During these traumatic days, when the world incapacitating in fear of transmission of the Covid-19 virus, creativity can freshen up human mind and help keeping the anxiety of contracting the virus at bay. Unfortunately, amid a surge in confirmed coronavirus cases and growing panic, all cultural and literary organizations, as part of the measures to prevent and control the new coronavirus, have postponed operations and activities in their houses of culture, libraries, museums, and art galleries.
The ‘stay home, stay safe’ anti-COVID-19 campaign and lockdowns have deserted the otherwise over crowded roads of Karachi as life in this pulsing city has come to a standstill. All social and cultural activities have been suspended in the interest of human well being
The Arts Council of Pakistan has postponed all events and social gatherings, cultural, artistic, and similar meetings or activities to be held in its open or closed areas. Similarly, Momaasl -e-Asrar found it appropriate to postpone the much awaited ceremony of Abeda Iqbal Azad and Asrar Hussain Shaki Memorial Bahaar Awards 2019. Momaaslat has also deferred the awards’ season 2020 launch till things return to normalcy. Due to the health concerns stemming from the Corona Virus, National Academy of Performing Arts too has cancelled all performances of the International Performing Arts Festival.
Yet, having some activities at home comfort during lockdown and social distancing not only improves mental health, but also liberates us from the stress of uncertainty and isolation. Being a little creative can rejuvenate our nerve and can still the clamour of Corona resounding across the world.
Similarly, Momaasl -e-Asrar found it appropriate to postpone the much awaited ceremony of Abeda Iqbal Azad and Asrar Hussain Shaki Memorial Bahaar Awards 2019
While normal people are paralyzed by the fear of Corona virus, the crazy ones have amped up to disregard the anxiety and are more likely to beat the panic of Pandemic.
The word “crazy” is used around so generously to describe people who do crazy things to discover the life beyond any fear. I won’t name names, since the people in question are normally thoughtful writers or poets. They possess literary madness or junoon in classic understanding of the word, are usually misfit in the normal. Writers or poets see things differently. They are creative, innovators, and sometimes troublemakers for those who always expect the ordinary.
In these chaotic times, sharing even a micro unit of good thoughts can be relaxing and comforting. It provides a sense of stability and structure deeply missing in our lives. Further, it gives our body and soul the ability to fight back against the odds, whichever may come in life.
Besides, it is an isolating and uncertain time, but there’s a lot we can discover or rediscover in our time at home. Catching up on books is not a bad idea. How to pass the time and enjoy it in mandatory isolation depends on one’s own choice. One should also take the importance of own mental health into account. It is better to do something that involves interacting with others in a meaningful way, while doing something positive and creative to improve your mental well-being,
With this in mind, some literary groups or adabi halqas have opted for video conferencing to dampen the stress of social distancing. This is an activity of hope that how well creativity and madness go hand in hand in the case of writers and poets.
To defeat the anxiety of the pandemic at a time when it has stopped the world in its track, some of the halqas of writers and poets are fully utilizing their hours of social isolation by holding several video sessions instead of a weekly sitting of normal days. They are organizing team meetings and sharing innovative ideas as recitation of newly composed poetries and presentation of new prose are part of the web sessions. At the same time poets and writers are checking in on each other too.
Homes are great workstations while creativity has no fixed rule. Neither, poets and writers are fond of rules. They change things. They push the human life, society, and politics forward. While we call them as the crazy ones, we see in them true genius, because those who are crazy are innovative enough to change the world.
On a brighter note, COVID-19 has altered every aspect of our lives. It has wreaked untold financial havoc, made some of loved one sick, and pushed pretty much every norm—social, financial, professional and what not. It is an unprecedented situation and the normal rules no longer apply. But it has also strangely brought us closer together. We cannot resort to the usual tools in such unusual times. We should also remember some of the lessons that this crisis is teaching us. Creatives have found plenty of time to produce new works of literature. One must hope that there will be more innovation in the field of art and literature over the next few weeks, as lockdowns have a predicted global pattern and phases of two weeks of continuation.
The writer is a multimedia journalist. She can be reached at [email protected] and Tweets at @TasneemShazia