With a population of more than 1.34 billion—the second largest population in the world—India will have difficulty in controlling the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 among its population. The population size is one of the reasons for the slow recovery. Even if the country is vaccinated at the same pace as America, the % of vaccinated population differs because our total population size is vastly different. Civil servant Anjali Birla shares an anecdote, a memory that has stuck with her from her trip to Serbia.
It was in November 2019, when I went to Serbia, the quiet Eastern European country that bonds with Europe because of its architecture but also takes pride in being the heir of Yugoslavia post its breakup. The capital city, Belgrade, is beautiful, a typical European style town which has a peculiar tradition.
Serbia keeps its broken buildings and the broken pieces around them intact as a reminder of the bombings the country suffered due to NATO. While aesthetically they are displeasing yet they serve a purpose - they keep generations aware of the pain and harrows it suffered, however, Anjali saw it from a different angle.
Anjali recalls, “When I saw the bombed buildings and discovered the story behind them, it struck me! The entire country has refused to move on. They have chosen a different path of healing. Instead of running away and clearing the ash and the pain and trying to glorify the space with modern buildings which are forward looking, they have embraced the pain, immortalised the mortals who lost their lives during the bombing.
The people of Serbia have refused to walk away from the shambling past but rather have accepted it as a part of history. They have accepted the injustice done to them, and the fact that the nation couldn't save its citizenry from the violence. Serbia has accepted that they are guilty of it. They are remorseful.
The broken buildings also signify and remind their citizens that Serbia has not forgiven NATO. They are mindful of what happened and are cautious to new threats. Anjali can’t help but think if we as a country can try the Serbian way of dealing with pain?
She adds, “If we can keep the broken healthcare system awake in our memory, keep it intact instead of forgetting it, if we can keep the harrows depleting medical supplies brought to the citizenry in our heads and maybe keep a physical reminder for the devastation the second wave of Covid-19 brought to India - will that be helpful?
If we can acknowledge our flaws as a system, recognise the injustices done during this period, embrace the pain this disease has inflicted on many, be guilty for it, be sorry for it and outrightly refuse to paint the picture rosy once pandemic is over, wouldn’t that be a better way of dealing with pain?”
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