Lockdown Diary

We invite women and girls across India and the world to share their experiences at home during the Covid-19 worldwide lockdown.

Time for Masala Chai Instead of Teabag Tea

Bestselling novelist Shobha Nihalani shares how she’s spending her time during the COVID-19 lockdown.

It’s Time to Face the Fear – of Frying Pakodas

Filmmaker and writer Arti Jain confronts her biggest fear during the Covid-19 lockdown: frying pakodas in burning hot oil!

A Volcanic Song Release and Then Silence

Bollywood playback singer Poorvi Koutish’s song Jwalamukhi released after a wait of two years. But live performances are now off-limits with the Covid-19 lockdown!

The Bipolarity of the Coronavirus Quarantine

There have been really good days and really bad days, confesses entrepreneur Sonali Sudarshan.

The Quarantine Rat Race on Social Media

For Chennai-based Richa Tilokani, social media during the lockdown has become a game of one-upmanship.

A Grandma Gets an Unexpected Shot at Toddler Training

For grandmom Poonam Kirpal, the coronavirus lockdown turned into an excellent opportunity to train and homeschool her visiting two-year-old granddaughter.

Confronting the Mental Health Monster Again

The coronavirus lockdown led eShe editor Aekta Kapoor to confront the psychological demons from her past.

Everything Has Slowed Down But My Mind Is Racing

Mascarpone to migrant workers: 20-year-old student Ananya Jain writes about her paradoxical existence during the lockdown.

Quarantined Six Months for Board Exams Study, Three for COVID

The class of 2020 has had a long quarantine, with months of home confinement first due to exams, and now the coronavirus lockdown, writes schoolgirl Lakshyaa Arya.

How My Office Doodles Became a Collective Blog Project

Usha Iyer invited friends and family to write stories based on sketches she had made doodling in office over the past 10 years. The results were enthralling.

Shopping for Vegetables, Armed with a Mask and Viral Fear

An ordinary visit to the vegetable vendor in the time of COVID-19 turns into a pandemic-sized battle with paranoia for writer and poet Anita Panda.

Shah Rukh Khan, Homeschooling and a Case for Spousal Distancing

Graphic novelist, lyricist and playwright Vibha Batra is counting her dishes, blessings and minutes during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Fifty Shades of Aloo

Erotic novelist and programming head of Ishq 104.8 FM Shradha Singh has found her life’s love in the humble potato during the lockdown.

Like Kashmir, Except Now It’s for All of Us

The COVID-19 lockdown has taken PR professional Atika Gupta through a whole gamut of emotions, from denial to acceptance.

Grief, Solitude and Acceptance in Mallorca

Locked in her home in Mallorca due to COVID-19, award-winning speaker and writer Kay Newton makes the most of the moment, and learns to appreciate the real gifts of life.

How I Healed My Relationship with My Daughter

For Mumbai-based communication professional Shweta Bhandral, the lockdown has been an time to build bridges and mend relationships at home.

A Doctor and Other Self-Reliant Humans of Quarantine

For Delhi-based healthcare professional Dr Monika Devgan Kathuria, the lockdown has been a ‘groggily enriching’ experience in housework, nagging the husband, and creating awareness.

Creating Art That Uplifts, and Healing Myself in the Process

Cooped up at home during the lockdown, avid traveller and mother of two Malvika Sehgaal Kaura finds her imagination soaring and soul healing through spiritual art.