The first catastrophe I ever understood was the floods of 1978. Wars, emergency,
riots and many more did pass by both closely and from afar; however, the
current pandemic resulting in the lockdown has been the first major global
crisis in my lifetime.
Am not depressed or fretful in any way; however, at the
same time I am definitely not ecstatic and exuberant about the troubled waters
we are sailing through. I sincerely apologize for not 'accepting' any
challenges, not posting food and bakes (as enquired by many of my
friends). Not doing the stuff I generally do and love to share. Yet I
appreciate every challenge, every
post, picture, games, dares, every fun and positive
images floated on Social Media.
Hunger and unemployment have engulfed the world as the
Covid-19 digs its tentacles deeper on the socially vulnerable and they fall
into destitution quickly. "Hunger will kill us before any disease
does," said the rickshaw puller from Jaunpur, in Uttar Pradesh.
Thousands queue up daily at government-run shelters, private facilities,
NGO's, Volunteer Groups, Free food mobiles etc for food and water --out
of hunger subsuming the virus threat and the need for social distancing.
In-between battling hunger and joblessness, they know about COVID19 and
its risk. Yet it's an awareness that barely registers in their conscious as
they wait alike amongst a large crowd of the daily wagers, jobless, homeless,
beggars and many forced to beg for the first time in their lives They
gather outside shelters, the vitality of food overriding the necessity
to maintain at least one-meter social distance and the risk of infection.
Most people are without masks, leaving them vulnerable to
the disease that has affected more than 590,000 people worldwide and claimed
over 27,000 lives. "What option do I have? Where else can I go? I am
hungry. I am homeless", is what you hear repeatedly. It's the same
everywhere; no face masks no washing of hands regularly or following social
distancing. Their first priority is food. Videos of serpentine queues of
people, sitting close on the floor as they are served their meal or handed out
boxes, foils and containers of food have been doing the rounds on social media.
Many continue to be hungry, images of children eating stale rice from a
polythene bag, a beggar foraging for food in a garbage bin behind a toilet or
the marginally better one's borrowing money from their friends every day
because their kids are hungry and they have no money left.
1. While we are happily replenishing our stocks, millions are on the streets without food.
2. I have four kids of
my family and kids like my own, who are currently in different cities of the
world. No, they aren't starving but battling a pandemic alone in various
degrees of lockdown and uncertainties of career and employment is different
from being alone under "normal" circumstances.
3. Ranjit, my husband
is the sole caretaker for all external needs of a family of six. Therefore, the more I exhaust my stocks, the more I push him out of the house
increasing his exposure to the virus (home delivery isn't frequent in our
locality).
4. I have comfortably
cooked exotic meals for almost 50 people at a time and I always dream of
starting a 'free kitchen' to will cook and bake for the underprivileged. Yet today, when I could use this capability,
am unable due to the rules and complexities.
The silly sensitive me finds the timing all haywire. I have paused. I desire to halt; it is my time to slow down. If we all make it to the other side of COVID 19, I will be able to joyfully share my kosha mangsho, biryani, steak, manchurians, focaccia and pasta. I will offer you the visual treats of my bakes and pot roasts. And if you promise to drop by, my table will be laid out with love in every dish and warmth in every condiment.
But, don't tell me now.
(Originally written for Facebook on 22nd April, 2020)
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