Life in Lockdown: An Indian Bride’s Tale of Resilience, Love, and Togetherness
When I look back at the Covid era, it feels like a strange dream — a time when the world pressed pause, and ordinary life was suddenly transformed into something extraordinary. For me, it wasn’t just the story of a pandemic; it was the story of my first years of marriage, of discovering new rhythms with my husband, and of bonding deeply with my in-laws in ways I might never have imagined.
I was 29 then, newly married, full of plans about exploring the world with my husband, perhaps starting a new job, and soaking in all the vibrancy that young adulthood promises. But destiny had a different script. The pandemic struck, offices shifted to homes, and we found ourselves locked in — not with the world we expected, but with the one that became our sanctuary.
The Work-from-Home Revolution
Like countless Indians, we adjusted our dining table into a makeshift office desk. Morning tea with my husband was no longer rushed; it was leisurely, with conversations about news updates, neighbors’ worries, and family WhatsApp forwards. The very walls of our home became witnesses to our professional lives — his meetings spilling into my online trainings, the background sounds of temple bells mingling with notification pings.
In a way, work-from-home blurred the lines between personal and professional life, but it also gifted us something rare: time together. Instead of navigating traffic or long commutes, we learned to navigate each other’s quirks — his habit of humming while typing, my tendency to snack endlessly during calls. What could have been irritations turned into shared laughter, creating small rituals of togetherness.
Cooking Up a New Bond
Before marriage, I had only dabbled in cooking. The lockdown changed that. With restaurants shut and home delivery unreliable, the kitchen became my laboratory. I remember the thrill of learning my mother-in-law’s secret recipes — the exact pinch of turmeric in dal, the art of rolling soft rotis, and the patient stir required for a perfect kheer.
Cooking was more than survival; it was storytelling. Every dish carried history — my husband’s childhood favorites, my in-laws’ festive memories, my own experimental twists. From masala dosas on Sundays to elaborate thalis on festivals, we found joy in eating together, teasing each other, and sometimes competing over whose dish turned out better.
Food became our comfort, but also our bridge — connecting generations, weaving together love and tradition.
Bonding Beyond Blood
One of the most unexpected gifts of the pandemic was the time I got with my in-laws. In India, joint families often run on the clock of rituals and responsibilities, but the lockdown softened those structures. We weren’t just family bound by obligation; we became companions in uncertainty.
Evenings were spent playing carrom or ludo, laughing over silly mistakes, or watching old family albums. My father-in-law shared stories from his youth, my mother-in-law recounted village life during her girlhood, and I realized I was being welcomed into a lineage of resilience and wisdom.
In an era of fear, isolation, and heartbreaking news, our home became a cocoon — one where bonds deepened and gratitude blossomed.
The Larger Picture: India in the Covid Era
Of course, beyond our walls, India was living its own saga. Streets once brimming with chaos turned silent. Migrant workers walked hundreds of kilometers to their villages, reminding us of the inequalities that pulsed beneath our nation’s surface. There were daily battles with shortages — from oxygen cylinders to hospital beds, from hand sanitizers to vaccines.
Yet, India also showed resilience. Neighbors checked on each other, communities organized food drives, and young volunteers bridged gaps through digital platforms. There was fear, yes — but also kindness. Sorrow, but also solidarity.
For many, the Covid era will always be remembered for its losses. For me, it also became a season of gaining — gaining time with my husband, gaining skills I never thought I’d master, and gaining relationships that became more precious than ever.
Lessons Etched Forever
Now, years later, when normalcy has returned, I often think back to those months. The world outside may have been shrinking, but my world within grew richer. I learned that love isn’t about grand gestures but about everyday presence; that family isn’t just about tradition, but about shared laughter in hard times; and that resilience doesn’t always roar — sometimes it whispers in the quiet act of making chai for each other after a long day of video calls.
Covid changed India. It changed me. And while I would never wish for such a crisis again, I cannot deny the gift it left behind — the reminder that home is not just where you live, but where you love, learn, and grow together.
✨ “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” — Albert Einstein.
For me, that opportunity was to discover that even in the stillness of lockdown, life could be full of movement — inward, deep, and unforgettable.
Dream. Discover. Do 