The whole world is in a state of shock after the novel coronavirus pandemic impacted lakhs of people’s lives. The speed with which corona is spreading seems unstoppable. It has put the entire world in a lockdown as there is no antidote of this disease so far.
There have been 29,435 confirmed coronavirus cases in India so far, including 934 deaths. So far 6,869 people have recovered from the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, Maharajganj district in Uttar Pradesh has hit the headlines for being a temporary abode of French national Pollarez amid the lockdown.
It has been learnt that the family was going to Nepal, but they got stuck in Maharajganj district after the government imposed shutdown across India since then they have been staying here.
Seven foreigners have fallen in love with Indian villages and culture and have forgotten luxurious hotels. They have denied staying in a five-star hotel as they are getting along well with villagers. They say that they are feeling much better in the village than in luxurious hotels.
French national Pollarez, his wife Virginie, daughters Ophelie and Janniefer, and son Tom are availing facilities like a 5-star in the village for the past over a month.
The family was not stranded by choice but by compulsion, at least initially. The family was heading towards Nepal from Pakistan, they had arrived there on the day the first shutdown
They gradually began to like the atmosphere and culture of the village with time. They say that spending time in the village is giving them immense pleasure. They are getting fresh air to breath and delicious food to eat.
Such was their love for the village that the family refused an offer from the district administration to shift to a hotel in Maharajganj town. ”We are enjoying here,” Pollarez says. Pollarez further said, “India is great and so are its people. Once strangers to us, now these innocent villagers have laid out the best they have to help us”.
The family participates in the daily ‘worship’ at the temple and also sings ‘bhajans’ (religious songs), but at the same time, they maintain social distancing. ”We had plans to visit Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia…but now I don’t know,” Pollarez, a mechanic by profession, said. The family has also learned Hindi and some ‘desi’ words also.
They would leave once the closedown was lifted. But they would certainly ‘miss’ the village. ”We have developed good relations with the local residents,” said Virginie. It is said that the stranded French family is enjoying closure a lot in the village and does not want to go anywhere else until the lockdown is lifted.
