The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #22

So we end the series 'The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times' with a post from the sole male contributor, that should leave you all mouth watering; and proving that 'For a man, stomach rules (always)!'  

The last paragraph is lost on me though😋 .

Will be back soon on a different theme! Hang on there ! 

Upon request from my better and brighter half, here goes!

To begin, I cannot express my bright moments these days without confessing to a sense of unspeakable shame and some responsibility for the plight of those who had to pack up within 4 hours reach their homes far far away. Many died. I hope it never happens again in my country.

On that flaky foundation of a lock down I did get showered with many pleasant turns quite unexpectedly. Some material and some mental and one most important saved for the end 😊.

My parents who stay nearby, with their own daily routine, moved in with us for the lock down. That turned out to very salutary for my tongue as my mother took over the kitchen for meals. I get all my favourite dishes signed unmistakably by the smell and taste of her cooking. The combinations of food I loved as a kid – keerai and vatha kozhambhu, or murungakkai sambar and katrikai curry, and so on and my favorite pickle, thokku mangai made by her from handpicked farm mangoes of our neighbour!

That extended to music as well. I generally feed my ears with Hindi Bollywood and English pop-rock of my generation as staple songs. But I had grown up on Carnatic music, of which MS Subbulakshmi would constantly hum from our old Vinyl LP. With my parents around my ears were nursed again with her evergreens like Bhavayami Raghumam, Sri Rangapura Vihara, Kamakshi Suprabhatam, Kurai Onrum Illai and so on after a good 35 years. That joy which is experienced from listening to MS can only be experienced. Thank the lock down for that!

Almost all men have their Bala (the movie) moments, aka Balmukund Shukla, deriving pride from that lock of hair that parts ways so stylistically when you run your fingers through it. That is, if he still has it. I know of no man (or boy) who growing up, was not prouder of what was on his head than inside it. Alas, the ravages of time reverses that because he loses most of what on top even as he thinks he still has what is inside. Insidious as is the nature of evolution, what is on top does not completely go away, as patches stay as painful reminder of what once was. I always mow it down with meticulous regularity to erase any memory of my curly hair I so loved. Till the lock down happened and denied me my haircut. So now those patches have grown wild. Irritation initially gave way to helpless acceptance, but then as I once ran my finger through those patches (mostly at the back where the mirror will not show) I could feel my curls again! It took me back to my teenage days where I would run my fingers through the curl, uncurling it only to get the curl back. That oomph feeling about myself revived!

The best part of the lock down is of course financial. For me, given me, the most repelling part of my living is receiving that dreaded email that carries the credit card statement. If there is one place where our family has always exceeded expectations, it is in the expenses. We find new ways of spending even as we try to cope with existing ones. Never once has a credit card bill come to my satisfaction, where I open it, and have a smug smile on my face that says, “I gotcha”. But not this time. Ha ha ha. The lock down has also locked our expenses. I am today as eagerly waiting for my credit card bill as that boy who after the family lock down is waiting for his favourite ice cream. Nothing, absolutely nothing can come in the way of that joyful moment.

-Kimi 

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #21

The COVID times have made us all grateful for what we have and more importantly made us to ponder about people less privileged than us.  That thought counts. Read Aditi's thoughts on this. 

We take life easily when everything is running smooth. Planning is on for the vacation, bookings are done, servicing of the car is done and suddenly a virus emerges and everything comes to a standstill. It started with the Janta Curfew and two days later it was announced “lock down” with no movement  of people from one place to another; Offices closed, shops closed, roads blocked.

We all were thinking how we will sustain these 21 days. Luckily my son was back home before this lock down was called, a relief really as it would have been impossible to travel once we were well and truly locked down.

This lock down has taught me and I am sure, many of us, to be calm, relaxed and most importantly to survive with minimal things. In the morning when I get up I know many things have to be done and without getting anxious everything is done smoothly. Definitely my culinary skills are at their peak watching online videos and getting different ideas and cooking for my family and enjoying lunch and supper together.

Among all these, my mind wonders how daily wage earners must be surviving? What are they going through? Are they getting at least two meals a day? We, as a country with huge population, how is it going to be after the lock down is called off ?

On the brighter side this lock down may have saved many lives, which the virus otherwise might have claimed.  I am hopeful we will emerge a much stronger nation.

- Aditi Ganguly

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #20

Many of us in our life time would have faced crisis in some form or the other! Most are sudden and one is forced to deal with it first hand.  And then there are some like COVID-19 which is creeping and creepy but rarely do we see a crisis as universal as this. As Meera Rajagopalan describes here, all seemed well and COVID was someone else's problem till it became yours and mine. While each of us have our unique battles to fight during these times, each of us also come to a state of acceptance and start looking at positive side of things. 

It is 10.30 PM on 3rd February 2020, and I have just booked my cab to take me to Kempegowda International Airport. My flight is at 2 AM to Austin. I reach the airport well ahead of time, complete the regular formalities and reach gate 22 - ready to board the flight. As I wait, I read about a dangerous virus spreading in China. I read that people are being asked to wear masks and that the U.S. has banned travelers from China. I breathe a sigh of relief that flights from India are allowed to fly to the States and that soon, I will see my husband and the kids.

Once inside the flight, I take my seat and make myself comfortable. My mind instantly wanders to my mental checklist- did I complete all the doctor visits for my parents? Have the electricity cheques been handed over to my dad? Have I bought my parents all their necessary medication? My mind rests momentarily knowing that every task has been completed, but it quickly wanders to my older daughter and I begin writing another checklist of to-dos for the upcoming wedding.

During my layover in Paris, I eat my favorite chocolate croissant and have a cup of coffee. When I arrive at my gate, I see a long queue of people wearing masks and a young lady approaches me. She asks me if I have traveled to China recently and simultaneously checks my passport. She goes on to check my temperature as well. I see the airport personal gather few Asian travelers to a corner and do more screening and for the first time in this journey, a sense of fear creeps up. I can feel my stomach churn and a million butterflies fluttering inside of me. I am reminded of my past experiences travelling in dangerous times. In 1991 when I travelled alone and pregnant during the Gulf war, in 2004 when I and my husband narrowly missed the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, and in 2015 when we fled violent riots in Greece. Little did I know that this virus would turn into a pandemic with severe consequences for months to come!!!

My flight touches down on American soil and to my relief, the scene is not that bad. I arrive home extremely happy. The next two weeks pass by smoothly as my routine is packed with daily exercises, work, frequent visits to the University of Texas, Austin to see my second daughter, and calling my parents to hear them complain about their maid and cook.

Slowly but steadily the situation starts to change. The virus has become severe and people are dying. Colleges across the U.S. are closing, and children are asked to leave their dorms. The kids and parents are all in a state or panic with international flights also closing down. I receive multiple calls to check if I can host my daughter’s friends until things get better. I am now making plans to host 8 international kids in our humble 3-bedroom apartment. It is a herculean task helping the kids vacate their rooms. We have to make multiple trips to dump stuff in our garage and return to the university to vacate another room. A few of the kids manage to fly to India and Middle East by purchasing tickets at a premium and a few continue to stay with us. The next few weeks I am focused on cooking and feeding my new extended family. 

Things start worsening and the death rate increases. My work-related trips to California and New York also have to be cancelled. New York is a death city now. COVID is no longer a distant reality and has started affecting people near and dear - a colleague’s father and father-in-law have died in Italy, a friend’s brother in New Jersey and my older daughter's friends have tested positive and are battling high fevers. Fear starts engulfing me as I think about our family scattered across the globe, my parents all alone with little  help, and the planned wedding and how things will work out.

The stock markets start to tumble and some of the capitalistic employers start laying people off! When will the world realize that it needs to move away from pure capitalistic greed? It is sickening that large corporate giants who have no shame in making billions of dollars and hardly paying their share of taxes also have no hesitation in shedding their employees and seeking government bailouts at the first sign of trouble! What will the new world order look like once we recover from this?  Will we be entering a recession like 1990? What will the future be for our kids? How long will it take to get the economy back on track? When will international flights operate and when will I be able to go home? So many questions with no answers.

While my mind is wandering, the phone rings. It is our routine zoom conference call with the kids, my patents, husband and myself. My mother is no longer complaining about the maid and cook but talking highly of our Prime Minister and his actions to curtail COVID-19. Although this lock down has been a rough ride for many of us, it surely has taught me to slow down, relax and value the simple things in life even more. I am learning to enjoy every day as it comes - waking up late with no fixed schedule. The most challenging part of my day is deciding which movie or TV show to watch. This lock down has been an eye opening experience for me and I have realized how privileged I am compared to many in the world - I am so grateful.

I am a strong believer that nothing in life is permanent and this phase shall pass and we will soon hear the good news that a vaccine for COVID-19 is available . I remain optimistic everyday that we will emerge victorious and become stronger than ever before!

- Meera Rajagopalan

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #19

It is comforting to remember that Time moves on, Life comes full circle and this (COVID) too shall pass!  Shalini Vashishtha takes us on a time travel showing how things have 'not' changed that much ; and that we can rely on time to rescue us, though it is up to us to not get back to this situation! 

'In the Circle of Life’, croons Elton John in the animated film Lion king. Yes, from the 2D 1994 animation version, all the way to the Lion King 2019 3D version, it seems life has come a full circle. Here I am sitting next to my daughter in 2020, and once again watching the DD’s retelling of the epic Mahabharata which I watched—a long time back—when I was her age.

These days as we stay in, under the lock down, my mind races back to circa 1979, when I was all of six or seven. There was buzz about some Skylab about to fall from the sky! This was an enterprise of NASA, from the then distant Amreeka (USA). NASA had lost control of the Skylab Space Station and it was expected to fall down on earth, with the time and place unknown! That was an era when newspaper and radio were the only medium of mass communication. I vaguely remember our neighbours gathering in the evenings, endlessly chatting away the possibilities, discussing bizarre solutions albeit for the fun of it, like getting under a bed with a mattress on top. It was a time of uncertainty, speculation, and apprehensions.

Another such episode I can look back on, which led to seemingly unending days of closure was the Mandal Commission protests. It was like a fire, raging across the country. Yet again, all schools and colleges were closed. I remember, that year, my first-year university exams took a back seat. We just waited and waited for exams dates to be announced and that was reason we actually took almost 5 years to graduate, instead of the 4 years for a BE course. 

Another time, another era, was that of the indefinite curfew put in place after the Babri mosque demolition on the 6th of December, 1992. An uncertain time when the days were bleak, with rioting taking place across the country and causalities in the thousands. All educational institutes were closed and no one knew when this unfortunate scenario will come to an end. 

I think there is common thread which runs through all the above episodes; and that is that time does not stop for anyone. Life moves on and comes a full circle; we are yet again indoors with DD Mahabharata back on our TV screens from the era gone by. And as we wait for the lock down to lift up, let’s learn from the mistakes that have brought us here, and strive to make this world a much better and beautiful place.

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #18

Any other time, this poem by Chitra Govindraj would have been just a philosophical musing.  But during COVID times, it assumes a whole new meaning with humans suddenly and acutely aware of the fleeting nature of life.  Focused on escaping from Madam Corona(!), and taking it day by day! And deeply accepting that EVEN WE THE HUMANS are not invincible, as much as a mynah is not! 

Survival

This morning has been as usual
I went outside to this visual
Lotus was blooming and pink
Birds perched on the bird bath’s brink
A mynah bird comes everyday
Hopping around the grass paving it’s way
Looking for worms early in the day
It’s a sweet delight this sight
but just then a kite swooped down to give us a fright!
Her wings are very large and brown
She looks about her one can see her frown
That mynah bird she has her eyes on
Hops to the side, trying to hide, she’s under pressure
While this Kite smiles searching for her tasty treasure
One can say she looks like Garuda
But this one seems cunning like a barracuda!
She fails to see the myna and flies back to her tree
Don’t worry little bird I’ll get you tomorrow she thinks with glee!
The calm has now returned as I speak
Lo and behold! the myna  has a worm in its beak
She turns and flies away
I smile as she can now live another day

- Chitra Govindraj

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #17

Though I am maintaining a kitchen garden for about three years now, I suspect my household treated it merely as an indulgence.  They would give an amused look when I would go around with stinking panchakavya or the neem oil, when I fret over who would water the plants when I am traveling, or  when I search for heirloom seeds online.  This was pre-COVID-19.

During the first week of COVID lock down, we were taking stock of the vegetables and the husband panicked.  But to his surprise, he continues to be served food with loads of fresh vegetables, including tangy palak with cherry tomatoes, pesto pasta, drumstick sambhar, basale gassi, pudina pulao, brinjal chutney, pandan flavoured rice, raw tomato stew, including some recipe names he had never heard of before. Suddenly there was immense respect for my kitchen garden!

Never has my garden yielded so much harvest as during the last month!  I do not know whether it is sheer good timing, or me taking the garden seriously during these times to respect its produce.  Whatever it is, I am so grateful for this bounty and to those of you who have played a role in this (special mention to my once a week gardener Ramakrishna).  Sharing some pictures here with their common names.  Do ping me if you want any of the recipes.  Also many of them grow quite well in grow bags if your worry is about maintaining a kitchen garden in an apartment.

It is said 'Growing your own food is like printing your own money'; how my husband wishes I do the latter too !

The humble basale surprises with not  just its health benefits but amazing taste; Try Basale gassi

I waited close to 3 years for this tree to start yielding the drumsticks and boy am I not glad!

My only regret is that the Kaaramani (Yard long beans) were so highly perched that I had to rope in my backyard neighbour's help

I can never tire of Italian basil and I would call this plant as 'Akshaya patra' (inexhaustible)

Just peeping out, deliciously soft brinjals

Pandan grows like a forest, and gives an amazing flavour to basmati rice ; should try one of those Malaysian sweets! 

Waiting to pluck this papaya; has been taking months 

The omavalli plant (ajwain / doddapatre) takes the simple coconut chutney to a different level

The infamous pirandai (Veldt grape), though invariably used in negative context, has immense health benefits

Nothing to beat the aroma and taste of freshly plucked pudina (mint leaves)

Lemon balm or melissa flavours my herbal tea and also the water for mopping the house

The cherry tomatoes play naughty to get, and have become a favourite with my mother in law for lemon rasam

The greens (surprisingly going to 5th harvest this time)

Nothing can beat the tanginess of these naatti tomatoes

Can you believe this turnip sprouting in such a small pot?

Water apples from neighbour's tree being ferried back there (with loads on our plate too!)

The thai basil with lemon grass is a mouth watering combination

The morning chai and the evening chai and the anytime chai with lemongrass does not fail to elevate my mood!  
Welcome home for a cup of lemongrass tea. 

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #16

The tiny Corona virus has made the 'mighty' Humans introspect a lot, as individuals and as cultures / countries and as Humanity as a whole.  Here is an introspection by Kavitha, reflecting on personal habits and traditions. 

As I have finally settled down to the idea of a lock down(which a month ago was unimaginable) my perception of many issues has undergone a dramatic change.

I can go on and on but here are a few of my takeaways:

#1 Leaving footwear outside, cleanliness, maintaining physical distance, religiously washing our hands and legs as soon as we come home, Not touching anyone after bath and during cooking, etc are some of the few habits which most of the Indian household used to follow.  Now, these habits are recognized and have made a come back..
#2 Not only our children but also we have started taking many things for granted. This lock down is a wake up call and a learning experience for all of us.
#3 NAMASTE- The divine in me bows to the divine in you. This Indian tradition of greeting people is making a big comeback 🙏🏻🙏🏻.

-Kavitha 

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #15

There are things that you can see only when you slow down. For Pooja Agrawal, slowing down due to COVID has made her WRITE, something she thought she c(w)ould never do!!  Read her piece on how she is discovering small pleasures of life, though COVID has thrown challenges at her! 

Work from home brings me a guilt-free break from work

Just penning down my thought after reading few of my friends thoughts about the lock down and the effects on their lives.

Never been a reader or a writer, always loved to create something new and that is all I have known the best. Running a small business from home can be challenging and sometimes underestimating, juggling between home, kids, work and my own crazy self can be tiring.

When your hobby becomes your job, boredom and frustration can creep in without warning. But the pressure of not loosing your staff, giving them employment can be intimidating. Money certainly is an important factor and when your work is doing good you certainly don't want to pull the plug.
Been stuck in trying to do something new and holding on to what I have. Set routine of work had taken away small pleasures of life.

So I just am grateful to Madam Corona,for giving me time to enjoy my time at my pace : guilt-free

Enjoying every bit of being at home, doing daily chores. I as sure when this all gets over I will be able to appreciate it all even more.

- Pooja Agrawal

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #14

When one door closes, another opens!  It is heartening to see how each of us are discovering those new doors to exciting opportunities even in these unprecedented times.  As Shilpa Shree says, we are all in it together and derive comfort and draw inspiration from each other's stories!  

Just like any other woman, I don many hats. After 6 years of self-containment as a stay-at-home mum cum entrepreneur, I ventured out. Starting a second innings in career was a challenge in itself. Dealing with the logistics, handling everything else, and taking care of my daughter became a worrisome challenge. After much permutations and combinations, we settled with a routine and it worked just fine until the school exams approached. This is when I started to slowly gain my manager's confidence to be able to work from home (WFH). Which seemed a bit too far fetched at that moment. 

The Covid-19 situation just eased out the creases for me in that perspective. Now I didn't had to ask for WFH, they happily gave it to me.While looking at this one ray of sunshine from this gloomy shadow hovering above us all, I see nature trying to heal itself. Our mother earth is trying to heal, our bodies are trying to heal.

When we were younger devoid of all the technology and entertainment centres, how did we spend time? What did we do? This lock down gave me the opportunity to recreate those memories with my daughter.  We played cards, 5 stones, chowkabara; we did gardening, mindful eating, cooking, cleaning, etc. I remember, cleaning, sweeping and mopping were tasks we had to do before going to school. But with maids available, our kids often don't get that opportunity to do these chores.

So, my daughter got her hands dirty by sweeping and mopping the house. 

We were worried about how this lock down will affect us. But then, we have handled it pretty well with lot of activities.  Our day starts with intense morning workouts. With our daughter joining in as well.  We cook breakfast together. Eat together. Play for sometime. On weekdays, we work while my daughter does her chores of practicing violin, keyboard, painting, writing stories etc. We have coffee together in the evening and chit chat about the work done during the day. Have debates on random topics from space to lock down. Cook dinner together and eat as well. My husband and I have this new found inclination to watch thriller movies. So we watch one almost everyday now.  While our daughter satiates herself watching her favourite Anime stories. 

While being inside our cocoon seems comforting, we also crave for the external  connections.  That's when technology helps. All those stories from many different people keeps us going.

In the end, it comforts to say we are not alone in this and our stories are what binds us all together.

- Shilpa shree

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #13

Shipra  Baijal nails it when she says that she discovered the 'power' in doing nothing! Not really NOTHING, but just being in the moment, not pushing oneself or getting anxious. If nothing, this COVID time is the best to practice this 'Mindfulness'.  

The Power of Lock down

===================

I was always an overzealous person, running around everywhere, trying to finish the chores and I never sat idle.Well, I got this in genes from my mother, who is still the same. I was always on my toes, ready to do something or other. It continued further after my marriage as my mother-in-law was also hyperactive and still works nonstop.

But it all changed when I started practicing yoga and most importantly-learned to relax and breathe.I am sharing this here because during this phase of lock down , I am enjoying a  new ME,  who is more chilled out, relaxed and cherishes the power of doing nothing. This doesn't mean no work, rather not being overworked and anxious.

Although the lock down is a challenging phase but having more time with family and kids is rejuvenating. Now, its learning time for kids as they also contribute in the house hold activities. Indeed, my husband struggles to manage between Work From Home and Work For Home. Among all this chaos, I feel I am blessed, to have resources at hand and family at home.

The Lock down Phase will surely get over in a few days, but we will only be able to overcome it swiftly, if we learn to accept the challenges,that it brings along with it. For me the power of lock down is redefining myself by slowing down the fast pace of life, where we can just chill and relax and TAKE LIFE AS IT COMES .... ONE STEP AT A TIME !!!!

-Shipra Baijal

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #12

Rome was not built in a day, nor can Resilience be!  The experiences that help build resilience are ones we are reluctant to face.  But those who do face them bravely come out of it wiser.  Like Sharmila, who chooses to reflect positivity, compassion, and pragmatism, while absorbing all sorts of experiences. 

Resilience

This unprecedented COVID-19 lock down brings to my mind another lock down. The year was 1985, we were living in Tehran (Iran). My father was deputed to the Iranian government by Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE). They were designing their thermal power stations. We moved from Bangalore to Tehran in Dec’82, continuing my schooling in the International School (CBSE syllabus) in Tehran. 

Though Iran was at war with Iraq for quite some time, the fighting was confined to the borders. Life in Tehran was pretty normal. All the engineers and their families from TCE were housed in an apartment building. We made friends, went to school on the same bus, played together and did what we kids normally do. Come March 1985, the situation with regards to the war changed drastically. 

The news on the street was that Iraq was planning air bombings on Teheran. Before TCE or our parents had any time to react the city was put under curfew. I was then in the ninth grade and for the first time CBSE was holding board exams for ninth grade also that year. Our exams had just commenced, we had finished two subjects. The general procedure was that the Board question papers came to the Indian Embassy and an embassy official brought the sealed papers to school on the day of the exam. He would officiate the exam and the answer scripts were sent via diplomatic post to the CBSE office in Delhi. Now everything was up in the air.

Amidst all this uncertainty about the exams, Tehran was targeted with air-raids. Sirens would blare at any time of the night and we would run out to the streets. We were locked in with limited food supplies, few hours of electricity during the day only and no communication channels. I continued to study using a candle or a torch. It was my first boards and i wanted to do my best .I just prayed that we could somehow write the exams. Even with extended efforts from the school and the Indian embassy with CBSE the exams could not be postponed. CBSE directed the 30 students from ninth, tenth and twelfth grade to write the board exams on the premises of the Indian Embassy. That’s what we did. 

We were transported to the Indian Embassy with gun toting “Pasdars” (soldiers) and wrote our exams in the Ambassador’s conference room officiated by the officials there. I was not sure whether I was more tense about the exam or about my safety. A couple of bombings happened on the outskirts of the city which was mostly uninhabited but the fear remained. Things were happening too close for any kind of comfort.

The day we finished our exams everyone was relieved a little. But that night came the devastating blow everyone feared. A bomb was dropped two blocks away from our apartment building. The vibrations shook us all onto the streets. The ground rumbled. All the glass windows in our building were cracked. There were quite a few casualties. We were lucky just to be alive. After some rapid action taken by the company and the Indian embassy we were all moved to a safer location and were evacuated in phases. We were all evacuated within a week. Thinking of those 15 days gives me goose bumps even now. But the important thing is we got through it and it only made us stronger. 

Later in College whenever the exams felt monstrous all I had to do was remember my ninth-grade boards. Then almost magically, I felt everything is a lot easier.

Now here we are in 2020, under a totally different lock down from an unseen and a rather unconventional “enemy”. Though in every way both the lock downs are so unique, I feel at a basic level they are both a crisis in themselves and we need to deal with resilience…..a resistance to give up. It is this resilience in each one of us that helps us build the strength to tackle unplanned, unforeseen circumstances in life. As parents we pass this resilience to our kids by the way we handle and conduct ourselves in these dire situations. With uncertainty looming large over both my boys’ futures, with campus shut down, uncertainty of his placement he worked so hard for and all the entrance exams of my younger one postponed, I can feel their apprehensions and worries. But this morning when I saw both my boys helping their dad wash the three bathrooms (believe me, they were doing it as if they were conducting an experiment in the Lab), I smiled to myself and realized that important life skills are being developed and the resilience built in them brick by brick.

- Sharmila Patil

The bright and beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #11

As the weather in Bangalore turns breezy and delightful, it calls for celebration!  Here we go with a whimsical poem by Chitra Govindraj on the COVID situation.  Just enjoy, and don't read between the lines.  After all, 'in nonsense is strength'!


There was a woman named Iris
Who got this bloody virus
No mattter what she would do
She concocted the flu
And ended up in a situation not so desirous!

Off to the hospital she did go
With mother and father and husband in tow
Doctors did surround her
The authorities did hound her.
Many questions they did ask
Coming in the way of the nurses’ task
And all this because she didn’t wear a mask!

It will take 14 days they said
Put her in her own room and bed
Locked her in , now she’s in quarantine!
What she needs is a knock on the head
For putting everyone in dread
But they gave her some medicines instead!

Now we must pray
That she recovers without delay
For she must go back home
With her family where she belongs
And never come back here to stay.

- Chitra Govindraj

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #10

Cannot agree more to what Rekha says - simple but profound! 

The world is fighting against a deadly virus and yes, we are in troubled times. The millennials are witnessing the first ever epidemic of such magnitude. So, how do we tackle the gloomy scenario?

As the Monty Python song goes -" Always look on the brighter side of life .."

My maid finds it difficult to make both ends meet. Some migrant labourers cover approximately 700 kms by walk to reach their native place. For some, month ends with just a few coins. Doctors work day and night to cure patients leaving their family and the list goes on ...

Are we not the blessed lot?

I do agree to the fact that it's terrible and tiring juggling between chores, especially for ladies.

Here are a few suggestions.
1) As Swetha pointed out(here), delegate  the household chores to all family members. If you initiate, things will fall in place.
2) Cook together
3)Have time for self(includes doing nothing)
4) Exercise,Meditate indulge in gardening, explore new arenas
and lot more

Always remember,
"Tough times never last, but tough people do"

Sending positive vibes your way!

- Sri Rekha R

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #9

Adapting to change is not easy as much as we all want to and Richa has gone through a big change, with chin up.  But when something larger hits us, it suddenly lifts the fog, as it has happened with her.  We are all walking with you Richa, virtually if not physically and we will meet soon! 

The long walk

We have all heard and even subscribed to (when it suited us) the adage – Change is the only constant. And boy! How life has changed for all of us Indians for a minimum of 3 weeks upcoming. Being a work-from-home professional since last 15 years, I am now used to taking in my stride, the disruptions to my schedule caused by kids’ summer holidays or maid’s prolonged absences, reason notwithstanding. Even the gloomy spectre of not being able to go to malls, cinemas or dining out did not dampen my spirit much as I am essentially a homebody. But this change was nothing in comparison to the change I was battling already. How?

Our family had undergone another life defining shift last year when we shifted to another area within Bangalore to support my husband in his line of work. For me life was severely disrupted on various levels, I deeply felt it as a loss on many fronts – circle of close friends, trusted support system, a well mapped vicinity, kids’ school next door… oh I can go on! The shift had brought about a lot of resentment in me because I personally did not benefit from the shift at all (or so I chose to believe), I counted the losses every day – till this lock down hit us.

Believe it or not, it is this lock down that is now helping me come to terms with the shift finally. Suddenly all that I deemed ‘lost’ since so many months - is no longer a physical variable in our lives for some time to come – friends, school, surrounding, domestic help – none of these things are applicable for survival right now. None of these are in the picture for anyone and yet, isn’t the picture of life complete in itself, for the moment, by just the fact that we are alive and healthy and safe?

It is the lock down which has forced me to reassess my stance, look around more, appreciate some ‘blessings during this lock down’ that the ‘forced shift’ has bestowed on us. Like my new residence comes with a big terrace – a huge blessing for us apartment dwellers to get some fresh air in these cooped in times. Like the Nilgiris store right under my block which is working hard to make sure that none of us run out of essentials – and we don’t need to step out at all. Like the same husband and kids pitching in more than usual without asking. Like the ‘long 500-step’ walk from my block to the main gate, which I thoroughly savoured earlier today, when I walked to the gate to hand over the house-help her salary for the month.

So, it is change which defines life; else we all would still be just microbes… and this too shall pass.

Though I still harbour a longing to return to the bosom of dearly known sometime in future… but for now savouring this long walk.

-Richa Agarwal

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #8

I am touched by this really personal story shared by Padmini Sundaram.  Something that could be happening to any of us.  And I am truly inspired by her living in the moment and living it fully irrespective of the circumstances.   Thanks Padi. 

A surprise googly awaiting me -  By Padmini Sundaram

After 8 months at Isha Coimbatore (intense sadhana and seva), I was eagerly waiting to reach Bangalore on 12th March. My sister Geetha called to say my  niece had her first periods just 2  days before her 13th birthday falling on 9th March (she missed the international women's day celebration by just 30 minutes). 

I had not traveled to Delhi for last 3 years and I instantly changed my  travel plan to spend sometime with my niece Anushka. On 10th March I left for Delhi from Coimbatore with plans to return to Bangalore on 17th March.

Geetha's mother-in-law had just undergone surgery for mouth cancer  and was going to start Radiation in a few days.  My sister has a help who stays the whole day doing all the cooking and another help to do the other work at home. 

Just 4 days after I came the maids/helps were all stopped in her apartment like everywhere else and my departure date to Bangalore was arriving soon. I felt like running away initially, but I decided to stay back till 1st April . And then lock down was also announced,  so I again extended.

Soon Geetha and I took charge as the main cook/s and we assigned work to our five assistants including my sister's her in-laws. Our Buddy (4 year old labrador kept us all the more busy, coming in every 30 minutes with ball in his mouth asking us to play with him amidst our mega cooking, sweeping, washing vessels etc. 

We did have initial hiccups but after few days we settled into a rhythm. I wake up by 4 am and finish my yoga and kriya by 6.30.  I and my sister then sit with a large mug of  tea for half an hour.  We then take turns to be in the kitchen.  My brother in law takes his mother at 8.30 am to hospital for radiation everyday, after doing his bit in washing vessels and doing the beds.  He actually gives us a complex with his cleaning skills!  Slowly but steadily, everything was in order by the 5th day. 

Now it is almost 12 days and the flow is really good. Every day I even watch a movie on prime; making up for the last 8 months quota.

Amidst all this hectic schedules, I notice something wonderful happening among us including Buddy; there is so much bonding happening, something I cannot describe in words. 

So for me, it has indeed been loads of positives during the COVID-19 days!

- Padmini Sundaram 

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #7

No surprise about this Deepa Ramki,  you are indefatigable!  The menus and the dance are both enticing as are the pictures. 

With almost the whole world in lock down because of Covid 19, my life has been no different. Going from a fast paced life of a 9-5 job, housework, driving the children around to their after school clubs and teaching weekend dance lessons to absolutely shutting down felt quite daunting in the beginning. Not knowing when life would be back to normal was not only bothering me but my friends felt the same way too.

When one of my adult batch students was worried about the new routines which are heavy on knees and legs, I suggested about setting up a weight loss/ fitness challenge to keep ourselves motivated and energized, I jumped at the opportunity because it was not only going to benefit us physically but it was going to help preserve our sanity. Knowing that all of us are going be housebound, working from home and managing our families, a healthy, positive mind and body is essential. I floated the idea to the other adults dance groups and few friends. Everyone jumped in the wagon and have been working towards a realistic 2-3 kg weight loss by Easter! The program involves eating 3 healthy meals by 9 am, 1.30 pm and 6 pm coupled with exercise, yoga and walking at home too! The internet has many wonderful ideas like 1 mile happy walk, 3 mile walk which can be done in the comfort of our homes without venturing out.

Each day, many of them post pictures or send messages of their breakfast, lunch and dinner. It not only motivates us to stick to our healthy eating habits but also gives us ideas for cooking our meals. Many of us post our exercise routine and share some new videos for everyone to try out. Almost all struggled with not snacking in between and keeping up the exercise routine but with constant encouragement from each other, everyone has been able to move past their struggles!

I have also started my online dance lessons for all my batches. They seem to be coping well with it, of course knowing that they have each other to support. That is the only time that I get to see all of them if not in person at least through webcam! Technology and the internet has definitely made our lives easier especially in the current crisis. 

I guess everyone like me, feels that the entire situation feels surreal and we are living life differently but we can be positive about the whole thing, use our time wisely, productively, stay safe and learn many things that we should be doing correctly by not taking advantage of nature and everything that we have.

-Deepa Ramki

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story#6

Interesting how traditional practices are complimenting new technology (virtual connectivity) in Shruti's piece today! 

This lock down is the first ever anyone of us has ever experienced.
This new yet unwanted, anxiety peaked ; lock down is not anyone had ever expected.
As the nature breathes deeply during this big pause to our never ending race against time, my 2 cents on this situation.
1. We are in for a huge change in our habits  and the way we think.
Our old age habits like washing hands and legs after coming home.
Having freshly cooked hot meals both times and spending free time with family rather than heading out,are here to stay.

2. Virtual friendships are going to be stronger than ever. I see how we are all in this together even if we are far away. This universal togetherness is what the world needs.

3. Thanks to the virus, we are keeping in mind that we do not cause harm to others.
The idea of live and let live is slowly getting etched on people’s minds.

4.  And most importantly is the point of health and immunity.
Never again are we going to take it lightly.

Let us see the brighter side and take each day as it comes.
No worries just prayers ,acceptance and gratitude changes everything.

-Shruti Amrite

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #5

Yes, as Hina shares here, there is a choice even in these difficult times on what we think and do; It is up to each one of us to choose something that can make a positive difference!

This morning as I sat in the comfort of my balcony, sipping my chai.......

I look at the deserted road, and again a low feeling is trying to grip me, but I don't let it to conquer me. Thanks to that woman there who catches my attention, how religiously she does her job of sweeping the roads in the midst of all pollution and the virus scare ,without wearing a mask.  Does she have the choice to work from home?  And here we are, most of us blessed with that choice, yet in a complaining mode. And this choice actually opening to us the door to many more choices.

Instead of spending most of my time on the forwarded messages and videos about the virus,  I have a choice to pick my phone and use it to talk to a old friend or a colleague or a cousin, enquiring about their well being. I don't remember when did I last hear their voice.

Instead of worrying that I may run short of the essentials if the supermarkets shut down, I have the choice to get into action mode of trying out that new recipe which I always wanted to, or surprise my loved ones with their favourite dish.

Instead of worrying about the large population of my country and are we ready to handle if the situation worsens,  I have a choice to remind myself I am a part of this same population I complain about,  and indeed fortunate for the moral support system the people of my country make for.

Instead of worrying about the not so hygenic conditions of my country, I have the choice to pick up the dusting cloth and attend to the layer of dust on the furniture and paintings of my home.

Instead of cribbing that my much planned shopping is postponed, I have the choice to give a listening ear to my wardrobe which has been asking me to attend to it and relieve it of it's stuffy space,  by happily parting with those dresses I know I am never going to use, but which could be of great use to the one who truly needs.

Instead of feeling frustrated that I am unable to watch my awaited movie " Angrezi Medium " I have the choice to teach the angrezi alphabets to that child who is not privileged enough to access education through angrezi medium.

Instead of worrying about the dipping global economy which surely doesn't lie on my shoulders, I have a choice to work towards the dipping smiles during these moments of crisis.

So, I now guess, it's not about the deserted streets which are causing fear, it's the fear of being in my own company??

Come on,  we are blessed with choices, just need to contemplate on them and make the right ones,  and bless that woman there for keeping my street clean.

-Hina Jagadeesh

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #4

I totally agree with Swetha Kumaraswamy here ! If you have not roped in all in your family to do the chores, it is time to do so :> 

As a “work from home” woman, I had things perfectly scheduled. Well, at least, that is what I thought! Workout at the gym; pack lunches; send husband and child off to their respective places of work/study, and then begin my day. This worked absolutely fine until COVID 19 hit.

When we began thinking about a potential lockdown, my mind was racing to figure out the dynamics of it all. Can I balance my work (well, since I always worked from home, my status was not going to be any different- just more challenging)? I was aware that I would have my husband hanging around the home much more than he usually did- panic! My child’s summer vacation was just going to start earlier and no option of spending time outside the home- more panic! Oh, wait! My help would have to be given time off too—OK, shit officially hits the fan!

Day 1 of the lockdown, I find myself pleasantly surprised to see things falling in place. There seemed to be some order in all the madness. My daughter doing her bit washing vessels, ensuring the washing machine was turned on, and even doing a bit of mopping. I held my breath—Am I dreaming? Hubby charmingly does breakfast, cleans up after dinner, and even offers to chop up some vegetables (in between his crazy meetings). Am I dreaming? I must be, right? Nope, All true!

We are on Day 5 of the lockdown and this crazy but effective schedule continues. Meals get prepared (some good ones too!), assignments are submitted on schedule, and we are not pulling each other’s hair out. So, I guess it is all ok!

If anything, I have been awfully wrong about family dynamics. When it is time to contribute everyone does! 

Swetha Kumaraswamy

The bright and the beautiful amidst COVID times - Story #3

Count on Annie to balance gratitude with creativity and productivity! 

It’s another new dawn and stay at home day. As I wake up in the morning, I think of the Supreme Being in my mind, heart, body and soul. A new habit I have inculcated these days. It just takes a minute. As I began my activities for the day, like many of us I feel helpless sitting at home, even though staying home is the biggest need of the hour. It’s like this, if we heal ourselves, we heal the world around us and those happy vibrations expands out in a ripple effect. Let us all spread our rays of sunshine in ways possible to our family and friends around us! Definitely by staying at home till our government says otherwise! And till then: 

Things to do during lock down

1. Gratitude board

Make a board or a collage of photos for all the blessings you are grateful for.

2. Everyone in the family can wear their best Sunday dresses and can take a cheerful family photo (selfie)

3.  Make a Nature journal

If you have a garden, look at it and write few words about Nature and what it means to you.

Otherwise, look at your favourite Nature photo or art, and write a few words what nature means to you.

4. Happiness music

Make a good playlist of music that makes you really happy and uplifts you and make sure to listen to them.

5. Happiness Dance

Dance or make some graceful movements to the music you like.

6. Meditation.

Just relax and be in the present.

Visualise yourself before the presence of God for few minutes every day.

7. Act of positivity

Do something that makes you feel positive. Even a simple thing, like eating a vegetarian meal for the day, like avoid watching TV from the couch most of the time and doing some pending work around the house.

8. Create

Do cook an item, write an article or make an art or draw something or paint.

9. Make some good changes (interior design) in your room.

Even shifting furniture or adding indoor plants or décor the walls.

10. Read inspirational articles or books.

11. Zen activity

Take a Zen topic like a serene garden, paint with watercolours or colour pencils or if you have a garden, create a Zen space (a meditative space) in your garden. You can create a Zen space in your room too.

12. Mandala art

Do rangolis or kolams or mandalas in paper or any other media and colour it. It increases focus and if you do repetitive patterns, good for your moods too. It will keep you calm and serene too, like a repeated mantra.

13.  Blessing affirmations

Write a list of minimum 27 blessings in your life to as many in number and thank God for each one. You can even make an audio file out of it and listen every day in the morning and night.

14. Sing your favourite devotional song and record it in your voice. This audio file should uplift your energy higher whenever you hear it.

15. Make a new item out of something old.

You can paint an old furniture or an antique piece however old or big or a waste item and find a new ornamental purpose or a functional use for it.

16. Do a simple and funny act or humorous act and ask one of the family members to video record it or take a photo of it. Especially if you have children. It should be healthy humour.

17. De clutter all your social media. Clear up your emails and spam and clear up your electronic devices like mobile, laptop etc. It will bring good energy vibrations to you.

18. Inspire your children so that they find innovative ways to engage themselves. Ignite their imagination and creativity!

19. As a family, sit and do big puzzles or some crafts together. Pool in your ideas, brainstorm with your children and do some family projects. Play some indoor games. It will be more fun if you invent them.

20. Make sure to have all three meals together as family. Say graces before every meal. Every family member can take turns to thank God and all the people who are taking care of us during this pandemic.

21. Vision board.

Have a vision for all the things you want to do in your life once this pandemic gets eradicated. Set some goals. Visualise a few dreams. Write them down and make a vision board for your room. Add some photos and inspiring articles to your vision board.

J Annie Vanitha