Corona Virus –challenges And Opportunities.

corona Virus –Challenges and opportunities.

Under Ayurveda people are classified as vadam [gas] pitham[bile] and kabam [phlem] While vadam and pitham are slow killers kabam can lead to pneumonia and ending the life in ICU.Corona virus loves this and has a field day with old people.Extra precautions are prescribed for senior citizens to avoid being exposed to this risk. In some countries because of overcrowding, the hospital decides who is to be saved and who is dispensable. Understandably old fellows departure to the other world is preponed.

I do steam inhalation first thing in the morning followed by pranayama for ten minutes.I don’t take anything from the fridge.I switch on the AC 2 hours before and switch off when I go bed. I also enjoy poondu thippili rasam which is rich in flavour , has lot of medicinal properties and a good remedy for cold[for receipe [refer-subbus kitchen].I have trained myself to drink hot water as it soothens the throat but is also supposed to control Cholestrol.I get my clothes hand washed and I soak them in soap water along with Dettol long before the maid comes.Our senior citizen wisdom group cannot meet every evening as gathering under the gazebo has been prohibited. News paper,TV,Internet and music keep me occupied.I am not one of those for social media with good morning messages.

When people are bored they pick their nose,use earbud or safety pin,bite their nails or trim their toe nails.Thanks to Corona virus such activities have stopped as finger as an instrument of engagement is prohibited.Switch on the TV –The Corona Virus spreads faster than in reality. Look at whatsup messages.Packs of cow dung and jars of cow urine are sold at Rs.500 a kilo and litre respectively on national highway 19. I am happy however, made in India cow urine sells RS.200 more per litre than what comes from the jersey cow faucet.

When we were children Hygiene was enforced and boredom avoided by;

No breakfast or no cooking without bath

Drink water,coffee or any other liquid from brass,stainless steel tumblers with rim so that tumblers don’t touch the mouth.

Food was served in banana or Mandharai leaves stitched together which can be thrown away.. Banana leaves are packed with polyphenols,natural anti oxidants besides being anti bacterial.

When children came back from school they had to change into another dress,wash their hands and feet before they get their snack. Now when they enter, with a slight of the leg both the shoes fly in different directions.

Prayer was part of the daily drill which kept them calm and free from restlessness.

Boys and girls used to play with their age group and there was no scope for boredom.

MIL and DIL used to play Pallanguzhi,paramapada sobana padam[snakes and ladder] and Daya kattam.Apart from spending time this fostered comraderie and companionship between them.Imagine such a thing happening now.

Boys played Goli,Kittipill and pambaram while girls played Paandi.Universal game was hide and seek for the younger ones.The games graduated to scrabbles,chess,Monpoly ,Ludo and UNO card game. Many of these INDOOR games have been replaced by moving rudrakshamala beads ie browsing in their cell phone.Obviously every one will get bored.Summer camps were the escape route which has been sealed now.

Many apartment complexes are planning to prohibit entry of servant maids.How do we plan to face the challenges?

Every one has to make his bed and put their soiled clothes in the washing machine and hang them out for drying.

On an average every one uses 4 plates and 4 glasses a day.If every one is to wash the vessels used by him there will be much less left for manual washing or dish washer.Keep the dried clothes for ironing twice a week.Every one has to chip in for laying as well as clearing the dining table.Initiate the old system of maintaining hygiene –this is the best time to do it.Take turns to vaccum clean the house atleast twice a week.Share the television time so that no one feels left out.

Please remember that the lady of the house enjoyed unfettered freedom during normal days when everybody went out.This has gone with the wind with all the members of the family sitting at home now.Be considerate and understanding so that she does not feel that she is a special victim of Corona Virus.Bring the old hygienic methods into regular practice so as to free ourselves from the fear of epidemic.
PS-This is for the Indian audience.

 

Dear Viswa,
Even within ten days of restrictions people feel stifled.I dont know what will happen for a fortnight when the virus reaches stage 3.Just this evening maids have been debarred from entering an elite complex as two persons have tested positive..There are old couples living by themselves and how are they going to manage.It is time that every able bodied person chips in so that the house can run smoothly.
What is positive is that we get used to taking care of ourselves and try to restore some of the age old hygienic practices.Let us all have meals together and learn to enjoy the company of other family members instead rushing to the TV or cell phone.
Common prayer or bhajan for 20 mts in the evening is a good way of bonding and seeking divine intervention. There is always a silver lining in any catastrophe.
Regards.SLN