Indulge Time Pass: Pragya Agarwal and Chhaya Momaya say post-pandemic, urban life will fall back on traditions

Experts still haven’t figured out how our lives may look like once the pandemic is over and once people start getting back to their lives. In the latest session of Indulge Time Pass conducted by journalist and author Kaveree Bamzai, behavioral scientist Pragya Agarwal and social influencer Chhaya Momaya got together over a Zoom call to talk about how our post-quarantine lives will look like. Both the experts agree that modern consumption patterns will change for the better, and urban populations will reconnect with origins and traditions.

Agarwal who just released a book titled Sway which focuses on unravelling social bias, feels that corporate work culture will not just become more women-friendly but also a lot more adaptable. “I just wrote in a recent column about how the lockdown has affected women. I feel post this, flexible and remote working will gain relevance since organizations have experienced that it can work out. Corporations have realised that working from home is okay, to work around child care, we are talking about reproductive health, there’s open discussions on stigmatization. People are being more aware about other’s needs, since we have so much communication right now. I’m hoping this is not momentary and will become a part of our persistent behaviour,” Agarwal remarks.

As Bamzai observes, luxury consumption could see a major change. People could become more frugal or could imitate the roaring ‘20s when European life turned towards hedonism post the ravages of a war and influenza. Momaya thinks that social life will slow down as people take their time to find their rhythms. She also revealed that she discouraged her own daughter in law to have a baby and wait for at least a year since the risk of infection is higher. 

“I feel like urban interaction will slow down, along with luxury buying, since India has always been a price sensitive market, unlike Europe. Sustainability will be given a lot of importance in fashion with light and easily manageable clothes taking precedence. Our new way of life will be more intimate as people will try to keep gatherings limited, and will connect more meaningfully. Like virtual weddings, where you don’t need to invite the world, and you can still stick to the traditions without going overboard,” Momaya tells Bamzai.

Agarwal also suggests that people will fall back on their origins and traditions and steer away from superficiality. “People will step out of over-indulgence, we’ll stick to what we have like family and friends and actually make an effort to get together. We are falling back on our legacies like how I’m connecting with my mum’s recipes!” remarks Agarwal.