Abstract
On March 22, 2020, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited the public to demonstrate their appreciation for the Indian doctors and health workers who were battling COVID-19. At 5 p.m. the banging of plates, blowing of conch shells, and bursting of crackers reverberated in the air. One day later, the city of Kolkata reported its first death from COVID-19. Jostling crowds gathered to protest the cremation. Scared demonstrators held that the passage of the dead body through the locality and its cremation would spread the virus through the air.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Cultural Anthropology |
| Volume | Editors’ Forum |
| Issue number | March 16, 2021 |
| Publication status | Published - 2021 |
| Externally published | Yes |