The Corona virus has brought the world to its knees. It’s as if a sword is handing on our heads. The general do’s and don’s being talked about on social media set my mind thinking. What amazes me is the wisdom in the ancient Indian way of life. I remember both my Dadi and Nani insisting that everyone wash their hands and feet before entering the house. Our elders always left their shoes outside the house and came in bare feet or wore their wooden slippers at home. Little did we realize that besides the hygiene in leaving the outdoor shoes outside, and wearing wooden slippers (Khadaaon) inside, the wooden soles acted as an insulator. There was no loss of energy too. In the last few years, Yoga has become the most elitist thing to do. Earlier it was for the uneducated and so called regressive. Now it is the most happening thing in the world of fitness and health; both physical and mental.
Stay indoors & if outside wear mask to stop spread of Coronavirus
The Indian Namaste or Namaskar too is the preferred form of greeting, the world over now. I recently saw a picture of Prince Charles doing Namaste at the annual Prince’s Trust Awards! The world Namaskar literally means Namah-Sakar i.e. I bow to the Divine present in you. It is a beautiful way of honoring the other while greeting. The modern way of greeting is by hugging and kissing. But in today’s Corona- ridden world, the advisory is to remain at arm’s length from each other. So what better than Namaskar! How much thought and practical understanding would have gone into the evolution of the ancient Indian culture. Sadly it has been pooh-poohed in the past; in the wake of modernization. But all of a sudden, everything has changed. Yoga, Meditation, Natural foods, Namaste, Vastu … everything Indian is what the world is turning to. The Indian way of life is scientific and sustainable. It is good for us as well for the planet too. The ancient Indians ate on ‘pattals’ made of dried leaves, stitched together with tender twigs. They drank from earthen ware pots or copper vessels. I recently met someone who talked about water stored in copper vessels. He said that for the proper effect of the copper vessel one should stand on a wooden board and scrub the copper vessel with a coarse brush. Then to wash it, the tap should be opened with the help of a wooden spatula. At this I raised my eyebrows … he continued … scrubbing the copper vessel with a coarse scrubber would ‘charge’ it. If we open the tap with our bare hands then the energy created would get discharged/ earthed. So we should open the tap with a stick or wooden spatula or alternately ask someone else to open the tap. After filling, the vessel should be placed on a wooden platform to retain the charge एंड left over night. Consuming this ‘Charged water’ in the morning is great for cleansing and detox.
As he was speaking I was transported back to my Nanka house. My Nani would scrub a copper (gaagar) vessel with a coconut fibre and wood-ash taken from the log-fire at her hearth. She would sit on a wooden ‘Patri’ while doing this. She would then wipe the ash with a cloth (not rinse it). A wooden stick was tied to the tap and she would nudge it to open, then fill the “gaagar†and get up. She would walk in her wooden slippers to place it on a wooden table for all to consume. How scientific! The difference between then and now is that they did everything as it was told to them by their elders, without questioning. But today, we want to know the ‘Why?’ of everything.
With Corona in the air, everyone is being advised to stay at home. Let’s make the best of it! Let’s not lose the opportunity to spend time with our family. Let’s do simple things like Yoga, Meditation, gardening, reading, cooking etc. Let’s enjoy the humble dal-chawal over the Risotto and humble parantha over Pizza. Let’s go back to the basics. They are really what we need. Simple living and High thinking never did anyone any harm.
It’s time to look within! Man has abused Mother Nature to the hilt. Nature is now taking revenge. It’s retaliating. Let’s hope we will not lose the war against Corona and let’s hope we will not lose the lesson it is teaching us!
Corona has brought the world to its knees. But whilst we are on our knees, we are in the best position to pray! You can do Om Chanting, Havan, Mahamrityunjaya mantra, Gayatri Mantra or any other … any Prayer that you wish to … in earnest!