As we Indians rolled in the new year 2020, little did we know how the following months would turn out. Resolutions were made, vacations were planned, functions chalked out, budgets prepared, exams lined up – everything was set to the yearly clock. India was caught off-guard when the coronavirus reared its ugly head late in March. Immediately, the rhythm of life fell out of place. Even as the government responded to the pandemic, the damage was done. People were infected as the virus grew exponentially and tracing contraction was impossibly tough. Lockdown was inevitable. The building blocks of the economy fell like pieces of dominoes. Foremost, livelihoods – one newspaper estimated that 12 crore Indians lost their jobs (to put it perspective, Maharashtra’s population is about 11 crore). While both the rich and the poor were affected, the latter were hit severely – breadwinners, daily wage earners, migrant workers, and their families. A close second were the industries – agriculture, tourism, financial markets, other manufacturing, and service industries. While most work on ground came to a standstill, many were forced to work from home. Then there were institutions that had to be closed to keep the students safe. Children could not go out and play. As I write this, all I have described so far continues. Notwithstanding, the health and medical sector – doctors, professionals, staff have been under constant pressure – struggling to keep people alive, wrestling to keep the virus at bay and trying their best to make ends meet even in situations of lack.
“The building blocks of the economy fell like pieces of dominoes. Foremost, livelihoods – one newspaper estimated that 12 crore Indians lost their jobs (to put it in perspective, Maharashtra’s population is about 11 crore). While both the rich and the poor were affected, the latter were hit severely – breadwinners, daily wage earners, migrant workers, and their families”
I find myself checking ‘The Hindu’s’ website often, to keep a track of the numbers. At the time of writing this article, the nation has over 65,000 COVID patients and over 2,200 people have died from the disease – I am guessing we do not know of those who have died without access to healthcare. There are probably still many who have died (or killed themselves) owing to trauma, distress, fear of uncertainty, hopelessness, and other reasons we may not be able to figure out.
What we have learned though, and become sure of from all that has happened is this, life is uncertain, and it isn’t forever. Disease knows no bounds and our worst is exposed during the most trying times, human advancements are only as big as our fallibility and as small as our experience. In short, we are limited, constrained, and unable in ourselves, to save ourselves. Probably, that is why we conjure up superheroes who save the day. We hope for someone who can save us. We give in desperately when we see the slightest ray of hope in a person, a practice, or a belief. We make every effort to keep our dreams and hopes of happy days alive. More Indians (and for that matter, global citizens) have turned to spirituality during this time than any other – and this is across religious communities. From looking up scriptures, books, and stars for when this malady will end, to trying every ritual in tradition to ward off its evil effects – people are trying everything. Industry bodies, businesses, and media, in an unprecedented move, have turned to the spiritual in affirmation of hope outside of the human realm. To reiterate, humans are not enough to deal with human issues.
“Probably, that is why we conjure up superheroes who save the day. We hope for someone who can save us. We give in desperately when we see the slightest ray of hope in a person, a practice, or a belief. We make every effort to keep our dreams and hopes of happy days alive. More Indians (and for that matter, global citizens) have turned to spirituality during this time than any other…”
While going spiritual may not seem wrong, without the right perspective, we may end up leading misdirected lives. Our response to the happenings and the problems around us affect not only us, but many others around us – the chain continues. Therefore, it is imperative to be sure of our basis – the foundation of our response. It is best to begin our response with the question: ‘Why am I(we) doing what I(we) am(are) doing?’ This would help us see how setting apart time and effort to serve the hungry makes more sense than pelting stones at healthcare professionals who are giving their lives to save others. Mind you, it is not obvious – nor even intuitive. Every response comes from how we view the world. Our worldviews, in turn, are shaped by our understanding of existence, purpose, and meaning – of everything around us. What we believe, shapes what we do about it. Being a Christian – by volition and not tradition, I think it best to birth my response to happenings, in the God of the Bible and His purpose for His creation. I invite and encourage you to think on these lines as we wait for further clarity to follow.
Our Daily Masala 