t they learn? They will kill me it seems, And I can’t even scream, The way they hurt their own mother, Like whom they will find none other, The lady who had given them birth, They don’t...