At 9 p.m. on Sunday, lights went out in hundreds of households across Delhi as people gathered in their balconies to light candles and switch on flashlights for nine minutes straight, in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal asking citizens to demonstrate a collective will to fight against COVID-19 — the pandemic that has claimed thousands of lives worldwide.

In some colonies of Delhi, many burst crackers and also played patriotic and religious songs on loudspeakers. “Unlike the call to ring bells and bang on utensils, today’s was a more sober event as lighting a candle in these dark times had a nice feeling to it. This also ensured that no one came to the streets in enthusiasm,” said Sanjana Grover from Defence Colony. It felt a little like Diwali as people hung lights from their houses and we also did a small puja at home before 9 p.m., she added.

Anitya Kumar, a resident of Laxmi Nagar, said: “My wife and I lit a lamp to show our support to the doctors, police personnel and sanitation workers who are working round-the-clock. But I don’t know why were people bursting crackers and causing pollution.”

Architect couple — Sandal and Pritha — who reside in a colony in south Delhi, said they had kept three large candles in stock. “We are doing this as a symbol of our gratitude to the health workers, policemen and the government officials who have been at the frontline to fight the virus,” the couple said, adding: “We switched off all lights in our house, including television, but kept the fridge running while we were out for nine minutes in our balcony.”

In Gurugram, Bharat Vikas Parishad president Vivekanand Tiwari, a resident of Sector 15, said he along with his family and neighbours, lit diyas and flashed lights at 9 p.m. He said it was one of the ways for the people of the country to show that they were united in their fight against the virus and stood firmly with the government and Mr. Modi. He said it was a reaffirmation of the people’s resolve to emerge victorious from this “state of despair”.

Former deputy director, research and development at Doordarshan, Jagdish Kumar Mehta, said the call from Mr. Modi to light diyas for nine minutes at 9 p.m. had an astrological significance and would undo the effect of “Rahu and Ketu”, whose phase begun in December last year. He said he was a firm believer in astrology and he along with hundreds of residents of Kendriya Vihar in Sector 56, most of them retired central government officials, participated in the event.

Choosing to stay away from the event, Inqlabi Mazdoor Kendra central committee member Shyambir Shukla, who also runs a helpline to help migrant workers in the distress due to lockdown, said it was an attempt by government to hide its “failures and mislead” the people. He said the need of the hour was better resource management to minimise the hardships of the poor and augment the medical capacity and provide protective gear to the doctors, our frontline soldiers in the fight against the virus.

Electricity discom

Electricity discom, Tata Power-DDL said a “meagre drop” of 157 MW took place during the lights off exercise, which was successfully managed by the company. Working closely with the load dispatch centre and other associated authorities, all adequate measures were taken to maintain grid stability, it said. Discom BSES said there was a reduction of 726 MW demand in areas covered by it Delhi.