The uncanny twin year, where in the Covid-19 wave became the Black Swan of this century. The year of tumult, turmoil and turbulence. The year that brought all the fast-paced, mad-rat-race of the world to a standstill! No more Chai-time crowds buzzing, no more commotion heard in schools and colleges, and no more is seen the sight of happy faces in everyday activities. All that reigns is an awkward silence and a hiatus. Clock ticking, time passing at its slowest pace and people merely existing. This pandemic has cause monumental changes in the system. These catastrophic events got further aggravated by natural disasters in Kolkata, Mumbai other parts of the county and world. Postponing of entrance exams and change of exam pattern made us amend our career choices. The untimely demise of notable Bollywood starts, notable personalities and the news of various suicides like SSR was no less than a trauma. While the world outside appeared dead, the world within was alive. These lonely days filled with gloom gave us time and space to reflect upon our trivially transient existence. A man so stoic and capable, stands weak in front of a virus so tiny to be even visible to a naked eye! This brief pause of the world gave us the time we always longed for but despised it when we actually got it. Year 2020 has been a year of pure revelation and epiphany, to confront the humanness hidden behind the pompous city lights. We got down our high horses and restored our faith in the Almighty. We all felt a profound humbling and pervasive feeling of gratitude for being alive and sustaining our lives. It made us grateful for having a roof under our head, being served the meals and having our near and dear ones besides us which is all we require at the end of the day irrespective of our accumulated wealth, intellect and assets.

When I wielded my pen to write on this prompt, I got reminded of one of my favorite renditions, Let it Go (Frozen), by Idina Menzel. I tweaked it as a parody on the ongoing pandemic: 2020

The virus invasion glows white

Infecting the air sacs tonight

Not a footprint to be seen

A kingdom of isolation

And it looks like Sars-Cov2 reign

The screams in chorus howling

Submitting to funeral speech inside

Couldn’t keep it in

Heaven knows I tried...

Don’t let it in

Don’t let it see

Make best possible tweaks you always have to be

Conceal

Don’t feel

Don’t let them know...

Well, now they know!

Let it go, let it go

Can’t hold the lockdown anymore

Let it go, let it go

Turn away and slam the door!

Wear a mask and sanitizer spray

Let the variants rage on

The virus never bothered me anyway

Standing frozen in the life we’ve chosen

Buried in the snow....

Let it go...

All we can do is to let this year go and spiral from the frozen fractals to crystallize like an icy blast, rising like the break of dawn and standing in the light of day...

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