Light the Lamp #9pm9minutes

Yesterday, over a billion people in India lit oil lamps, candles, flashlights and torches at 9pm IST for 9 minutes. A few days ago, these people clapped hands and rang bells. While most of my family and friends honoured, Honourable Prime Minister Modi’s request and lit lamps, some questioned the “logic” behind it (and got tagged as “liberals” “anti-nationals” and what not). When someone said that we clapped to thank the essential workers, doctors, police, defence, etc. others asked, “Why and how? None of the them are returning home at 5pm to hear your claps.” Others said, “We clapped because our PM said so,” and they were tagged as “Bhakts”. Some stayed home and did nothing at all, they didn’t clap or light lamps neither did they question those who did or didn’t, they just minded their own business. Some gave scientific reasons behind why clap for 5 minutes or light the lamp for 9 minutes, some reasons sounded logical some were absolutely absurd and others laughable.

Photos of celebrities and commoners —across faiths, religions, genders and political views— lighting lamps flooded the internet, some said the celebrities are doing for the “likes” and commoners because of “herd mentality”, at this point, honestly, no one knows the reality.

Sitting thousands of miles away, and reading all these debates online and in family groups, and honestly, missing the feeling of being with my people, I started thinking about “why I should or shouldn’t light the lamp”. The answer, was staring right in my face, “collective conscience”.

I don’t know if there is a science behind “collective conscience” or not but I do think there is logic and solace. During these testing times, one thing is clear, the virus doesn’t see your religion, your cast, gender, your age, your citizenship, your visa status, your economic status, your job, etc. the only thing the virus differentiates is whether or not you are a human. Then again, maybe it doesn’t, did you hear about the tiger at Bronx Zoo who is infected with the Coronavirus?

Novel Coronavirus might not have infected you, but it has most certainly affected you, in ways more than you can think of. Unless you are an essential service provider, you are locked down in your home, it doesn’t matter if you are a 9-5 employee, a homemaker, an important industrialist, a stunning movie star, an excellent cricketer, or a maid, you are stuck in your home. The most “outer world” you can experience is looking out of your own open window or sitting in a balcony. At this time, even the introverts and homebodies (such as myself) are longing to go out and meet people, have a face to face interaction with someone and I think lighting a lamp is a social interaction we all needed. Because you stepped out to your window or into your balcony at the same time as your neighbours did with the same purpose. Because this was the first time in days that you saw another human being and talked to them, thought about their well-being. Because you might have a problem more severe than your neighbour, but in fighting Novel Coronavirus you are at the same level, you are as vulnerable as anyone else.

Someone lost their job and is worried what will they feed their family, someone lost their parent but couldn’t see them for one last time. Someone had a baby and there was no one to celebrate their child’s birth and someone else went through a miscarriage and has no shoulder to cry on. Someone is tired for taking care of a family of 7 people all alone, someone else is bored because they are living alone, far away from their family, with no one to talk to at home. Someone gathers all their strength every morning, tie an (imaginary) cape around their neck and head out of their home to serve the people and someone is far too depressed to even roll out of the bed. Someone is working from home, helping the essential workers in a way and someone just died on the border, protecting the nation against terrorism. Someone just tested positive to the virus and is worried sick, someone else just fully recovered from it and is looking forward to going back home.

Here’s an example from my own home, that hit me hard. Many of you know, I lost my mother to cancer almost 4 years ago. Since then my father lives alone in Bhopal. Since the implementation of compulsory lock down in India, baba, my father, has barely had any real human interaction. Don’t get me wrong, his siblings, my brother and his family, my husband and I regularly call him or FaceTime him, but still, you all will agree that isn’t same as actually talking to another human being. Yesterday, he stepped out of the house to light the lamp and at the exact same moment his neighbours stepped out. Baba talked to them, asked about their well-being and this was the first time he talked to someone else in real life, after almost 15 days.

So here’s the reason why I lit the lamp, even when I’m far away from my motherland. Each person in the country is going through problems of their own. But for 9 minutes, everyone, despite their social or economic status, faith or belief came together, leaving their worries and joys behind and thought of and prayed for one thing that #together we will fight Novel Coronavirus and #together we will defeat it. In a very long time, everyone who lit a lamp thought they are a part of something, and they are in this together, everyone thought they belong. And in lonely times like these, I think the most important thing to feel is “You Belong” that someone else is facing the same problem as you and that you are not alone in this.

-Prajwala Ghate

#Together #lettherebelight #9pm9minutes #Coronavirus #Covid19 #CoronaGo #IndiaagainstCorona #UsagainstCorona #worldagainstcorona #YOUBelong