In the summer of 2020, a heart-wrenching scene unfolded on the streets of Lucknow, where a man, after two decades of labor at a brick kiln, lay sick with bronchitis. Wrapped in a blanket on a cart, he was being taken home by three men, 80 kilometers away to Sitapur, unable to afford medical care. This grim tableau is just one of the many poignant narratives captured by Jyoti Yadav in her gripping work, Faith and Fury: Covid Dispatches from India’s Hinterlands.

As the pandemic swept across the nation, it exposed the vulnerabilities of countless individuals. Among them was 15-year-old Jyoti Kumari, who undertook a daunting journey from Haryana to Darbhanga in Bihar, pedaling 1,200 kilometers with her ailing father on the backseat of her bicycle. Tragically, her father succumbed to a cardiac arrest during the devastating second wave of COVID-19 in May 2021, illustrating the harrowing realities faced by many families during this crisis.

Against this backdrop of despair, Yadav’s dispatches also highlight the relentless efforts of healthcare professionals. At a Barabanki hospital, an exhausted doctor shared his haunting experiences during the peak of the second wave, where his nights were filled with dreams of dwindling oxygen levels and frantic relatives begging for assistance as their loved ones gasped for breath. These narratives provide not only a glimpse into the toll on medical staff but also underscore the broader impact of the pandemic on India’s healthcare system, which was already grappling with significant challenges.

The COVID-19 crisis in India saw a grievous spike in death tolls, with cremation grounds overwhelmed by the sheer number of bodies. In Varanasi, the ancient ghats, which have long been a site for last rites, turned into a grim reminder of the pandemic’s ferocity. Members of the marginalized Dom caste, traditionally responsible for conducting cremations, found themselves not only performing their usual duties but also stepping in as priests, filling roles abandoned by others who fled in fear. This unexpected twist of fate highlights both the resilience and the precarious nature of community roles in times of crisis.

Yadav’s coverage serves as a clarion call for field journalism, shedding light on the struggles, resilience, and humanity of those in India’s hinterlands during the pandemic. Her work transcends mere reporting; it offers a rich tapestry of human experiences that resonate deeply with readers, urging them to reflect on the societal inequities that were further spotlighted during these tumultuous times. The stories woven through Faith and Fury are not just accounts of suffering but also of indomitable spirit, illuminating the paths taken by those fighting against insurmountable odds.