COVID-19 casts an unseen shadow over the Haridwar Kumbh Mela
The Hindu
Even with fewer numbers, SOP is conspicuous by its absence in this large congregation of humanity
Holding a pitcher in hand, Aniruddh Pandey, a priest outside the Ganga temple at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar, put his finger on one-third of the vessel’s body. “This is the size of the Kumbh Mela and our work this year. It is only about sipahi (security staff), safai karmachari (sanitary worker) and sadhu (hermit),” he said sheepishly, bringing out a mask from his pocket when it’s absence is pointed out. A few metres away, barbers shave the heads of the bereaved with not even one gaz (square yard) of doori (distance). “What to do, we have to make ends meet?” said Tushar Thakur. “During the lockdown, we decided that only 10 younger barbers would sit at Har Ki Pauri and they share their income with the rest of the community,” he said.The fear of being caught for traffic rule violation has indeed compelled many two-wheeler riders to wear helmets. But one cursory look at riders at any traffic junction in Bengaluru shows that more than half the riders have on their heads non-standard helmets, designed solely to evade the eye of law, with little concern for the safety of their own heads.
When Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997, Beijing promised to retain the city’s Western-style civil liberties for 50 years. However, since the introduction of the 2020 law, Hong Kong authorities have severely limited free speech and assembly under the rubric of maintaining national security.