My dad has learnt making rotis

Garima Batra

Coronavirus pandemic has forced all of us to go into self-quarantine. The social media is flooded with quirky memes (like there are 168 tunaks and 84 tuns in tunak tunak tun song). I am, however, spending these days with a different approach. I have been socially distancing myself for the past year due to serious health issues. This lockdown phase has helped me set a deadline that I have to heal and get back on my feet. I am indulging in reading, writing, drawing and taking up some online courses to use my time productively. I am also preparing a bucket and to-do list including all the tasks to be done on priority, all the places to be explored after this phase gets over. I am talking to my friends over video calls, playing online Ludo with them and also doing window shopping (saving items in my wish list to be bought later) online.

I dance, practice yoga and deep breathing exercises to keep my mind stress-free and my body active. I am on a cleaning spree and have already cleaned my bedroom and cupboards. The time is also being used to figure out what I wish to do ahead in terms of career after my sabbatical ends.

We are four members in the family including my 80-year-old grandmother. We all try not to sit together at one place and are following all hygiene tips. My dad steps out only when we are in dire need of something. At times, we play board games but only two of us at a time.

Since there are no house helps, we are collaboratively working. My mother and I are cooking and washing clothes while my father helps in chopping and cleaning vegetables. He even volunteered to learn making rotis and has been preparing them with my assistance. We three are even taking turns to broom and mop the floor and dust the house. Though we have our share of arguments, we spend time watching news, scrolling through our phones and watch the latest movies on OTT platforms. Since we live on the ground floor, we have an advantage of a verandah and spend some screen-free time at a distance from each other.

Garima is a Delhi-based freelance content writer. She loves dancing, reading novels and drawing.