Setting the order right, man and the virus
Till quite recently, man had started harbouring the feeling of invincibility. Drunk with power and knowledge, he had taken to strutting the planet, confident and victorious, vicious and brutal, trampling and kicking aside all living things weaker than him.
Occupying, conquering and subjugating any voice of dissent, man has been arrogant and selfish to the point of disgust and horror. No boundary was too big or impregnable for him. Animals, mute and helpless, were forced to make way for his greed and cruelty, their habitat shrinking while he took ruthless pleasure in making the feebler humankind kowtow to him and his perverse whims.
Angry and outraged, the Almighty in his heavens silently observed the havoc and turmoil besides the destruction of moral fibre. He watched the merciless massacre of innocents, the mindless suppression, bigotry and starvation. Then, in a formidable bid to shake man out of his conceit and ruthless pillage of Mother Earth, He decided to step in.
So it was that a hitherto unknown virus, invisible and miniscule, found its way to get us all down to our knees!
A piffling cold and cough suddenly took on monstrous proportions as the virus settled on countries and people, not sparing any, irrespective of age, class or religion, developed or Third World.
What can the super powers, with their vast arsenal of arms, nuclear barrage and clout do today? Can they seal borders and make constitutional changes to keep the coronavirus disease or Covid-19 out? Do they hold sway over the mischievous cells, either plant or animal, floating around, defying all rules, regulation and security as they home down on thousands? Does the virus pick its victims on the basis of colour, caste or belief?
Countries and leaders can choose their citizens, put systems and policies in place, allowing some to stay and others to leave on the basis of personal or political benefit but this diminutive, invisible enemy gains entry everywhere, unchallenged. It respects no barriers and is omnipresent and omnipotent.
We are in the midst of a terrible nightmare, reminiscent of science fiction and films, where the narrative is spinning out of control, holding our very lives to ransom.
As the world slows down, I hope this will be a period for much-needed introspection. How is it that we have conveniently forgotten our mortality? In the no holds barred race for acquisitions and gains, we seem to have overlooked the reality of our impermanence.
We are mere visitors on this planet, which provides and nurtures us from birth, the rich earth embraces us with its endless treasures, feeds and clothes us, the rivers and oceans provide us with sustenance and life, but the legacy we are leaving behind is pitiful and toxic in the extreme. We are violating Mother Earth and each other, too.
We seem to have overstayed our welcome!
Let this crisis bring about the portents of change, a change for the better. A new beginning where we, once again go back to our roots, beginning with respect and love for one another and for our provider, Mother Earth.
IN A FORMIDABLE BID TO SHAKE MAN OUT OF HIS CONCEIT AND RUTHLESS PILLAGE OF MOTHER EARTH, HE DECIDED TO STEP IN