Love in the Time of Corona

"Love recognises no barriers."

                             

Our real-life protagonist, Arivazhagan,  a 65-year-old farmhand, from Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India,  recently emerged as the very embodiment of  this famous quote by Maya Angelou.  And today, because of him, in the midst of the Covid-19 saga, with its unstoppable numbers of new positives, and deaths, we have a heartwarming tale, the kind

 that one gets to hear once in a lifetime.

Since the three-week nationwide lockdown beginning March 25th, Arivazhagan had been in a predicament of how he could take his cancer-afflicted wife Manjula for the third session of Chemotherapy to  JIPMER, Pondicherry,  a hospital, some 130 kms away from his village. Even though the appointment was still six days away, he needed to find a solution fast. With the  unavailability of public transport, the only reasonable option was to get a cab. But, Arivazhagan's out-of-work status and meagre savings, did not allow the couple such a luxury.  So, with no other means at his disposal, Arivazhagan did the unthinkable. He decided to make an overnight journey on his gearless, old bicycle, while Manjula sat sideways on the rear carrier. During the odyssey, the couple took just two short breaks, since Manjula found it hard to stay seated for long on the metal carrier.

It took Arivazhagan 18 hours to cover that stretch of 130 kms. He rode through the night, starting on 30th of March, and was on time for the appointment with the oncologist, on the 31st. Along the way, he did get stopped by the police, a few times, but, when he explained to them the urgency of the situation, and produced  Manjula's medical records as  proof,  he was given the permission to carry on with his mission. 

On reaching the hospital, he learnt that the OPD ward had been closed, in order to handle Covid-19 cases of the area. However, on finding out about the couple's amazing ordeal, the administration decided to accomodate Manjula, and proceed with the treatment.

The doctors, and the hospital staff were so impressed by Arivazhagan's unflinching dedication, that they contributed money from their own pockets, so that  an ambulance could be arranged to take the couple home. 

During the lockdown, amid reports of rising domestic violence even amongst the  educated and affluent urbanites, especially in the 'civilised' world,  this  simple farmhand's abiding commitment to his sick wife should make us pause, and reflect not only on the wonders of love, but, on its infinite capacity to empower the individual, turn every impossibility, into a plausible likelihood, and every hurdle, into a risk  worth taking.