Life takes a Full Circle

 

During the current pandemic, I realized that life has gone a full circle. So much has been redefined and so many things which we once mocked at, have become a new normal. In the current scenario what was once a forte of the IT and telecom world of working from home has become a standard practice almost everywhere except in situations where human interaction is a must. A few things which have once again silently crept back in our lives without our overt realization are worth a mention.

As a small kid, I remember when I visited Mathura the life would suddenly change. From the busy city schedule, it was a welcome change. After stepping out at the railway station from a steam engine- driven train, a ride in a rickshaw or a horse cart(tonga) was at a leisurely pace of life.  I arrived at my grandfather's place where so many aunts, uncles, and their children, all lived together. There was a  great grandmother who had an arched back and would go to the river Yamuna early in the morning for a bath. On her return some of my cousins would deliberately touch her, sending her in a rage. She would shout at them as she had been defiled by the touch and she would return to the river for taking a dip once again,  I notice a similar paranoia among even the elite these days who wash their hands several times a day, take bath more than once in a day and avoid any physical touch especially with unfamiliar people. As kids, we were not allowed to enter the kitchen in footwear and one had to leave all the footwear outside. Once inside the kitchen, no one was allowed to touch the food unless the hands were clean. This practice has returned once again and most people wash their hands before they touch the food.  Even the restaurants, fast food delivery chains and so much so even the e-commerce are portals are making a contactless delivery. 

Everywhere we went, the standard form of greeting was folding the hands and wishing a ' Namaste'. Our much-developed world and even those countries where hugging and shaking hands is a standard practice have adopted the humble ' Namaste' now. Most homes have learnt about home-cooked food and making do with just bare essentials during the current crisis. Over-dependence on domestic help has reduced significantly and most people have got accustomed to perform the domestic chores by themselves.

Whenever we fell sick, the first treatment was a hot water gargle, taking tea with basil and ginger and having a cup of steaming hot 'Kada' prepared with aniseed, ginger, cloves, black pepper and a pinch of sugar or gur, Within two to three days the ailments were bid adieu. The cycle of life has brought back the efficacy of this humble 'Kada' and even the 'Arogya Setu'(app developed by the government) has approved this to boost immunity.

The initiative of promoting the e-banking for the financially challenged masses has proved to be a boon. People have got used to making transactions using the apps and smartphones have provided a ' Midas touch'. Even children are taking their classes via the internet.

The beauty of human interactions has become a casualty but with every challenge comes learning. The urge for rushing out, eating outside and shopping by the upper-middle class has become the biggest casualty. At the same time families have got an opportunity to be together and learn to create a balance of work-life and homelife. One hopes that the dust would settle soon and life would go back on the rails soon. There is always hope and with every patient recovering from this dreaded pandemic the light at the end of the dark tunnel can be seen.

PS: Cartoon kind courtesy Google