.....and the invisible Hands of Our Forefather's Blessed us gently by infusing an invisible strength and taking our capabilities to newer heights....! the ordeal of ill luck mopped with steady gains and strength to strength we grew.Archana was the driving force co operating ,tolerating and delivering and little Doel and Dad made comfortable.

so the parleys and negotiations paid off and acquiscence made....& the Phoenix Rose from its Ashes ultimately reaching the coveted destination...yes it happened three days back ...the hard work recognised.

So when Pann & Shyam play in the safe realms of their Ma ,,,I feel fulfilled having set the Clock back Right.It is a promise fulfilled to my family ,my greater family,most importantly my creators my Mother & Father.....!

the Castaway

........busy it really was.From the urbane locales of Gurgaon ,with a plus 4000sft freedom,not so long ago,the corrugated sheet roofed house was a distant cry.With potable water stashed in a sintex tank of last seasons rain to drink and shallow well water for ablutions took out the best in Archana as a homemaker and Doel and her Dad spun around her kept her ever busy...!
The first weeks heat and stuffy atmosphere saw a 12btu Mcquoy being set up for 600usd and the bedroom looked like heaven with a 14inch TV displaying Star Plus.The freshness salvaged Doel who spent most of the time there.We learnt in adversity that how a half eaten chilly can be preserved for the next session for want of it.Yes,Vegetables were scarce in those islands and an occasional rough sea would jeopardise supply from Male'.However,ruthlessly we motivated and even got a Mazda B323 sedan for touring the quartet of Islands of Fonadhoo,Kadhhoo,Mandhoo & Gan all linked by causeways built by Japan.This led to us access to more habitable plantation islands for a steady supply.......!

Like the Phoenix as it rose from its ashes....!!

Last three days were Parleys and Negotiations......!!The resurrected patient appointment list and the cell phone rang incesantly like Kansor Ghanta(bells) of a Mandir really kept my hands ful.And Lo! finally the Phoenix rose from its ashes!!from the decimation unheard and uncalled for some 5 yrs back.

When the dilapitated structure with all our Father's telltale signs was rejuvenated some 10 yrs back the satisfaction was immense there were bricks laid down by forefathers which were reutilised after resurrection and the marathon took an year in 2000AD many found a livelihood in that establishment...!the satisfaction immense.

Side by side ,1300kms away in North India a new era was ushered in 1037 sec

31 Gurgaon with the same zeal and enthusiasm...!

The tumultous period that followed led to a cascade of events and decimation was near total complete..!

The Castaways landed 4000km down south with hopes and prayers on their lips in 2007 Jan and were banished further 228 kms down south of Male'Atoll near Equator in Laam Fonadhoo.After a long time an average of 50 pts in a day kept me terribly busy

Maatam..........

The colossal tragedy that struck us in the form of Mangalore Crash is hard to digest...

Teeray eshe Toreey Doba( you sank when you almost reached the shore) is hard to comprehend.Having landed umpteenth time,since '98 I can feel how anticipitory one's mind can be and how mobiles will buzz as soon as touchdown.Expats who perished upon homecoming ....a sad end to many an enterprising and also many a fledgling life.

That survival is a wonder we are reminded time and again by cruel fate....!

Let Good Lord Grant them Eternal peace and home.

It is a dream far too fetched when all forms of travel will be 100% safe and foolproof.

We are still it seems grappling with technology and human error.

I propose therefore that utmost research and measures be taken to improve our safety and security records.Checks and cross checks,standby and backups should be the order of the day.

Being a scientific man I feel still we are in a primitive age,and we are wasting precious time and energy in Non issues and taking things very casually and callously.

Modernity in the truest sense is yet to be attained and lots of effort need to be made....!

Notun Athithi

Last two days have been hectic,and the depression in Bay of bengal had a profound effect on the clime here,in as much we preferred to stay indoors with just essential shoppings..!There is sporadic Dengue and Mahabub passed away in IGMH( Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital ) in a short span.Dengue ,Chikungunya are endemic in some Islands and HFMD(Hand Foot & Mouth Disease) has a regular arrival and departure.
When I was in Laam Atoll in Hadhunmathi :Fonadhoo I was warned by MOH about a possible HFMD outbreak.The Pattern is Island after Island get affected, one by one, much akin to Locust invasion.The warning was in May2007 and our Island reported the first case in July the coxsakie virus knocked at our doorsteps after ravishing other nearby Atolls.We were geared and first week was panic in the populace for the virus mostly affected kids and I had cases literally everyday pouring with constitutional symptoms and otherwise just with ulcers of hand ,foot and mouth.For full two months we bravely faced the onslaught and finally the virus waned and invaded other Atolls.This was my first brush with an epidemic and successfully we warded of the challenge.
Those were the days when I & Archana used to regularly check little Doel's anatomy literally everyday.But the stringent aseptic precautions and quarantine I developed for my fledgling family kept us safe and No communicable Diseases ever touched us there.On the contrary little Doel never had a slight indisposition there and thoroughly explored the Islands and other Islands linked by causeways in our Mazda B323.
These sparsely habitated Islands at these latitudes are endemic for many diseases with high morbidity but low mortality.Hence this is the land for the General Practitioner who is nothing but a reverred King.....!!ably assisted by an efficient Health Care delivery system.

Roogi ,Bhoogi ,& Shookhi

The Clinic burst into its seams yestday with Clinical & Medicals pouring on all sides.The rain God have felled many a Hero and like wet cat they poured in ..Never was such a heady cocktail of cases.For the Medicals Malay,Indonesia,China.Italiano,Francaise,Deutsche,Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India flooded my table.Jobseekers from all part make a bee line and I am the ultimate hurdle they have to cross.The Resorts of adjoining Atolls have a sizable clientele and seek on my cell aptts.which I regulate .They are a priority for they have return boats and Air Taxi schedules ,the follow ups are telephonic and sms prescriptions are dominant.I have ensured a service in remoteness at least...!!
In lieu,jaggery from Faridpur and Ghee from Comilla will reach me reminding me of my roots which lay in Bhanga ,Faridpur.
Half of my genes are from that part of the world and no wonder why a note of chord have been rightly struck.It all started at the turn of millineum where I was drawn into the vortex of my native place in Katihar,the support of our roots still nurturing in a foreign land...!!Now its almost a decade of unflinching support of our forefathers invisible hands!!

The Last 24 hrs D day

Last evening was rushing to the National Library to return The Muslims of India by Mujeeb.The library admin closes at 8pm.Despite best intentions and having an impressive tally of never ending patients I reached at 8.20pm.Since it was the last day of without default I pleaded.After deliberations it was accepted.The thought of returning something without default thrilled me.Though the plea for..! a re issue was not accepted for that day.The treatise a wonderful work by Prof.Mujeeb on the evolution of the Muslim in India in otherwise a Hindu land and how commonality was there between the two communities.Snaking through the sections of the National Library reminded the attachment to the same in SXSS(St.Xavier's School Sahibganj) where I frantically searched for Edgar Rice Burroughs :Tarzan.I still can scent a book not so unfamiliar few racks away....!!

The mad rush continued in the morning to Stelco and Mwsc offices viz; State Electric Co.& Male'Water & Sewerage Company Pvt Ltd for the Deadline day for clearing last mths bill.Doel accompanied and we sped in a taxi .Doel generated the tokens and was happy waiting for her turn.The 5yr old had all sorts of Queries and learnt, that, if you do not switch off unecessary fans and lights you pay more.I was thrilled to pay 200Mrf less since after a recent strike the fuel surcharge was waived.Diesel based gensets are responsible for Island power and there are no powercuts.

The spillage continued ,since it was already 11.30 am and 1200hrs being prayertime all shops will close I was torn between a mobile shop and Book shop.:the former for Archana and latter for Doel.Archana badly needed a new set and Doel's color books and 4 ruled had to be purchased.After having Doel's we managed to a cell shoppe just ,back home ,as we take a local train in motion.Once we were in ,the CLOSED sign was on outside,but customers who are in can shop at their own pace.In Male' all business establishment adhere to the Closed & Open timings&sometimes it can be frustrating.....!!

Barso Re Barso Re...!

The culmination of four days of courtship between the Wind and The Clouds finally deluged us today.O what a showery spell it was.I was apprehensive of my Evening Clinic going Bust,but in the end it was business as usual,and lot of patients reported.
Amongst the Medicals for fitness. a 55yr od French-Aussie turned up having been hired by a leading Edu group for augmenting their schemes.In as much ,Maldives still lack an University and GCSE UK O & A Level are available.Most Maldivians prefer India,Malaysia,Singapore,Thailand,Uk,Russia for Mgmt,Engg.Medical and software courses and Florida is a popular training grounds for Maldives Air Taxi,Trans Maldive Air ,Maldivian i.e erstwhile Island Aviation. Male' is the favored destination for other Atoll Islanders for education ,business purposes.Having lived with family in Laam Atoll in 2007 I can really feel what remoteness could mean and what demigod status Male' with all its hustle bustle and modernity mean to the simple islanders of Maldives....!!

Chhutti arr Hutoputi,lutoputi...

Friday resonated with mild sun,intense breeze and Sun God playing truant forced us to go outdoors.Doel was excited and gobbled up her breakfast in record time which hitherto would go cold on another day..!Arnav trotted feverishly in the walker anticipating a whiff of fun in the air.
The lagoon in Male' was reverbrating with waves and the crystal clear water and sand underneath glimmering as the wind caught its speed...!We had a hell of a time and dropped dead in our Aparts.in no time,once we were done .Luckily ,Lunch was already , as Archana had the wisdom of preparing it prior to dep.
Tomorn ,again no school for Doel and mine Evening clinic will mean extended sleep time.and Archana is happy about that..
The pix are latest for happy viewing....!!

Loading Dose....

The streak of Good weather further augmented today and the wind speed is formidable....though it creates hurdles in the sea being rough and inter island transport is slow and jeopardised.The speed boats would jump high and fall on the rough sea with a thud and journey is tiring....the amount of travelling amidst resorts and island is hard to believe.The local airports and international is ever busy and sea plane transfer is common......

Dwitiyo Khorak....!

Male' again is in the grip of a pleasant weather spell.As I was inching towards the Laundry with a sack of clothes to be utilised in the ensuing fortnight ,I was greeted with a fresh burst of cool winds which instantly dried up the sweat shirt,which I was donning since late afternoon.
Last month had been unusually warm and humidity was high.
Male' is known for its pleasant evenings with the Indian Ocean Breeze having a profound sobering effect on the sunny weather of the day.
Its a city and country of joint ventures with practically all nationalities here....harmoniously living together with the island populace.Interestingly ,the local language Dhivehi with its origin in Sanskrit,Pali and Arabic is well spoken by the predominantly expat. Bangladeshi workforce.
Sometimes a Tamil patient will speak to me in Dhivehi about his ailment to which I will reply in Dhivehi which is the common Denominator: a strong point in this liberal modern Islamic Democratic Republic.

Notun Jatra

With all ye Blessings Thakur! we start the sailings amidst the serene dark waters of Indian Ocean, in quest of success, happiness and true identity.........!yes its Male' calling on all ye denizens of civilized society to share and relish the thoughts and travails in this tiny nation of Maldives!

To begin with ,on 25th Baisakh(Bangla) 150th Rabindra Jayanti was celebrated under the aegis of The High Commission Of India,here in the Faculty of Management auditorium. H.E : Tourism Minister Maldives ,High Commissioner of India,High Commissioner of Bangladesh and Officiating High Commissioner SriLanka shared the dias.A host other dignitaries graced the occasion.

H.E High Commissioner of India opened address and stressed on Literary pursuits and exchange and recited a poem of Tagore,which was followed by an address of Maldives Tourism Min.who urged larger participations for his Maldivian brethren .The keynote address was delivered by Bangladesh High Commissioner on Rabindranath Thakur and lucidly portrayed his epic journey from childhood to fame.

Then,followed the innauguration of the orientalstudies.org web site which would further the literary pursuits in this part of the world.

The cultural programme followed with songs from Geetobitan and recitations from Sanchoita by a host of participants :a fitting tribute to Tagore in a small and humble way in this Island Nation.