Festivities and the pandemic

Festivals are one of the many things that make us humans unique to animals. Religious or not, festivals are always a happy time. People all over the world, of all religions and nationalities, look forward to celebrating their biggest festivals. But what if the festive mood gets disrupted by the emergence of a foe that shows no sign of dying?   

As I am writing this blog sitting on the couch at my house in Kolkata, Durga Puja, the biggest festival of the city, is in full swing. This is the time when people across all socioeconomic and religious strata enjoy to the fullest. However, this year, the celebrations had been lacklustre, thanks to the ongoing pandemic. Many people are staying inside, at a time when they should have been on the streets enjoying if the situation was normal. Measures are being taken to contain the spread of the virus during this time, and a lot of restrictions have been put in place. This has been the story of a lot of festivals this year. 

Festivals are a way for people to enjoy, to rejoice, to live their life keeping aside all the worries for a few days. Needless to say, the restrictions have really snatched this opportunity from the people. How do we, then, enjoy the festivals while keeping ourselves and others safe?

The answer might lie in goal-directed behaviours. One of the best parts of festivals is meeting with friends and relatives. We can still do that. If they live nearby, we can surely go to their place. In case they stay further away, we can connect through video calls. Maybe a mini version of the festivals can be created that way. The safety norms and restrictions have been put in place to check the spread of the virus. If we keep that in mind and follow the guidelines, we might keep ourselves and others safe, and might even be able to enjoy the festivals properly next year.