Life during Corona. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] The coronavirus is forcing us to live through an unprecedented global crisis never before seen in generations. In an attempt to prepare the first draft of the pandemic’s social history, The Delhi Walla is putting a set of questions about ‘daily life these times’ to people from diverse backgrounds. Today, it’s Ankita Khanna. In her mid-30s, the Gurgaon-based psychologist lives with her partner, Kavita, in an 8th floor apartment in Sector 49 in the Greater Delhi Region. Ms Khanna grew up in the twin towns of Mussoorie and Dehradun in the Himalayan foothills. So, obviously, she has met the region’s most famous writer, Ruskin Bond, a lot many times including during his weekly audience in Mussoorie’s

Life during Corona. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] The Delhi Walla is trying to prepare a part of the Coronavirus pandemic’s first draft by putting a set of questions about ‘daily life these times’ to people from diverse backgrounds. Today, it’s Shambhavi Solanki. In her 30s, she works in the Human Resources of a tech company in Gurgaon in the Greater Delhi Region. In fact, this Wednesday was the first time she went to office since the first lockdown began in late March. Ms Solanki lives in Sector 40 with husband, Arpit, and three “furry babies” Aisha the Terrier, Glaeder the Dane and Lara the Mastiff. The family shares an independent house, where the garden has proportionally greater space than that of rooms “so

Life during Corona. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] At this time of the year, she must be in the US, visiting her mother. Or, may be she is travelling in East Asia. But no, she is still in Sector 24. Author Usha Alexander, a former Silicon Valley professional, is stranded with her partner, author Namit Arora, at their house in Gurgaon in the Greater Delhi Region. Both are passionate about travelling but then coronavirus started its own world tour. In her 50s, Ms Alexander admits she was very anxious about the virus in the early days of the lockdown but “little by little normalcy has returned and I’m back to writing about something even more depressing than the pandemic.” She means climate change. She responds to a

Life during Corona. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] The lockdown is easing, but not the coronavirus. Even so, this “mahamari” too will one day become yesterday’s news. That doesn’t change the fact that we are living through a crisis the like of which hasn’t been seen in generations. One day, a century later maybe, when the longest-living among us too would begin to die, newspapers would commemorate the event as the passing away of the last of the people who lived through the world-altering Covid-19 pandemic. In brief, big-time history is happening now. And we are trying to prepare a part of its first draft by putting a set of questions about ‘daily life these times’ to people from diverse backgrounds. Today, it’s Asavari

Life during Corona. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] Coronavirus will become yesterday’s news. That doesn’t change the fact that we are living through a crisis the like of which hasn’t been seen in generations. One day, a century later maybe, when the longest-living among us too would begin to die, newspapers would commemorate the event as the passing away of the last of the people who lived through the world-altering Covid-19 pandemic. In brief, big-time history is happening now. And The Delhi Walla is trying to prepare a part of its first draft by putting a set of questions about ‘daily life these times’ to people from diverse backgrounds. Today, it’s Shambhavi Solanki. In her 30s, she works in the Human Resources of a

Life during Corona. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] Coronavirus will become yesterday’s news sooner or later. That doesn’t change the fact that we are living through a crisis the like of which hasn’t been seen in generations. One day, a century later maybe, when the longest-living among us too would begin to die, newspapers would commemorate the event as the passing away of the last of the people who lived through the world-altering Covid-19 pandemic. In brief, big-time history is happening now. And The Delhi Walla is trying to prepare a part of its first draft by putting a set of questions about ‘daily life these times’ to people from diverse backgrounds. Today, it’s Sristi Ray, a Master’s student in English literature. In her

Life during Corona. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] Coronavirus will become yesterday’s news sooner or later. That doesn’t change the fact that we are living through a crisis the like of which hasn’t been seen in generations. One day, a century later maybe, when the longest-living among us too would begin to die, newspapers would commemorate the event as the passing away of the last of the people who lived through the world-altering Covid-19 pandemic. In brief, big-time history is happening now. And The Delhi Walla is trying to prepare a part of its first draft by putting a set of questions about ‘daily life these times’ to people from diverse backgrounds. Today, it’s Aryak Ray, a copywriter in a digital advertising company. In

Life during Corona. [By Mayank Austen Soofi] Coronavirus will become yesterday’s news sooner or later. That doesn’t change the fact that we are living through a crisis the like of which hasn’t been seen in generations. One day, a century later maybe, when the longest-living among us too would begin to die, newspapers would commemorate the event as the passing away of the last of the people who lived through the world-altering Covid-19 pandemic. In brief, big-time history is happening now. And The Delhi Walla is trying to prepare a part of its first draft by putting a set of questions about ‘daily life these times’ to people from diverse backgrounds. Today, it’s a PhD scholar. In her 20s, Aisha Abbas lives with

Our corona diary. [Text and photo by Vedika Gupta] I close my eyes in my self-isolation from corona... and I see someone in the distance on court 8 passing the net. Clearing skid lines and ball marks. I find myself wondering if it were as simple to brush past caging thoughts of the past or dreamy ones of the future? I hear my sister grunting while hitting a gruelling forehand, and the clay rustling under my feet as I pick the ball at the net. The leaves of the holm oak beside the courts swish in the breezy afternoon. Why do we always value things when they’re gone or taken away? Is this the pitiful hamartia of the human race? “We the Isolationists” series