Dhiraj Tak (39), who teaches chemistry at an institute in Kota – the coaching hub of the country for aspiring engineering and medical students – took to fiction to capture the tales of coronavirus disease (Covid-19)-induced lockdown restrictions for her baby daughter and her generation for posterity.
The 197-page labour of love – called Lockdown 5:0 – has been brought out by a Hyderabad-based publisher.
“My daughter was born a month before the lockdown restrictions were announced in end-March. I wrote a book on lockdown tales for my baby daughter and others of her generation, which they can read when they grow up,” said Tak.
The teacher said the lockdown gave him ample time to pursue creative writing, his second love after teaching.
“I have had time at hand to pursue creative writing because the coaching institute was closed due to the pandemic,” he said.
“The book deals with human psychology. I have tried to explore the diverse aspects of lockdown in a nuanced manner,” said Tak, who has been a teacher for 16 years.
The teacher-turned-author said the lockdown triggered a lot of negativity amid the prevailing uncertainty over when the restrictions would end as the raging viral outbreak is yet to show any sign of abating.
“But, I would like the readers to remember my book as a tribute to the lockdown’s positive aspects,” he said.
He explained the reason behind the book’s title, Lockdown 5:0.
“Even though the restrictions ended in Rajasthan with lockdown 4:0, many are still adhering to the norms, as if a new variant is still in place,” he said.
The book’s central theme is that the ongoing viral outbreak, too, will pass in a transient world.
However, positive thinking holds the key in dealing with the pandemic, he added.
