Unicorn Magazine

Strong woman dairies!

Perhaps she celebrated this world differently; I always knew that she saw what she saw regardless of any interference. She who waited for my arrival, so I could taste her new recipes each time. ' Only for you', she would felicitate me after I finished eating. I remember her house being filled with aromas of vanilla essence, seafood, royal spices, and some of them kept me busy guessing its identity.

During the nine nights of Durga Pooja, she would decorate her home with fresh flowers, light fire lamps and camphor all over the place, sing praises to various forms of Durga, and prepare a delicious meal to offer the goddess. She once told us that such rituals give her ultimate peace, help strengthen her divine feminine side, and thereby make her stronger for this world.

On copious monsoon rainy days, she would lock herself in her house like a coward. The rain and the thunder scared her to the point of shivering and fever every time, and to mention here, her office bosses were always kind enough to believe in such bewilderment. On my birthday every year, she would gift me a baby plant in a pot that she painted artistically on her own. She wanted me to nurture those baby plants and find joy in their existence, just like she does. I knew one thing for sure: she lived courageously only because of the memories she held of her departed mother. Her mother was a famous stage artist and also wrote poems on suffering and the stubborn nature of this world. One such testimony from her mother, which she shared with me, was an unfiltered piece on a mundane Sunday afternoon that talked about 'how preparing a morning breakfast felt like an exam that she appeared for, while men in the house kept snoring under a revolving fan. She should not make any sounds but grind spices, chop veggies, stir her vessels, and serve it hot. Every morning, all she wished was to be born a man in her next life.' It only made me know that her mother was rebellious in her mind, and so was she. And one fine day after inflicting so much of herself on me, she packed her belongings like she was exasperated with life in general and moved away, never to be seen again. I tried inquiring a lot, but nowhere has she kept a thread to discover her again. She who taught me the dynamics of peace and rage and left me wise for this world.

Day after day since she left, an inner growling that was seeking warmth in her presence had disappeared, but what grew otherwise was a little less judgment towards the world that kept working on itself towards a better tomorrow.

- Neha.M

(Neha.M is a Mumbai based Author who writes about the small, routine and mundane moments of the life of a common people hence glorifying the chaos of living in the form of Fiction,Poetries, Short tales, Articles and Quotes. One who loves encouraging & empowering women tribes through her work.She is an engineer by profession but writer at heart. She invites her readers to her world that believes it is the ink that's loudest or else there are so many invisible lives undiscovered. To know more about this young Author , you can visit her insta page deepin_ink )

Power of connection

Riya and Siya were two women who had never met, despite living in the same town for years .They had same backgrounds and lead separate lives, but fate had a plan to bring them together through their children. Riya a home maker had a five year old daughter named vaishnavi ,she was creative and full of ideas but due to her introvert background she can't explore herself. Siya also a home maker had a son name ansh who was also five. Ansh was outgoing and always ready to make new friends. It was their kids preschool where both Riya and Siya where there to drop of their children ,as Riya and Siya navigated the crowded area of school they found themselves standing next to each other.Riya noticed looking a bit lost and struck up conversation . Hi am Riya vaishnavi's mom ,Siya smiled relieved to find someone friendly. Yes I am Siya,Aansh's mom, nice to meet you I think our kids are in same class. There conversation flowed easily as they chated about their children and their hopes for the school. They sat together ,continuing to talk while their children vaishnavi and Aansh join the other kids. It turn down that vaishnavi and Aansh where indeed in the same class over the next few weeks they become fast friends often partnering up for class projects and playing together during recess their friendship naturally brought and Riya and Siya together more often. they exchange phone numbers and begin coordinating meetings .

As the school year progressed, their friendship deepened. They attend school events Ptm together,Cheered for their kids on sports day and supported each other through various ups and downs ,one memorable event was the annual fun fair of their extra class they volunteered to only to organise a boot together, the fair was a huge success and their boot was one of the most popular filled with laughter Joy happiness and happy children.Their teamwork and mutual support didn't go unnoticed other parents often commented on how well they work together and how their friendship seemed to bring out the best in each other now they are more than just friends they are like sisters their children continue to thrive in school and their friendship remaind strong .Riya and Sia story was a testament to the power of connection and how the love for their children brought them together creating a bond that enriched all the lives through the shared journey of parenting and everyday challenge of life, they found friendship support and the sense of belonging that they both cherished deeply.

Arati Shiv Tawri

(My self and artist and a writer by hobby.Love to travel and explore new things)

BOMBAY MONSOON

I don't know why, but the city looks a little bigger these days. More secret lanes and taller buildings. I am listening again & again to सावन बरसे तरसे दिल - (Sawan Barse, Tarse Dil from Dahek movie) and my heart keeps pounding abnormally at every word as the lovers warily tour around the streets in the monsoon to see each other. It's raining too in reality, but it isn't as perfect as the video on my YouTube screen that plays this song.

Reality is indeed a paradox. I see the city a little bigger these days, kali-peli jamming in every lane, colorful umbrellas defending the gray and howling rain, Art students trying to reach their college while trying to protect their big white sheets in extendable poster covers.

The city doesn't care about my YouTube song, it keeps getting bigger and bigger, but I see a temple standing in the same corner where I last saw it. Oh! I sincerely thanked God inside the temple for waiting in one place while everything else chose to move. Lying here is a dead rat in the middle of the street, it lies immobile too, just like a God in the temple. Heavy rains keep hitting the dead rat and I know that in a few days, it will begin to smell pungent while lying in another corner until wild crows feast over its dead rotten body. The Dead Rat didn't care about my YouTube song too and the lovers on my phone screens were still running warily across the streets, their happiness had nothing to do with my reality. The city kept growing on its horizon a little more than the moment before; an aesthetic café next to another aesthetic café kept brewing cacao in competition with each other, stray dogs went hiding in the corners, food delivery guys kept rushing their vehicles to meet the promised deadlines and others like me engaged at their respective phone screens with an utmost passion. The Bombay monsoon in its overcast of clouds, gushing waters on streets, affected local trains, frustrated hawkers, cinematic visuals, floating paper boats, rusty metals in the old window, floating wrappers of a finished chocolate bar and the thoughts after thoughts fading slowly in the curated Playlist.

- Neha.M

The Light By Your Side

Have you ever sat for a while alone enjoying just watching the colours change in the sky. The subtle transition that just catches you unaware. The varied hues that are spilt across the sky just completely mesmerises me. Shades of colours that tell you what the day is going to be. When you just look out and see how the stars completely disappear and the darkness of the night turns gradually brighter. The colour suddenly changes to a cool blue waiting for a clear blue sky and the sun just rising for a bright day. But what's before that , the shades of orange or pink as if the gates open up with a new day and new opportunity. Just like someone who walks in to lift you up once again giving you the hope and motivating you to start all over again.

At times the darkness changes to a dull shade , when the grey clouds just do not let the sun out and what you hear is the commotion up there. The loud thunder or the lightning that pierces through the sky . Conflicts in the sky just like something up in your head. When a part of you wants to try again while your fears and anxiety tell you , you cannot. When what you think seems totally in a mess and you cannot choose between the right or wrong. What happens then, chaos, confusion and finally an outburst. Be it anger, disgust , frustration or feeling of sadness. It gets heavy there and you suddenly burst into tears like the rain . The clouds gather around making it gloomy and you eagerly waiting for the sun to shine bright.

At times there comes a ray of hope and while you shed your tears , someone suddenly walks in like the lovely rainbow in the sky. A little confused are you to decide what you want to do but you feel light and happier. Mixed emotions like the colours of the rainbow in the sky. You never know from where they begin and where they end. Yet when someone sits with you in your darkest hour you feel at peace. Seems like you are relaxed to sleep and unwind. Just like the sky that changes once again when the day comes to an end taking away with it the orange and pink shades as it makes it exit . While you just relax after a hard day with someone who cares and love . If not someone near you then that white lamp that visits you every night and stays with you , telling you I might be far but I am here incase you miss someone or feel alone. This sets the mood right as the peace and the calmness of this light just makes you realise, it's time to rest and feel fresh again once the night bids you goodbye and a day brings in something new for you.

Remember you are never alone for someone up there provides you hope and light when you feel lonely or you don't feel right. There is always some light by your side.

Mansi Chaturvedi

(A published author of the books The Shades of Solitude and The Rainbow in the Palette. She is a blogger where she connects globally through her blog Pennedconnections@wordpress and a podcast Live wire on Spotify. A contributor to various writing platforms and a poet with her works published as co author in various anthologies published by Oxford, Exceller, Shubhaarambh, Ekta, Hatchhegg publications. She is also a contributor to Womensera magazine )

The girl I subscribed to on YouTube

The girl I subscribed to on YouTube is rich propaganda of royalty and comfortable living. She holidays in countries like Ecuador and Bolivia; she shares her bedroom pictures, seafood dinner dates, beach outfits, and pictures of the skyline from different cities with us. One day, she literally drank whiskey in the middle of the street to honor her independence.

She also owns a business selling fabrics and footwears; her only dream is to make it a globally known brand as soon as possible. Another day, she shares with all her viewers a beautiful poem that says,

'Again, the sky comes down to take away everything.

Again, the sky comes down to make me a little less.

They perhaps don't know that my ground isn't a smoke that vents.'

The girl I subscribed to on YouTube celebrated her birthday last week with her beloved pet dog, 'Oglio'. She lost her mother in early childhood, of which she has no memories whatsoever.

The girl is so fond of makeup that she owns a surplus inventory of cosmetics with no exact track; among the few products that she promotes, she shares promo codes in her description for availing the discounts to her subscribers.

The girl I subscribed to on YouTube runs a culinary, makeup, and outfit hack tutorial on her channel. She sometimes also unboxes her e-shopping parcels with us, creating an episode with an air of suspense in a very dramatically fulfilling way.

Her vlogs are the only source of hope that keeps me from deploring in life. She is my window to the world. There isn't a day that I miss her vlog. It's like, always hate it when she says those goodbyes.

Modern-day addictions are so empty, but after all, it's our own duty to not succumb to emptiness and find ourselves a magic that fills the emptiness of our existence each day.

The girl I like, share, and subscribe to is a living laurel of magic.

- Neha.M