My weekly Slice of Life are my letters to my Doddamma. She is my father’s elder brother’s wife. Doddamma literally means ‘elder mother’. She is 89 years old. She cannot hear properly if I telephone to talk to her. So, I have been writing letters to her since October 2017. I enjoy writing letters and she is happy to read them. They are only about the everyday moments in my life. Since lockdown started I am sending my letters by e mail to my cousin’s wife. She is reading them to my Doddamma.
11-05-2020
The lockdown is being eased. Inter-state travel is being allowed but people have to apply for travel pass. In today’s paper we read that trains will start too. At the same time we also read about a hike in Covid patients. For how long can we stay in lockdown? If work does not start there is going to economic depression. It will be a terrible situation for countless people. As it is life has been terrible for workers all over the world. They are being allowed to go back to their home towns. What will they do there? We are also reading about child abuse. It is sickening. Does childhood have any meaning for all those children.
Early during the lockdown we read in the paper about one Pradeep Satyamurthy and his team of volunteers who are helping the migrant workers. They are also helping animals. We talked to him. We and my mother have been sending money to help them in their service. He has been sending daily updates. It really hurts to see the conditions in which people live. It is just survival from day to day. Yesterday he sent a message that he and his team will continue to help others. I think lockdown has made it possible for many people everywhere to come out of their comfort zones. It was good to read about two brothers and their team helping the different abled during the lockdown.
On the 9th, my husband returned from his village. My father-in-law passed away on march 24th at the age 95. Our village is our neighbouring state, Kerala. The borders had been closed. He had to take permission from the concerned authorities before coming. My brother-in-law too has come. He will stay with us for some time.
On the 6th we got coconuts plucked from our trees. Nagesh has been coming for many years. This time the yield is not as much as it has always been. We have a breadfruit tree and many fruits were falling due to the heat. This happens every year. But there was a fully grown on for my husband to pluck.
We make sambhar and other dishes too. I have been stitching some very colourful tablemats. My mother had enjoyed joining the pieces of cloth. She enjoys stitching. Many years ago my doddamma had given me some tablemats with crochet edgings. I managed to stitch the mats in such a way that the crochet edgings are seen. I was feeling very pleased with myself 😊.
My husband and his brother have to be inside our compound for two weeks. Since yesterday Aravind and I have been going for a walk outside our compound, wearing masks. Today we walked to Manipal lake, fifteen minutes away. We were going there after two months ! I am enjoying Audibles. I am listening to Sherlock Holmes 😊 I have also downloaded stories by Rabindranath Tagore in Hindi.
Life goes on, with all the changes happening around us.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breadfruit
“… and when all the wars are over, a butterfly will still be beautiful”.
Ruskin Bond
Mukhamani 
Life does go on and we humans seem to adapt to whatever changes occur. I think being in stay-at-home mode has made me appreciate what I have and realize that material things don’t matter. What is most important is having one’s health.
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I really enjoyed reading about your experience where you live- so different but yet so similar to mine 🙂 Your doddamaa must love your letter writing! What a gift, and a beautiful way to reach out during this time.
And beautiful placemats! i
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It is interesting to read about the weather there with it so hot that it’s impacting fruit yields. Meanwhile, yesterday we had a bit of snow here. Winter is trying to remind us that it’s best to stay at home.
Lockdown easing is a strange thing to think about. Though it’s unspoken here, it’s understood that in great part we’re in lockdown not to conquer the virus, but to get it reduced to where once we open back up the health care system can keep up. It is strange to think that the point is for us to get back out, some of us get sick (but our workers will have PPE, space, and medicines to care for them) while others of us will get less sick and hopefully build immunity. It’s a harsh reality to think about.
I, like you, am really moved by stories of people doing good for others and shocked at the level of suffering for many. It makes me think about the super rich and how they manage. How does a billionaire see that much suffering and not think to themselves: “Perhaps being a millionaire is enough if I can help others.” I know people at that economic bracket do help but I wonder how it is possible to, for example, own several houses, an island, or several cars and not help. How is it possible to board your private jet and fly over crores of people who are hungry?
Don’t mind me, this lockdown has made me very pensive. 🙂
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Interesting to read about other parts of the world are coping with Covid-19. It’s heartwarming to read that there are many people in India volunteering with help to the needy. SAN
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This is so interesting and also so sad; the deaths of our elders is everywhere and it feels like we are losing such wisdom in the world, and yet, you write with such hope, walking and listening to stories – this made me smile and remember that it is the resilience of humanity which often shines in times of crisis. I hope the quarantine lifting is successful.
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You should feel pleased with yourself. Those mats are lovely and something to be really proud of !
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Who could have imagined something like this would happen to the world? I am afraid for the future and am onlly relying on God’s mercy. Recently we’ve also been visited by a strong typhoon, too!
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Oh God. Take care .
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