The human spirit cannot be shackled. The unprecedented global pandemic called Covid-19 failed too. The virus locked down the country and forced people to stay indoors for the greater part of the year. Yet, life did not stop and rather, evolved and adapted...TNIE takes a look at a few things that have become the new normal
Online Shopping, Digital Payments
Coronavirus pushed the shift from the retail space to e-market places. Apart from the online delivery platforms, neighbourhood shops and retailers have also accelerated the shift towards a more digital world. “During lockdown, we started home delivery of groceries. Since then, we are receiving 12 to 14 orders everyday on an average,” said Tejrati’s managing director, Bibhudatta Dash. The firm has its office in Old Town and a retail store in Ruchika Market. The pandemic also changed the shopping behaviour of customers, who realised that online buying is not only keeping them protected from the virus but is also saving their precious time. Arundhati Rout, a resident of Unit IX, said, “I feel safe to order online as the threat of coronavirus is not over yet. I send the list of items to a grocery shop owner on WhatsApp and accordingly he provides me the items at my doorsteps,” she said. The fear of virus also gave the much needed push from paper currency to digital payments. The UPI-based payment platforms today have become the prime transactions at every point from the small street-vendor to the mall shops.
Get-togethers Go Zooming
Under the shadow of Covid-19, people have been taking the safe route to meet friends, virtually. While the regular ‘Khatti’ culture in the Twin City of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack came to a halt following the lockdown, technology facilitated online meet-ups between friends and family members. People shifted to video calling applications like Zoom and Google Duo, the former being more popular with multiple people able to join in. “Prior to the lockdown, we used to meet up for Khatti every evening near the Barabati stadium. But that was not possible after lockdown till we found the Zoom app. We then started meeting virtually from the confines of our home,” said Abhinab Swain, a Plus Three first year student of Christ College, Cuttack. Although markets have unlocked, the ‘virtual Khattis’ continue till date via laptops, tablets and smartphones.
Screens Turned Offices, classes
In the lockdown world, work from home (WFH) and online classes became the new normal. The shift from normal office-going schedule to WFH was sudden, but the workforce adapted to it seamlessly. So much so, it is now observed that work productivity in WFH settings has improved. The trend is not limited to the IT sector but every office be it government or private. Bedrooms, living rooms, study rooms have transformed into offices, making remote working a distinct option for both employers and employees even when the world returns to normal. The same with studies. Schools and colleges in the State have been closed down since mid-March but, studies haven’t stopped. From online classes, exams to tuition, education has completely shifted to the digital platform with great success. Students and teachers adapted to the Zoom classes, Whatsapp classrooms and also video-calling sessions. However, lack of internet in the interiors and access to smartphones continued to be a bane for the underprivileged students. But, they too didn’t lose their strive - they shared screens, climbed trees and hills to access mobile network and study.
Reviving Hobbies, Setting Trends
When the busy life came to a sudden halt due to the lockdown, a large number of people had plenty of time at hand. The enterprising and creative ones turned to hobbies. Be it nurturing a kitchen garden, baking a cake or exercising, they found new ways of dealing with the lockdown blues. Mohan Swain who owns a nursery at Rasulgarh, said there has been a spike in demand of indoor plants, vegetable seeds, shrubs and flowering plants ever since the markets opened and the demand continues till date. “Many people spent the lockdown growing vegetables from seeds and manure generated from vegetable waste. Gardening channels on YouTube provided all the information to them”, he said. Similarly, people flocked the once peripheral ‘kitchen territory’ like never before, donning the chef’s hat and cooking up food trends. The spare time powered this trend while social media posts acted as the necessary catalyst. “The trend has not only churned out good cooks but also helped the regional food movement. It has brought out quite a few family heirloom recipes that had been long neglected. Overall, this has turned out to be a win-win situation for all”, said Sweta Biswal who blogs at Oriya Rasoi - The Cosmopolitan Odia’s Kitchen.
The Ubiquitous Mask
The humble mask has not only become a social norm but also a wardrobe staple and a key accessory that one cannot afford to omit from the daily life. Unchallenged as a most potent barrier against the virus, the mask has made the transition from a medical item to a fashion statement. Becoming a part and parcel of people’s lives, the markets today are not only flooded with surgical and N95 masks but also designer makes. Almost all Odia designers, clothing brands including Boyanika have turned to produce masks with handloom ones in high demand. Even homemakers, who pursue stitching as a hobby, are making the cotton masks. “Mask making has not only provided work to weavers and dressmakers who have been badly hit by the pandemic but also raised many entrepreneurs,” says designer Pankaja Sethi.
Binge Watchers
As cinema halls and theatres closed down, OTT (over the top media) viewership saw an unprecedented rise in Odisha. Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney-Hotstar or local platforms like Tarang Plus, Aao TV and Olly Plus became constant companions of people. Aao TV, a new homegrown OTT platform, witnessed 60 per cent rise in its viewership during the lockdown. “We had planned to release new content in March but that could not materialise due to the Covid-19 lockdown. However, we managed to release some content including songs. There have been 30,000 downloads so far”, said Siddharth Mohapatra, vice-president, Aao TV. He says the viewership will remain high even after theatres open because people now are hooked to private viewing.