by Sampoorna Sen Mazumdar, Sneha Sarkar, Disha Lahiri, and Sarah Rahaman Shaikh

(Students, Semester 2, Rani Birla Girls’ College)

My country, where once lied Sovereignty, Secularity and Equality
Now faded in the dust of reality.
Why is it so? How do we not know?
Under the mask of the world wide web,
Where politics does nothing to save
But burns the bridges of unity and faith.
Religion once worshipped,
Now a trigger bait
And Beauty used as a weapon to get one’s way
Why is it so? How do we not know?
This shallow mindset turns us into enemies
With the one’s we once shared our peace.
My country, once the face of Sovereignty, Secularity and Equality,
Is there nothing now but this wretched Disparity?

(This poem is a collaborative effort by the students as part of a group activity to creatively reimagine Derozio’s “To My Native Land”. Edits by Ellipsis. Graphics by Wordloop Studio.)