People step out of their homes in Sheikhpura area despite complete lockdown in effect.

Patna: Police in Patna on Monday had to resort to lathi charge at many places to stop people from blatantly flouting the coronavirus lockdown order. Throughout the day, police carried out spot checks of areas known for drawing crowd like grocery shops and vegetable markets.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (file photo).

Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday directed all district officers to keep a close eye on coronavirus relief camp across the state where patients are under mandatory quarantine or are being treated for the virus symptoms.

Patna'ites observing nine minutes of blackout at 9pm on Saturday as asked by PM Modi.

Patna: Like the rest of the country, millions of people in Patna on late Sunday evening, at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, turned off lights at their homes and held lit candles for exactly nine minutes at 9:00 pm to 'ward off' deadly coronavirus that has, as of April 5, taken nearly 67,000 lives worldwide and close to 100 in India alone.

Author spending time with his grandson during the coronavirus lockdown.

The diabolic Corona virus is creating havoc all around the world. Nations hit by this pandemic infection have declared lock downs to save the lives of their countrymen. Every human being under the sun is virtually imprisoned or caged and only birds are flying in the sky!

The coronavirus pandemic is getting worse day by day. Over 530,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally, out of which only a little over 123,000 persons have recovered, and more than 24,000 have been reported as deceased.

BJP MP from Patna Saheb and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad (file photo).

Patna: Central Minister and Patna Saheb MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday requested the Union Health Minister to make arrangement for coronavirus testing at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) in the state capital.

Coronavirus (Covid-19).

Patna: A 29-year old Patna City residence on Tuesday has been found coronavirus positive thus raising the total number of patients to four in the state capital.

A vegetable shop in Patna.

Patna: With the entire country in a 21-day lockdown amid the threat of coronavirus, price gougers and black-marketers have mushroomed almost overnight across the state capital charging as much as four times for essential items like fruits, vegetables, and other day-to-day grocery items.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (file photo).

Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday announced Rs. 1000 in each ration card holders' account in one of many measures taken by him to combat coronavirus and the toll its taking on the people of Bihar.

Indians clapping to honor health workers engaged in keeping India safe.

प्रसिद्ध कूट-नीतिज्ञ चाणक्य का कथन है कि राजा का यह कर्त्तव्य बनता है कि वह अपने राज्य में प्रजा के जीवन और सम्पत्ति की रक्षा करे। राजा से यह भी अपेक्षा की जाती है कि तमाम सामाजिक संकटों में अपनी प्रजा की वह रक्षा करे। यही नहीं राजा को अपनी प्रजा की अकाल, बाढ़, महामारी आदि में समुचित रक्षा-व्यवस्था करनी चाहिए।

Stock Market Crashes due to COVID-19

World Health Organization (WHO) has declared coronavirus (COVID-19) a ‘pandemic’ as it has spread in more than 170 countries and it is affecting every sector and individuals.

COVID-19

Millions, Billions, Trillions
I know not.

French kiss or Indian hugs,
I know not.

Social contacts, HIV or cancer,
I know not.

Party food, roast dog meat, or fried bacon,
I know not.

I am not Celia’s Song of Jonson,
Or Dickinson’s sandal table,

I am free and bold,
Walk in hot or cold,

In Chapel, Mosque, Temple,
Gurudwara or be it Synagogue.

Anywhere everywhere,
Any time all time

On the lock of your iron shell,
Wherein lies heaps of pearls,
Diamonds and gold,
Dipped in human blood,

I live there in the squeezed hands
Of Prince and Princess, and
Shine brightly on the clanks of wine glasses

In the hands of State Heads.

I live on the red lips of Miss Universe,

I live on cherry chins of Mistress
In her brass bed of passion of the cozy home,
I am there.
Fight me if you dare,

I have put my signature as:
‘The World is closed today’

I am out and walk proudly,
Fearless Patriarch not to be seen

And you all imprisoned in your egg shell.
It’s I: your Corona micro baby.
Now out from the punctured pink balloon,
That was thrown on the silky road of Wuhan.

I am spiky and colorless from the colored;
Rose up from a sharp and shiny nails of mortal beauty
And danced in the eyes of Maneka.

How poor that man gazing out from the window
As turtle walks shaking head
To see the clear blue sky.
‘Get in… I the COVID command you.
Don’t you see__
I am speechless,
Senseless,
Worthless,
Fearless,
But not hopeless and hapless
At any boundary of The Great Wall of China.

I did mine. Now you do yours.
I am not the furious fire of Amazon,
I am not high tides in the ocean of Tokyo,
I am not the deep earth crack of Latoor,
And the Hurricanes of America.
You all sleep in silence and buzz not of me
That has fallen as broken star on your earth planet.
I am your own COVID.

Madani Mohiuddin Ahmad
King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA