Peeking out of windows or strolling on one’s balcony gives laymen a glimpse of the silent streets and shuttered shops, reminding them of the vigorous pandemonium that’s caught the world by its throat. The sudden, forceful lockdown has certainly thrown life out of gear but there was no other way.
And citizens do agree there should be no place for any negative vibe. We have to take it in our stride.
Anuja Kapur, a Delhiite and psychologist by profession, explains, “In times such as these, people are beginning to feel the importance of spending time with themselves and their loved ones. How long can you surf through social media, binge-watch on OTT platforms or play video games by yourself?”
Anuja adds that she has observed that solidarity teaches humans to utilise their time better than when they are by themselves in a crowd of a million.
“My son lives in the United States and it’s always been my husband and me at home, but we’ve hardly been able to spend so much time together. This lockdown makes it all seem different, and we have been spending a lot of quality time together. It feels complete after many years,” shares Anuja.
A time to think
The coronavirus outbreak has led to people needing to stay indoors for their own safety as well as that of society. So also, they have limited contact with friends and relatives and are compelled to work from home. Despite how it all happened, the situation is perhaps also what most professionals have been wishing for. In that sense, this global crisis has finally ushered in something ‘good’ for such people.
Mumbaikar and eminent celebrity tattoo artist Vikas Malani says the situation has helped him. “I have finally got time to think about my new project. And this situation shows us that if required, work can be done from anywhere. I have practically transformed my home into a workstation and am currently building the base for Ink Potential. So, as I see it, one only needs to broaden one’s perspective to utilise themselves entirely.”
For 31-year-old Partha Pratim Patra from Kolkata, the lockdown has been an opportunity to spend time with his brother Ayon. “He seldom spends time at home. But now he can’t make excuses because now he has to stay home,” says an audibly happy Partha.
“I think we are never really prepared to face challenges; we just learn as we go,” says Partha, a data analyst by profession. “Of course, the scene in the city’s market as I stepped out a couple of times during these days to buy groceries was sad. With online deliveries almost all shut own, prices at markets are higher than usual.”
In this together
Rittam Majumder, who works with the Future Group and has been living in Delhi for a while now, appears to have only one major outlook as regards the lockdown. “If I stay alive, I will be able to earn back whatever losses I am facing. And to do so, it is better to spend the lockdown period with a positive vibe so that we do not head towards becoming a depressed country when we win the fight against the deadly virus,” says Rittam, who tells us his favourite pastime nowadays has become cooking, binge-watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S on Netflix and video calling his mother who lives away at least thrice a day.
Mamta Pallamraju, a lifestyle and food blogger from Hyderabad, believes the lockdown was the only option to contain the virus. “It was a sensible decision. And especially in such a medical emergency, which is as contagious too, this is perhaps the most important action to take,” she opines.
In fact, for Mamta, the lockdown has given her hours in a day that she can now fully utilise. “I think this lockdown has been wonderful for me also because it neutralises my excuse of ‘I don’t have the time...’ about anything I want to or need to do, such as exercising or finishing off pending tasks from long ago,” she adds with a chuckle.
As for the negative comments about the lockdown, Mamta believes that every community has a minority of those who stir up issues. “But the majority of our society has been moved by the suffering of the less fortunate. I know of many who have come together to help the weaker sections so that they can get through this bad phase too. At the end of the day, we are all one, and we are in this together,” she says.
