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A woman walks home after buying groceries during shopping hours in Kohima. (Morung Photo)
Chizokho Vero
Kohima | April 26
As the nationwide lockdown reached its final week, as no fresh restriction is imposed, The Morung Express approached a cross-section of people to gather their views and ask them about how they are spending their time during the nationwide lockdown period.
‘I began to see brighter side of lockdown’
Social activist Stacey (Akholu) Nyekha shared that ever since the lockdown started, she has been compelled to live between her bedroom, TV room and kitchen.
“To start with, I am an outdoor person and I also travel constantly, so being locked down for such long period without any certainty as to when it would be lifted made it depressing and suffocating to adjust to,” she said.
“However, as the days went by, I began to see the brighter side of the lockdown. I finally have the opportunity to relax, reflect, meditate and also pamper myself from pedicure to sometimes endless lazing from dusk to dawn, watching TV, browsing on Facebook, absorbing all the news and updates of friends, even downloading a couple of new mobile games,” she said.
Akholu claims she has watched more than a year's worth of movies and TV shows, ranging from Korean dramas (My Love from the Star) to Koffee with Karan. “My cooking skills and creativity while cooking has also improved especially with the limited resources to cook with,” she adds.
Stating that her tiny kitchen garden has been her only touch with nature, Akholu said that she has planted carrots, cauliflowers, Bok Choi, chilies and a couple of unseasoned green leaf trees.
To those under lockdown, she says while it has been difficult, “considering the magnitude of the situation, one can only cooperate, so that we do not risk ourselves nor risk other’s lives.”
“Accordingly, on my part as a sensible citizen, I have not gone out beyond my locality till date nor gone to the shops accessible beyond essential, neither plan on going out anytime soon until the vaccine for COVID 19 cure is found or until social distancing has been wiped it out completely, she added.
“Let COVID-19 vaccine be found. Let nature be healed. At the same time, let us also become more conscious, more responsible, more humane and less demanding,” Akholu conveyed.
For Awan Kaihe, her Zumba fitness exercise has been a regular ritual. “I do exercise on Zumba fitness music at least for one and half hour a day,” Awan told The Morung Express.
The rest of the time, Kaihe informed that she makes sure to keep herself occupy by making homemade hand sanitizer, stitching face masks, etc.
She encouraged all to stay home, stay safe and be patient while adhering to the lockdown directives and measures. “We shall overcome,” she expressed hope.
