It's not just a phase of popular mythological re-runs butalso, a time when some iconic characters actually make an appearance on the streets.
We have the 'God Of Death' back on the streets to warnpeople, not about traffic rules, but to stay put at home and stopwandering around, or else they will be sucked into 'Yamlok.'
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That's the method police in some towns are employing toscare the bejesus out of people who repose a little too much faith and beliefin mythological characters like Yamraj.
The administration in Rajam town, Andhra Pradesh ramped upits efforts to warn people about staying home, and on April 28, one student personified as Yamrajwalked on the streets and cautioned everyone against the deadly disease ofCOVID-19.??
The local police have engaged scouts and guide students tohelp in this campaign by performing as Yamraj, the God of Death, his assistantsand the coronavirus to create awareness among the people. On Tuesday, as partof these efforts, a student dressed as Yamraj, walked the streets remindingpeople to stay indoors.
News agency ANI?also tweeted an image of the studentsdressed in different characters. Theyraised slogans and warned the people to stay at home and take necessary precautionsamid the nationwide lockdown in the wake of coronavirus threat.
A video shared by India Today shows a man dressed as Yamrajsitting on the bonnet of a police car. He is accompanied by Chitragupta andanother man, dressed in black clothes and make-up, portraying death. In thiscase, it¡¯s the novel coronavirus.
In the video, Yamraj can be heard saying, "If yourkarma is bad, come to the roads and if you want to be happy stay inside thehouse. Chitragupta, who logs people¡¯s sins, is ready to register your sins. Heis also advising people to stay inside with their family."
The same method of spreading awareness was used in Delhi too. A government employee namedBaldev Singh borrowed a Yamraj costume from a friend who participates in Ramlilas,got his wife to do his makeup and sat on a police van to warn people in RKPuram to stay home.
Singh, also the president of the Central Government ResidentWelfare Association, Sector-1, R K Puram, said the group has been urging peopleto follow rules since the lockdown started.
On April 17, in Madhya Pradesh¡¯s Indore, Police ConstableJawahar Singh dressed up as a Yamraj to raise awareness among people. Sittingon the bonnet of the police jeep, Mr Singh took the rounds of the city.?