Locked Warriors

LOCKED WARRIORS

Everyone has to be a warrior at some point of time. But the year 2020 has given this unwanted opportunity to many or too many or to everyone globally.

We call them Corona Warriors.  Be it the infected ones or the ones toiling to save them and others. Yes, the health workers, the police, media professionals and the supply chain delivering essentials to doorsteps.

Amidst all this there are a kind of warriors which constitute the biggest population at least in India. And she or he is none other than the common man who is locked in his abode to either act responsible or to follow the not so clear administrative rules.

I call them Locked Warriors.

Although I am not undermining the real heroes and salute them but the so called Locked Warriors have their unheard stories of pain and agony which I want to share.

Somewhere in Delhi NCR, an 80+ years old man was living with his wife and son. He was stable and walking apart from normal old age complaints. Don't know how he fell down one day which made him unable to walk and conditions got worsen with fever. With so much of already created panic, even his son was hesitant to touch him suspecting corona. Many hospitals were not admitting patients suspecting the same. He was not in a condition to even give a sample for COVID test. Finally one hospital accepted him where his wife who too is obviously old stayed with him before he succumbed.

Another senior citizen couple went to Mumbai to meet their daughter only to witness that they cannot go back to their home in Bhopal. The mother started developing anxiety which further supported some other complications and was left with no choice but to hospitalized with hesitation and fear of the exposure to infection. She was admitted in ICU for suspected convulsions and her daughter stayed with her to avoid her father to come out of house. COVID test came negative and fortunately she was discharged in few days after condition became stable. With no certainty on the pandemic getting over or when the train or flights will resume, they took a risk of travelling by taxi as it was becoming stressful for them to stay away from their home in a one room apartment.

A mid aged man returned to India from his international trip just to witness himself locked in his own house without his family who shifted to his father's place. Later after completing 14 days self isolation, he struggled to get e-pass to travel to meet his wife and children.On day 1 of his return, his wife came to arrange things for his 14 days but they could only see a wall between each other. 

And there many others like the anxious children, victims of family abuse, the Jobless, etc. the list is never ending. Hope we all overcome this time and the world will be better better soon.

This painting depicts those Locked Warriors who could only scream to hear the echo of their own voice. Done with oil pastels on glossy paper using smudging and scratching..

Inspired from the album cover of "Acoustica" by Scorpions.