It’s time to help & rejuvenate: Neelam Mansingh

Mona

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 31

See how a virus has connected the entire world, points out Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry on the Covid-19 pandemic.

She spent the entire afternoon trying to transfer money to her artistes, sending ration packs to their families and raising money for organisations helping those left in the dire straits due to the current circumstances. “It’s not the time to think about oneself,” said the theatre thespian, who is taking this period of self-isolation rather positively. While it is not possible not to feel about migrants forced to walk for miles without food or protection, she is helping those she can reach out to.

Mansingh is taking things with a perspective to have time that each one needs to “renew and rejuvenate”.

Her mornings begin with a cup of tea and newspapers that have started coming recently. She is taking delight in cooking and reaching out to the books that she had wanted to read but hadn’t so far.

Much of the day goes in ensuring being there when a rehriwala shows up or a van brings provisions. “Not to miss supplies is a new chore that keeps one on the toes,” she laughs. Now that provisions aren’t easily available, there is a whole lot of experimenting going on in the kitchen. “One doesn’t unnecessarily want to spend on so-called luxury items anymore. So, I try to make do with whatever is readily available.”

Also, she sees it as a great time for relationships. In particular, she is happy that her son is with her. “We watch a film a day. He intends to create a patch in the lawn for us to grow vegetables.” In films, while old classics are revisited, lately they have seen “Cold War” by Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski whose “Ida” won the Oscar for the Best Film Not in the English Language. Then there was “Loveless” and “V for Vendetta”. “Both of them are very interesting; the latter very prophetic, indeed.”

Mansingh points out how people are so dependent on the external world and external energy in day-to-day life. “I am sort of interacting with my own self, own space, uncertainties, fragilities and strengths. I find the whole process very renewing.”

First a deer, then a leopard spotted not far from where she lives. She sees it as the nature reclaiming its space. “We have been so self-centered and really callous on how we have ravaged the nature. Now, we are caged in our homes and the nature is having its way. What a nice role reversal!”

How one virus has forged fresher bonds; intellectual, spiritual and political connections are being made. “Diljit Ami has set up this whole organisation. I am trying to raise money. Deepa Mehta and Lisa Ray have been lending their hand to NGOs helping those in turmoil.”

All in all, it is a humbling experience that Mansingh sees as a wake-up call. “Time’s a very strange creature, whether one has all the time on hand like the situation we are in, or limited, external processes or internal, it just gallops,” she said while hoping that this intervention brings the slowly fading humanity back!