'Yamaloha full': A leaf out of Hindu myth

Amid awareness being created by the district administration for making vaccination and wearing masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and its new variant Omicron, an autorickshaw driver in Avanashi in nearby Tirupur district has undertaken a novel campaign by taking a leaf out of Hindu mythology.

With the banner on the rear of the vehicle, Siraj has been advising the public the need to wear face masks in the words of Yama: Yamaloka is full and there is no place for the dead there.

With the government increasing the penalty of Rs 100 to Rs 500 for not wearing masks and the administration and police with the help of NGOs creating awareness on the need for masks, the message from Siraj is creating double-awareness and igniting thought by bringing in Yama, the God of death and justice, into play, police sources said.

''I am not able to identify the people to take them to Yamaloka, as all on earth are wearing masks. So I have no choice but to take those not wearing them,'' the banner read as if Yama were telling his assistant Chitragupta.

''There is no space in Yamaloka, so people should not come out of their house without a mask,'' the banner reads.