THE EVERYDAY APOCALYPSE

Social confinement spurred a new way of living. Suddenly, home was where you both worked and played and technology became our bridge to the world outside

- CHUMKI BHARADWAJ AND RIDHI KALE

On balance, it’s probably fair to say that the pandemic has proved to be the greatest leveller of our time. Lives and livelihoods have got punctuated by new challenges and everyone’s every day has transformed in ways that recall apocalyptic zombie movies. As Anurita Jalan, associate professor of sociology at Maitreyi College, University of Delhi, says, “Covid-19 has redefined relationships from macro to micro levels, impacting society, individuals and the family and their inter-relationships. With individuals carving out work spaces within their homes, gender relationships are being redrawn.” Unfortunately, a common work-home physical space has not just meant shared household chores, it has also manifested itself in the form of increased domestic violence against women and children.

According to Dr Samir Parikh, director, department of mental health and behavioral sciences, Fortis Healthcare, the pandemic has been a huge learning experience. “We have realised that minimalist living is possible and that people have tremendous adaptability—education at home being a significant example. There’s also a new social connectedness,” he says. What has stood out for Dr Parikh is the growth of telemedicine. “The outreach has been fantastic. I have been able to connect with corporates, schools and a wide range of people. Telemedicine has helped us reach homes of patients across the country,” he says.

Family first