June 21st 2020 -
A Big hello to all you wonderful folks out there & welcome to this new podcast from the Yogi's corner and here is what *Yogi The Zen* has to say :
Last few months for unfortunate reasons, all of us have got enough and more time to introspect, reflect and retrospect on all the mundane & important things in our life, the past, the present and what the future beholds. It would be apt for something like this to be actually thought over and pondered upon at the end of the year but these 6 months has more stories than the last 60 years.
I rounded off the year 2019 in good style especially considering the tumultuous, mind numbing & torturous 2019 that had gone by. Right at the end of the year, December 27th to be exact, I decided to do something that I had not done in so many years and it's been such a rare occasion that I can't even remember the last time I did something so wonderful. I went out with my parents for a trip to nowhere. 3 days & 2 nights just us and pure joy and excitement of doing something totally unplanned for the next 3 days. We drove round almost half of Maharashtra towards the side of Gujarat. Had all the fun that any teenager would ... just me and two senior citizens.
One would forgive me for thinking that after a year plus of serious trauma, my life was turning around the bend and had pleasant things to look forward to. Little did I know what we really were getting into, in the coming months. So today, *21st June 2020 being the longest day of the year*, gives us a little extra time to think 😜. I am utilising that time to pen down a few thoughts. It also happens to be a solar eclipse today. The sky is dark but am unable to figure out of it's due to eclipse or the impending rain. Well, even as I type this, the rain wins and its pouring relentlessly. Rains, are so filled with enigma & mystery and even a tinge of some spicy romance. Armed with piping hot pakoras and a beverage of your choice, one looks out the window and pensively tries to focus on the rhythm of the falling raindrops. A very small stream has now started flowing below my window. The cars in the parking lot; neglected for over 2 months, get a desperate wash. I feel like that tiny twig which is now holding it's own against the flowing water and nestled nicely between 2 equally small pebbles. Their dance of defiance is laughable and meaningless but helps me pour my muses over.
- So after my not so adventurous but eventful trip with my folks, the New Year went by quietly. Just 10 days later, around 10th Jan 2020, I developed some kind of serious infection in my left foot due to which I could not move my leg at all. Was in hospital for about a month, including about 10 days in ICU. Almost 6 months later, I can't say that I have got better, still confined to the bed and managing only a few steps with support. Learning to deal with some more added physical agony to the mental stress.
Some more instances happened in our common domain which has got us to question life and lifestyle. At one time, the world even started to resemble a *Jumanji arena*. Not in any order of severity or sequence a few of the once in a lifetime occurrences were :
- *Corona virus*. This came to our notice sometime in Jan or Feb but it's only in March that one start to take notice. Some smart-alec decided to call it COVID-19, just so that 2020 does not get all the credit. Soon it became a global pandemic and no one was spared. Right from the PM of UK to the most poor man in the slums were getting infected by this heavily infectious & fatal disease. Countries went into complete *lockdown,* *jaddu ki jhappi* was no longer a remedy but a poison on the contrary. People went beserk and *stocking* for essentials found a new meaning.
Schools are closed and are using *online teaching* tools. Most of the working fraternity is *working from home*. Many face a huge salary cut or even a loss of job. Malls, restaurants, cinemas etc have been closed since long and everyone is just locked indoors. Non emergency patients (like me) are not getting the medical attention that they need as also going to a hospital without proper immunity is ruled out. Even places of worship are closed. So there is no recourse to *Dawa, Daru or Dua*.
Situation of *migrant labourers* has been worse. No where to stay and no where to go ! All modes of public transport, inter city / inter state and even international are closed. Only off late, the stranded migrants, expats and tourists are slowly making their way back home. As a *domino effect,* all industries have been hit and one can only speculate when they can get back on their feet.
- *Locusts* attacked some parts of the world including India and though the impact was not as devastating as envisaged, it was unusual just the same. There is a nice scientific explanation for this phenomenon, so wait for my other post on this or Google it. It's interesting
- News of *earthquakes* also filtered in but fortunately no reported casualties that I know of.
- *Cyclone Amphan* hit the east of India with alarming fury. Similar was expected from *cyclone Nisarga* on the West Coast and though it made inland journey at Alibaug, it largely missed Mumbai and other parts. It was a welcome relief in the sense that, for those 2 days the media shifted gears from Covid to Nisarga. Overdose of Covid news could have been a killer by itself. Btw, yours truly read the maps well and predicted that the cyclone will miss Mumbai almost 36 hours ahead of schedule. 😎
- Currently there is a face off between India and China at the *Galwan valley*. Situation is grim and tense due to casualties on either side. Away from the border, there is a war cry to ban China goods and stop buying them. I, on the other hand, hope that India develops enough capabilities that our products become competitive in the market place.
- *Sad & untimely demise* of Rishi Kapoor, Irfan Khan and Wajid Khan due to various ailments were saddening. The *shocking suicide* by the affable and instantly likeable, seemingly upwardly mobile Sushant Singh Rajpoot shook the entire generation as a wake up call. (A seperate blog on this later)
- *WhatsApp University* prospered. Earlier it used to house students only till Grade 10. Last 6 months, graduates and Phds in various fields emerged. Social media was on a rampage and at times, even Fake News were trending
Finally, a silver lining as well. An avalanche of numerous crisis has allowed us the time to appreciate what we have, to feel blessed with the friends who care and most importantly, the love of the family. No one can now take things for granted. As the *New Normal* kicks in, let's invest in relationships and nurture them. They are the only barometers of success and happiness.
I intend to post this somewhere by which I get an automatic 6 months or yearly reminder. It will be a reminder to tell myself, the worst is over .... past is a done deal ... the future is mine to seal Ta - da ... 🙋🏼♂
1 blog constantly running on my mind .... *Yogi's take on SSR suicide* Watch this space ..
Last few months for unfortunate reasons, all of us have got enough and more time to introspect, reflect and retrospect on all the mundane & important things in our life, the past, the present and what the future beholds. It would be apt for something like this to be actually thought over and pondered upon at the end of the year but these 6 months has more stories than the last 60 years.
I rounded off the year 2019 in good style especially considering the tumultuous, mind numbing & torturous 2019 that had gone by. Right at the end of the year, December 27th to be exact, I decided to do something that I had not done in so many years and it's been such a rare occasion that I can't even remember the last time I did something so wonderful. I went out with my parents for a trip to nowhere. 3 days & 2 nights just us and pure joy and excitement of doing something totally unplanned for the next 3 days. We drove round almost half of Maharashtra towards the side of Gujarat. Had all the fun that any teenager would ... just me and two senior citizens.
One would forgive me for thinking that after a year plus of serious trauma, my life was turning around the bend and had pleasant things to look forward to. Little did I know what we really were getting into, in the coming months. So today, *21st June 2020 being the longest day of the year*, gives us a little extra time to think 😜. I am utilising that time to pen down a few thoughts. It also happens to be a solar eclipse today. The sky is dark but am unable to figure out of it's due to eclipse or the impending rain. Well, even as I type this, the rain wins and its pouring relentlessly. Rains, are so filled with enigma & mystery and even a tinge of some spicy romance. Armed with piping hot pakoras and a beverage of your choice, one looks out the window and pensively tries to focus on the rhythm of the falling raindrops. A very small stream has now started flowing below my window. The cars in the parking lot; neglected for over 2 months, get a desperate wash. I feel like that tiny twig which is now holding it's own against the flowing water and nestled nicely between 2 equally small pebbles. Their dance of defiance is laughable and meaningless but helps me pour my muses over.
- So after my not so adventurous but eventful trip with my folks, the New Year went by quietly. Just 10 days later, around 10th Jan 2020, I developed some kind of serious infection in my left foot due to which I could not move my leg at all. Was in hospital for about a month, including about 10 days in ICU. Almost 6 months later, I can't say that I have got better, still confined to the bed and managing only a few steps with support. Learning to deal with some more added physical agony to the mental stress.
Some more instances happened in our common domain which has got us to question life and lifestyle. At one time, the world even started to resemble a *Jumanji arena*. Not in any order of severity or sequence a few of the once in a lifetime occurrences were :
- *Corona virus*. This came to our notice sometime in Jan or Feb but it's only in March that one start to take notice. Some smart-alec decided to call it COVID-19, just so that 2020 does not get all the credit. Soon it became a global pandemic and no one was spared. Right from the PM of UK to the most poor man in the slums were getting infected by this heavily infectious & fatal disease. Countries went into complete *lockdown,* *jaddu ki jhappi* was no longer a remedy but a poison on the contrary. People went beserk and *stocking* for essentials found a new meaning.
Schools are closed and are using *online teaching* tools. Most of the working fraternity is *working from home*. Many face a huge salary cut or even a loss of job. Malls, restaurants, cinemas etc have been closed since long and everyone is just locked indoors. Non emergency patients (like me) are not getting the medical attention that they need as also going to a hospital without proper immunity is ruled out. Even places of worship are closed. So there is no recourse to *Dawa, Daru or Dua*.
Situation of *migrant labourers* has been worse. No where to stay and no where to go ! All modes of public transport, inter city / inter state and even international are closed. Only off late, the stranded migrants, expats and tourists are slowly making their way back home. As a *domino effect,* all industries have been hit and one can only speculate when they can get back on their feet.
- *Locusts* attacked some parts of the world including India and though the impact was not as devastating as envisaged, it was unusual just the same. There is a nice scientific explanation for this phenomenon, so wait for my other post on this or Google it. It's interesting
- News of *earthquakes* also filtered in but fortunately no reported casualties that I know of.
- *Cyclone Amphan* hit the east of India with alarming fury. Similar was expected from *cyclone Nisarga* on the West Coast and though it made inland journey at Alibaug, it largely missed Mumbai and other parts. It was a welcome relief in the sense that, for those 2 days the media shifted gears from Covid to Nisarga. Overdose of Covid news could have been a killer by itself. Btw, yours truly read the maps well and predicted that the cyclone will miss Mumbai almost 36 hours ahead of schedule. 😎
- Currently there is a face off between India and China at the *Galwan valley*. Situation is grim and tense due to casualties on either side. Away from the border, there is a war cry to ban China goods and stop buying them. I, on the other hand, hope that India develops enough capabilities that our products become competitive in the market place.
- *Sad & untimely demise* of Rishi Kapoor, Irfan Khan and Wajid Khan due to various ailments were saddening. The *shocking suicide* by the affable and instantly likeable, seemingly upwardly mobile Sushant Singh Rajpoot shook the entire generation as a wake up call. (A seperate blog on this later)
- *WhatsApp University* prospered. Earlier it used to house students only till Grade 10. Last 6 months, graduates and Phds in various fields emerged. Social media was on a rampage and at times, even Fake News were trending
Finally, a silver lining as well. An avalanche of numerous crisis has allowed us the time to appreciate what we have, to feel blessed with the friends who care and most importantly, the love of the family. No one can now take things for granted. As the *New Normal* kicks in, let's invest in relationships and nurture them. They are the only barometers of success and happiness.
I intend to post this somewhere by which I get an automatic 6 months or yearly reminder. It will be a reminder to tell myself, the worst is over .... past is a done deal ... the future is mine to seal Ta - da ... 🙋🏼♂
1 blog constantly running on my mind .... *Yogi's take on SSR suicide* Watch this space ..
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