When this year began few of us could have predicted how it would actually unfold. Most would agree that 2020 has been a pretty crappy year for most of us. With the pandemic, the lockdown, income and job losses and not being able to go about our normal lives, most people on earth have been impacted. Here are some images that defined 2020 for many of us – crappy or not:
There were wild deer and civets and even leopards on the streets of India. Dolphins were seen cavorting in waters that they hadn’t been seen in for ages. There were sheep spotted on streets elsewhere. The lockdown had some very strange – but you could say welcome – impacts.
People became very innovative with the kind of masks they used. Some used the cheapest materials they could find; such as leaves. Others used the most expensive materials such as gold and diamonds to create such jewellery masks,
It was the year of protests such as the #BlackLivesMatter protest which went global and saw the toppling of numerous statues that represented systemic oppression and injustice.
Many of us were unable to meet and embrace our loved ones; particularly older people who are more at risk of infection. People found innovative ways to embrace and hug; such as while wearing full protective gear, through plastic sheets and so on.
One of the many terrible tragedies of this year was the explosion at the Beirut Port. This image of the Raymond Essayan playing the piano in a destroyed building after the explosion is both horrifying and hopeful.
This was a year when people rediscovered the joys of windows and balconies during lockdowns. They sang, played instruments, played games with neighbours and more.
After a fiercely contested American presidential election, Donald Trump has consistently refused to concede defeat. This image of the Rudy Guliani, Republican Party colleague and lawyer of Trump seems to represent the kind of meltdown Trump and his party are experiencing, following their loss.
This year began with Anti-CAA protests which received pan-Indian support but was also subject a smear campaign that tried to discredit and demonise the protestors. How nearing the end of 2020, we are witnessing massive Farmer Protests. Both these people’s movements are evidence that democracy still exists in India --- in spite of the best efforts of the authorities. These protests represent Indian citizens voicing their apprehensions, proudly, as Indian citizens under the banner of our national flag. The shadowy IT cell can try to delegitimise, discredit and demonise both the protest and the protestors by calling them Pakistanis and Khalistanis. However this can succeed only up to a point. Beyond that, the average Indian can see genuine protest for what it is – the sound of democracy in action.
Do you have something interesting you would like to share? Write to us at [email protected]
