By Aastha Bagdi
On my way to classes,
I looked around me.
I look every day—
but today felt different.
Yesterday, there were beggars on the street.
Today, they’re gone.
Yesterday, horns blared like battle cries.
Today, silence hums like a lullaby.
I remember clearly:
girls wore scarves to hide their faces,
boys—three on a motorbike—
whistled with smug mouths
and wandering eyes.
But today...
today feels different.
No one’s hiding.
No one’s chasing shadows.
No leers. No masks.
The air—cleaner than memory.
The atmosphere—lighter than newsprint.
I see a woman,
standing like the lioness she is,
and a man who isn't afraid of showing emotion—
isn't afraid of the masculine stereotype.
No judgment. No fear. No hatred.
And then—
then I woke up.