KOCHI: Even as many spend their lockdown days in despair, a few others made use of that time to develop skills and hobbies. The passion that they forgot about, caught in the grind of everyday life, was rekindled. Some pulled out their canvases, while others like Abhila Felix, got out their pots and pans to nurture the chef in them.“I have been thinking of starting a YouTube channel that showcases traditional Kerala dishes,” Abhila says.
However, between working as a Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) and managing a household, she had little time left. “When pandemic hit, train services came to a halt and I was left with a lot of free time,” says Abhila. With her cooking, Abhila doesn’t do anything too elaborate. “I shoot videos whenever I make something special. They are easy, everyday items with a twist,” she says. Abhila got married at 19 and had two children by her second year of BTech.
“Life was very busy. After I had kids, I continued my studies and completed engineering, followed by MTech. I cleared MTech with the second rank and then cracked the railway recruitment board examination,” she said. All the while, Abhila’s first love remained cooking.“During the lockdown in March, I shot some videos and uploaded them. The positive response encouraged me to begin my own YouTube channel,” she says. In her brief stint, Abhila’s channel has garnered around 2,000 subscribers.
“These are baby steps. Even if the train services resume and I have to go back to my routine, I plan to continue with my cooking channel. For now, I am posting two videos per week,” said the Railways employee.