Early 2020 witnessed a massive protest among Indian Muslims after the introduction of the Citizen Amendment Act. Weeks later the country was gripped by the Covid pandemic. After months of prolonged lockdown, the year was punctuated with two consecutive cyclones. At this juncture, a check dam at Pondicherry started overflowing. Muslim families from nearby districts started arriving on a daily basis. The influx of people eventually turned the dam into a picnic spot of sorts, breaking all the stereotypes associated with women in burqas.