WE HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE. A time so cruel for us. A time when we endured the torture inflicted upon us. Forced to part away from our identity, freedom and love. But what would be India’s history if Aurangzeb had not issued the farman?

Well for starters, India would have discovered the route to England via the Cape of Good Hope. They probably would have voyagers conducting expeditions to search for new lands to trade. Britain at that time did not that much to sell. India would have taken Britain’s market on storm, because of the spices and variety of natural resources. This would have made India powerful than ever.

During that time, silver was on great demand for creating swords, utensils etc. As India, where silver had not been discovered by that time would probably be exported from Britain. This would be a one-way win for India as Britain would have been heavily dependent on India for almost everything.

This would have caused a vast cultural change among these two countries, predominantly in Britain as India (in this scenario) has more power in Britain. Who knows, maybe Hindi was the official language of Britain or India would have been the most powerful country now?

We have seen the cultural, economic and political changes if India had captured Britain. But what about the conditions in India? Well, India would have been a much powerful country then ever before. It would have great education system, proper housing for its citizen and oh, the monarch concept.

There wouldn’t have been any riots or even protest because India was its own country! There would have been no Swadeshi Movement, Jallianwala Bagh massacre or even Independence!

In a nutshell, India would have been a country of its own will; just ruled by different dynasties. It would have been called the world’s most powerful country. People wouldn’t have to live under the slavery. Oh, I wish this would have had happened!

Once Albert Einstein quoted “The only source of knowledge is experience.” It’s true. So, here am I sharing my experiences under lockdown. Or in simple words; how has the pandemic changed my life.

Let me remind you that, this speech is a middle schooler point of view.

The main change that the pandemic inflicted upon my life is that now I don’t have anyone to socialize too. In this context, I mean to meet and talk to others physically. Right in front of them.

Sure, apps like Zoom and Google Meet do provide us a platform to meet and chat with our relatives and friends. But do not forget that humans are social creatures. It’s our instinct to communicate. After all, this whole world solely depends on communication. I’m now just adjusted to communication virtually.

Though we meet virtually, the idea of meeting people physically is so appealing. I don’t know, but there’s one thing I’ve understood is that I can’t live without physical communication. What about you?

For me, as a student, the biggest change in my life is related to academics. Any guesses, I promise it isn’t too hard.

Yes, you got right. It is indeed online classes.

Online classes in reality are way different than the physical traditional one that we used to attend. School.

All my life, I’d always fantasized about what would it be like if I were to attend online classes instead of schools. I wished to attain the experience of online classes. It always seemed cool to me, but now it doesn’t. Perhaps because I may have gotten bored of it.

First, the lack of physical communication. I strongly believe that learning in a school, in the same room with the teacher and student present is better than that of online school. The reason behind is because you get to engage with your classmates and the teacher can keep a check on you.

You learn much better and quicker than the online classes.

Second, internet issues. They frustrate me. I mean, how are you supposed to learn if your call hangs, or the teacher isn’t audible to you. At least, traditional schools had no disruption.

Last but not the least, in school I had the coordination of mind, eyes and hand but being online I’m losing them all. I’m a bit lethargic while writing.

Besides, there’s one more aspect that I want to bring to the audience we get distracted. When I often study on the laptop which connected to the internet, you frequently get interrupted and get urged by the other medias to search for unrequired information.

This has affected my way of learning.

As any other human, I’m now forced to wear mask, gloves and what not. Because the COVID-19 is thought to spread through contact.  I’m strictly forbidden from going outside, or in other words in lock-down. Not only I miss my previous way of life I detest the pandemic. Its too hard to maintain social distancing, wearing masks etc.

Wearing masks and maintaining social distancing is often now symbolic to a bird within a cage. We all want freedom. It can be in various ways, but for now is to go out safely without any precautions. You could possible call me ignorant and vain, but we all want to free of them, don’t we?

To sum up, I would like to go back to the old ways of my life; more of physical socialising, schools and doubt clearing. In the end, I understand that its impossible to do the above until the vaccine is out!

Thank you.