Lo spirito della bontà ai tempi del COVID

Quando mi fu diagnosticata la varicella, desideravo solo essere a casa con la mia famiglia, a 1300 chilometri di distanza.
India, Southern Asia

Story by Charu Thukral. Translated by Giovanna Luisetto
Published on May 5, 2022.

This story is also available in GB de es



La via era ancora spettrale. Era domenica, il settimo giorno di smart working in emergenza COVID, e il giorno di ‘Janta Curfew [1]. Ero spaventato, sentivo rimbombare all’interno del mio corpo il silenzio della città e la malattia. In quell’istante, nella via stranamente svuota, ho sentito che il tempo si era fermato.

In ospedale, un medico mi diagnosticò la varicella, tenendosi a distanza. Tremai dalla paura, cosciente che sarebbero arrivati giorni difficili. In quel momento, desideravo solo essere a casa con la mia famiglia, a 1300 chilometri di distanza. Mi resi conto che sarebbe stato impossibile, dato che la mia febbre sarebbe stata segnalata ai punti di controllo anti COVID dell’aereoporto e mi  sarebbe stato vietato di imbarcarmi. La malattia precludeva quella che sembrava la mia ultima chance di tornare a casa prima di un indefinito lockdown nazionale, annunciato due giorni dopo [2]. Quel giorno, mi sono pentito amaramente della mia scelta di vivere da solo nella grande città di Mumbai. Mi sentivo ansioso e isolato, stavo perdendo il senso della realtà.

Tuttavia, più tardi, un’onda di bontà ripristinò il mio buonsenso, arrivando sotto forma di  Prema didi, la mia cuoca. Al telefono mi assicurò che si sarebbe presa cura di me. Nei 15 giorni seguenti, Prema didi fu come una madre per me, aiutandomi a lavarmi, a mangiare, e a farmi stare sereno. Dopo due notti con la febbre alta, decisi di andare in ospedale a fare il test per la polmonite.[3] Quel giorno, la mia fede nella bontà del mondo si rafforzò. Ero in difficoltà a raggiungere l’ospedale dato che il trasporto pubblico era bloccato. Un signore gentile [4] del mio palazzo si offrì di darmi un passaggio con il suo risciò [5], nonostante la decisa disapprovazione di sua moglie. In ospedale, a causa delle macchie causate dalla varicella, fui trattato male e l’assistenza mi fu negata. Nessuno voleva avvicinarsi a me, fui lasciato solo a fare i test. Ma ancora una volta, la bontà venne in soccorso sotto forma di un gentile membro di uno staff medico [6] che fece di tutto per aiutarmi. Non solo tenne testa alla capo infermiera e accettò di fare tutti i test, ma mi diede anche consigli medici e mi confortò.

Mi ripresi bene. Anche se 25 giorni di malattia prosciugarono tutta la mia energia, ne uscii pieno di speranza e con un bisogno di contribuire alla bontà. Mentre ero malato, lessi di lavoratori con paga giornaliera che lottavano per sopravvivere dopo aver perso il lavoro durante il lockdown. Alcuni camminarono per migliaia di chilometri, tentando di tornare ai loro villaggi natali dopo il blocco del trasporto pubblico. Molti stavano morendo durante il viaggio. [7]

Decisi di aiutare. Partecipai ad iniziative umanitarie avviate da amici e colleghi per assicurare aiuti alimentari e transporto a lavoratori bloccati nelle città. Lavorai con un NGO che autorizza prostitute e rispettive figlie a fornire pasti ai più emarginati dalla società. Mentre le notizie sui decessi sono diventate statistiche, mentre alcuni cercano di usare questa crisi per fini politici,  mentre c’è la paura dilagante che questo tempo del COVID potrebbe non finire mai; c’è ancora speranza. Vedo la speranza nei gesti di bontà che le persone fanno per gli altri. Credo che riconoscere bontà e speranza ci aiuteranno a vivere nel nuovo mondo che verrà alla fine di tutto questo.


Note a piè di pagina

[1] Il 22 marzo, 2020, il primo ministro indiano dichiarò Janta Curfew (coprifuoco). Quel giorno si vietò ogni attività umana/ movimento per le strade ad eccezione dei servizi di prima necessità come l’assistenza sanitaria.

[2] Il 24 March, 2020, il governo dell’India annunciò un lockdown nazionale a causa della pandemia COVID-19.

[3] La polmonite è una complicazione frequente negli adulti affetti da varicella; successivamente sono risultato negativo. 

[4] In India, estranei sconosciuti, maschi e femmine, vengono chiamati rispettivamente zio e zia in segno di rispetto

[5] Il risciò è un veicolo pubblico a tre ruote per spostamenti locali in India (all’interno della città).

[6] Membro di uno staff che si occupa di analisi

[7] Due mesi dopo il lockdown, nel paese questa situazione non è migliorata. I lavoratori immigrati ancora stanno tornando a piedi alle proprie case, tentando disperatamente di salvarsi evitando di morire di fame nelle città.  


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Charu Thukral

Charu Thukral

Namaste from India.

I am Charu, a 29 years ‘not-so-old' woman from the city of Taj, Agra, living in the city of dreams, Mumbai. I have done my higher studies in economics in a beautiful city called Pune. I will not shy away from calling myself a feminist. Apart from my 9-5 (infinity rather) consulting job in the development sector, I love clicking and exploring new places. I strongly believe in living and eating healthy. I am currently training to be a yoga trainer with an aim to broaden the connection between health and spirituality for me and  spread the knowledge to as many as possible.

Follow me on Instagram: @rushing_thoughts; @journeyofayogini

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