Let us go back to School!

One more week to go, and hopefully we will have our normal lives back. Isolation and social distancing is being called the “new normal” by most of us. Drastic changes happened in our lives in last few weeks, no household help, no eating out at restaurants, realization that there is nothing better than home cooked food, benefits of personal hygiene, an increased respect for natural resources and off-course digital socializing.

First few days of social distancing were extremely difficult for everyone, because we had to go back to school. Or shall I say that lock-down reminded us that, how our life was, just a few years back. Back when, there was no metropolitan culture. I believe that Indians have coped up well in this period and will continue to do so.

Ever thought that why we (Indians) adapted to isolated lifestyle without much jitters?

Because our culture, irrespective of religion, is very scientific and close to nature. It has always propagated “social distancing” as the normal way of living. However, in past few years, we have been influenced so much by others that we are slightly detached from “our way of living”.

Many of us have come far from home and our roots, but our up-bringing still made it easy for us to go back to basics without much fuss. I can relate this “new normal” so much to my childhood, which as a matter of fact was quite normal for me. So what exactly has been “Indian way of living”?

I grew up in a small town, and do not remember eating out at restaurants at all, because there were none. Home cooked was the norm. Home cooking was looked upon with pride and it was usual affair in all households. Current situation for most of us is no different, we still survive on home cooked food, just that some of us have employed cooks and on their off days, we eat out or order food. However, since home cooked food was regarded so much, it wasn’t so difficult to let go off casual dinner at restaurants during lock-down. It also gave many of us a chance to experiment in kitchen and find out our hidden talents. Some our so called “Indian habits” like packing our food to work, carrying water bottles with us during travel, are so scientific. It not only keeps us away from infections but also saves natural resources.

Since cooking has been in our “blood”, so is maintaining hygiene while preparing food. As a kid, I used to sometimes help my mom in the kitchen and first thing she used to tell me was to was my hands, even before touching anything in the kitchen. I believe this is the case in most Indian households. The habit of washing hands is now ingrained in my mind and getting passed to my son as well. Since Indian food tastes best only when eaten by hands, so washing hands before and after food has also been a practice. When lock-down happened, it wasn’t a new thing for Indians to wash hands. Neither was washing vegetables thoroughly a challenge, its what we have always been doing. Indians are not much into frozen food and cooking from raw materials always involved cleansing the veggies as first step.

Another habit that lock-down best practices highlighted was to remove our footwear outside, wash our hands, face, legs before touching anything at home. This has also been in practice in Indian households. Even in Indian villages, its mandatory to remove footwear outside, and do a basic sanitization of self before entering the house. So this wasn’t new either.

Now comes the toughest part, social distancing. Yes, this has been difficult, specially for generation X, Y Z and beyond. Because here we have come a long way from our roots. Gesture of “Namaste” or “Aadab” doesn’t exist any more, may be only when we are visiting some elders. Otherwise, its all about a firm handshake at work, and hugs with friends. If we introspect, how logical and respectful these gestures were, it not only kept us away from “man-to-man” infections, but also brought in a feeling of respect to the greeted one, since both gestures require us to slightly bow our head. Which means “respect”. And handshake, is about being bold, confident, and obviously passing on the infections. So shall we get back to basics? There is no harm in that, when entire world is accepting the Indian way of greeting, all Indians have to do is to take a few steps back.

Shopping mall and multiplex movies culture was never an Indian culture and is probably just 10 years old. And with Netflix, Amazon Prime, digital media and online shopping, it was easy to let go off. And believe me, most of the metropolitan population is already tired of window shopping and spending a bomb for eating popcorn during a movie. We are a homely race, and staying at home close to our family and loved once is not new for us. Most of us, felt that we lacked quality time with our family and this lock-down came as a much needed break.

And last but not the least, Indians are extremely adaptable. We adapt for our parents, friends, spouse, children and everyone around us, to have a peaceful life. And that quality in us, made us adapt to the restricted environment during Covid crisis. When lock-down was imposed on us, we didn’t worry about haircut, or lost freedom, we didn’t protest, because we knew it was important, for our survival. We did crib and cry about the increased workload at home, but managed eventually. We know that right to freedom can be exercised only if we live. Isn’t is true?

So do you think it really is a lock-down? Or we have just been sent back to school? Retrospect and introspect, find your own answer, find your own way of living, find your own classroom, color your board white, black or green, just keep India alive in it.

It is yet to be seen that how slow or fast life will return to “normal” from “new normal”, but I am convinced that if we Indians continue to respect and follow even 1% of our culture and traditions, irrespective of our religion, we will be successful in defeating Corona or any virus for that matter.