Lockdown- never tried to understand this word literally. Heard of it many times, but experiencing it, hell !!
A pandemic at your doorstep. We have been welcoming everyone with open arms. Gods, settlers, invaders, traders, rulers everyone who came knocking. But it cannot be the same way with an infection, but by virtue, we all tend to be cool about the visitor.
Hope things get in place, we all return to what we call "Normal" at the earliest, but my write-up is not about this.
An interesting fact that gets noticed by everybody is that the virus doesn't differentiate people. It gets along with The Heir of a throne and a homeless with equal intimacy. It treats them all as one, i.e., humans (as simple as that).
The care one gets after getting infected may vary but cure (medicine) still at the same distance for all, which could mean that whatever be your colour, creed, race or wealth nature categorises all as one -humans and picks the fittest.
In such trying times, people are not ready to even give up their small comforts and privileges. People gather up in front of wet markets; some travel also 5 km to get their preferred brand of atta.
But India is a country of diversity; another lot reverse migrate to their soils on foot with their presence squashed and their future bleak, carrying along whatever is left, maybe also the virus to the dusty lands that neither have toilets nor hospitals.
Me being an optimist (many may differ) had a thought, when all this crisis is over, as anything that begins has to end at some point, the earth would become a Garden of love, compassion, care, and service as the virus has proved many things wrong, which were thought to be the best and dominant until I heard about the "Spanish Flu".
It was a similar kind of pandemic which had spread across the globe in 1918. It was the year when World War I came to an end. The epidemic took around 500 million lives, along with the Spanish king Alfonso (xiii). Many malnourished, ill-equipped passed away. The toll was more than the casualties of the war.
What should have been the world when the pandemic gets over, "A Garden of love", wasn't that expected from the worldly creatures? But within just 21 years there was another deadly, inhumane World War with more hatred and disparity. The lesson here is elementary when a crisis arises, we cry, and when it subsides, we forget at the blink of an eye.
We try hard to find medicines for the disease, concern not about humanity, but to patent them first. Ventilators and mask made in war footing for export not that they are life-saving, but they are the commodities most demanded now.
Trade has always defined the borders of our maps. Nothing has ever changed that phenomena; even the present virus situation won't succeed in changing that.
Love and compassion shall come and go. Trade will prevail and determine the destiny of humanity and the planet.
I just thought the other way round.
About the Author
Hareesh Aravindakshan is a banker, ex-servicemen in Indian Air Force and a curious blogger. He loves to defy the norms and gets easily bored with stereotypes. He writes at hareeshiaf.blogspot.com and can be contacted at hareeshiaf@gmail.com.