Covid Drama
As soon as
the lockdown was declared on 22nd March, 2020, there was panic all
over the country. The unknown quality of this mysterious virus, Covid-19, shook
everyone. We were wearing gloves, masks and sanitizing our hands like
maniacs. Every time we stepped outside the house for the mingiest of chores, we
would rush back, tear our clothes off our body, throw them into a wash and
bathe before touching anything in the house. We discontinued all the household
help to come to the house in order to keep ourselves safe from the deadly
virus. This madness continued for two months.
In the
beginning, we took it as a challenge to clean, cook and wash without help. Then,
it became routine. Soon, this bad dream would end and we’ll go back to our
original lifestyle is what we kept saying to console ourselves. But the news on
every channel predicted just the reverse. Every day, Covid victims were
multiplying and it seemed to ruthlessly engulf all areas rapidly. It was
spreading like wild fire with no mercy on sufferers. The media was reporting
casualties and sufferings of people afflicted by this queer malady every day.
We had almost resigned ourselves to stay at home,
do all our chores ourselves, not socialise or eat out for the entire year ahead.
Thinking optimistically that post the pandemic we would become independent of
the household help, learn to look inwards and find some wonderful dormant gifts
within ourselves that would enlighten our life.
It may sound terrible but we are a generation
that requires constant interpersonal relationships. We prefer to go to a bank
and do our work—in the process meet the bank manager who offers us a cup of coffee,
go for a walk, meet someone and chat our way for an hour. Time is what we have
in ample—an hour of walking and a trip to the bank is half a day well spent
before siesta time. A walk in the evening and a couple of hours spent with
friends before bedtime is an ideal day spent—exhausting and fulfilling. No parties,
weddings, walks, trips to the drycleaner, grocery store or bank! Life had come
to a screeching halt.
Delhi-NCR is
unbearably hot during the summers. April onwards is pretty intolerable and we
were confined entirely to the house. Every year, we escape to the hills during
the summer where we have a small abode. This year, the states had sealed their
borders to avoid the spread of Covid. We were feeling trapped in our Gurgaon
house. Finally, the government made provisions to travel interstate for which
an e-pass was required. This was a ray of hope. However, there were a lot of
ifs and buts, and a lot depended on the whims and fancies of the authorities to
issue an e-pass. With great trepidation, we applied for one, and lo and behold,
it was granted to us. We had to travel within two days of the pass being issued.
We lost no
time and threw our bare necessities into a bag, jumped into our car and were
off to the mountains. The bare necessities this time were of a different
nature. Not knowing what the situation in the small rural hamlet of Mashobra
would be, we loaded the car with milk powder, masalas, wheat flour, rice
noodles, pasta, breads, vegetables, fruit, sugar, chocolates and every other
conceivable item which we thought would not be available to us. The car was
stuffed like a can of sardines and we were squeezed into our two seats. Still
it was bearable, as we were coming out of a prison maybe to get locked into
another one. But a definite advantage was the cool, pure air to breathe.
After a ten-hour
long journey in which we didn’t even stop for a cup of tea and our e-pass was
checked a couple of times, we were advised 14 days of home quarantine on
arrival to our mountain home. We were well stocked and used to the confinement
in any case. The house was cleaned before our arrival, after which the staff
said that they would not see us for two weeks. They were terrified of us as if
we would inflict them even if we set eyes on them. Since the staff would not
touch anything that had come in contact with us, I imagined how the untouchables
must have felt in the bygone era.
During the
14 days when no household help stepped into our house, we discovered a lot of
stuff that we had not used in a long time and had no clue about. We got an
opportunity to clear the mess and downsize some of the things that we could do
away with. In the process, we stumbled upon some interesting things like a waffle
maker, a coffee percolator, some cook-and-serve bowls and other interesting knick
knacks. During the quarantine, we indulged in exotic culinary delights as I
wanted to try these new gadgets. The confinement seemed charming after the
monotony of the furnace-like internment of our Gurgaon house in the plains.
Fourteen
days really flew and we were thankful to be in a good place away from the
grime, dust, heat and pollution of the plains. We enjoyed the sunrise every
morning, the chirping of the birds which was our morning alarm, the lovely blue
sky throughout the day, the glorious sunsets which seemed new and different
every day, and then the sparkling stars in the clear night sky. Before this
time, I had rarely noticed the sunrise as I always contented that a sunrise is
simply the reversal of a sunset—and was quite content watching the sun decent.
Now, I know the difference.
After the 14-day
confinement, our regular help took over. We had been consoling ourselves on how
“Atmanirbhar” (independent) we had become without the household help. But once
they were back in action, it was simply wonderful. Now, we had time to indulge
in our favourite pursuits—simple things like reading, walking, knitting,
playing online bridge, watching television—all the things we took for granted
before the Covid scare seemed like hard-to-find luxuries. To have gratitude is
a lesson we learnt during this difficult time.
Life in
Mashobra was pretty normal, as there were no Covid cases for miles around us.
The government had restricted the entry of tourists strictly, which gave us a
feeling of security. A couple of us had managed to come before the e-pass became
very difficult to acquire. The sense of freedom that one felt is indescribable.
We could walk freely morning and evening as well as entertain and socialize in
small groups outdoors.
Since our
children are far beyond the age of school, I had not realized the trauma
parents and children of school going ages were facing. Kids at home were bored,
and becoming a nuisance for their parents. This was more so in underprivileged
homes where parents were at a loss at keeping their kids suitably occupied. I
spoke to the staff in our complex and asked them to send their kids to me for
help in their school work. They were delighted. I was a bit apprehensive as to
the kids’ reaction as I may be invading their freedom. The next day, a couple
of them came with their books. I asked them for their difficulties and was
amazed when they opened the first page of their book in all the subjects. They
had not opened their books for the last three months. I realized I had enrolled
myself into a major project.
Within a
day or two, I became quite efficient in dividing my time between kids of
varying ages. They needed individual attention as their requirements differed
vastly. We would keep the last half an hour for singing songs. I began on an
ambitious note by introducing songs and poems that they had never heard. They
started reciting well known poems such as “Daffodils” by William Wordsworth, “Home,
They Brought Her Warrior Dead” by Alfred Tennyson, “Where the Mind is Without
Fear” by Rabindranath Tagore and songs such as “Do Re Mi”, “Old Mac Donald”, “This
Old Man”, “Brown Girl in the Rain”, “We Shall Overcome” and many more.
Initially,
it seemed like a failing battle as the kids were not familiar with this kind of
vocabulary. But after the first month of repetitions and practice, they started
memorizing the verses. From a rollercoaster ride it became a walk in the
park….literally as the classes were held in the garden. We would end the
session each day on an animated note. A few breathing exercises for healthy
lungs, especially during Covid times, a healthy jog around the park, a couple
of yoga stretches ending with the Suryanamaskar and finally, relaxing
meditation. They loved the regime and requested me if they could invite a few
more kids. I involved other people from the complex to join in, and one person
agreed to tackle Mathematics. This was a great load off me, as I was spending a
considerable amount of time unravelling their math problems.
When they
became sufficiently proficient, we decided to invite everyone from the complex,
including their parents, to witness a programme presented by the kids. It was a
great success. One of the residents sponsored the samosas, jalebis and tea, so
the little initiative became an event. Now, their thirst to learn and perform
became ravenous. I had to bend over backwards to satiate their ever increasing
demands. Giving them a day off in the week was almost like a punishment for
them. They would look at me accusingly whenever I wanted a break or left them
before time. It gave me a great thrill, but honesty I needed some breathing
space. Now, putting up a performance every month became a ritual. In August,
the theme was Independence Day. The kids spoke about the freedom struggle and
we sang patriotic songs like Vande Mataram, and concluded with the national
anthem. The next month was devoted to nature, and the following month to the
festivities of Dussehra and Diwali.
In
September, my daughter came with her little daughter who had turned three in
June. They came with great difficulty after obtaining a Covid-negative test and
an e-pass. My granddaughter was to join preschool, but due to Covid she
couldn’t as schools were shut all over the country. Now that she was here and I
was running a school of sorts, we decided to sign her up too. Initially, she
found the situation very unusual. I was “nani” to her but in class, the kids
called me “ma’am”. At first, she wanted her mom to be present in class. But
soon she became accustomed to not having her mother around all the time.
Each day
was a new learning for her. Gradually, she started singing with the kids and
retaining the words in the verses and songs. Some days, I would take time off
and my daughter would hold the classes. She recognized that mummy in the class also
becomes a “ma’am”. It was very interesting. Incidentally, I was also in my
daughter’s first school and she used to address me as “ma’am” in school. Even
at home if I called her by her full name, Neha Kirpal, to everyone’s amusement,
she would stand up immediately and say “Yes, ma’am!”. This was history repeating
itself. I would say we made the most of a bad situation and came out winners.
The kids benefitted, the staff was happy, we were constructively occupied and
my granddaughter didn’t miss out on her first school experience.
Now, it was
getting frightfully cold in the hills. We had to declare winter vacation. My
daughter left for her home and we stayed back as Covid numbers were still
playing havoc all over the world.
Earlier on,
Covid cases were just statistics for us. But disturbingly now, it was
afflicting people we knew. Many of our friends and family were becoming victims
of this illness. It was taking a frightful turn, and coming closer to home.
Just then we heard that a very dear friend of ours, Sweety, also acquired the infection. Earlier, her family had got it but thankfully, all had recovered. But in her case, the mysterious virus took a nasty turn and Sweety's body gave way. We lost her. She was a wonderful person. She and her husband used to come to Mashobra and spread cheer around. They were excellent hosts and the life of every party. Sweety would croon beautiful old numbers and it was a delight to see them both dance their way to everyone's heart. Losing her to this awful malady was a great shock for all of us.
The Himachal
government had thrown the doors open for all to travel freely. Suddenly, there
was a surge of tourists who invaded our so-far safe haven. Soon, we heard of
some Covid cases close to us. Life became guarded again.
Now, the
choice was to stay on in the hills and freeze or go back to the plains and
fight Covid and the pollution. What weighed in favour of the plains was no
proper medical backup in the hills in case of an emergency. The crisis seemed
to be looming close day after day, as Covid cases kept coming closer and closer.
It was a case of from the frying pan into the fire. Finally, we decided to jump
into the fire and headed homewards to the plains.
Just then,
we heard the most devastating news of the year. My closest friend, Dolly, along
with her family had tested positive for Coronavirus . She has a mother who is
over 80. We were all very worried for them. Surprisingly, she and her mother
started recovering but her husband who was fit as a fiddle, did not show any
signs of retrieval. However, every time the doctors spoke to him, he would say that
he was feeling better—but his parameters showed otherwise. He was shifted to
the ICU where after a couple of days, he succumbed to the deadly virus. It was
heartbreaking. The news shattered us completely. I felt the real impact of the
terrible situation. This was hitting very close to home.
It was a
totally helpless feeling. We could not go and hold her hand or embrace her, as
one had to maintain social distance. How do you deal with such a terrible predicament
without being able to reach out personally to people that you deeply care for?
Her own daughter could not meet her mom and console her with a comforting hug.
They were meeting each other from a distance. How ironical. In a time like this
when we really needed to be with each other, we were forced to stay at a
distance. No proper send-off for your dear ones, no prayer meeting—the closure
doesn’t happen so easily. We were powerless against the cruel tricks that providence
was thrusting upon us.
On my
return, I quarantined myself for a week before meeting my dearest friend. No
words were enough to express what I wanted to say, so I didn’t have to say
anything. But what amazed me was the way my friend and her family had endured
the tragedy of losing their loved one. There was no anger, no blame and no
overwrought accusations. In fact after Surinder had passed on, his daughter
wrote to the doctor attending on him to thank him for all his efforts and time.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. More than me, the doctor must have been
so nonplussed that he took a couple of days to react. He wrote to her saying
that he tried his best, and that Surinder was a fighter and one of the most
cheerful patients he had encountered in this pandemic. Every time the doctor
met him, he gave him a thumbs-up sign. However, his medical variables showed no
signs of improvement.
That day, I learnt from Dolly that living with
bitterness just spoils existing relationships and pulls you down into
melancholy from which it’s difficult to pull yourself out. Their terrible loss
had somehow given them enough fortitude to deal with the crisis. How can anyone be so rational in such circumstances? With
each passing day, my respect for this remarkable family goes up many notches.
This
pandemic has cost a lot to a lot of people. People have been rendered homeless,
the condition of those with co-morbidities worsened, people lost their
businesses and jobs, and most of all their lives. For me and a lot many, 2020 will go down as the darkest year for the loss of their loved ones just as we are still having difficulty coming to terms with the untimely loss of our dear friends Surinder and Sweety.
The year
2021 has begun with a hope for normalcy once again. The vaccine is round the
corner. The number of Covid victims is decreasing in the country. Hotels and
restaurants are functioning as before. After almost a year of living in fear,
people are venturing out of their homes. Small social gatherings are being
held.
Many people
would have to deal with mental health issues post-Covid. This radical change of
lifestyle has affected many. Some have been affected physically, others
financially, several socially, emotionally and medically, which leads to mental
stress and agony.
I wouldn't say that Covid came without some schooling. We learnt to be more self reliant and learnt to do with less. Not visiting any store to buy clothing, jewellery and household artefacts was not the end of the world. Necessities of one time now seemed superfluous. Not eating out in fancy restaurants and surviving was another feat that seemed unlikely pre-Covid times. One learnt to appreciate and improvise home recipes into more exciting delights, in the process discovering a healthier way of living. A lot of us attended webinars/courses to enhance our potentials. Keeping fit and healthy became a maxim. To invest within became more important than overt showing off. People did breathing exercises, workouts and yoga at home...rendering so-far essential gyms and spas futile. All beauty treatments were in-house, making parlours redundant. Travel, which was an aphrodisiac for survival came to an outright halt.
Did we fall apart? No. Instead the earth healed. One heard the birds chirping; butterflies and fireflies were back in action. Wild animals came out of hiding and walked the barren streets of cities. Pollution levels improved, the Ganges and other rivers became clean. The plundering of the planet by humans had come to an end. Gratitude is one virtue that the pandemic has taught many. But how long will we remember this lesson given to us by the Almighty? The question is: will we go back to our old ways or come out as greater humans after this pandemic is over? Only time will tell.
Very well written Poonam !👌
ReplyDeleteBeautifully expressed Poonam its so true how Covid has changed our lives and way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteCertain values have been imbibed hope we continue to remain more humane and less materialistic.
It's definitely going to be tough on the younger generation
Interesting and poignant. COVID19 has definitely changed our lives for the positive in many ways...but for how long? As you say so rightly, only time will tell.
ReplyDeletefabulous. your writing improves by leaps and bounds Dingo. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteA great write up of the Covid months.Good job.
ReplyDeleteA great write up of the Covid months.Good job.
ReplyDeleteThanks
DeleteA great write up of the Covid months.Good job.
ReplyDeleteVery well expressed, was very close to my heart as a friend of mine lost her husband to this terrible virus too. Have been sitting with my granddaughter for her grade 1virtual class and realized how much more patient I am with her as opposed to my time with my own kids. Let’s hope 2021 brings in happier times and heals our sorrows and physical health
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yes we are great grandparents.
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