By SIMRAN KAPOOR
We are in the midst of times similar to which we have never witnessed before. As the world wrestles with the spread of COVID-19, disease caused by the novel coronavirus, there has been a change in everyone’s way of life that no one saw coming. Everyone’s inside their homes. Roads are absolutely empty. It seems things have come to a huge pause. It’s as if mother earth is taking a much deserved pause from the daily hustle bustle. Gone are the days when we could have saved
the world by going on the battlefield, but can simply do so by staying at home! As most find it difficult to pass their time, here is a list of some creative things that
Doonites are doing to make the most of this time for productivity!
1. Turning Doon homes into virtual dance studios!
Harshit and Abhinav, Dance Instructors, Vibrations Dance Studio
The duo state that taking live classes is one the best decisions they took in this situation. “We were initially doubtful about how people will learn on the internet but when we started doing it, we got an amazing response. We had the entire family doing our class and not just kids, we posted various challenges and we were extremely overwhelmed that people are still finding innovative ways to take these challenges. We keep on changing the dance style with every class which makes
it interesting for the people and they wait for the classes to happen and then a large number of people who were not able tocome to the studio for class have started doing our classes online which even encourages us take classes on regular basis.”
2. Doing a Zumba party on your phone screens, if not gyms!
Steve Frank, ZES, Uttarakhand
With everyone practising social distancing, there is not much physical activity happening that’s why people are
taking up online fitness courses to keep themselves fit and occupied. Keeping this in mind, Zumba decided
to come up with ZIN Studio which is an all-new virtual teaching tool for licensed instructors. It is designed to help them stream classes easily, schedule in advance
and collect payments so they can keep inspiring, motivating, and leading their students.
“For now I’ve been using Zoom, Dacast and google meet-up to conduct closed classes for their students. I am seeing a very positive response during this time when everyone wants to simply move.”
3. Go Karoake and gardening!
Jitendra Kapoor, Businessman
Stuck in house for complete 21 days is something that none of us have really experienced before. But it has
definitely turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I’ve got more time to spend with my family, and while at home, my buried interests have been resurrected. I’ve got time to nurture my babies in the garden and completely transformed the face of our garden. We have a daily ritual of also having a “Karoake Evening” when the whole joint family break a leg or two and turn into
Kishore Kumars and Lata Mangeshkars.
4. Training the progeny to play cards and Housie!
Mahendra Kumar
Home is always on Zoo mode these days, with my grandchildren chirping like birds, I’ve got this opportunity to train them in playing cards, to be precise, Solitaire. Now the 7 year old can complete the solitaire within minutes. While the whole family gets together after lunch, with 9 members playing housie and the smartest, yet the youngest one, calling out numbers, distributing the ticket for Rs 10 each, the family has
come closer!
5. Motivate others and Spread Kosenrufu!
Bharat Soka Gakkai members
Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG) is an organisation engaged in peace, culture and education activities based on the humanistic philosophy of Nicheren Buddhism. While
home visits and encouraging members on a daily basis through discussion meeting is one of the pillars of the practise for the Dehradun members too, no obstacle can deter their efforts, as they continue to do virtual home visits over Zoom calls, chanting and roaring to breakthrough and save the world from coronavirus stress.
6. Five minutes journal and go within to heal yourself!
Tejasvi Singh, Actress
Though some find it difficult to meditate, this quarantine could be the best time to heal yourself, but through an easier way: the Five minutes journal. You can make a small diary and just ask three questions in the morning and 2 at night, right before going to bed, and believe me,
this works like magic just like brushing your mind daily. You can also write it on your phone with a daily reminder.
Questions for morning:
a.) Three things I am grateful for.
b.) What will I do to make today
great?
c.) Daily affirmations.
Questions for night:
d.) Amazing things that happened
today
e.) What could have I done to make
today better?
7.) Crushing your core through Yoga!
Arushi Rana, Yoga Instructor
As I turn vegan this year, the quarantine has given me an opportunity to go within and connect with my body
even more. I take online free Yoga sessions on Instagram, connecting with people all over the country and my NCC mates! I also read Yogic books and how to heal body, strengthening my muscles on a daily
basis. Doonites are still having birthday parties, group cooking sessions, and lip sync battles together — they’re just doing it over video chat apps. So now, if you
feel bored and out of ideas, take out your racket and start playing Badminton with the person next door, over the walls on your terrace. Not forgetting, how Social
Distancing is the only mantra that can save the world today!
