BEYOND BORDERS FEB 18

BEYOND 

BORDERS 

A BIG NETWORKS INITIATIVE 

ISSUE NO. 16/18 | FEBRUARY | 2018 

A N I N T E R N A T I O N A L O N L I N E M A G A Z I N E 

INTERVIEW 

POETRY 

SHORT STORIES 

PHILOSOPHY 

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY 

PICTURE GALLERY 

THEME OF THE MONTH 

DARK IS 

BEAUTIFUL

BY 

CAPTURE 

CHANDRA BOSE 

SUJIL

CONTENTS 

Patron Council 

J Rajmohan Pillai 

Tim Eynon 

Ingird Sciberas 

Jenny Wang 

Barbara Vadiveloo 

Chief Editor & Publisher 

Sujil Chandra Bose 

Editorial Board 

Sowmya Ramkumar 

Vaishali Thaker 

Sub Editor 

Pallavi Manoj 

Photography 

Enjo Mathew 


Partners 

Bigg Push 

B>Fresh 

Activus Club 

Readers Club 

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BEYOND BORDERS 

Copyrights reserved by 


All complaints and 

communications regarding 

the content shall be sent to 

bigpushconsulting@gmail.com 

or to be sent by whatsapp to 

+91 98951 44272 

Samarpana - Interview 

Sowmya Ramkumar 

What they said 


Dark is beautiful 

Dr. J Rajmohan Pillai 

Really Beautiful 

Ananya Naik 

Melanomagic 

Sudha Kumar 

Darkness, a beginning 

Kriss Venugopal 

Tunnel of darkness 

Amarnath Pallath 

Dark is beauty 

Geethanjali Shivakumar 

Darkness 

Anuradha Sharma 

Trial 

Sabna Krishnan 

Crackle 

Ashreya Mohan 

Dark is beautiful 

Anitha Dorairaj 

Know your Diet 

Gayathri Asokan 

Photographs 

Shaji S Panicker 

Manikandhan MP 


JANUARY | 2018 



INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAG

ISSUE 16 | FEBUARY 2018 



E D I T O R ' S S C R I B B L E 

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not 

be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. 

- Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Those were the times when we were not in a position to choose the employers. I was in the middle of a 

meeting and leading an ideation session, listening to the Product Manager talk enthusiastically about the 

efficacy of the fairness product we were representing and its quick results. My thoughts for some strange 

reason, flew from that vicious corporate ambiance to the corridors of my college and to Lakshmi. 

Lakshmi was the darkest girl in college, but the only one in that gender who blew away whoever crossed 

her path. When she walked in, everyone, from the aged Security to the students and teachers, held their 

breath. Her style, her figure and the way she carried herself made her queen . The Sarees she wore clung 

onto her as if they worshiped her. When she smiled, every man around, went weak in his knees. 

In the three years she was there, she decorated every nook and corner of that college with her delightful, 

sensuous presence. She broke several hearts by being herself. Nobody saw her dark skin tone, but 

drooled at her poise and elegance. She was the epitome of how an individual should be. Conscious of 

herself, but cool and confident. 

Friends, it is not about the color of our skin, but what we are; let us celebrate life. Let us be Lakshmi-like. 

Sujil Chandra Bose

BY 

CAPTURE 

S PANICKER 

SHAJI

L I T E R A T U R E | I N T E R V I E W 

SAMARPANA 

S O W M Y A R A M K U M A R 

PARIS LONG 

SUJA 

GRADY LONG 

&

Beyond Borders takes a walk through the journey of some of the most extraordinary people who 

does extraordinary things in life. Selfless service rendered for the under privileged and differently 

able people, providing food and shelter to those who do not have, assisting the mentally deranged 

and rehabilitating people who have lost their dear ones - all these do not come easily to people. It 

takes strong conviction and a celestial calling to make such people. For us, they are the real heroes. 

Here is an interview with Samarpana, an NGO that works with mentally challenged people, in 

conversation with our Editor, Sowmya Ramkumar. 

How and when were these noble seeds sown? 

In the year 1995, we started Samarpana, after seeing the suffering the families endured in caring for 

the adults with Mental retardation, under the guidance of Dr. R. Nanjundarao. The city had only a few 

schools and residential homes for these mentally challenged. The thought of sharing the burden 

these parents in their elderly age by providing residential care along with special education, 

vocational training for their special children form the roots of the Banyan Tree that you witness today. 

What has this three decade long service bequeathed you, taken away from you? 

We are very glad to unanimously mention that this service has rendered us a sense of completeness 

in life. We are immensely delighted that our son, is also following our footsteps in nurturing the 

needy. This service has bequeathed us with unfathomable happiness and satisfaction that we don’t 

have the space to even consider the thought of anything that we have lost. 

What is it like to care for the mentally challenged kids? 

To start with, it requires a lot of patience and mental strength to take care of these grown-up kids. 

Imagine a 40 year old jumping and crying like a 5 year old child, for his needs. It is challenging and 

demanding. The knack lies in identification of care takers who are honestly interested to care for 

these grown up kids. They need unconditional love that is flowing perennially. However, seeing their 

faces painted with a smile devours all the pain in a jiffy. 

What would the vision for this Noble Venture look like? 

After 35 years of service we honestly feel that it’s time the Flag is handed over to the next generation. 

Niranjan holds the Masters in Social Work and is also a counsellor and trainer, taking care of the 

projects and triggering many innovative initiatives. Samarpana, with an objective to encourage 

parents of the special children, would be creating special day care centres for the children with 

intellectual disability within the community they live in. This way the children get to live with their 

parents and also beget training according to their physical and mental ability. 

A few words about the magazine and the editor Sowmya Ramkumar 

Beyond borders is doing a wonderful job in connecting the borders with innovative content that is 

driven by intelligent minds. We thank them for this feature. We have known Sowmya for more than a 

decade now and are happy to see the outstanding work she is doing. 

Website : www.samarpana.net | E: samarpana@yahoo.com. (T) Narendran - 9791188311 

N O M A D I C | 2 4

ISSUE 15 | JANUARY 2018 



BY 

CAPTURE 

UDAYAKUMAR 

SANA


D I S C U S S I O N O N D A R K I S B E A U T I F U L 

WHAT THEY 

SAID 

I realized quickly what Mandela and Tambo meant to 

ordinary Africans. It was a place where they could 

come and find a sympathetic ear and a competent ally, 

a place where they would not be either turned away or 

cheated, a place where they might actually feel proud 

to be represented by men of their own skin color. 

Nelson Mandela 

There should be no discrimination against languages 

people speak, skin color, or religion. 

Malala Yousafzai 

It is among the evils of slavery that it taints the very 

sources of moral principle. It establishes false 

estimates of virtue and vice: for what can be more false 

and heartless than this doctrine which makes the first 

and holiest rights of humanity to depend upon the 

color of the skin? 

John Quincy Adams 

It doesn't matter how long my hair is or what colour my 

skin is or whether I'm a woman or a man. 

John Lennon 

Being confident in your own skin is very sexy. I think 

when you have fun and are yourself that is sexy too. 

Mark Twain 

Beauty is only skin deep. I think what's really important 

is finding a balance of mind, body and spirit. 

Jennifer Lopez 

The grass is always greener on the other side. We are 

busy applying fairness creams while people in the West 

go bare-bodied on the beach to get a tan. Indian girls 

have ruled the roost when it comes to beauty 

pageants. I flaunt my complexion, and I am proud to 

be noticed as an Indian wherever I go. 

Shilpa Shetty 

N O M A D I C | 2 4


LITERATURE | FEATURE 

DARK IS 

BEAUTIFUL 

DR. J RAJMOHAN PILLAI 

Being dark is wonderful. We are so expressive. Rhythm and soul can be seen and 

felt in all aspects of our lives. 

As my color is dark, I am called Krishna, O Arjuna." (Mahabharata, Santi Parva 

342) 

Nelson Mandela’s forgiveness of Apartheid leaders and his overall peaceful 

outlook on life, a wise and caring leader was world famous. Rajinikanth, is also 

the worst offender in this. In many of his movies, he is apologetic about his skincolour, 

particularly when expressing his love to fair skinned women. 

I am darker than all of them 

“You look good despite being dark!” is the most common line which many of us 

always hear. At times people also comment behind our back, “Poor thing is so 

dark!” It makes me wonder if we are supposed to feel proud or be ashamed of all 

those characteristics which we received as bonus when we were born. 

Again, consider a girl among us is famous in the public domain especially in 

Bollywood, most of the news/articles/gossips starts with her skin color ‘dusky’ or 

‘earthy’. Countless dark people have significantly impacted history. 

Unfortunately, a majority of darks endure hardships while belonging to this 

particular skintone.


Allow me to focus on two ways darks are discriminating against themselves: the 

use of the word in music and conversation; and the battle of skin tones. 

Film actress Nandita Das is often asked by many young girls facing such 

discrimination , “How can you be so confident in spite of being dark?” Can you 

blame them? Not really! Right from their childhood they have been watching 

Television commercials, films and reading stories as well as magazines which 

time and again reminded them how ugly they are. No wonder, they attained an 

inferiority complex which made them nervous, reluctant and repressed. 

Words are influential, but we have the power to determine whether those words 

will build us up or break us down. The words I have chosen to effect me are the 

words I know are true to me, that dark is beautiful. These are the words that 

stand strong in me and that I have allowed to influence my opinion of myself. 

My mother reminded me my dark is beautiful like lord krishna. The deep 

pigmentation of my skin is beautiful. I am me, I am dark and I am Beautiful. Being 

dark is being passionate and proud. Being dark is not being a black or only light 

skinned. Being dark is…beautiful. 

Multinational cosmetics brands have found a lucrative market: global spending 

on skin lightening is projected to triple to $31.2bn (£24bn) by 2024, according to 

a report released in June 2017 by the research firm Global Industry Analysts. The 

driving force, it says, is “the still rampant darker skin stigma, and rigid cultural 

perception that correlates lighter skin tone with beauty and personal success”. 

“This is not bias. This is racism,” says Sunil Bhatia, a professor of human 

development at Connecticut College. Bhatia recently wrote in US News & World 

Report about deep-rooted internalised racism and social hierarchies based on 

skin colour 

In India, these were codified in the caste system, the ancient Hindu classification 

in which birth determined occupation and social stratum. At the top, Brahmins 

were priests and intellectuals; at the bottom, people were confined to the leastdesired 

jobs such as latrine cleaners. 

Bhatia says caste may have been about more than just occupation: the darker 

you looked, the lower your place in the social hierarchy.

ISSUE 16 | FEBRUARY 2018 



WATER 

CAPTURE BY 

SAVE 

LIFE 

MANIKANDHAN MP 

SAVE


LITERATURE | THOUGHTS 

DARK IS REALLY 

BEAUTIFUL 

ANANYA NAIK, DUBAI 

Darkness is a state where it’s all black and dark. By ALL I mean everything. We do 

not see anything. and nothing are visible. Those who fear the dark think, in fact, 

all of us think that the best words that are suitable for dark are negative, fear, 

and dullness. No. All those who think so are wrong. 

Why? 

Because dark is beautiful. how? What? Why? 

Let’s take dark clothing. An amazing black swimsuit in summer to relax on the 

beaches is totally amazing. And a thick black leather jacket during the cold storms 

are perfect. 

Eyeballs. What?? 

Yes. 90% of people's eyes are black. 

This black corona lets us see the wide and be a beautiful world. The trees, water, 

family, in a le word: LIFE. Last but not the least darkness is the source of light. 

How? It might sound really stupid but unless it’s dark we do not on the lights. 

Yes, if there is no darkness, then you won’t bother on the light. A dark pace is 

lighted because the darkness tells us that its dark, light is needed here because 

people can’t see here. 

It’s an indicator that light is needed. It can also be a lifesaver because imagine 

there were glass pieces and it was dark. You will obviously on the light and as 

soon as we see we will not so. See? 

Dear world, remember Darkness is not negative. It’s is a beautiful and amazing 

thIng and one of the god’s great gifts.


LITERATURE | Short story 

MELANOMAGIC! 

SUDHA KUMAR, SYDNEY 

The sun beat down at a scorching 40+ degrees. I stood there slopped in SPF 50+ sunscreen in my 

full sleeved cotton shirt, wide rimmed hat and dark dark glasses. Waiting and watching. Watching 

as she heaved herself out of the teal blue pool water. The glistening beads of water rolling off her 

exposed skin faster than it did from her swim wear. And her skin glowed. Taut, toned, 

unblemished, hueless, smooth, clean and black. 

Melanin black. Ebony black. 

A lithe, long limbed sixteen year old Ngozi. And as she sprinted off to the pool showers, I stood 

there gawking at poetry in motion. 

New arrival to the Great South Land from war ravaged Sudan, Ngozi had many many stories too 

traumatic for utterance. They were burnt in her memory forever. 

But one child hood memory she was happy and willing to share. 

The one where she prayed to her God at the age of about 4. Every night and every morning. 

Sometimes when she felt that her God didn’t hear her, she prayed to the angels to pray for her. 

She was even happy to give God half her Ka’ ak (cookie). She had only one wish. She prayed that 

she could make her mother happy. Her Mother who said to her every day that she was the ‘most 

beautiful girl in the world’. But she knew she was not. How could she be? She was even darker 

than her mother… then how? So she prayed. Prayed that she could become beautiful. For her 

mother. This was Ngozi’s happiest story then. 

By age ten it dawned to her that God obviously had bigger challenges at hand. So she bothered 

Him not. By age thirteen everything got very dark in hot scorching Sudan and Ngozi found herself 

on a plane to….. “Australia”, she was told. 

She had lost her family some time ago. 

She had stopped dreaming a long time ago. 

She had stopped praying a long long time ago. 

Living with a foster family she needed to find work to sustain. So off she went every afternoon 

scouting for jobs. Most times she was given a look, a smirk rather, of disdain bordering on 

disgust. But she must find work. She MUST. And as she skirted through the urban concrete jungle, 

an illusion of glass and lights, she caught a reflection of herself on the glass wall and froze! And 

slowly it bubbled and rose from the pit of her stomach, that dormant tight ball of self-loathing 

and disgust. And as she stared it made her feel sick. What hope did that thing looking back at her 

have? Thin, long appendages, plain black. She stood there looking for long seconds. Time froze. 

As Miranda Priestly sipped her hazel nut flavoured cappuccino and looked through the glass and 

caught sight of her, she felt compelled to take the Prada off her face and set down her Gucci tote, 

and look more intently. It was the most stunning ethereal thing she had ever set eyes on. Her 

body rose on its own volition and her MuiMui clad feet raced to get to the other side of the glass. 

It was real! The creature was real!! ‘Sculpted’ came to mind. A sculpted human form. Touched by 

God.


Time stood still as Ngozi felt the sickness turn to hopelessness, seep through her veins and drip 

out of her eyes. And then the moment passed, as she saw a white hand on her arm and turned her 

face to its owner. She smiled through her tears. 

And it took Miranda’s breath away! 

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. 

It took Miranda Priestly a lot of time and a lot of convincing to get Ngozi to realise that she was 

blessed with a kind of beauty that was rare. 

In the year that followed as Ngozi created history as she graced the covers of beauty magazines 

and fashion ramps across the world, and refugee camps, hospitals and schools in war torn lands, 

fighting and voicing against discrimination, turning the very definition of ‘beautiful’ on its head 

and giving hope to millions of dusky damsels. 

And to think that it was her ‘unbeautiful’ self that made it possible. 

Beauty indeed lies in the eyes of the beholder. 

Somewhere along the way Ngozi started praying again. 

Prayers not of wishes, but of gratitude for her strength, for her life, for her story, for her beauty, 

for her ‘melanomagic’. 

Dipped in chocolate 

Bronzed in elegance 

Enamelled with grace 

Toasted with beauty 

My Lord, She is a black woman! 

-Dr. Yosef Ben- Jochannan


DARKNESS, A 

BEGINNING 

PHILOSOPHY | EXPERIENCES 

By KRISS VENUGOPAL, Dubai 

The words of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad were the first to instill a thought in me about the 

transition from negative to positive when, as a child, I heard my sister as a school girl 

chanted the verse... 

Aum Asato ma sat gamaya 

Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya 

Mrtyorma amrutam gamaya 

Aum shaanti shaanti shaanti: 

(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28) 

The strife in every life is a movement from one to the other and ultimately towards peace. 

These words indicate the transition from the ignorance to truth, darkness to light and death 

to immortality. The equation of untruth, darkness and death has given a darker shade to 

darkness. But there is a beauty to darkness too, there is a beauty to ignorance too, there is 

a beauty in death too. 

The civilizations have come through the dark ages, and so does our life. The struggle in 

every life is termed to be dark, but there is a beauty hidden in it. During a rough patch in 

my life, a very dear friend of mine always told me: 

“Hold on… move on… there is light at the end of the tunnel” 

Now when I look back reaching the light at the end of the tunnel is that I have a story to tell 

about the struggles, from which others can draw an inspiration and move ahead in life. “It is 

dark only till we open our eyes...” the title I chose to blog on, came to me one day as I woke 

up from a nightmare. 

Remember the time there was a power outage and it was dark, we tend to look more 

cautiously, we try and search for the ways to reach the candle, our senses are more active 

in the dark. So is the case with any nocturnal predator. Their senses are keener than the 

prey, and so they survive. The beauty of darkness is that it prepares us for the worse. 

The darkness in colors attracts us more towards it than its lighter shades. In fact Black 

absorbs all the light and leaves none. So black is more loving than the other colors as it 

differentiates no color, but absorbs the all of it. The darkness of the night reveals a million 

stars far away. Let’s look at the brighter side of darkness... and the statement seems so 

ironic "The brighter side of darkness" 

Let the darkness give us the strength to envision our bright future. There lies a beauty in 

the darkness, as it makes us better. Embracing the darkness and its beauty is the starting 

point for the race of life. Every failure seems to be darkness, but it is the beginning where 

the light would elevate to a pedestal of success in life.

NOTICE 

BOARD! 

COVER CLICK 


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WITHIN OUR PAGES. 

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RESHMA SONY APPOINTED 

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appointment of Reshma Sony, MD of Cutting 

Chai, the Secretary General of CCCI Cochin 

chapter. 

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TUNNEL OF 

LITERATURE | POETRY 

DARKNESS 

AMARNATH PALLATH 

I dream of you, dear 

In colours? No; in dark black. 

I love you my pet, always, and . . . 

In your beauty of dark eyes. 

In dark, you set my mood and 

Inspired by my grey hairs you, 

In curly dark black hair’s recess 

I find that black mole. 

I dream of full moon, light dark nights 

In order to see sparkle on your face 

In contrast to nights, like 

In Onyx, that transform negative energy. 

In that snap you wore a dark red saree 

I clicked for colours other than black, but 

In your photo, that I keep in my heart, 

It's black; my soul-mate's soul, is dark. 

I see you like salt and pepper, peppy 

In pursuit of grey, wearing dark black and . . . 

In your charm, youth and vigour endorse 

In a chase to catch up with times of mine. 

I don't bother you not in dark, aren't you 

In an easy, lazy mysterious mood to tell 

"I don't bother you and you don't bother 

I am vanishing from your dreams?" 

It's ok, but you are my star, not to be lost 

In a black hole, even light can't escape 

I feel bad, black beauty, in case you vanish 

I be elusive but chase you like black magic. 

I searched, for giving bouquet of flowers 

In my despair found all in colours, but 

It’s there for you dear, with dark petals 

Its “black velvet petunia”, lovely as you. 

I feel black is beautiful, unlike some angels 

In white that makes dark nights, black. 

I adore you, your skin is soft and black 

I pray black-bird you don't fly, I'll lie blackout. 

I only want to stop, want anything, but you 

It's so, you know you are dark and excites me.


DARK IS 


BEAUTIFUL 

GEETHANJALI SHIVAKUMAR 

Soft breezy air, 

Star studded sky, 

Lovers by the seashore 

Tangled in each other's arms 

Look up at the sky and 

Whisper dark is beautiful! 

Little seeds of hope, 

Sowed underground, 

They sleep for a while 

Before they sprout 

Feeling excited they chuckle 

Dark is beautiful! 

The scorching hot sun, 

Spares none, 

The teary eyed farmer with 

A plough on his shoulder, 

Looks up at the overcast sky 

And cries aloud.. 


Rape ,murder, molestation 

All victims in depression. 

Save the girl child slogans, 

Hit the headlines 

The baby girl in the womb trembles, 

She prays for her life 

And declares I love to remain 

here for dark is beautiful! 

Memories of yesteryears, 

Stored as nostalgia. 

Remains hidden in the 

dark corners of the heart, 

She takes a pen and wields 

Down flow the words, 

All she writes is this; 


Yes, dark is beautiful ! 

geeth8640@ gmail.com


DARK IS 


BEAUTIFUL 

ANURADHA SHARMA 

Ebony Teak Mahogany Woodwork 

Intricate carvings with chisel or mallet 

Expensive ornate objects 

Dark is Beautiful! 

Summer time and dark out side 

Spectacular night sky 

Expanse above, star gazers delight 


Thick nimbus clouds black 

Parched earth yearning begging 

Summons heavy rains 


Addictive tantalizing magic Cacao 

Transports to heaven so divine 

Dark chocolates a sinful temptation 


White is out black is in 

Tells my daughter it’s chic 

Makes you look slimmer 


Immaculate statues of God 

Sculpted out of black stone 

Celestial pristine devotion kindled 


Melodious, the call of Koel, 

Cardinals, Starlings, Black Birds, 

Crows or Ravens 

Magnificent yet unaware 


No blemish no freckle - Perfect flawless Skin 

Elegant graceful bewitching 

Skin colour bronze tan or brown 

Dark is Beautiful!!


TRIAL 

LITERATURE | THOUGHTS 

SABNA KRISHNAN, SYDNEY 

There is this tyrannical purist waiting for words to flow incessantly and form 

impeccable silhouettes; 

who denies the much-needed trajectory of symmetrical multiples for those 

throbbing projections. 

Then, much of it gasps and perishes in the sheer darkness within. 

Undifferentiated, yes, those verses never get their breath and possibly end in 

dialectal miscarriage.. 

That vacuous core; excruciating or may be it still is a sign, of a generative soul, 

Like a plant in a small pot, a defined life, entire soil en-laced in thriving roots… 

and the nutritional fatigue; though, all it needs is a timely transition, to break 

out from the entirety… 

Like an innately rich cloud outpours and kisses the sunshine.. 

Perhaps, all those deceptive colours hide in the profuse darkness 

as each guilty of saddling hearts with trances… of rainbow goals.. 

If simply one dares a trial of those elusive goals…the origin of soaking 

discontent. 

White should be tried for its solipsism…and for all the inferences implied on 

the shades 

Violet for being the reminder of loss and bruises 

Indigo for being a derivative and the fear of not confirming 

Blue for teaching us to measure.. for its fathomlessness 

Green for finding relief in a mere delusional mirage 

Yellow for the great Van’s ear, and all those insane nooks 

Orange for the yearning of distinct identities 

And red for all the unkept promises and those letters etched in the mighty 

lineages …lost in translation or never reached the intended 

Once each extradited, if there still be the mighty profoundness? Or just the 

effervescent light of redemption? Or something dearer, like, the successive 

verses will outlive; to dance away in the land of less ‘absolute’ and gain a hug 

at the end of it??


CRACKLE 

LITERATURE | SHORT STORY 

ASHREYA MOHAN 

The campfire hisses, the embers moving in rhythm with the beat of your heart. 

The flames are viciously calming, a blur of oranges and reds as they cast their 

dancing shadows upon you and your family. You feel a rush of frigid wind sting 

your eyes. Around you, you hear the warm laughter pierce the smoky air, and 

the hearty bellowing of your uncles as they belt out the verses of that old 

song. You taste the meat and vegetables that you’ve been roasting on a stick; 

charred and reminiscent of a long forgotten summer barbecue. You’re still 

itching to check your notifications, but there’s no reception in this desolate 

part of the country. 

You look around, the foliage is as verdant as ever. The sun had dipped behind 

the horizon, the hues of brilliant pinks and vivid purples sucked into the harsh, 

vast darkness of the night. You notice the glittering specks in the sky. Stars, 

you can never see those in the city. You fidget in your seat, wanting to get back 

indoors. You can sense the occasional twitter of one of the farm birds, and the 

anguished bleating of some lonely goats. You hear your cousin whisper into 

the shell of your ear. “Want to play a game?” 

Suddenly, you’re running. The frosty wind is harsh, cold spreading through 

your body the way ink seeps into paper. You’re flying, your feet kissing the 

earthy ground ever so lightly and the sweat dripping down your forehead. 

Beside you, there’s shouts of both joyful merriment. Your breath comes in 

quick gasps, peals of laughter spilling out of you until someone screams and 

you come to an abrupt stop, teetering on your heels. Right beneath your feet is 

a gaping well, a vast pit so deep that it has no bottom, only a black hole that 

seemed to absorb anything that fell into it. 

The crisp air spills into your lungs as you gasp, shaking. A second too late and 

you’d have been just another dead body rotting away in that well. You stagger 

back, and let realisation hit you like a truck. You could die any time; any of us 

could. Death was an imminent, inevitable force, and the only thing you could 

do counter it was to live in the moment. To relish in the finer points of life and 

stop worrying all the time. To have fun, to take risks. It’s a moment selfactualization, 

and you feel a strange sense of relief flood you. You’re still alive, 

and you’re going to make it worth it.


DARK IS 


BEAUTIFUL 

ANITHA DORAIRAJ 

In the dark, 

I’m ignorant. 

I’m blatant. 

As I grow older, I realise 

there’s so much goodness in this world that people 

are blind to; 

there’s much more negativity in each mind that I 

wish I was ignorant of. 

In the light, I see true colours; 

colours of cunningness, 

colours of betrayal, 

colours of greed. 

I wish to be in the dark my Lord! 


Truly, Dark is beautiful! 

In the dark, 

No one can see my tears, 

No one can sense my fears, 

There’s so much peace around me, 

There’s so much more happiness that I wish stayed 

forever. 

In the light, I see bright smiles, 

Smiles of pride, 

Smiles with a smirk, 

Smiles that are so fake. 



Really Dark is beautiful! 

In the dark, 

I feel safe, 

I feel real. 

There’s so much silence around me, 

There’s much more clarity around me. 

In the light, I can see all things, 

Things that make me stumble, 

Things that I don’t wish to see, 

Things that could actually be illusions, 



Definitely, Dark is beautiful!

OF CONTEST 

THEME 

VACATION I HAD 

BEST 



BEYOND BORDERS SHORT STORY CONTEST 

The 5th Beyond Borders Story Contest for School Children between the ages of 10 

and 17. The Theme of the contest will be "The best vacation I had". The best short 

story will be published in the pages of Beyond Borders, the International Online 

English Magazine read by over 31,500 readers in 22 countries 

Children of CCCI Members, Council, Contributors, their friends can also participate 

on the contest which is open to all nationalities. The stories should not exceed 500 

words and shall be in English. A suitable affidavit of ownership along with the 

photograph, address of their school, parents shall be sent along with the story to 

the following email. Last date of entry is 15th March, 2018. 

Email: bigpushconsulting@gmail.com


KNOW 

YOUR 

DIET 

GAYATHRI ASOKAN, 

CONSULTANT 

NUTRIONIST, TAKES 

TIME OFF TO ANSWER 

THE QUERRIES OF OUR 

DEAR READERS 

What is the role of Nutrition and it’s impact on health? 

Nutrition is the science of food and our basic necessity for body and mind . As we know each and 

everything is connected with energy, the main function of food is to produce energy, building the 

body and protecting it. It prevents and cure diseases to a certain extent. For each person the 

energy as well as nutrient need vary according to their work, age, sex and physical activity and it 

should meet according to the recommended daily allowance (RDA). It is better to follow a tailor 

made diet plan to get personal benefits. It should also meet personal preference and traditional 

beliefs. Yes it is our choice to have a healthy balanced diet with Rs. 50 or Rs.5000!! 

Can you specify the diet during examination, is there any specific food which helps in 

concentration and memory? 

We need a balanced diet to meet various activities in our body and it also helps to reduce stress 

and improve concentration. In a balanced diet there will be carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, 

minerals, fibre as well as water. Instead of a heavy meal have small frequent meals at intervals 

which helps easy digestion and for the food to absorb well. Curd and Green leafy vegetables which 

contain a lot of vitamins and minerals help improve concentration. Curd is also a good antacid and 

a nutritious snack can be given as Raita, Sambaram, or as Fruit yogurt. Fish which contains Omega 

3 and choline egg are beneficial. Dry fruits and dark chocolates can also be added in limits. Avoid 

tea and coffee and you need water for hydration and lime water helps for a better mood. 

Meditation and breathing exercises will help to calm the mind of kids as well as parents. 

Gayathri Asokan 

Consultant Nutritionist / Dietician and Founder of Nutrisolutions 

Kochi ,Trivandrum, Kollam 

(T) +9199472 57776 

Online consultation available at https://www.facebook.com/gayathriasokanNutrisolutions/

ANITHA DORAIRAJ 

whatsapp to advertise here: +91 98951 44272 



INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE

BEYOND BORDERS FEB 18

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