PM's Address to the Nation Today - A Tamilian's Version
Good morning Friends
Sharp at 9 am today, we huddled – sorry maintained social distancing - in front of the TV to listen to PM’s address. We always switch on Doordarshan channel (no. 620 in Tata Sky) as they display full transcript of his speech in English in real time and we can read it and understand his Sudh Hindi. But today, the transcript was absent and we could not follow what he was saying. Other English and Tamil News channels were as usual showing Dettol and Lifebuoy advertisements.
So, I quickly took out my notebook and started jotting down the words I could follow and made a list as follows:
Panch April– that is 5th April
Nau baje – 9’O clock (later I concluded it’s 9 pm)
Bandh – as in Bharath Bandh where they close all shops, shutters and doors
Then thankfully I heard quite a few English words like: Torch light, Lamps, candles, Mobile phones (he emphasised mobile phones)
He also mentioned Ravivar and Diya – they must be some high ranking officials in the health ministry
Balconies – yes I remember this word, he had used it in his March 22nd speech as well.
And of course all these words were interspersed with the key word COVID. In fact, it was repeated 19 times! What a coincidence.
Now, all I had to do is to string all the above words together in a meaningful sort of way so that we could all understand. So, after much writing and editing, I finally got the crux, the essence of his message. I’m happy to dedicate this version to all my non-Hindi speaking friends in Chennai, the rest of Tamil Nadu and the world.
“Friends, on 5th April, 9pm please switch off all lights in your homes and especially in your balconies. If you find there are some lights still on in the neighbours’ house, please be socially responsible, go to their homes and switch them off. In apartment complexes please instruct your facilities managers and security staff to switch off lights in all common areas and corridors by 8.58 pm itself.
Now, you may ask why we should switch off the lights. You see, when you switch off the lights it will be dark and in the darkness the COVID virus could not see! And also it will be afraid of the dark! The logic is: even, we adults are afraid of the dark, so you can imagine how these tiny, micro organisms will feel. They’ll be terrified!
After switching off the lights please close all doors and windows except the one’s leading to your balconies. This is to prevent the virus from escaping under the cover of darkness. You may again ask will it not escape through the balcony doors? But, according to our ancient texts, the virus is not only afraid of darkness it is panicky of heights! So don’t worry it will not escape.
Now, listen carefully, very carefully friends. At 9 PM, after you switch off all lights, take out all the candles, lamps, torch lights and your mobile phones and go to the balcony. Even if you don’t have candles or lamps in your house you’ll definitely have mobile phones so please take them with you. Don’t say: ‘sir we don’t have balcony in our house’. Go to your neighbours balconies. This way you could be unitedly terrified of the darkness and show your solidarity.
Make sure you go to the highest balconies in your respective locations. If you are on 1st floor, go to 3rd floor. If on the 3rd floor you go to the 5th floor – just go to the highest floor you could find. The higher the better. Also please climb the stairs in the total darkness without stumbling on the stairs and on your fellow countrymen by maintaining social distancing in the darkness. Oh I forgot, you only have 9 minutes to do this. So better hurry.
Now listen very carefully, I will not repeat this. Once you reach the highest balcony with your lamps, candles, torches and your mobile phones, take a deep breath, meditate for 2 seconds and with all your might throw everything outside – especially your mobile phones in unison. This way even if you are not able to stop spreading the virus, you’ll stop spreading fake news and WhatsApp memes.
And don’t forget to wash your hands for 20 seconds after you return home”.
Namaskar.
Sharp at 9 am today, we huddled – sorry maintained social distancing - in front of the TV to listen to PM’s address. We always switch on Doordarshan channel (no. 620 in Tata Sky) as they display full transcript of his speech in English in real time and we can read it and understand his Sudh Hindi. But today, the transcript was absent and we could not follow what he was saying. Other English and Tamil News channels were as usual showing Dettol and Lifebuoy advertisements.
So, I quickly took out my notebook and started jotting down the words I could follow and made a list as follows:
Panch April– that is 5th April
Nau baje – 9’O clock (later I concluded it’s 9 pm)
Bandh – as in Bharath Bandh where they close all shops, shutters and doors
Then thankfully I heard quite a few English words like: Torch light, Lamps, candles, Mobile phones (he emphasised mobile phones)
He also mentioned Ravivar and Diya – they must be some high ranking officials in the health ministry
Balconies – yes I remember this word, he had used it in his March 22nd speech as well.
And of course all these words were interspersed with the key word COVID. In fact, it was repeated 19 times! What a coincidence.
Now, all I had to do is to string all the above words together in a meaningful sort of way so that we could all understand. So, after much writing and editing, I finally got the crux, the essence of his message. I’m happy to dedicate this version to all my non-Hindi speaking friends in Chennai, the rest of Tamil Nadu and the world.
“Friends, on 5th April, 9pm please switch off all lights in your homes and especially in your balconies. If you find there are some lights still on in the neighbours’ house, please be socially responsible, go to their homes and switch them off. In apartment complexes please instruct your facilities managers and security staff to switch off lights in all common areas and corridors by 8.58 pm itself.
Now, you may ask why we should switch off the lights. You see, when you switch off the lights it will be dark and in the darkness the COVID virus could not see! And also it will be afraid of the dark! The logic is: even, we adults are afraid of the dark, so you can imagine how these tiny, micro organisms will feel. They’ll be terrified!
After switching off the lights please close all doors and windows except the one’s leading to your balconies. This is to prevent the virus from escaping under the cover of darkness. You may again ask will it not escape through the balcony doors? But, according to our ancient texts, the virus is not only afraid of darkness it is panicky of heights! So don’t worry it will not escape.
Now, listen carefully, very carefully friends. At 9 PM, after you switch off all lights, take out all the candles, lamps, torch lights and your mobile phones and go to the balcony. Even if you don’t have candles or lamps in your house you’ll definitely have mobile phones so please take them with you. Don’t say: ‘sir we don’t have balcony in our house’. Go to your neighbours balconies. This way you could be unitedly terrified of the darkness and show your solidarity.
Make sure you go to the highest balconies in your respective locations. If you are on 1st floor, go to 3rd floor. If on the 3rd floor you go to the 5th floor – just go to the highest floor you could find. The higher the better. Also please climb the stairs in the total darkness without stumbling on the stairs and on your fellow countrymen by maintaining social distancing in the darkness. Oh I forgot, you only have 9 minutes to do this. So better hurry.
Now listen very carefully, I will not repeat this. Once you reach the highest balcony with your lamps, candles, torches and your mobile phones, take a deep breath, meditate for 2 seconds and with all your might throw everything outside – especially your mobile phones in unison. This way even if you are not able to stop spreading the virus, you’ll stop spreading fake news and WhatsApp memes.
And don’t forget to wash your hands for 20 seconds after you return home”.
Namaskar.
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