Nurungukal…..

      By now since last year, reels and reels of news print have been used to dwell upon the various aspects about the  pandemic. Humanity has been adequately informed about the pros and cons of any lacunae in its handling. And all of us are well aware of the consequences of default. Still the invisible predator is prowling in our neighborhood undaunted. Our movements have been curbed. Social life is virtually converted into a gimmick of the internet world. Students take advise through an alien voice very often through a lifeless and masked image on the screen, denying any emotional pungency.  Death or birth goes without rippling our sentiments. So is any other function which were part and parcel of our social outfit. Show of divinity has been limited to a silent prayer in our heart. No more hustle tussle in the serpentine queue. Lock down, containment, jab, vax etc have found a special status in our daily vocabulary.

       Many a couple have tied their nuptials without the presence of their distant near and dear. So is the departure of many souls on their heavenly abode. The empty and silent streets in the morning and evening without the boisterous parading of uniformed children, pulls down a dark curtain in our mind. And now we try to find solace in hearing the wakeup calls and chattering of the roosting birds.

      The silent killer has snatched away many, prematurely from our midst not to speak of those who left us to escape from the misery forced upon them. As a good number of the society desperately thrive for their livelihood, alas there is a few, who has grabbed honour from us by way of winning a place in our legislature, bent upon squandering their responsibility in disrupting the proceeding of the houses. This ignominious behaviour of the elected in both the houses of parliament has caused an aggregate loss of 130 cr. rupees to the exchequer, taxpayers  hard earned money. The news paper further reports that out of 107 hours, our parliament has functioned only for just 18 hours.  The actual loss may be much higher, considering the other perks. I wonder why our supreme court is not initiating a suo motu case, if the legal provisions permit, against the entire house for causing a cognisable offence for inflicting a loss on our exchequer.

     Majority being forced into locked-up doors, a recent study has revealed that cyber crimes are on the rise. It clearly indicates that the locked-up atmosphere induces the devil in you. Not only such crimes, other atrocities, on children and women have become rampant. People have been forced into a virtual recluse, which has no doubt turned them into be mentally fragile. The situation if not handled professionally, the pandemic can lead us into more acerbic levels which may cause irreparable social chaos. The govt. machinery, especially the law enforcing police force should handout to the common public, instead of becoming obdurate on puerile lapses. At the same time general public also should take cognisance of the gravity of danger from the prowler virus.

         On the other hand the inflicted austerity has taught us the adverse lessons of extravaganza. A sense of nature friendly perceptions have erupted to support a sustainable living style. The virtual meets have helped us to reach even the unreachable and gather knowledge from its exponents itself. The infodemic has in a way helped to evolve a global village or rather accelerated it.