India under lockdown - The good, the bad and the ugly
India under lockdown - The good, the bad and the ugly
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Around March 17, I heard about the COVID-19 outbreak that broke out in Wuhan and soon spread to countries across the globe. In less than a week, the number of COVID-19 cases in India saw a surge, and soon after PM Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown. While many were caught unaware due to the outbreak, there were several others who lost their jobs and means of livelihood.
While the lockdown was here to stay, citizens across the country did not expect to be confined to their homes for a brief period of over two months. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, there were many who were left jobless overnight including migrant workers, small-time traders, and daily wage earners, contrary to this there were also people who grew and strived during the lockdown period.
Speaking about those working in the organised sector, the travel and tourism industry was one of the industries that was adversely affected due to the COVID-19 enforced lockdown. A friend whom I knew since college days has been at home due to the pandemic for over 5 months now as the aviation and travel industry remains shut for large scale business operations. On the other hand, the pandemic also proved to be a boon for small-time traders, young entrepreneurs, and upcoming chefs who with their skills and unique business ideas made not only profits but also earned a name for themself during the crisis period.
Humble beginnings
A case study being of a friend who had finished her hospitality course and was waiting for her graduation to go abroad and study further. However, she didn't know what the pandemic had in store for her. Being a hospitality and culinary student, she started making cakes, bakery items at home, and selling them at reasonable rates without comprising on quality. While days and months passed by, the word spread and now she has been baking nearly five cakes a week as compared to one or no orders at all in the beginning.
Learning from her work and client's feedback, my friend also started making quick bites such as puffs, patties, and more bakery items at home, and in no time she had her own Instagram page with a verified Google business listing on the giant search engine. As I write, she is still delivering cakes and happiness while following all safety protocols issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Pandemic - A blessing in disguise
While success is good is sweet, failure also teaches us many things, and the pandemic has been a blessing in disguise for a few. My mother in law, who works as a cook in several houses lost her job all thanks to the global pandemic. With age not on her side and the government asking senior citizens to stay at home, my mother in law and many women workers like her were left jobless overnight and with little or no income at all. While this came as a setback, what followed was surprising. My mother in law was patient and when the unlock was announced she was lucky enough to be called to work as she started earning her livelihood slowly yet steadily.
Talking about the pandemic, it has also brought about safety and hygiene issues at the forefront. Young to old, and from senior citizens to children, one will see people across different age groups armed with a face mask to protect themselves from the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Call of crisis
Another positive side of the COVID-19 lockdown in India was the fact that it made men and boys independent as they started helping at home by taking household responsibilities. From trying new dishes while watching Youtube to doing daily chores, men in particular from the age group of 20 to 45 started being more responsible and taking things in their hands by not depending on their partners or families.
A colleague whose parents were in Kerala when the pandemic broke out wanted to take the first flight to go and be with his family,. However, he dropped his plans, left his house as a paying guest, and went back home to stay all by himself. For a man who never cut an onion in his entire life, he began cooking, doing household chores while working from home.
Amidst all of this, his only hope was video calls with his parents and sister who were thousands of kilometres away from him. Recalling life during the enforced COVID-19 lockdown he says, "The lockdown turned me into a mini-Sanjiv Kapoor, cooking some of the best dishes and happily relishing it. As the government resumed flight services, I managed to see my parents after a span of six months."
He further said, "The lockdown was a roller coaster ride for me. High on some, low on some, but it was definitely a memorable ride, which I will never forget in my lifetime."
Work-O-Clock
With the COVID-19 outbreak, companies and organissations across the country caught on the 'Work from Home' trend which became the "new normal" in the COVID-19 world. The setting of an organised office with scheduled office timings and work culture quickly changing and adapting to the "comfort of the home" work experience.
While WFH was fun in the beginning, there also came a dull moment with the lockdown extending and people wanting to go back to work in the post-COVID-19 world. From no proper office hours to work-life interfering with personal space, many started cribbing about the "new normal" work trend.
An HR professional from Mumbai said that the initial days of the lockdown its own set of challenges which included managing home and office work at the same time. Talking about her work from home experience she says, "For me, staying home around with family always mattered and I truly appreciate the quality time that I got to spend with my family. But besides that, there there were some negative effects of WFH as well. WFH made the body lazier and less active, that is the only negative point I could hold on right now."
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