I sell my jewellery through online sites and a retail store. But, due to the lockdown, things have gone absolutely haywire. The store is shut, and in the absence of courier services, packaging staff, etc., I can’t pursue online sales as well. I had been planning to travel to Dubai, which got cancelled. However, on the family front, I’m getting time to spend with my parents, my brother, grandma and one pet at Sainik Farms, which is a great thing. But, over every single cup of tea, we discuss when will coronavirus go away. Spending time with family is always required, but I could have never ever imagined in my life that it would be under such circumstances.
In terms of sanitisation, we are being very careful from our end. I believe each family has to do their bit to stay safe. Right from cleaning our door handles to surfaces of furniture to washing vegetables properly and following personal hygiene, we are making sure to follow guidelines seriously. Earlier, we would go out once in 10 days to get groceries, but the day lockdown was announced, my grandma and mom spent hours making an itinerary of kitchen items.
Exactly like what hostels or mess do, they made schedule keeping in mind the likes and dislikes of all the members in the house, and deciding what the meal schedules will look like. This made it easier for us to make a list of what is required and for this, we just had to go out twice since the lockdown has started. During this quarantine, I have been practicing Buddhism a lot. I am hard core believer that when you wish for everyone’s happiness, things start falling in place for all and for oneself.
I am also spending a lot of my time chanting and praying for the wellbeing of world, health workers and our authorities as well. Other than this, I am reading a book, playing a lot with my dog, and also making sketches of my next collection, which I will start on when world heals. I’m working on my To-Do list which has things like chanting, sketching and watering my plants. I’m also cleaning my cupboards, and helping in household chores. Quarantine, at present, is the solution to deadly and contagious disease. We don’t have an option to think on whether it’s bad or good. I think the lockdown must be extended till the time it is required as it is the only way to contain the virus. This is the time when any initiative that builds up the morale of people to fight the coronavirus together is itself a booster. So, after doing taali bajao thali bajao on March 22, we also lit up candles and diya’s on April 9, to welcome brightness over darkness.