The Coronavirus continues its ruinous march, impacting every country in the world. My driver, cook, and maids know as much, or more than me, watching the same news channels and reading similar web pages in their respective vernaculars.
A discreet distancing is consciously practiced by all, hugging and necking suddenly have become immoral acts. Everyone seems to have adopted a safer Namaste, a few in India jumping jubilantly, rejoicing over the delusion that the world has converted into Hinduism!
The fallouts are many, the chicken meat going for a toss. The hatcheries are merely throwing the hen out into the wild, as they cannot afford to feed the unsold ‘stocks’ for long. The villagers around hatcheries are angry if it is a deliberate act of punishing for voting against the ruling parties. Eggs prices also are down but another version is that rumours are spread by the mutton lobby, which is laughing its way to the bank with prices hitting the roof, close to Rs.800 a Kg.
As a vegetarian, these bother me little, but I would revolt in anger if the price of milk goes high and would promptly switch over black ‘kaapi.’ Neither I or for that matter any other Tamil, would, however, forsake unsweetened yogurt, our aphrodisiacal cure to anything under the udder.
Did you notice something? The magical babas and evangelists who could simply fell a hall full of frenzied followers, fake resurrections, or exorcise with a wave of hand have all vanished. Worried, if someone with COVID 19 would come close and either cough or sneeze. Reciprocity of affection must be extended, making every COVID +ve patient stay in an embrace with such godmen until they agree to change their profession.
There seems some secrecy over the origin of the virus, which now China states, was brought into their country by the US army and the US returning the compliment to China for being the reason for the catastrophe. I am sure many authors are sitting up with ideas full, which could become a good read and a great Hollywood movie.
My greed is only if Thailava, Rajinikanth, could be considered the protagonist, as his entry into politics seems like the oft-spoken Ache Din, which seems only going farther and farther. I was hearing Amit Shah’s reply in the Parliament on Delhi Riots and suddenly felt the same as I was in my much-hated mathematics class in the school. The limitless statistics on how many bullets fired and how many footwears recovered made me shudder and nearly weep.
The stock market still down, gold is retreating, Crude prices to head for further south, if the test of strength continues between Russia and Saudi, interest rates in the banks for deposits further slashed, there cannot be a peaceful living soon. My maids are murmuring of a pay rise from April, or else…! Who the hell taught them of a financial year beginning?
Our fearless Didi dares to grab the virus by its horns, throwing the gauntlet with a ‘Khela Shree; program held yesterday with ten thousand frenzied attendees unfazed by the virus threat. I‘m sheepishly waiting for that Ache Din when the government might also announce a ‘Kyala Shree’ (Idiosyncratic) and I might finally get included in the long list of Shrees’ of Bengal!
Stay safe.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
