This Diwali, make the mask your style-bhai

It's that time of the year again when you get decked up, get your deck out for some hardcore teen patti, go partying till you drop, but only after you've shopped till you've stopped. But we also live in a time when we haven't quite forgotten, and certainly not forgiven, the pandemic. So, we intend to party with a gusto that borders on vengeance, while we have already started to revel rebelliously. In this post-pandemic pent-up Diwali spree of revenge partying, revenge spending, revenge vacationing - basically 'revenging' to Kuberic proportions - might we add the caveat: let's be careful. As doctors keep repeating, there's a veritable cocktail of viruses out there. Apart from the blasted Covid-19 and its variants, there's influenza A, H3N2 and swine flu also partying this festive season. One solution: keep those masks on when you're Diwaliing hard.

Come to think of it, a designer Covid mask can very well be both a fashion and a social statement. Like the ultra-rich carrying only an old-style 'unsmart' Nokia phone, wearing a mask can be a social differentiator, like those luxury Venetian masks worn in super-exclusive masquerade balls. Also, it would be a super accessory for your poker-teen patti game. You're holding a royal flush, but literally no one can read your face. What are others going to say? Take off your mask and put everyone at risk? We don't think so.