As the world continues to face an unprecedented lockdown due to the outbreak of the corona pandemic, people are looking for ways to keep themselves entertained. But as far as Kashmiris are concerned, we have gained expertise in living under lockdown.
We are used to facing lockdowns of different durations, from a few weeks to even months. That too without internet, and even phone connectivity at times. The people outside Kashmir are new to lockdown and are tired of being locked up in their homes. They can spend time surfing the internet, or talking to people over phone, and are still complaining about it. People all over the world are beginners and are looking for ways to pass time – we are experts in killing time. We have faced lockdown in 2008, 2010, 2016 and latest in 2019 – no Internet, no mobile phone, and no landline connection. People used to spend most of their time in front of TVs or sitting in their homes aimlessly – no social media, and no phones ringing. We experienced in the twenty-first century, what life was like in the era before landlines were invented. In the times when news travels the world in a matter of micro-minutes, we lived without knowing what was happening in our neighbourhood. In the times when the Internet is an important part of education, we studied without Internet.
Having so much experience of lockdowns this 21-day lockdown seems a child’s play. Even when two more weeks are added, it’s still a child’s play. Spending time now in this lockdown seems so easy with mobile phone connectivity and low-speed internet. We spend time on social media, talking to people over phone, and not just in front of the television in search of the latest news. People play indoor games and try learning a new skill. Students are able to join online classes organised by their schools and study on other online platforms. Though the speed of the Internet is again a problem for them, it is still better than the time when students had to complete their syllabus at home without internet. Some people go outside to buy essentials. This is something that most people were not able to do in earlier lockdowns. It is perhaps the comparison of earlier lockdowns to this one that makes people of Kashmir think it’s still better. However, for the rest of the world, this experience is first of its kind and they are rather confused about what to do in a lockdown. They are playing online quarantine games and indoor games, taking up new social media challenges. Though people have found and are still looking for ways to pass time, the thought of not being able to leave home is worrisome.
However, onething that makes this lockdown worse is that people are not able to meet theirfriends and acquaintances. In our house, no one is allowed to enter or leave.We are following a complete lockdown. This is for our own safety, of course,but not being able to meet even the next-door neighbours is difficult forpeople to practise. People aren’t able to make religious congregations andcelebrate festivals. Perhaps this is the reason people aren’t ready to acceptthis lockdown and some even defy it, risking their lives as well as the lives ofothers. Anyhow, as the time passes people will get used to the things that theyare unable to adopt now, and will find ways to keep life going on.