Lockdown Heroes: Villagers Help Stranded Tourists And A Mask-Making Granny

A Model of Hospitality

As the lockdown came into effect last month, a French family holidaying in the Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh, near the Indo-Nepal border, was caught in a bind.

However the family, staying near a temple in Kolhua village of Laxmipur block of the district, had already become friendly with the villagers within days of their arrival. When the local administration offered to shift them to a hotel in the nearest town, the family refused.

Local reports state that the entire village came together to help and take care of the family. Seeing this, the district administration jumped in as well to help by sending them daily essentials. But it was the bonhomie and warmth of the villagers that forced the family to stay on and see them through the lockdown. The honour of being lockdown heroes, therefore, truly lies with the villagers for treating these French tourists like their own.

Source: Hindustan Times

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Warrior Grandma

For 97-year old Gurdev Kaur Dhaliwal, a resident of Moga in Punjab, not participating in the battle against the novel coronavirus simply wasn't an option.

Despite her frail frame and blurry vision, Dhaliwal has been busy making masks with her 75-year-old hand-held sewing machine. The Tribune reported that the masks that Dhaliwal stitches are being distributed among the needy affected by the lockdown.

Her daughter-in-law, Amarjit Kaur Dhaliwal, remarked that the nonagenarian is at it from morning till evening, and that she makes around 200 masks a day. According to the same report, her family members have said that she started making masks after she learnt that they were being sold at exorbitant prices. She, however, insisted on giving them away for free. Now, she has enthused the neighbours too who are pitching in with clothes to help make the masks. We salute granny Dhaliwal for her spirit and hard work!

Source: The Tribune