Gratitude, love in the air as people answer a call at 5 pm

Nagpur: The whole town reverberated from nearly all rooms, balconies and doors in the sounds of clapping, utensils clanging, cheering and praying at 5 pm.

There were few who did not turn out during the coronavirus epidemic to express their empathy and affection for the selfless heroes who worked tirelessly for humanity. Doctors, policemen, house assistants, students, and media persons were all in the midst of the Janata Curfew receiving praise and blessings from citizens.

Zingabai Takli saw people playing dholaks and banging utensils while crackers also burst in Ramdaspeth and Manewada.

Sadhana Hajare, a Rajendra Nagar homemaker on Hingna Avenue, was joined by all the other ladies on the balcony and at their doors. She blew the conch as male leaders enthusiastically clapped and expressed their gratitude to the selfless staff. “We all blew the conch and banged utensils as well, particularly the kids had great fun banging away in excitement to glory,” she said.

People were standing barefoot on the footpath at Hanuman Nagar which should have been avoided. And all one could hear in housing societies in the Nandanwan and Sonegaon area was sounds of utensils and sight of people standing on the balconies.

Aishwarya Choubey, a law student who lives in the area of Itwari, said, “People in my society came out on the terrace and began to clap loudly. It felt like India won the world cup, and we’ll certainly win over that virus. My salutation to all of today’s media men, police and unsung heroes.

“An innovative idea came up with Sangeeta Deshpande, a Kathak teacher at Gandhi Nagar. She and her daughter circulated an audio clip to all her Kathak students via social media and started dancing and clapping to the beats at around 5 pm. “We had an audio clip with a typical Kathak rhythm, so we decided to do it in a special way, so we danced so clapped our steps as we did,” she said.

Navin Kulkarni, a café owner staying at Laxmi Nagar, said that people were so enthusiastic about the 5 pm clapping and ringing bells that people even called out his sleeping grandparents to take part.

“My grandparents wake up in my neighbourhood. People were clapping in balconies, ringing bells and banging utensils too, “he said.

Users also went live on their Instagram accounts, shouting’ Go Corona Go’ and playing loud music as well as dancing to the same song.

In addition to the usual clapping and ringing, some people even came out with musical instruments like dholaks, manjeera and conches, creating a loud noise. “The folks in the apartment played theme music that we all had conch and bells.

Some young people softly whispered, too, and others were online streaming. It was magnificent indeed. When everyone came together and united to rid themselves of this fatal ill virus, “a professor Urmi Chakraborty said.

No balcony was vacant at the Pritam Complex in Lakadganj, as all residents came out and banged utensils, instruments and clapped. According to Nachiketa Pandey, a working professional, “My brother blew the apartment conch and bugle. We have come together at this moment to support all of the people working day and night, “he said.

A company secretary, Madhur Gandhi, provided some insight into the situation at New Mankapur. “People were playing loud music on speakers, and bursting crackers as a sign of appreciation to show our gratitude,” he said.

Kshipra Banode, a housewife who lives on Amravati Road at Patrakar Sahniwas, said, “People were playing manjeera, dholak and what not. This was a sight to see as people came together to embrace the disorder and stand together, “she said.