Life is slowly returning to normal among the hallowed temples of Haridwar, one of Hinduism's holiest places, but the Indian pilgrimage town still has a forlorn air as the country emerges from its coronavirus lockdown.
The town usually teems with tens of thousands of visitors who flock from far and wide for a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges and to catch riverside prayer ceremonies at dusk.
Now, instead of broadcasting hymns and chants, Haridwar's loudspeakers blare announcements telling people to wear masks and use sanitiser
But India remains in the grip of a raging Covid-19 outbreak that has claimed more than 15,000 lives and infected over half a million people.
For the first time in as long as any local can remember, pilgrims stopped coming in late March after India imposed the world's biggest coronavirus shutdown.
MK Vashistha, a wizened priest, says that his elders would recount how even in the Spanish flu pandemic a century ago, which hit India hard, cremations on the banks of the holy river still took place constantly.
"Things still didn't stop here at that time, like they have now," he adds.
In the past few weeks as India has eased restrictions, even as case numbers have surged, a few pilgrims have begun to return.
Now though, instead of broadcasting hymns and chants, Haridwar's loudspeakers blare announcements telling people to wear masks and use sanitiser.
Temples ask devotees to keep a safe distance from each other and keep away from the statues of the gods that they usually touch, bless and offer flowers, sweets and crumpled rupee banknotes to.
"Look around," Tanmay Vashishtha from the Shri Ganga Sabha, one of Haridwar's most influential religious groups, says, pointing to a few hundred pilgrims on the streets, most in masks and keeping their distance.
"This isn't even one or two per cent of the normal times."
Centuries of records
Hugging the banks of the Ganges as it emerges from the Himalayas, Haridwar is believed to be one of four places where drops of the elixir of immortality were spilled from a pitcher carried by the mythical bird Garuda.
A trickle of customers are now returning for the town's famous ancient order of about 2,500 Hindu priests who since time immemorial have registered births and deaths for visiting pilgrims.
Deepak Jha, one eighth-generation such "purohit", says the chunky ledger he is rolling up and tying with string contains records going back 11 generations for thousands of families.
"This is our culture, our tradition and history. It may be difficult for people to find their kids' school notebook after six months, but we've kept these records for centuries," Jha explains.
The tomes, some 500 years old, the birch leaves used before then have long since crumbled, are written in a mix of Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi, reflecting the area's complex mix of languages and cultures.
People from all over come to trace their ancestors and are visibly touched to see their forebears' handwriting, tipping the priests handsomely for a detailed family tree.
'We can't live in fear'
Haridwar's usually narrow and congested bylanes, full of shops selling religious books, artefacts, statues of Hindu gods, clothes, toys and sweets, have also never been so deserted.
"It isn't a good situation right now," says Jyoti Arora, the owner of a shop bereft of customers.
"Right now, who knows who could be corona positive? Even we take a daily risk coming for work, but we have to do it for our families."
Many normally busy hotels, eateries and restaurants remain shut. Thousands of workers have gone back to their home villages, and nobody is sure when they will come back.
One of the few pilgrims to return is Mohit Kumar, who came from Delhi to take a purifying dip in the Ganges, which is looking slightly cleaner for the lockdown.
"We can't live in fear. We have taken all precautions, and pray that everyone around us stays healthy," he says, accompanied by two friends as he heads to the holy river.
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- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
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Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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Date of launch: November 2016
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Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers
Sector: Technology
Size: 18 employees
Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake
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