So it has happened, folks! Coronavirus has reached our shores and panic has spread among people. Every few years, a new virus knocks on our doors. There was SARS, and EBOLA virus, and different kinds of flus like Swine Flu and Bird Flu. Every few years, we are given guidelines to wear masks and gloves. But it was only a matter of time before Coronavirus reached India. If there was an evil super-villain hell-bent on spreading a virus, there could not be a more fertile location than India. As one of the most densely-populated nations in the world, our bus stands and railway stations witness footfall of hundreds and thousands. As I familiarise myself with the dos and don’ts, my memory takes me back to my childhood, when my grandmother controlled our home with an iron fist.
To better understand the context, you must know a little about my grandmother. Most grandmothers are kind and compassionate. My grandmother on the other hand had strict rules that had to be adhered to by the entire family. She was financially independent – she withdrew her monthly pension from the Govt. Treasury and spent her money according to her wishes. She rarely showered us with gifts, choosing instead to travel to places of her choice. But when she was at home, her rules were to be followed to the T. We were to wash our hands carefully with soap before and after eating, using the washroom, inhaling Oxygen, and exhaling carbon dioxide.
The rules related to bathing were strict too. We were to take a shower before and after having our food, and after visiting the washroom. The tables were to be cleaned twice – once before and once after the meals. The rules were not restricted to hygiene – there were social rules too. Do not speak to strangers. Do not shake hands, instead fold your hands in a pranaam sign. Do not visit crowded places, and do not eat anything outside. Back then, the rules seemed draconian. Since I studied in a boarding school, I was subjected to her rules for only two months in a year. But my sister had to abide by her strict rules and regulations on a daily basis. Over time, I grew older, moved out of my house, and forgot my grandmother’s rules.
But with the outbreak of Coronavirus, all of Amamma’s rules come back to me. Nearly every rule that I read is reminiscent of my grandmother’s rules decades ago. When the realisation struck me, I gave my Amamma a call. She is much older now, and less feisty. Her eyesight isn’t as sharp, but her memory is still razor sharp. She still manages her own finances, but needs help with Internet Banking and her ATM cards. I told her about Coronavirus, and how her rules back then were extremely strict and difficult to follow. She flashed an incomprehensible smile – was she feeling tiny pangs of guilt? Or was she feeling vindicated? I’ll never know.
But this much I do know. In her own way, my Amamma was preparing me for an apocalyptic scenario. But instead of using fear as a motivation, she was doing it out of goodwill and compassion. In fact, my Amamma was spreading Karuna-virus!