This summer, Rajani Pandit, popularly known as India's Miss Marple, was preparing to handle umpteen number of cases -- be it snooping around a potential fiance during the wedding season or watching out on pampered kids for suspecting parents during the vacations and making it the most profitable time of the year.
Elsewhere, Nikhil Bhanushali, owner of Ace Tattooz, was looking forward to welcoming foreign clients amid the tourist season along with youngsters who wanted their body graphed during the vacations.
Travel blogger Sharanya Iyer, meanwhile, had booked a trip to Assam before setting sail for many international assignments; and DJ Anjan N, from Bengaluru, was looking forward to the period as a peak party and wedding season despite being in a field which is slowly dying away.
All of them saw gloom when the country went under lockdown on March 23.
Rajani had never seen this situation and had never expected "something like this to be implemented". "I believe people now will end up breaking rules as the time limit is very less compared to regular routines,” she said blaming bad city planning for the situation.
It has been tough on Rajani who couldn’t move as she finds it hard to move outside her house for fieldwork. “Many of my clients are waiting to approach me with cases with some even walking in the scorching heat to consult me,” she said adding that she now handles half cases monthly compared to the average.
Nikhil expressed his shock over the unexpectedness of the lockdown. “I think nobody expected this. We didn’t keep a separate emergency fund to be utilised for such situations. But our foreign clients kept us updated on international lockdowns,” says Nikhil adding that no businessman can spend like this for more than six months.
“This lockdown wasn’t expected at all and since people in my profession have an unstable income, which depends on seasons, by the time lockdown opens, we won't have any source of backup,” says 35-year-old Anjan who feels that his profession is dying.
Even Sharanya never expected that she would see a stop to herself “travelling non-stop”. “I was planning to take a ‘forced’ break someday. I had heard the concept of a lockdown earlier but never expected that such a thing would come so badly here,” she said as she planned to spend this time in Mt Kilimanjaro.
Sharanya has been trying to cope up with the situation emotionally. “Not only monetary losses, but I feel I am going through an emotional disconnect. I tend to spend not more than two months annually at home since my lifestyle has always been outside my city," she says adding that the uncertainty also stays on when the travel sector will resume.
However, she still has some support in the form of social media where she gives tips on places she has already visited. “In the meantime, I have learnt to optimise my social media and am trying to diversify my content. But while staying at home, I have been able to develop my relationship with my family whom I see rarely, something which they like,” she said. She also feels that the lockdown as somehow saved her a lot of money which would have been spent on trips.
Apart from writing a case diary, which she hopes to be published as an autobiography someday, Rajani now does her business online. "At most I am taking cases which can be solved amid this lockdown such as telephonic and online consultancy," she said.
For Nikhil, he has been trying to make extra income via online classes and seminar on semi-permanent makeup. "I also own a salon in collaboration with a Canadian salon where we train and develop the art of semi-permanent makeup which is new in India. With this, we are teaching salons a way to make an extra income even after the lockdown ends," said Nikhil saying that he will take monetary charges for the next batch of classes to fund himself.
“We are also taking booking especially for custom tattoos along with an advance payment. Such designs require up to 10-15 days to be made. And after the lockdown, we will arrange the appointments. By doing so, we will be ready with minimum 50,” he added.
However, Anjan can do little apart from learning new skills. “I'm using this period to just build my health by doing yoga, exercise and healthy eating. On the income part, we will have to only hope for the best,” he said.
With government aid a concern, Rajani feels that she would have definitely got help had she been living in a foreign country. “I have been invited by many foreign organisations for training and aiding purposes which has now stopped,” she said.
It is also Anjan who feels that his sector is not looked after. "Government is not thinking about artists who are completely dependent on their skills to earn and already leading a non-stable life where we don't have the security of getting salary every month but are living artist life just for the love of it," he said. Even Sharanya doesn’t expect any governmental help as she doesn’t know how will it identify freelancers like her.
However, Nikhil still looks up to the establishment. “I won't blame the government for any failure as it has also to focus on many other issues. For people in our fields, it is the issue of office space rent which go up to Rs 4 lakh per month apart from salaries,” says Nikhil who has to check whether he is covered under the Centre’s stimulus package. “We are expecting some loans at the minimum rate, especially for self-finance enterprises. Around 15-20 tattoo studios have been closed down due to this crisis,” he adds.
As for what lies next, Sharanya still has support from promoting branded content on her portal with no relief despite the second phase of Unlock. “Even when travel opens up, I won't be travelling internationally for the next few months as there are precautions to be taken. I am looking into local travel and gradually venture out further,” she said.
Rajani feels that she doesn’t have any post-lockdown strategy despite knowing that there will be a huge burden of cases based on urgency and priority. However, her reputation always ensured her demand to be at the top.
However, relaxations have brought her some relief as post-Unlock, cases have increased by a few. “It is my clients’ confidence on me and my reputation,” she said, adding laughingly that social distancing norms and mask rule make her job easier. “Earlier I thought I can never make up for the losses but now unlock has given me hope,” she added.
As for Nikhil’s plans in resuming business, he has to stick to following SOPs amid handling the rush of booked clients. “We have to maintain the required norms and the time taken to service a client would increase despite the limited operating hours. We would love to operate 24 hours soon but that would take at least a year,” chides Nikhil.
Now, despite the government allowing salons to open as part of Unlock, Nikhil is yet to open shutters. “In Maharashtra, the government has given relaxations in a confusing way in which, we don’t fall under. Haircuts (which have been allowed) fall in a very different category from what we offer i.e. makeup and tattooing,” said Nikhil who feels that the public is not yet ready to visit salons.
Even lockdown relaxations haven’t had much effect on Anjan's schedule as large gatherings are restricted to 50 people despite weddings taking people. “The relaxation norms are such that people have to avoid music and celebrations for such gatherings,” he said.
He looks forward to trying to give better services and music and hopes to get major references. “DJs usually don't have time limits and we have to play 10 hours sometimes even though we are booked for a 2-4 hours duration,” he says adding that he will also learn a new career option as a backup if such situations arise till next time.