Journeys winners: 16 yrs and over
Wednesday 2nd June 2010
sampad is delighted to announce the winners of our Journeys international writing competition in the 16+ category:
Kashif Choudhry, Solihul The Patriarch
Eisha Karol, London My Mother
Saira Nisa, Birmingham Universal Time Traveller
Skinder Hundal, Birmingham Ancient Clouds
Sue Newton, Coventry Pyjama Party
Sala Choudhary, Southampton same to same
Arun Budhathoki, Nepal A Farewell Note
Arun Budhathoki, Nepal A Train Journey
Michael Brett, London Bangladesh, London
Michael Brett, London London-from Aqaba to Zem Zem
Usha Kishore, Isle of Man The Journey of a Lifetime
Navkirat Sodhi, New Delhi By and By
Atar Hadari, Hebden Bridge, Yorks The Return
Takbir Uddin, London Journey to the Motherland
Takbir Uddin, London Home
Safia Chaudhary, Hounslow Before
Aftab Khan Farooqui, Goa, India Notes To Mehr: The South of France
Aftab Khan Farooqui, Goa, India Notes to Mehr: The West End
Sahna Iqbal, Birmingham Desired Flavour
Safia Chaudhury, Hounslow Life & Myself
Rahul Karmakar, Assam, India The Sea
Rahul Karmakar, Assam, India Father
Sid Lassi, Birmingham Puttar! (Child)
Renita D’Silva, Surrey Dreams of Home
Ranjit Singh Bahia, Walsall The Beginning
Amendra Pokharel, Nepal From Slingshot Days
Judith Huang Perth, Australia Atomicae
Mahfuz Ali, Kingston u Thames Bangladesh Began in Rain
Mahfuz Ali, Kingston u Thames I am not a stranger to this world
Mahfuz Ali, Kingston u Thames When Bangladesh Floats in a Water Hyacinth
Mahfuz Ali, Kingston u Thames Necklace of Broken Roads
Mahfuz Ali, Kingston u Thames Nobody Told Me
Tanuja Karunarathne, London Journey of So Called Life
Arun Ganapathy, Delhi, India Journey in search of HIM on a summers evening
Avishek Parui, West Bengal If on a Winter Night 2 Travellers
Richa Wah,i Kolkata The Honeymoon
Richa Wahi, Kolkata Let’s Jog
Shaheema Shaw, Tamil Nadu Madam, only Rs 40 to Nowhere, Chennai
Jayani Chathurika Senanayake, Sri Lanka Pimply faced Teenagers
Jayani Chathurika Senanayake, Sri Lanka Colonial Residue
Hartman de Souza, Goa no title given
Ujwala Samarth, Pune, India Curry Sauce: A Journey to & from The recipe That is India
Arun Budhathoki, Nepal Confession
Sairah Akhta, Smethwick Lost and Found
Sabah Hadi, London One Day
Pravin Jeyaraj, Surrey Coffee With a Stranger
Roxanne Firdos, West Yorkshire Not the Silk Road
Tamsin Evans, Devon Six O’Clock Meeting
Sahera Parveen, Small Heath God in Silence
Mina Maisuria, Essex Farishta (Angel)
Jayani Chathurika Senanayake, Sri Lanka Bullet Hole in my Memory
Salil Desai, Pune, India For Old Times’ Sake
Masud Khan, Bangladesh Finding Anjun
Sabrina Ahmad, Bangladesh Rewind
Iffat Nawaz, Bangladesh Three
Tisa Muhaddess, Bangladesh In the Womb
Asim Anwer Ansari, Uttar Pradesh, India I Journey
Munize Manzur, Bangladesh Of Bags and Baggage
Munize Manzur, Bangladesh From Zero Point
Hazel Larkin, Co. Kildare, Ireland Party in Mumbai
Farah Ghuznavi, Bangladesh The Homecoming
Deepa Kylasam Iyer, Puducherry, India Tryst with Destiny
Salahdin Iman, Bangladesh Australia Dreaming
Adrian Johnson, Birmingham Impshi, impshi! Jaldi, jaldi!
Bal Saini, Birmingham, The final promise
Amrita Bandopadhyay, Kolkata, India Home Tonight
Bal Siani, Birmingham, My mother’s land
Hema Raman, Chennai, India Lost Messages
Hema Raman, Chennai, India Shadow Men
Mohan Raorane, Mumbai, India _I to Infinite_
Sadaf Saaz Siddiqi, Bangladesh Something within
Sadaf Saaz Siddiqi, Bangladesh At Last
Denise Robertson, Birmingham Journey’s End
Juhi Basoya, New Delhi, India She Travels
Lee Zhi Xin, Singapore The Naming of Absences
Farrah Jarra, London Pilgrimage
Rasagya Kabra, UP, India The River
Kavita Amarnani, Brighton, My Grandmother’s Laugh
Kshama Chhapkhanawalla, Mumbai, India Musical Chairs
Rajan Soni, London The Smell of Ancestors
Pervin Chhapkhanawala, Pune, India What’s in A Name
Sonali Pattnaik, Mumbai, India Rerouting to Arrival
Aayush Niroula, Nepal Home by way of genes
Juhi Basoya, New Delhi, India Compass Travels
Shagorika Talukder, London, Shadows on a Wall
Shagorika Talukde, London, Birds of Paradise
Ephraim Tan, Singapore Connecting Dots
Ephraim Tan, Singapore Cliffside
Ephraim Tan, Singapore Time Always
Congratulations! All our successful entries will be published in an anthology, entitled Journeys, which will be launched in October 2010.
The overall winners of the prize money will be announced at the launch event.
Thankyou to everybody who entered. The judges were extremely impressed with the high standard, and with nearly 500 entries to choose from, they had a very difficult task.
Unfortunately, due to the high number of entries we recieved, we cannot contact everybody individually if you were not successful.
Comments
shankar sahay
from delhi, india
can you let me know the judge's comment about my entry-shankarsahay7@gmail.com
Lorna
from sampad
Hi Shankar,
Unfortunately, because of the extremely high number of entries, the judges couldn't give individual feedback for every piece.
Kind regards,
Lorna
Avishek Parui
from Durham, UK
Hello! My poem If on a Winter Night Two Travellers has been selected for the anthology. I would like to know if the contributors would receive a copy of it as and when it is published. I'm currently doing my PhD in English at the University of Durham and I'm staying at St. Aidan's College. My home address in India is of course with you. But I was wondering if it would be possible for you to send a contributor's copy to me at my present address at St Aidan's College,
Durham University,
Windmill Hill,
Durham DH1 3LJ. My UK phone number, should you require it, is 07942853435... Thank you and kind regards.
Anne Cockitt
from Birmingham
Dear Avishek
We are launching the book on Weds 6 October here in Birmingham. If you are able to attend, let me know, it's in the evening. Otherwise we will post you 2 free copies after teh 6th to UK address.
Anne
Avishek Parui
from Durham, UK
I'm not sure if I would be able to make it on the 6th as I have a programme at my department in the evening. It would be very kind of you to send me the copies at my Durham address. I'd let you know as and when I receive the post. Thank you.
Amendra Pokharel
from Nepal
Hi, just wanted to know whether you are going to send the two copies of the anthology to the winning writers who live outside the UK?
Lorna
from sampad
Following the UK launch of Journeys on 6 October, we will be posting out 2 free copies of the book to each UK based winner who could not attend the launch, and to winners in other counties, apart from India.
The British Council will be hosting a launch in Kolkata in mid December and all winners who live in India will be invited to attend and receive their copies of the book. As soon as this launch date is announced, we will put it on the sampad website and we will email all the winners in India. For those who are not able to attend this launch, we will be in touch to let you know how we will get the books to you.
Avishek Parui
from Durham, UK
I received my contribitors' copies of the Journeys anthology posted to me at my college in Durham....it's a delightful collection excellently compiled and designed...I'm proud to have featured in such a rich and varied body of creative work..Thank you so much!
Avishek Parui
from Durham, UK
Also, please post the date when you plan to launch Journeys in India... I would return to Kolkata for a month in December and would be delighted to attend the launch if you have one at the Kolkata British Council..
Asim Anwer Ansar
from India
Hi, I just wish to know uptill when I'll be getting my complimentary copy of this anthology? As it was informed to me that it'll be there till Oct 2010(My entry was selected for the competition.).
Lorna
from sampad
Hi Asim - Copies of the book will be posted to the winners in India after the Kolkata launch in mid-December. The date is still to be confirmed, but we will announce it on the website. All winners in India will be invited to the launch too.
G?ring kr
from Greece
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a person have to go to church to be Christian?
I've recently become a Christian and I'm being told that I have to stop listening to rock music because it is worldly' music. Is it ok for a Christian to listen to rock music?
I went to a church once where they seem to be very strict about behavour, The women wear only skirts or dresses and are not allowed to wear jewellry. I went in with trousers on, rings on my fingers and earings and I'm not sure if this was the problem but they preached and prayed kinda 'at me' and implied I was on my way to hell. But I'm a born again <a href=http://authenticchristianlouboutin.webstarts.com>black christian louboutin mary jane</a> Christian. Now I'm confused. Am I saved or not?
I'm a Christian, but I smoke. I was told that I should stop smoking and that smokers will go to hell. I really want to stop, no not cos I'm scared of going to hell, that's got nothing to do with it. Before anyone even said anything I was unhappy being a smoker because deep down I don't think God is pleased about it. But it is really hard to quit. I have tried several times and failed. Any suggestions?
Do you have to pay tithes. Is tithing biblical?
I'm a Christian man, I love the Lord but I have found that lately going to church has become more and more difficult. Whenever I go to church there are so many women who dress way too revealing flaunting flesh everywhere. Now I am a normal, red blooded guy but you know what, I don't want to see that. It's totally innappropriate for church. (actually for anywhere) I hope to be married one day and don't want to be seeing women's bare bodies in church or starting to think lustful thoughts. Yeh like I said, I'm a normal red-blooded guy! I want to live a life pleasing to God, saving myself for marriage. When it comes to the opposite sex for a christian guy it is a real battle fighting wrong thoughts and these half-naked gals in church don't help. Why do Christian women and girls not see that? There was a time when Christians always dressed modestly, decently and appropriately. But things have changed. Nobody cares how they dress anymore. Women and young girls in church dress very immodestly today showing way too much flesh and their private parts in public. It's bad enough that this type of thing is going on in the world but now it's in the church. And no one says anything about it. What's going on?
I'm a Christian female and I am very serious about my Christian faith. But I have a problem. I find it difficult to deal with the way some women and girls conduct themselves these days, even Christian women and girls. The thing that bothers me is that there are some young women and girls who seem to like being perverted around other women. By this I mean that they deliberately 'flash' themselves at other women for no reason. When they see another woman they deliberately bend over showing their cleavage to her or bend over showing their back sides to her. It is totally disgusting! It is also very insulting. Why on earth do women and girls do this? I can't understand it.
Why do some sexually perverted women or girls single out black women to 'flash' at or expose themselves to? Why do they behave in such a disrespectful way towards them?
What will happen to women or girls who expose their private parts to other women? Where will they go when they die?
Does a person have to go to church to be Christian?
Well, many people will probably disagree with my answer. Personaly, I don't think you do. But I do think that a true believer would want to go to church, not necessarily a church building but a place where other believers in Christ are gathered together. Why? Well first of all the Bible says not to forsake the 'gathering together of the saints'. And secondly, when a person comes to Christ they automatically seek out like-minded and like-hearted people, others who have been born of the Spirit and who have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them. Now having said that, I cannot be a hypocrite. For years I have struggled with 'church going' but it is not because I am a rebel and did not want to go to church. I wanted to go. But there were (and still are) other factors in play, things that maybe the enemy has been using in order to keep me away from church. This is something I'm working on. An isolated Christian is a very vulnerable one. Therefore, anyone who truly desires to follow Jesus Christ would do well to find a Spirit Filled Church or Home Fellowship (not always easy) to attend. That way they can be a blessing to others, and in turn, be blessed. And even if they really don't feel like going, if they go, they will be blessed just by being obedient to the Word of God. Last but not least, we need to remember that church is not a building, it is the people, the family of God. Christians can gather anywhere - in a church building, in a home, a cafe, a restaurant, a garden a park, a theatre, even in a garage! It really doesn't matter. All you need are God's people and Jesus Christ at the centre. Then, no matter where you are, you have church.
Well that may well be your experience but not every church is boring, in fact I believe most are not. Many are interesting and exciting! Now I know there are the dead churches out there that are not too interesting but there are lots of places that are buzzing with life. But I recognise that these have to be searched out. I think one answer would be maybe it's because you attend with the viewpoint of 'what can I get out of it' instead of 'what can I give'. If you seek to be a blessing rather than merely seeking to be blessed or to get your own needs met, maybe it will be less boring. But there is also the fact that many churches have strayed away from the early church 'blueprint'. One person stands up front and everybody else listens. But in the Bible, it says that in the early church each one bought a hymn or a psalm. In other words everybody participated. All were equally important and needed. Each were able to bring the gifts that God had placed within them and use them. Therefore church was a far more fulfilling experience for all. Have you tried any housechurches? They can be quite hard to find but if you manage to find a good one where in the small gathering you can have much closer relationships with others, move in the giftings that God has given you, eat together and be known for who you are and not be totally lost in the crowd like many are in modern churches today. The church is meant to be a family. So I believe smaller church gatherings (with Jesus Christ at the centre and the Holy Spirit leading)are better. If you found such a gathering it would be a real blessing and you would definately not be bored.
I'm a Christian, but I smoke. I was told that I should stop smoking and that smokers will go to hell. I really want to stop, no not cos I'm scared of going to hell, that's got nothing to do with it. Before anyone even said anything I was unhappy being a smoker because deep down I don't think God is pleased about it. But it is really hard to quit. I have tried several times and failed. Any suggestions?
Well as an ex-smoker I totally sympathise! It is so difficult when dealing with what is an addiction when you are a believer in Jesus Christ. And it is sad that some Christians can only condemn those who struggle with nicotine addiction instead of encouraging them. Please do not allow a spirit of condemnation to get into your mind, God knows your heart and your desire to please Him by stopping smoking! And you know what, despite past failures, all things are possible with God. When you tried to quit, did you rely on God's Holy Spirit to strengthen you or did you attempt to quit in your own strength? Probably the latter and that's why we fail. Nicotine addiction is powerful and we need God's help and power to overcome it. The Christian walk cannot be lived in our own strength we must rely on the Holy Spirit and it's the same with everything - from forgiving others to stopping smoking. So don't give up. With God's help, you can do it! If I can do it, so can you! When going thru something like this it's always good to have help and encouragement from others so I'd like to refer you to a website that helps people struggling with addictions including nicotine, food, alcohol or drugs. Whenever I go to church there are so many women who dress way too revealing flaunting flesh everywhere. Now I am a normal, red blooded guy but you know what, I don't want to see that. It's totally innappropriate for church. (actually for anywhere) I hope to be married one day and don't want to be seeing women's bare bodies in church or starting to think lustful thoughts. Yeh like I said, I'm a normal red-blooded guy! I want to live a life pleasing to God, saving myself for marriage. When it comes to the opposite sex for a christian guy it is a real battle fighting wrong thoughts and these half-naked gals in church don't help. Why do Christian women and girls not see that? There was a time when Christians always dressed modestly, decently and appropriately. But things have changed. Nobody cares how they dress anymore. Women and young girls in church dress very immodestly today showing way too much flesh and their private parts in public. It's bad enough that this type of thing is going on in the world but now it's in the church. And no one says anything about it. What's going on?
The church is filled with 'pseudo Christians' who have never been born again are therefore not Christians at all. They are self-centred with no regard for God, His ways, holiness or purity. And deep down, they despise God and real Christians! Some are Jezebels who seek to entice men away from God with their bodies. Others have other ideas. So why the change in women's attitudes to dress in church? I believe feminism has a lot to do with it. Feminism has influenced the nation's girls and women to become whorish and perverted, dishonouring God, other people and themselves. Their hearts are full of rebellion; their dress the outward expression of this. They are sexually perverted, therefore they dress accordingly in front of both men and women. This is the result of mothers who did not teach their daughters how to be feminine. Masculinized mothers or weak fathers who refused to teach godly standards and set godly examples of the God-given gender roles to their daughters. It's time for the UK's women to repent of their rebellious ways and put some clothes back onto their bodies. They need to stop being perverts. And why do I call these women perverts? Many churches in the western world are predominantly female. So why else would a woman want to come go to a church and have her private parts on show for other women to see? Because she is a lesbian who has been sent by the devil to infiltrate the church and contaminate it with her perverted filth. Have you tried speaking to your pastor about the problem? Maybe it would help to share your concerns with him. We need more men to speak out against the public nakedness that has crept into our churches. This is not right and someone needs to say so! What a witness it would be for a man to take a stand against this sin of public nakedness and sexual perversion in the modern church today. Who knows, maybe God has laid this concern on your heart so that you might be a light to shine in this dark hour.
I'm a Christian female and I am very serious about my Christian faith. But I have a problem. I find it difficult to deal with the way some women and girls conduct themselves these days, even Christian women and girls. The thing that bothers me is that there are some young women and girls who seem to like being perverted around other women. By this I mean that they deliberately 'flash' themselves at other women for no reason. When they see another woman they deliberately bend over showing their cleavage to her or bend over showing their back sides to her. It is totally disgusting! It is also very insulting. Why on earth do women and girls do this? I can't understand it.
The reason women or girls behave like this is because they are lesbians. Now you stated that you had a problem. No, you are not the one with the problem, they are. If as you imply these things are also happening in church as well as out in the world, such women are perverts and therefore false Christians. Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is a real one! They are lesbians and nothing to do with Jesus Christ. They are fake Christians. They are sick, selfish individuals. Such unnatural perverted females have been placed in the church by the devil and therefore have the devil's nature (sexual perversion, racist hatred) and do his will. If such perverts believe they will float up to heaven when they die they are in for a terrible shock. They are truly deceived. Such wicked, lesbian perverts behaving in this disgusting manner are hypocrites and will go to the place all who hate God will end up in. They will each have their place in hell.
Why do some sexually perverted women or girls single out black women to 'flash' at or expose themselves to? Why do they behave in such a disrespectful way towards them?
Because they are lesbians who are also racists. They are racist perverts. And these filthy females actually believe they will get away with their perverted behaviour - they are wrong. They target black women because they deem black women to be inferior and have no respect for them. They hate black women without a cause and target black women with their filth. They seek to undermine them. Deep down in their heart they sense that black women are more natural than them and fear the black female has something good that they do not have. So they <a href=http://authenticchristianlouboutin.webstarts.com>authentic christian louboutin sale</a> seek to undermine them by trying to undermine their femininity and trying to imply they are not real women. Anyone who seeks to undermine an individual only does so because they feel threatened by them. They are jealous of them, intimidated by them or both. Sexually perverted women feel intimidated by black women. They see black women as inferior yet they are still somehow intimidated by a black woman's presence. So they try to put them down. They want black women to be perverts just like them, that is why they try to expose their private parts to black women. It is just another way for the racist woman or girl to put black women down. They are filthy, sick lesbian perverts and are full of the devil whom they follow and serve. Any black woman having to endure the sick behaviour of these infantile, childish, racist perverts needs to know that God sees everything that is going on! And He sees what these female perverts are doing and thinking in their sick minds and each racist and sexually perverted thought and action will one day be judged by Him. God will one day reward every one of these perverts with what they deserve. And if they do not repent whilst on this earth they will reap their 'reward' for their sick perverted behaviour - an eternity in hell. There will be no racists or female sexual perverts in heaven. All female perverts will perish! They will end up in hell, regardless of how many times a weekkk they go to church.