Today, for the first time in four weeks, I visited a shop. A neighbourhood dairy outlet. As I rummaged through bread and chips, the owner came up to me, touched my hand, and said, "थोड़ा दूर हो जाइए। जो होना है वो तो होगा। होनी को कौन टाल सकता है। मगर RWA वालोें ने देख लिया तो सुनाएँगे।" As I furiously rubbed my hand with the water sanitiser the RWA had provided the shop, I wondered "भाई मैं तो दूर ही खड़ा था। तुम ही आए मेरे पास यह कहने की दूर हो जाऊँ।"

I was reminded of a photo essay that did the rounds of social media some time back: https://qz.com/india/1352239/vincent-dolmans-photos-of-indian-men-holding-hands/

We Indians love holding hands. We like to stand together, sit close, and crowd around things. We like the feel of each other in close proximity, in a non creepy way.

And we are such fatalists.

Who can change all this? Will we listen to science or reason? Will we ever learn? We are all so busy aping each other and fitting in.

The constitution implores us to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform. Sigh. मर गए संविधान लिखने वाले और दफ़न हो गए उनके अरमान उनके साथ।