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Vaidehi was rushing back home from her work. It was a typical winter evening in the city of Patna. As a result it got dark by the time clock hit 6. Vaidehi was an advocate who lived in Patna with her younger brother and parents. Her brother Vivian was in standard 12th and was about to appear in board exam in a few months’ time. As a result she was very much concerned about him and his studies. By the time Vaidehi reached home it was 6:30. After completing household chores she started working upon the cases which were listed next day. Post dinner, Vaidehi went into Vivian’s room for discussing how was his day in school and how are his preparations going on. When she entered Vivian’s room she found a small statue lying on his table. Vaidehi inquired about the statue to which Vivian replied that he found it lying outside his school gate. He found the statue very attractive therefore he picked it up and brought it home. Vaidehi lifted the statue in her hand and started looking at the statue. However, all of a sudden smoke came out of the statue. Both Vivian and Vaidehi got scared by seeing the same. In no time the statue turns into a beautiful boy. Vaidehi asked the boy who he is. The Boy replied that he is a spirit which resides inside this statue. As the clock hits 11:11 in the night, his spirit comes out the statue. However as the sun will rise his spirit will go back into the statue. Vaidehi further inquires what he wants from both of them. The spirit replies he wants nothing from them. He then replies that he was created by his master to spread happiness in as many faces as possible. After listening to the Spirit, Vivian asks him what he can do to make people happy. Is he like the genie of Aladin who can fulfill their wishes. The Spirit replied to him that he has no such powers like the genie of Aladin. But, yes he with his words can make any individual happy and satisfied. After listening to the Spirit, Vaidehi tells him that she is an advocate and every day she has to act as cold as possible. After all, Advocates cannot afford to be emotional and sophisticated. If the Spirit is able to touch her inner chords then she will admit that the Spirit actually has some powers. Furthermore the Spirit needs to do it by 12:00 A.M. Or else the Spirit will fail in his mission of making the people happy. The Spirit says that she is quite an interesting personality. It is because her complexion reminds him of Snow-White. Her hair reminds him of Rapunzel. The portrait of her in his brother’s room reminds him of Jasmine. But, the time constraint under which the spirit is working reminds him of Cinderella. On listening to this, both Vaidehi and Vivian burst into laughter. After talking to the spirit for couple of hours, Vaidehi reminds Vivian that it’s already very late now and therefore they should sleep now. Vaidehi then asks the spirit that what he will do now. The spirit replies that he will enter into their dreams to make their dreams a happy dream and by the time sun will rise he will go back into the statue. The siblings refused to accept this. However to their surprise the spirit even entered into their respective dreams to make their dream a good one. From next day both the siblings used to work the entire day and used to wait for the spirit in the night. As the clock struck 11:11 p.m. the spirit used to come out of the statue and made siblings happy by his words. The same continued for months and the spirit became an integral part of their lives. In the meantime Vivian appeared in his board exams and other competitive examination. To everyone’s delight Vivian came out with flying colors. Vaidehi was happy and so were her parents. To celebrate Vivian’s success, Vaidehi throws a party in home in which she invites her family members and friends. During the party, Vaidehi plays party music and everyone starts dancing to the tune. However while dancing she slips and hits herself to the table nearby. In anger she pushes the table to the other side of the room. But, when she pushes the table to the other side of the room the spirited statue falls from the table and breaks into pieces. On seeing this, both Vaidehi and Vivian rush to the spot to collect the broken pieces. They try to fix it. But, alas they fail to do it. The siblings were still hopeful of a miracle. But, this night at 11:11 p.m., the spirit did not come out of the statue. Both Vaidehi and Vivian were sad because in a few months’ time the spirit became an integral part of their lives. Now his absence was haunting both of them. In grief, Vaidehi picked up the broken pieces and started crying. However as the tears of Vaidehi felt over the broken statue, the spirit came out of the broken pieces. Both Vaidehi and Vivian were happy as well as surprised to see the spirit which came out of the broken pieces. The spirit replied that as the statue broke, the spirit went into a dormant state and would have vanished forever as the sun would have risen the next day. However the tears of Vaidehi brought her back to existence. Vaidehi’s tears were as powerful as that of the Phoenix whose tears can heal any injury. Furthermore Vaidehi has not cried for years. As a result her tears had so much power and emotions in it that not only that he came out of the dead, but now he is more powerful than he was before. Now he doesn’t need that small statue during the daytime. He can be with them at any place at any time. Furthermore since the statue is no longer there, he can now enter anyone’s body as per his wish and can leave the same as per his wish. Your tears Vaidehi, has unleashed a new power in him. On listening this, both Vaidehi and Vivian were excited because something very exciting awaits for them. By Raj Krishna, National Law Institute University, Bhopal

I was already a graduate by the end of May, 2020, thinking about how to unfold my life in future amidst the COVID-19 induced lockdown. The lockdown had not only taken a toll on lives, but also on minds of people. Time and Lockdown slowly passed. It was in September, I had my mains paper of Madhya Pradesh Judicial Services. Before the dreams of becoming a Judge could take off, my dream of going solo around the country crept in. Frustrated and burned-out, I decided to leave my papers to undertake a solo journey. Around the world in 80 days by Jules Verne where Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employed French valet Passepartout attempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days on wager of £20,000 set by his friends motivated me enough to travel few exquisite places in India. The only difference in my story is that I put my career on wager. (Not really, you will get to know later in this story) Courageous to undertake a solo trip for the first time in life, Jaisalmer was on the top of the list, partly for the reason that I had watched Sarfarosh days ago (thousand times before that) where a magnificent and artistically carved yellow sandstone archway lake drew my attention to the point of unrestraint desire to visit the place. Little did I know that someday I would be sitting along the perch of this beautiful lake. (Power of Manifestation). I was all set to go to Golden City (Jaisalmer). I encountered by first set of problem without which any journey remains incomplete. (As in life, as in other things) My tickets were not booked. Desirous to undertake the journey, I booked the bus tickets at the eleventh hour to Jaipur (Gateway to Rajasthan) as there were no direct buses available from Lucknow to Jaisalmer. After landing in the Pink City (Jaipur), it was the time to use the Hostel app on my smartphone to book an economical hostel in the vicinity. I booked the Gypsy Monkey Hostel though the app in an economical price of just over ₹ 300 for a night stay. The hostel had a terrace where they served me à la carte breakfast which looked sumptuous. The hostel had a tiny swimming pool with no swimmers, as the wanderlusts were not wandering due to COVID restrictions still in place in many cities. As sun sets in Jaipur, the city turned all beautiful. It wasn’t pink anymore in evening, but my heart was. It was shiny gold. In no time, I was on my way to Jaisalmer on a train. The first glimmer of Jaisalmer was brought on train in no time. A folk artist carrying kamaicha (a string instrument) started playing a beautiful Hindi song ‘Udein Jab Jab Zulfen Teri’ from the classic movie ‘Naya Daur’. It was indeed a Naya Daur for me, since it was a beginning of a new journey in my life with new dreams in my head. I was greeted by a stunning sunrise with cool breeze in Jaisalmer, which I still vividly feel in my face. A fast transition from dark to light happened; from dull to life happened. (As in life, as in other things). As I embarked in the parking spot, I met few musafirs who were also travelling solo. We hopped on to a Tuktuk which would take us to our hostels. Co-incidentally, we had booked the same hostel ‘the hosteller’. It was located 1.2 kilometers inside from the city center. The hostel in which we were staying had a dorm with 8 beds, equipped with a washroom and café and a music room. Mr. Suraj, the owner greeted all of us with utmost sincerity. (In 1968, Satyajit Ray, noted Bengali film director, shot his fantasy adventure movie, Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, at Jaisalmer. The climax of the story, in which several hundred extras and camels were needed to recreate a medieval war, was provided by the Jaisalmer royal family. On this first visit, Ray was deeply impressed by the hospitality). I realized that instantly. After a power nap in comfort, I left my abode to explore Jaisalmer in extreme heat, which was still pleasant in September. The first place on my list was Jaisalmer Fort, popularly known as ‘Sonar Quila’. Built by the Rajput ruler Rawal Jaisal in 1156 AD, this UNESCO World Heritage site is the pride of the Thar Desert and is a symbol of strength of the Royal’s Rajput. The Mughals also controlled this marvelous architecture for a brief time. The Fort is, therefore a blend of Rajput and Mughal architecture. The State of Rajasthan always invoked images of dry land, Thar deserts, and spectacular royal places. All these elements come together at Jaisalmer, the largest district in Rajasthan. As I entered inside the fort which had a 60 feet tall gate carved from Indian rosewood, three concentric rings of sandstone walls opened onto homes, stables and palaces that once housed Rajput kings. There were old shops to the left and modern cafe to the right side for modern connoisseurs. Sun rays embellished the whole fort and it brimmed with shine and shimmer. The pathway to visit the center of this stunning walled city passed through an archaic underpass, where people sit to enjoy the folk music played by local artists. The path, thereafter was steep up till the center of the fort, where the sight of children playing cricket brought a tinge of nostalgia. The people flocking to shops to buy their choice of T-shirt imprinted with ‘I love Rajasthan’ with a camel in center was a happy sight for a traveler like me. A labyrinth of corridors led me to an unexplored nook of the fort, which had a steep climb to a café on the top of the fort. I glanced through the menu of the café but my eyes held onto only one item, the sweet lassi. It tasted like an elixir in the middle of desert. From the café, the whole city could be seen radiating energy and shining, as if they had been ornamented with gold. The fort housed 2000 residents, which makes it India’s last “living fort”. After passing through the same set of pathways, I exited the fort and set for Patwon ki Haveli. After crossing through crowded corridors of the city housing sweet shops (‘Mithai ki dukaan’), a narrow alleyway led me to Patwon ki Haveli. If it wasn’t for the signboard printed on a wall, I would have been a visitor to every Haveli in Jaisalmer. Patwon ki Haveli is in a cluster of five Havelis each with a distinct quality of its own. It was constructed by Guman Chand Patwa who was a Brocade merchant. After paying an entry fee of ₹ 100, I secured my entrance into the Haveli. On the first floor through snaky stairs, a mural work was filigreed on to a glass in which Lord Buddha could be seen sitting in the middle under the sacred fig tree (Enlightenment Tree), while his followers are paying reverence to him. A craft of the bygone era was embedded with a picture of a priest performing rituals on woman on a white simmering translucent glass. In the next section of the Haveli, equipment used by the Patwas during their time were on display, which included a Ky-Ko Non-Electric Fan whose motto was printed on the information board “it is not necessary to eat, drink and sleep with flies and Mosquitoes, or to be without a cooling breeze in the hottest weather”. Another room had a simulation setting to provide a real time experience to visitors of how the five families of Patwas used to live during their times. It had a mirror glass, clothes of families, a cushion to seat the merchants, a music instrument and glasses for brews. I could smell the site. I still vividly remember the rustic smell originating from the cushions and instrument of the past. By the time I came out of the Haveli, sun had already set. I was famished and looked out for a place where I could eat to the fullest of Rajasthani delicacy. In a flicker of seconds, my eyes hooked to a restaurant whose name was ‘The Beatles’ for obvious reason nestled on the right side of the fort. I was once again welcomed by the set of people with generosity. I was served with a delicious local cuisine ‘Dal Baati Churma’ by the owner of the restaurant Mr. Bhawani Singh with buttermilk over the top. The restaurant was palatial and had a perch with a local Rajasthani cushions setting, from where the fort could be seen brimming with lights in evening. It looked exquisite and unbelievable to be sitting in front of a marvelous piece of architecture. I mingled up easily with Mr. Bhawani as his generosity had a charm of enticing anyone. During our parlance, he confided in me that his one of the worker had been arrested on the same morning by the police on the charges of theft by his neighbor and was kept in police custody. He asked for my help as I disclosed that I was an advocate. I talked to the police officer and brought to his notice Section 41-A of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 where a Police Officer need not arrest a person if the offence under which he has been arrested prescribes punishment for less than 7 years. Theft, in fact entailed maximum punishment of only 3 years. I also brought to his notice that the Supreme Court in In Re: Contagion of Covid-19 Virus in prison case ordered the decongestion of jails and arrest could only be made in serious offences. The Police Officer showed deference and assured that the worker would be released and a notice would be issued to him under the relevant provisions. The lack of information on part of the police machinery very often deprives citizen’s their cherished right to liberty. (My work was done and I was ready to leave with ample amount of food, love and good wishes). After a high yielding day, I decided to spend the last hours of the day by the side of Gadisar Lake in a peaceful surrounding. It was built by Gadsi Singh in the year around 1367 AD. This lake is an artificial lake. It once provided water to the entire city. The deafening peace shrouded the entire place with no one around to enjoy it, except me. I sat in the silence, with crickets chirping in the background, helping me to introspect my life. The silence also helped me realize that I have been courageous enough to undertake such a journey and that we always need courage to embark on a new journey (as in life, as in other things). The day could not have been better. The next day I had a train to Gokarna, Karnataka as I did not want to stop my Safarnama here. I wanted to continue it in perpetuity, only if I could. I knew I would never get the same amount of extended time in my life to undertake such a long journey. Once, we are adults and employed in a profession, taking out time for you becomes a luxury. The cost was my abstention in judicial service examination. Not everyone can afford that. You must be wondering if I actually put my career on wager. Not Really. I received a call from the Supreme Court of India directing me to join the Chamber of a Judge as a Judicial Law Clerk-cum-Research Assistant. Life always takes you to places, professionally, and spiritually. I have not told the half of what I saw. Au Revoir! By Deepak Singh, National Law University, Odisha

Greetings from the Literary & Debating Committee of NLUJAA. ‘The Lost Stories’, the annual literary magazine of NLUJAA is inviting submissions for its third edition. About NLUJA, Assam National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam is a premier law institute located in the gateway city of North-East that is Guwahati, Assam. It was established in 2009 through an Act passed by the State Legislature of Assam as a public university dedicated to the field of legal education. About the Literary and Debating Committee NLUJA, Assam The Literary and Debating Committee NLUJA, Assam is established to provide students with the opportunity to express their thoughts and act as a platform to voice their opinions and sharpen their oratory skills. Literature is necessary to keep culture, art, heritage, tradition, and most importantly imagination, alive. This committee aspires to create an environment to celebrate, discuss and promote literature. It is actively engaged in providing a substantial and unrestricted foundation for students to explore the world beyond textbooks where the freedom of speech, dissent, and discussion of significant social issues are vital for change and well-being of the society. It is keenly focused on providing all the necessary opportunities to the students of NLUJAA to gain more confidence and promote interest in the debating culture. The Literary and Debating Committee thereby acts as a model platform for students to promote their interest in Literature, Quizzing, and Debating. About The Lost Stories The Lost Stories is the annual literary magazine of the National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam under the aegis of the Literary and Debating Committee. The magazine seeks to provide a platform for the students to look beyond the pages of their mundane academic lives and showcase their creative skills and talents. Call for Submissions The Lost Stories is accepting all kinds of unpublished and original entries, be it poetry, prose, articles (opinion pieces, essays, book reviews, movie reviews etc.), artworks (photography, paintings, comedy sketches, digital art etc.), travelogues and any piece of self-expression and creativity. Theme The submissions need not be restricted to any theme. We publish entries related to both, one’s lifestyle, and the ones related to general issues aimed towards sensitizing the readers. We do not publish articles which are purely legal or academic in nature. Who can Submit? Students, academicians, research scholars, and activists can contribute to the magazine. Submission Guidelines ●All submissions to the magazine should be original and should not be simultaneously considered by any other publication. Plagiarized submissions will be rejected. ● The language of the submissions should be in English. ● Citations should be in the form of hyperlink. ● Co-authorship is allowed to a maximum of two authors. ● All written submissions should be in the form of word document. ● Articles: The entries can be on any contemporary topic of your interest with a word limit of 2000-3000 words excluding footnotes. Longer posts might be considered depending on their quality. ● Poetry: Haikus, sonnets, limericks, or the good old free verse, your poem can be of any kind or topic in the universe. While there is no such limit on words, it is preferable to have one-page entries. ●Prose: Entries can include stories (fictional or non-fictional), opinion pieces, essays, travelogues, book reviews, and movie reviews with a word limit of 1500 words. ●Photograph/Artwork: Entries can include painting, sketch, digital art, photograph (only acceptable in .jpeg format), hand-drawn comics, manga strips, etc. Photographs. ● The deadline for submission is 29th April, 2023. ● Submissions must be uploaded at https://forms.gle/5vQAMEUQ1NT8gx3i7 Contact Information If any contributor has any query or would like to discuss a proposal, please email us at loststories@nluassam.ac.in • Abhishek Srivastava (Editor-in-chief, ‘The Lost Stories’) +917596095804 • Kunal Kalita (Managing Editor, ‘The Lost Stories’) +918011148228 • Tejashwini Mallick (Editor, ‘The Lost Stories’) +917781054053 • Pranav Gandhi (Editor, ‘The Lost Stories’) +91821064214 • Swarna (Editor, ‘The Lost Stories’) +919521409450