New Delhi: The biggest self-isolation India had ever witnessed was during the telecast of the popular TV series ‘Ramayan’ between 1987-88. The magnum opus episodes were broadcasted in 55 countries, as millions were glued to the TV sets to watch the epic in awe.
Fast forward, now with 1.3 billion following Prime Minister Narendra Modi diktat ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ after a 21-day lockdown on March 24. The insidious feeling of catching the deadly coronavirus has had a knee jerk effect on hordes who rushed out for panic buying of medicines and essential commodities.
In this melee, many chose to stay indoors too, by sharpening their cleaning and culinary skills, while others have taken to social media for memes, jokes and funny videos. As activities have confined to the four walls of the house, WFH (work from home) has become an instant mantra with kitchen and living rooms buzzing in affable pursuits.
With psychologists wary of emotional repercussions from being confined to one place for hours, many families are huddling closer than before with meals and prayers taken and said in tandem. The absence of house help has encouraged children to essay daily chores as the former have been sent on a sabbatical till further notice.
In these unprecedented and apocalyptic circumstances, Gulf News spoke to a cross-section of people across the nation to know how they are keeping themselves occupied.
Ashwin Sanghi, author, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Even as a conspiracy fiction writer I could not have conjured up a crazier scenario than this one. I have been imprisoned in my home for the past one-week but there is no way to know how long this unsolitary confinement will last. I figure that I may as well make the best of it. It’s easy to do that if you are a writer. So I’m working towards very definite goals during these times rather than aimlessly surfing Netflix and forwarding WhatsApp messages (that’s actually the new virus).
I have a daily writing target, a daily exercise target and a daily reading target. It’s possible that I may look back on these weeks and find that they were the best things that happened to me. Staying positive is key.
Deepmala, banker, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
It depends on whether you take it as an imposition or utilise time for family and your own happiness. Earlier, I would complain about not getting enough time to be with my two daughters. So, I let my elder (7-year-old) daughter decide activities for the day. My husband Ashish, a stock market trader, and I try to keep with her energy levels and play, dance and sometimes chatter along with her!
Ashish and I do have our little fights, as duties now overlap and we both have different ways of doing things. But we have begun valuing and appreciating the small things that we would do for each other, but never bothered to say we cared. Our relationship has evolved and we have learnt not to take our freedom for granted.
Arvind Pai, philatelist, Alappuzha, Kerala
I did not realise, but it has turned out to be ‘the break’ I had been looking forward to for ages! I have dug out old albums from the cupboards and am going through family photographs and refreshing long-lost memories. I am rebuilding ties with friends and relatives, whom I have not been in touch with for years. Making a phone call and surprising them has been such a pleasure. And I believe, since everyone is virtually free these days, my calls are welcomed!
Also, my habit of not throwing old comics has come as a boon. I read those, but only when my daughter allows! I sometimes see a puzzled look on her face when I continue to play with her. She thinks I will leave home like other days and clings on to me. Unlike before, I help my wife tend to the terrace garden and sometimes we watch our favourite Amitabh Bachchan movies.
Asif Shaikh, embroiderer and designer, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
For the past 20 years, I have been working, travelling and returning home only to sleep. The past few days have made me realise that my home is so beautiful. For the first time in 10 years, I opened the door to the balcony outside my bedroom and noticed the lovely greenery and heard the chirping of birds. The downside was to notice that the maidservant has not been doing her job properly, as all nooks and corners of the house were so dusty!
Besides mopping, cleaning, cooking and washing the dishes, I sit and chat with my 85-year-old father. The rest of the time I do embroidery work, which I intend to auction and raise funds for the poor and the needy. The present situation has made me much more compassionate. Now, when I go out to buy any essential home commodity, I get something for the watchman of our society — whether it is a chocolate bar or a packet of potato wafers.
Pooja Mishra, educationist, Rae Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh
I never ever thought of being locked inside our own house for weeks. But the urgency of doing things and stressing out has suddenly vanished. The mere thought of the household help not turning in for a day would create panic in the house. But now we are managing fine and realising how we build external dependencies and complicate our lives.
I am enjoying ‘me’ time and binge-watching movies with my husband and children. He has never liked it, but now he willingly helps me in the kitchen. In the past, whenever I read how rest was important for everyone, I never paid heed to it. Sound sleep was enough to stay healthy, I would say. Now I feel the positive effects of rest, though my belly bulge is a signal to reduce the ‘rest’ bit!
Chen Khoi Kui, businessman, Kolkata, West Bengal
Life has turned upside down and I am still learning to confine myself to home and discipline myself. Whether I like it or not, I help my wife in cooking, washing utensils and sweeping the floor. I devote a lot of my time in praying that I do not have to do household chores (!) and wishing the world came out of these troubled times.
I miss meeting friends and am making up for it by playing indoor games like ludo and carom with my grandchildren. If I were young, I would have probably tried my hand at learning some musical instrument, but now listening to old Hindi movie songs on a portable digital music player is a source of entertainment.
Ashwani Khurana, environmentalist, New Delhi
My partner Diki and our children have been put through a test, which we are joyfully passing. While my eldest daughter, a counselling psychologist, is busy online and tele-counselling people who have hit an emotional low, other children are locked up in our Karma Lakelands golf resort cum gated community complex and enjoying the nature and sports along with running the bare essential maintenance and support facilities with minimum staff.
We are all teamed up and giving undivided attention to cleaning and greening the surroundings and finding joys in small things and activities like feeding the cows, goats and hen. It’s a much-needed moment to evaluate how our lives had become. Since both Diki and I are on a spiritual path, the time has not brought about any angst or frustrations but an opportunity to strengthen us.
Harman Singh, road safety activist, Chandigarh, Punjab
It’s a whole new world that one is facing. People who earlier uttered ‘bless you’ when one sneezed, now look at you with suspicion. Making an excuse for going to the washroom to wash hands is the new SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). The value of relationships among family members has increased, though everyone needs ‘more space’. With six of us in the family, everyone clinches on to individual screens. Wonder what would happen if the internet connection gets snapped. It would be a real test!
The hustle and bustle has turned into an eerie silence broken by barking of stray dogs as if challenging humans to venture out. Except feeling caged yet again, not much has changed for me, as I have spent months recovering from multiple surgeries after my spinal cord injury. As deadlines, tasks and to-do lists have been deferred indefinitely, one wonders if it is the fear of death or value of life that has changed it all.
Aayush Sharma, student, West Champaran, Bihar
My entire routine has changed. Earlier, I would wake up at 8am, but now my parents wake me up at 6am and I am told to — no, not study, but help my grandfather in farming! I never imagined, but I am enjoying chopping vegetables and peeling peas. That cooking could be fun; I am realising only now, even though my sisters and I fight on what each one of us will do in the kitchen.
I would get little time to spend with my brothers, but we have been bonding over a game of chess or trying to solve the Rubik Cube. Although it is frustrating not to be able to go out now, I realise when I had the opportunity; I would stay indoors and spend time on my smartphone. The past few days have changed my outlook towards life, but not my goals. Seeing my elders worry about expenditure, without being able to work, I have resolved to do well in life and change our lives for the better.
Kulgaurav, Insurance executive, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh
I spent the first day making a list of all the things that I could not do due to the busy work schedule. But surprisingly, I have not done a single thing out of it, as I am enjoying just being at home. It’s a life with no alarm bells ringing! And it is so charming. My wife and I often joke that we are not bored seeing each other 24 x 7, but let’s wait ….
It might sound bizarre, but I am now getting to know so much about my own son. He knows much more than I expected, including having picked up Bollywood songs and dance, which he tries to imitate. Even though I am not making it a habit, but I truly like helping my wife in doing household chores. The only irritant these days are the unwanted messages people share on social media and I avoid reading those.
