NEW DELHI: Every time the world collectively experiences a traumatic episode, it finds succour through art. Example: the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 gave birth to musical genres such as the Blues, among others. The COVID-19 pandemic is no exception, and among the many who have turned to self-expression to deal with the crisis is acclaimed singer and poet, Minu Bakshi, who has recently composed a one-minute shayari on COVID-19.
This isn’t Bakshi’s first work on the pandemic. She has written about 10 one-minute poems, highlighting her perspective on the pandemic, with eight of them having gone viral on social media. “People are reacting to the poems as if it is their own voice. I feel that I’ve touched their souls and given them clarity of who is responsible, why this is happening and how we need to change the way we live and stop exploiting nature,” says Bakshi, who points out the same in her latest shayari: Raftaar karo kam, ke bachenge to milenge; Gulshan na rahega to kahan phool khilenge (Slow down the speed, we will meet if we survive; If there are no gardens left, where will the flowers bloom?) “I believe that human beings have really taken nature and life into their hands and caused havoc.
And nature has to fight back to maintain that balance which man, for his own selfish needs, has destroyed. As man began to think he was all-powerful, providence had to step in. We need to take responsibility for our actions,” says Bakshi, who was recently conferred the Order of Isabella la Catolica by the Spanish Government for her services towards the promotion of Spain and its culture. Talking about how today’s battle against the pandemic is being written, Bakshi points out how it has already found its way into art. “There are a number of artists performing from home, collaborating with other artists online from different cities and countries. I think even art is now going to be shared much more on digital media. Even museums are being shared virtually.
There has been so much time for introspection that many new subjects, new issues and new topics will find their way into art. Now, perhaps more than ever, music, art, literature and poetry, will be a soothing ointment to the fears and ailments of confinement,” she says. Bakshi, a professor of Spanish, who has been teaching at JNU for almost 40 years, points out how the student community is suffering. “There is no doubt that the pandemic has caused major problems in the lives of students and their education. We have started online classes but not all students have access. Also, for a language class, one-to-one interaction with students is imperative. To teach them the right accent, oral expression, repetition is required which is not possible through online classes. My course, which is an interpretation course, is impossible to do online,” she concludes.
In a nutshell
Among the many who have turned to self-expression to deal with the crisis is singer and poet, Minu Bakshi, who has composed a one-minute shayari on COVID-19.