Day7

A week of official lockdown. So today we are all in a pretend-resort. Anu is the owner and others are the guests. The resort has a spa, a hammock, an aquarium and room service. Only trouble is that we have to carry key cards at all times. Anyway, I'm happy that Anu is keeping herself busy.

It's a little strange that things have followed the script. China, the all-eating China, has once again led the world into trouble - the jury is out on if it's a botched up biological warfare but even children here are baying for China's head, which nobody is able to deliver anyway - and here in India, it's the Muslims, the Muslims who anyway hate their country, are the ones bent upon bringing Corona to our doorsteps. So now China and Muslims are put together in a rare photo frame. 

Day6

Anu and I watched Japanese animation Only Yesterday and we loved it. Now the family is going to watch My Neighbours Totoro. Is Japanese countryside really so beautiful? Some part of their rural life is quite similar to ours. 

Day5

Rishi : Ani, I thought you were reading Mahabharata...
Anu : There are too many love stories in it. I've had enough!
Rishi : There aren't so many! Just Shantanu-Satyavati, Bheema-Hidimbe and Arjuna-Subhadre.
Anu : No, it starts right from Ambike, Ambalike...
Rishi : Those are just marriages, not love stories!
Anu : It's the same, no?
Rishi : No! Those are arranged by someone else, like parents, brothers etc. So many marriages are like that even today!
Anu : What nonsense! You are trying to fool me and trick me into reading the book!

Today just more calls. And I used a skipping rope after decades. Anu and I had a competition and I won.

Day4

And I indeed forgot that today was a Saturday. Our lunch on Saturdays is khichdi. We all love it, it's a change from our daily sambar and daal and it's been our routine for a decade now. Every single Saturday. But today, I realized I missed it only when P asked me about it on the lunch table.

Rishi has always been inclined towards cooking but his learning has been adhoc so far and inconsistent. But we're taking it seriously now. Just being prepared.

Anu announced today that she wouldn't go outside to play from now on. She said she was getting bored of being confined to the fourth floor corridor, because her companion's parents weren't allowing her anywhere else. We've promised to keep her company inside the house.

And my cousin's wedding is postponed too. I gave the new blouse for stitching but didn't go to collect it. 

Day3

Nothing much to report today, except that I had a human contact today; I delivered some milk packets(bought by P) to Jaya Auntie downstairs.

Weekend is here but doesn't feel like a weekend anymore... Just two days out of twenty one... 

Day2

Counting the positives first. My husband's nephew, who lives in Pune, says he's learning to cook now. He was dependent on dabbawallahs but now he can cook some basic dishes and he can make tea. He says he never imagined he would struggle to get a cup of tea in Pune. Pune has become the epicentre of COVID-19 in Maharashtra and he says his friends who returned to their villages a couple of weeks ago are being treated like outcasts.

And I got in touch with some of my friends and relatives who I'd not heard from or spoken to for long. It was nice. The best part was that Sir said he was reading Lord of the Rings. It felt like old times.

On the flip side, my house is looking very big, now that I have to clean it by myself. And I feel like rationing everything. Actually I'm glad to be a working woman, especially now. It's good to have something else on my mind at least half the day.

Most of Anu's friends have steadily moved out of the apartment over the last two weeks or have decided not to leave their homes and she's left with only two now. She's not giving up yet.

Lockdown Days

Fear is in the air. It's children and the elderly people who are faring better. Children don't want to understand and the elderly don't seem to care much. It's somewhat calming and disconcerting at the same time. The ones between these ends are struggling with the fear of the unknown. What will happen? Will I be able to take care of my dear ones? I don't think I'm any less scared myself but I reassured few younger colleagues like I was a stoic.

The whole world is going through this and for the first time in our lifetime and I wish we could all share our experiences. I want to ask the world how it's coping. How are you? Did you pass through this phase already? How did you manage? How does your place look now?

Misinformation Campaign

My brother-in-law V called me today to check on us. One thing about this whole mess is that all of us are in the same situation. City, village, occupation, age... All locked in and waiting for an end.

He said my youngest co-sister was against making idlis today. I asked why. It seems she had heard that idlis were spreading the virus fast. Others had to convince her that it was Italy where the virus was viral. I don't know if he made up the whole thing. 

Posterity Worries

A month ago, I was wondering what our era would be known the most for. We may have a candidate now.

Our apartment looks near-empty though it's half occupied. Many families have left last week itself for their native places, mostly small towns across South India. 

World Water Day

Ever since water meter has been installed in our apartment, P has been very happy. It seems that our water consumption is among the lowest. P checks and rechecks the reading and gloats over it and it annoys me a little. It's as if all this while he thought I was wasting water! 

Murderer Mystery

The typical suspects in a murder mystery used to be someone close to the victim. But the new trend is that it'll end up being someone close to the lead investigator. Physically or emotionally close.

Mirages

World around me is increasingly getting messy and look what my brain conjures up! My yesterday's dream was that -

a) our Japan story is being revived and Stick, RR's boss, is actively involved in it.
b) Purush, my old friend and ex-colleague, is working with me on the Japan project
c) Uma(a MalayaLi) and Amiya(an Odiya) are speaking Kannada.

I really don't know what my wishlist is! If only the dream had gone on longer!

Rishi finished his exams yesterday and they announced that the remaining 10th and 12th standard exams were postponed! A narrow escape.

Tied Up

Jaya Auntie's son's wedding is postponed indefinitely. It was to happen on 30th but her son works in Dubai and now he can't come to India. Auntie was halfway distributing the invitation cards when the virus struck.

But I wonder what the folks in our building would've done if he'd come here. Already there is a clamour to stop letting the domestic helps and delivery boys come into the building. They don't want the newspaper either. I think it's too early for that and if we start right now, we won't be able to sustain it.

My cousin's wedding is on 20th April. Don't know how things will be by then. I'm getting my saree ready nevertheless. 

Heating Up

Now that there is no clear evidence of heat helping us beat the Coronavirus, I'm not able to tolerate Bangalore's temperature anymore. I've desisted from saying it so far but no more; I want more rain. Please.

So now we're all working from home. It's a new experience for us as a team and there are some disruptions with the VPN client. Not for me, of course. I'm a pro. 

Exposed World

Coronavirus is hitting me hard. It feels like the world is becoming a totally strange place.I received a "Forward this Coronavirus prayer to ten people" message from totally unexpected quarters. Terrible virus, indeed. I hate it. 

Viral Thoughts

In every conversation these days, there is an invisible participant. The Coronavirus. After hearing incessantly about it day and night, I think I'm getting immune to it. Then I think of my father, who is in the high risk bracket, who is happily attending Yakshagana, who is travelling kilometers to attend a marriage and I don't feel so immune. 

Wrong Reference

Why did people have to go and mess up LIBOR? Look at what we got now, the choice-laden, hard-to-recon SOFR! The last thing we wanted right now. 

Ripples

Anu's exams, due to commence this Friday, are cancelled. She's supremely happy. Rishi on the other hand is worried that his remaining two exams may be postponed. The boy is already upset that he lost a mark in Science exam and now this worry. Mercury is rising badly.

And today one of my husband's teammates has brought some news. His wife returned from Switzerland last week and she's supposed to have worked with some Italians there. So my husband's team is asked to WFH for the next two weeks. This is a developing story.

As Bangalore sees more cases being reported, our colleagues using the Metro for commute are understandably worried.

A Hot Monday Night

Coronavirus is real now. Anu's classes are suspended from tomorrow. She was given some information by the teachers and the effect was palpable. It's a bit annoying because it's not too different from what I've been advising her without much impact. This was her soliloquy at bedtime -

"Thank you God for giving us this hot weather. It seems Coronavirus cannot survive long in higher temperatures. But please take it back once the virus goes away. Actually it's a little too hot and I don't think I will like it for long. Already I'm drinking hot water even though I hate it... ".

She hugged me as usual but then moved away saying, "Oh sorry, the one-metre gap... ". It lasted for two minutes and then she hugged me again with, "Who cares! ".

A Hot Monday Morning

Rishi: Aayi, how are you feeling today? Better?
Me   : Much better today. My nose almost back to normal. But the cough..
Rishi: Oh, great! Can you repair my pyjamas then? I need them today. 

Okay, M tells me the Men's Day is 19th November. The woman needs to remember this obscure date now. 

Wishful Women

This Women's Day, I wish there was a Men's Day on which I could tell the men how terrific they are and how proud I am of them.

Anu found an eyelash yesterday and she says she wished to have unlimited wishes. Now she's going around the house, "Shhh! Don't make noise, I'm trying to make a wish here!"

Till COVID-19 came along, I didn't know that so many Indians went to Italy. I thought it was only Rahul Gandhi.

Estrangements

My sister-in-law visited us today. And I got reprimanded by her for making ghee on a Saturday. She said there are certain rules for doing things and they ought to be followed. I concurred. She's always treated me more like a daughter-in-law and I used to be wary of her once. But not anymore. I guess she also knows now that I'm not going to change much.

My husband is the fourth of seven siblings. He's mostly been a little guarded about this number because he thinks people look at him as if he's responsible for India's population problems. It didn't bother me when I heard it(I think he told me in phases). In fact, nothing bothered me those days. Anyway, what I hadn't bargained for is the fact that today I could have a normal relationship with only two of those seven siblings. There are so many people out there I love but I can't speak to them without feeling guilty. I don't know for how long I can sustain this.

And yeah, I didn't meet L finally. Both of us down with worsened cold and cough. Nonsense. 

New Rain

First rain of the year and the fragrance of earth is all around. 

"It is requested that you do not ask us which showroom is closed" ?? I wonder how many people complied! 

In the World of Novelties

So Corona Virus is in Bangalore now. It's like we I had been waiting for this notorious celebrity and now that it's here I don't know what to do. I have this terrible urge to hoard the essentials, actually. Will it come to that? I remember back in 2009, my teammate had contracted the Swine flu. I was scared.

L is here and we haven't met yet. The thing is I have been having a bad cough and cold and I don't know if I should put her in trouble. She has to return to Singapore this weekend. Now she's caught cold too and she says doesn't know who to meet.

We were talking today and we agreed that with age, it feels more and more like, if-not-now-when-else. But I don't think I've been entirely true to this thought. I've only got more outspoken in the workplace. What else have I done that shows that I'm aware of the passing years? The time that won't return?

Yesterday I made L fully aware of my political affiliation. I had been sitting on the fence as much as I could, but now I've taken sides.