......As the Year Zoomed past....!!!!

....Thursdays r spl days & late Thursday evenings back home frm the Clinic r even more spl....the whirlwind movement of the working week comes to a grinding halt with the prospect of late rise of a holiday Friday...!!....astonished to note though how fast the yr zooms by like a superfast train with the Outer,  home , starter & advanced starter signals all green in the midst of the nite rocking the foundations of a sleepy station....the resolution of the 2014 Dec end of  Voluminous reading & copius writing to flood the foundations of "PrObas" the thn new abode , is neck to neck in race with Time & the Superfast  passage of the Yr .....not to left behind is the Work frnt, with additional clientele....!!!.....The travel desk sees an equally fruitful experience of Eastern & North Eastern  India , the North homecoming nd imminent departure to Western India coming 22nd.....hence practically this  is the last Thursday of the year in the Maldives isles......glad to  hv Rediscovered India ....both by Travel & a book which will remain permanently entrenched in the Heart till its last beat : Pandit Nehru's "Discovery Of India"......India is a harmonious society the West finally acknowledged  day before Yesterday.....200 million Muslims living harmoniously with their Hindu , Christian , Sikh, Parsee brethren....the PSLVs carrying Singapore satellites in Orbit.....the Bullet Trains now no longer a distant reality....peaceful Nuclear Power programme  supported by International partners .....Google targeting(Wifi) the  numerous Rly Stns of India with Sundar Pichai  declaring at SRcc Delhi....I can sniff of a strong wind of change  blowing into India....the Himalayas to the North & the Ocean on the other three directions....truly India's Unity is stable , naturally protected & conducive for a sustained growth of its people amidst Diversity......the GOD gifted Geography holding the  boquet of Diversity frm Times Immemorial.....!!!!

......Bullet Train on the Anvil.....

.....Japanese Bullet Train made in India is a dream come tru now tht the deal is awarded pipping China....projected at a cost little less thn the Bihar Package, its a landmark decision of GOI....India is a Huge Country & Bullet trains & its Prototypes crisscrossing wil be witnessed in the decades to come....The now proposed Mumbai Ahmedabad Corridor , possibly extending upto Delhi will be a fillip to Passenger carriage for the robust population......Mr Easwaran & Konkan Rly & DMRC hv in recent times hv energised the Traffic in no uncertain terms in recent Past....Travelling in the Metro Rail frm HUDA City Centre to Chandni Chowk ,I think of Mr Easwaran , who to me is an Icon of Progress....We need massive transporting modules ....Ecofriendly.......Lucky we r abound with people like him abreast & abound in a Vision of India's rapid path of growth....The Udhampur Jammu Katra sections of IR is a landmark in  connectivity, professionally executed , not to spk of BG conversion in The NE another region needing massive connectivity to put the people thr in the main stream.....amidst all Global abyss I find India ....full of hope raring to Go....!!!!....Pt Nehru's lament  & analysis in the 'Discovery Of India' of a stiffled nation under foreign domination......catapulting him to initiate a massive Road map for a Modern Industrialized India as soon as we were Free....every single line ignites, excites, enthralls , propels for Free India....never before can thr be any book so clear in Vision of a Road map for India.....!!!....I am Glad to Discover the relevance of this must read treatise if U luv ur Country.....With the advent of the Bullet train I see a huge ray of Hope as I had felt whn the PRS was computerised..........69th Yr of Independence , after , nearly 200 yrs of Foreign domination.....this is the looking Glass thru which we  hv to analyze & compare .........the progress made is phenomenal....evolving.....embracing technology...amidst all anarchy in diversity, amidst all the differences .........Whosever is at the helm.....thr is a vibrant Democracy...... this  Juggernaut is not goin to stop or rest.....!!!!....Long Live India....!!!!

....A Resolve of a Summit.....never before so dear....!!!

....the Rains shud peter out any time now...thr will be dryness all around in the ensuing two mnths....Can't be too certain, as Climate Changes r rapid now....Earthquake, Vulcanism, unparrallel rainfull of 100 yrs.....al tht we witnessed this year , shatters our faith....Paris conf. still struggles...binding legislation :  the Goal of the summit....though still thr is a Dew on the Grass , the dragon Fly's incessant forays....the smiling Sun of a day...& the evening Star all to brite...the Full Moon : as Charming  as ever overseeing the now  restless Sea underneath...Fuming ,foaming & frothing but still its only the Routine Tide....which will ebb as usual...the LuniSolar almanac an epitome of the Unwavering , Unflinching; a measure of various epoch of time...!!!
....thr is a Challenge though to all these, all our own making of a foolishness, to the point of absurdity...Even & odd number Cars r the order of the Day now & rest assured more to follow suit....to the point of discomfort of an Unnatural existence, castigating Nature , felling & brutalizing....Gud tht the Slumber is giving way to some real thought provoking ideas at the Climate Change summit....Maldives Isles is leading the Chair of the Gr of Small Island Nations , who r in imminent threat....thr will a time surely this pristine archipelago will be a relic of the past under water....but surely it can be delayed unto eternity if proper Schemes r in place....!!!!

.....A Date with The Great Mahratthha Land....

......Mountains, Hills, Hillocks , Plateau, undulating terrain.....frm Rao Jodha's Mehran Garh  to Shivaji Maharaj's Sinhgadh....the sounds of a cavalry & a trot....the Guns now silent ,overlooking the Vista of a modern City, perched frm a height...& cool hilly breeze & Lush Green Forest yonder, respectively......its time to unravel the mystery , the Myths & Mysticism associated with these Structures dotting the landscape of  India.....the more Gud Lord  provides an allowance called  'Life' .....the more I fall in Luv with my Country.....the impending Holidays nd our footfalls now in Homeland imminent......thr will be a constant strain on the Ears to trap & listen to the Cavalry trots of yesteryrs in these deserted Forts , the ramparts cold wall igniting the Minds eye.....of stories of exemplary valour, the Vanquisher & the vanquished, of sounds of a rivulet , a stream like Lively inhabitants behind the facade of these Cold walls.....thr wil be a constant strain now on the Eyes, incessantly, boomeranging frm the Present to Past....thr wil be a Glade of Butterflies doing the Rounds....of a thrill ....of a  rediscovery....of our Own people......Civilization.....History ....& Evolution......as, Plans r afoot visiting this time the Great Mahrathha Land exclusively.....its time to drum up a Crescendo for the Children whose holidays hv just Begun......!!!.....its time to meet our fmlys nd frnds in  Mumbai, Pune & Nasik.....its Sahyadris & West India time for the Children Now....!!!!....as the Maps already projected  for a wk now , the stories told , the Dec Clime.....momentary bow yet again frm the Deep Blu Yonder : the Collossus holding us tight......!!!!!

....of Edgar Rice Burroughs & J K Rowling...!!!

....the school Hols r on....a distant trip on the anvil....a momentary delay....wht best thn Edgar Rice Burroughs...!!!...for those who r unaware of the Creator of "TarZan", its time to catch up on him & his epic Vols on Tarzan & other stories....lucky the bug bit me in mid seventies  wherein the Carmel Convent library had most of the vols & Edgar Rice Burroughs permanently imprinted on Memory....though a span of 40 yrs til date cud let me see the lite of his biography of this Great Adventure novelist of America...a Rancher, soldier, trader & war reporter & above all Novelist is the credential of this Great American whose Epic novels on Tarzan immortalized thru decades....U can't feel the essence of this write up if U hv not tasted Edgar Rice Burroughs....a must read for Children & adult alike....had to explain & motivate the children especially Doel tht books r always superior to its movie counterpart on the same subject, in tht it will be more exhaustive, impressive, food for thought, nd a thrill of reading further after a pause of a day...."Tarzan" never looked impressive, in cartoons, movies nd was a shade of wht its traced by Burroughs in  Volumes....the modern day kid need to be guided as a Gud Habit is Eternal....!!!!

....Whn Old Frnds come Calling.....!!!

.....Anand & Sangita r here....as I dashed to the Airport on 15th instant curtailing & adjusting the  morn clinic....for a vvip called a Classmate & his Wife; anything can be curtailed, anything can be adjusted ; any extent can be trudged for the Gr8 Re union .....I never knew whn, I last met him in Patna ,some may be, 23 yrs ago.....tht I wud meet him again in an Island some 23 yrs later......as both Fmlys meet in Joyous abundance....a sense of contentment & fulfillment engulfs us.....as he trotted out frm the Arrival gate thr cud be no doubt tht unmistakbly its him , the same buoyant , supremely confident & infectious comradeship he emanated as always.....it was as if I felt he had not parted at all , he was always thr, tucked away in one corner of the heart , always on mind as is all other dear frnds.....thr cud be only one frndship , nd thr cud Exist only one frndship, un polluted , undeterred , withstanding the ravages of time.... : ....tht of the Dear Classmate.....!!!!...Happy tht our professional course duration lingered a trifle more...Happy tht we spent time more with each other.....!!!...Happy tht our frndship is parked on a solid foundation as is evident with his arrival.....Archana made everything possible.....Children  seeing a 'Papa' Classmate for the first time.....nd thr were lot of queries frm thm.....Room No 2 G /SM hostel & first Room mate, tht was my answer....!!!....whn frnds come calling ur gait is more sprightly nd u pick up phones even more alertly....this was Archana's observation.....!!!!....Wish thm Gud Luck & a safe Journey tomorrow.....thr footprints registered on the sparkling white sands of the Tropical Isles on a "Friendly" territory....thts part of PMCH.....!!!!

.....The Festival Of Lite....Deepavali....!!!!

.....Sultan  Mahmud Gaznavi invaded thru the NW he was more interested in looting the people of India of its wealth so as to reconstruct his own Capital in a Fabulous manner as of Baghdad, Samarkand & Bukhara....focused nd fairly successful ,he was.......18 th Century Nadir Shah &  later Ahmed Shah Durrani despite their grisly campaign over Delhi & Amritsar could not snuff out the Festival of Lite "Deepavali", which still the people celebrated despite being under seige ....thus a spate of Invasions over the Centuries establishes a Foreign rule after rule, the majority of  Foreign Rulers amalgamated , adapted & adopted their New Home, such was the strength of the Civilization....the Britishers could not...so they Colonised...& finally Overthrown....freed in 1947 AD....a 5000 yr old Civilization couldn't be mowed & trampled, dismembered frm her hoary Ancient past.........with a huge skillset of Surviving the Onslaught, adapting, adopting , altering to an extent to come out unscathed...its Spirit of Tolerance getting the better of the Foe.....nd finally subjugating it...by assimilation of a mutually Respectful co existence.....of all Faiths, Caste & Creed ...with the passage of time a New Vibrant, Freed India emerged.....!!!!.....This is the Strength of India...not acquired overnite or by military might ....just by evolution Of her Faith & Spirit....the Flagbearer of Many a Civilization....thts why we survived & continue to survive. , deeply Rooted, Well entrenched......Whr is the unfounded Fear?....nd in whose mind it is Lurking ...?...it is the Ignorant mind which is out of Pulse of The DNA of The Nation & its Evolution....Ignorance can be a bane....but being ignorant knowingly can be disastrous & Harakiri....& False Pride Hath a Fall....In India thr is no 1st Class or 2nd Class Citizenship....The Concept of India is in a Melting pot....forte of the massively Proud Indian  populace.....The Great Land Of Faith : Bihar hv shown us the Way....as always..!!!! 

....One Life is Enough....!!!!

9th Nov....to be born in 'Bharatvarsha', in the cradle of Civilization, in the Holy Land of Baba Baidyanath(Baidyanathdham), in the lap of parents whose Love knew no bounds, amidst siblings who always like a bedrock foundation, .....growing up in education  with the Carmelite order, followed by Jesuits, subsequently the  Haloed Institutions &  Company , in the making of the Service Provider.....!!!!....Can't ask for more....Good Lord has been too kind, too liberal & truly Forgiving....!!!!.....in a distant land across the seas....sparkling white sand  of  countless lagoon & reef....with the Little ones....in desolate Coves, Virgin beach.... & gusts of Wind.....Winds so Cool & Serene....!!!!....the thundering menacing Clouds .....bursting....drenching , soothening , throwing all of us in a Spin.....!!!!...the Evaluation  ....so dear now....of  things  not so near, not so accessible & not so for Guaranteed......here again Morn & Eve , Day in & Day out the service continues ....of a touch of innumerable people ....of  a Face of countless Misery ....of being a human...of being alone....of being harassed....of being in Penury....of a Smile , so thus , as generated.....of a Camaraderie so Just as needed.....of a healing touch , so thus  as felt........so much ,so wanted.....!!!!!....of treasure  trove of a memory , a contentment , a Discovery.....!!!!.....as if One Life is enough....!!!!.....Thanking all frnds & Fmly for all their Good Wishes for another innings of Life....!!!! 

....The Experiment of an Alliance...

........Grand Alliance Wins in Native State....an Experiment : nd its awaited fruition......this quote, courtesy TOI, is Frm Kalyan Bigha the native 'Gaon'(village) of Bihar CM .......Having served in these areas in late Nineties, with Rly Stns & codes as  viz; Bakhthiyarpur  (BKP), Nawada(NWD), Rajgir(RGD) & Biharsharif(BEHS)....can feel the Pulse of the people......Bihar is his who knows her pulse nd who is deeply rooted to its soil....identity matters in Bihar, Uniqueness matters in Bihar, for tht reason Caste also matters in Bihar ....Quote"........Panchayat member Rajnish Kumar says Kalyan Bigha has a population of 6,000 and 1,665 voters. Kurmis are the single-most numerical caste, followed by kahars and manjhis. "Samucha gaon teer hai (The entire village has voted for arrow, JD-U's poll symbol)," says Diku Ram, a 26-year-old kahar who ferries people in a makeshift auto to Harnaut, the nearest bazaar. He is a direct beneficiary of the newly-tarred roads connecting Kalyan Bigha from several directions that were laid out during Nitish's reign. Unlike the doubters, Diku is still betting 16 annas (100 per cent) on the gathbandhan that includes Lalu Prasad's RJD and Congress....."Unquote....I wish the Grand alliance a Success of a heady mixture of their Pride of a Caste & Development....This is going to be an Experiment of sorts....it will be a turning point in Bihar's history if these Pride is wel taken care off.....Long Live The People Of Bihar...!!!!

......Untouchability & Politics.......!!!

....Bihar is known for Democracy since the inception of Civilization.....as she goes to the final rounds of Polls tomorrow, to elect a new legislature....thr is an undercurrent of a thrill as to wht the electorate hv decided......the Roads r gud now, but the power situation still grim.....much to be desired nd Job opp. for its teeming youth, need much needed attention.....no longer the formidable Bihar of our childhood : a truncated state after the creation of Jharkhand....baffling though is lack of Newer Leadership in such a Politically conscious State as  for the last 30 yrs the Political Players r still the same....all greyed....thr is no Untouchability in Bihar now : I mean Political.....thr r alliances of hitherto opposite formations to thwart Mr Modi & his Juggernaut.....for the very first time Direct Contests will be witnessed nd the mandate definitely will be decisive......Human Memory is short.....the destruction of a Resourceful State having being effected after Independence ,gradually.....must salute the People for philosophical forbearance as it is the Land of Great faiths , Civilization & a Chequered History.....to spk ill of Biharis is speaking ill of the Indian Civilization as Bihar was the Spearhead of the vibrant civilization called India.....thr is something in the soil of Bihar, something in her  air, something in its water flowing as Rivers.....something very Philosophical.....something steeped in History......something as Resilience....something as Contentment.....something whr Time stops....something whr the Mind is freed.....something as abundantly laid back......& something as a Deep Rootedness to the Soil......Can't but help salute her people....for whtevr dispensation is let in, it has to be for the good.....for their is too much Goodness abundant in her air , sufficient to Overcome & Overwhelm as she has often done in millennia aft millennia in the Cycle of her Evolution.......Wishing her all the V Best for Wresting her Rightful Place under The Sun....!!!!....Long Live My Native State....!!!!

...The Status...!!!

....Today Friday....spent Quality time with Fmly....tomorn the Service resumes....last day of the mnth....by far the busiest mnth in recent memory....day after, the New Mnth will herald a new Chapter , wherein Male' bound pts frm far flung Islands , Atolls, resorts will "Bee" in for the ensuing Fortnight...too many Boats, a host many SeaPlanes & Domestic will ferry in the Wrk populace, scattered thruout the Archipelago for our Care & Service.....hv to brace up for Urgent Inv., Urgent management & Urgent Referals....for, thr will be return ferries, al scheduled nd chalked out & to top it al the Local clientele ,Ubiquitous, footfalls & more footfalls....the Magnificient , Munificient Team here rising upto the Occasion as always....Good Lord be with us.....!!!!

.....Of Buggalows, ....in the 19th Century (small Traders boats plying between Ceylon & Maldives..).....& of Sea Planes & Safari Cruises of our Times

...François Pyrard de Laval (ca. 1578 – ca. 1623), a French Navigator Shipwrecked in the Maldives isles, gives a first hand account of the Isles to the Western Press...a treacherous sea dotted with Equally treacherous Reefs of a countless group of Islands....later a host many visitors frm Ceylon, India & Europe donned the mantle of a blue moon  revered Guest, in these pearls of The Indian Ocean....generating accounts of authentic nature....those were the halcyon days of Sultans :an Aristocracy & the creation of the Thana Script of Modern Day Dhivehi Language for :Dhivehi Rajje(Kingdom of the Dhivehis)a quietly, tucked away kingdom in The Indian Ocean, on the Chagos ridge frm Chagos(Diego Garcia)archipelago to our own Laccadives...insulated by the Coral reefs as natural Defense frm marauders.....not too many could....a short stint of British rule & even shorter Portuguese...the Arabs thou transited on their voyages to far east and left their tell tale signature on the Faith & exposure to the Islamic World, frm a quiet Budhhist past...the aborigines slowly being touched & exposed to outer influence : Africa, Mid East, India & Ceylon...by & large the old customs & traditions r intact....a free spirited community...& quite uninhibited I believe....the Dhivehi Language is interesting & simple with an admixture of Arabic, Sanskrit, Pali...Our own Minicoy dialect is the same....nd many words & their pronunciation is close to Bengali...like Furothoma(Prothom), Balis(Pillow), Atah(Custard apple), Mas(Machh), Kalo(Black), Tirish(Thirty), Naeyee(not there)...I like the word & Song dance programme of "Hithu Vindhu"  , Hithu means Heart & Vindhu is Pulse...despite being Insular for a long period of time...the language , the Culture flourished.....Art is one aspect, is seen to be believed....The National Art Gallery hosting many an Exhibition of fine paintings & miniature depiction....& incredible is a Dhivehi Signature...it is as if Calligraphy at its best....the younger generation hv  caught up well with the Rest of the Globe,loves Bollywood & Hollywood, sing very well & Play instruments at ease... utilizing significantly the Communication Revolution...Sometimes in addition to their Local Numbers ,The Elderly wil listen to old Lata-Rafi & Mukesh numbers & in some Taxis perchance a sr driver will hook on to Hindi, melodious, Oldies....The locals & The expats are like "Cog & Wheel", keeping the Economy of the Tiny Nation Moving....the recently Ushered Democracy :Birth Pangs, hiccoughs notwithstanding is in the process of Evolution , as is it , elsewhere....yet must Congratulate the system here for managing, Efficiently, commendably, a Logistically Difficult Island nation at The Equator with far flung Atolls & their respective Units of an Island....The Pearl In the Indian Ocean...!!!!

The Transit.....!!!!

......thr is no end to a search for an elusive peace, free frm strife & a restless state of a breakneck speed for an even more elusive state of mind of contentment......The Holy Mnth brings surreptitiously a clad of a balm of paramount significance for our Mortal lives....Ma has arrived to deliver us frm grief , exalt us to an altar of some relevance of an otherwise banal spirit, dotted nd punctuated at every step, every nook & corner of frivolous sense of achievement...the elusive state of the mind of Contentment......truly "Morttay ashiyechen Ma , Dukhho Horon Korite...."  : Ma has arrived to deliver us frm evil....the Evil in ourselves....It is an ethereal experience here , surrounded by Sea & incessant Downpour....we feel Her Divine presence as we fall in line in our dwelling to rise upto the Occasion in our own miniscule humble way of a submission of a Prayer.....As, we witness the "Belur Mathth" Pujan Live , thr is a sense of placid calmness engulfing & pervading the Atmosphere...As, the Arati is performed, thr is a thrill & happiness of being a witness to the Pujan.......the Children visited Belur Mathth this June.....they r happy to see the Temple on screen ,which they recognise readily.....glad , tht the Rituals so close to heart , being explained by me & Archana ,as we grapple to face a volley of incessant queries....!!!!...It was not possible to cross the Laccadive Sea yet again for Homeland....as thr r advisories of outbreaks, & more so due to the demand of an Unflagging Zeal & tenacity at wrk :.....for eliciting some semblance of a smile frm a tired sick face......for it is pouring cases now.....a testing time for the Trust entrusted....As we crave in this critical moment for Debi Ma's "Daya Drishti" :(Blessings) not only for us but for all.....the Spiritedness of the 5000yr old Civilisation embalming us , comforting us, protecting us, Exalting us,...such is the Power of Indianess ....as "The Discovery Of India" by Pt.Nehru gets Re issued for the 3rd time..... the Chapter on Philology underway...a discussion on Sanskrit...the Mother of all Languages......the Pujan Chants underway.....a vigorous Soul search....a Rootedness par excellence....cannot but touch us , feel us, Bless us for being a part of a great Lineage of Our Civilisation......with Moist eyes yet again, with Folded hands We r in this Inexplicable , Joyous Transit , gearing up for the Heartfelt Adieu , of an  imminent "Bijoya"......

....Advent Of The Goddess Durga , Durgati nashini....!!!!

....With Mahalaya slated for tomorn,& with the end of PitriPaksha,  Debi Paksha wil be Ushered in.....thr is a butterfly in the Air , doing the rounds, the palpable excitement of the imminent advent of Ma Durga to Martyalok(Earth).....time to congratulate Fellow faithfuls for seeing the Light of yet another Durga Pujan , with al its grandeur , of Tradition steeped in spirituality, ushering in the Holy mnth of festivities through out India & the World......reverting to the the dew clad grassy fields , & Dawn  chill , the fragrance of an aroma of Shiuli flower......& dead sure its Mahalaya....& surely its the Immortal rendition Of  "MahishaSur Mardini " by Birendra Krishna Bhadro crackling , bubbling,cascading down the Ether net....with the progression to 'Chandi pathh' , its one herculean moment of Soul Search  in transport , spellbound &with moist eyes...... as we welcome Ma Durga the destroyer of "Asur" : The Evil....!!!!.....The Ancient Land & its Ancient visitors , of Ved, Upanishads, Vedanta & Purans & Epics.....the Flood gates of North West where many a People crossed over , the Hall mark Indianess spreading far & wide, of Aryavarta & BharatVarsha, of  Foreign Invaders who felt at home & adopting & adapting to this Great land of ours....!!!!....of a celebration of Life in the form of difft. Religion, Colorful riot of  cultures & Tradition.....the Ultimate Cauldron of Excellence in Culture thru which flowed all the Faculties of humanity ,copiously....a sustenance tool for the Rich Civilization, far more strong , far more flexible, far more Resilient, far more Pure & Long standing & Durable.....: Deeply Rooted....nothing can change the Spirit of the Nation : Come wht may....for its in our DNA , to absorb & imbibe, to adapt & adopt & Embrace, with such ancient precedence....for an Ultimate : "The Triumph Over Evil........!!!!!.".........Wishing all Frnds & Fmly 'Happy Navaratra & Durga Puja Celebrations ....!!!!!'

....Scarce......Sparse.....Oblivion.....Obituary.......!!!!

.....Munshi Premchand is a "thing of past..."....his nearly 14 Novels & 300 short stories though stil thr, illuminating the Hindi section of many a Library.....Gorakhpur was his wrk place first as a teacher & later on as a Freedm fighter inspired by Gandhiji.....many a wrk revolved around the East UP city of Gorakhpur.....notwithstanding, though,... tht the City didn't remember him during his 79th Death anniversary...thr was no programme both frm the State & Private....Premchand & Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay were two litterateur whose wrks revolved on reality & contemporary conditions ......superbly humane & touching .....a maverick combination in Hindi & Bangla Literature.....to grow up with noblety & earnestly for grooming a Humane Heart in the early yrs....God ! Blessed be our land replete with such treatise.....!!!.....So, Human Memory : shortlived & shortsighted , is all but a natural ally for forgetting the Doyens of Civilization.....Gorakhpur is just an example......the present world & its Genre care little abt in the face of Scientific advancement ....involving a speed of restless development ......the thought process now ,flogged incessantly to material development , a hunger & Greed , Dogmatic, assuming Megalomania.....the Passage of Time .....bulldozing & reframing the Mind set.....& Humanity at its Lowest Ebb as evident recently.....there is a kind of speedrace : inexplicable, restless, tormenting the mind.....so its just logical tht Munshi Premchand won't find a place in the current scenario.....though his treatise is all the more relevant upholding the basic tenets of Civilization ......Premchand lives in our Hearts & no matter, however & Whtever the Selfish memory permits ....he will continue to be a shining Beacon for pathways tht has been Long Lost.....!!!!.....Long LIve Munshi Premchand .....!!!!!!  

...2nd October.....

...........Wud like to Greet Fellow countrymen on this auspicious occasion of  "Gandhi Jayanti"....the evening agenda is @ Indian Cultural Centre( ICC), whr we will congregate for a reminiscence on MK Gandhi :The Father Of the Nation.....Doel is slated for a speech, for which she has prepared wel enough & a skit too with other Children......Lucky we r stil in the old world charm , thanking our countrymen here & strengthening our Roots with our Homeland : far away, across the Seas...We have not Forgotten ,  or , let alone, Forget ,abt doubting the significance of such a congregation....for The Father Of the Nation is Very dear &  India Dearer......J L Nehru's "Discovery Of India " as it unfolds in the Reading hrs , now often late night ,on the bed,aft a taxing Late EveConsultations permeating to often an 11pm....a flight to a quest of Rediscovering our Motherland....soothening every frayed nerves &  every aching muscles ....pages aft. pages there is value addition & a hunger for more & more...the haze of Ignorance slowly & gradually Lifting up ....a new found Enthusiasm & Excitement pervading , frm the Infectious  nature of the narrative....thr cannot be any era, a time frame or a "GuzraZamana"( yrs long past) for  imbibing Knowledge, rediscovering , re evaluating, re learning , rejuvenating , & above all Rejoicing for being an Indian....thr r millions of a reason for such Rejoicing whn U open the inner Realms of the Mind's Eye, soaking up all the info ur hungry mind needs to be satiated.....U Only Live Once .....I believe tht in Toto......better Late thn Never......!!!!!....as the First 28 pgs of.. " Brother's Against The Raj " by Historian ,Prof Leonard A.Gordon  of The City Univ Of New York, a biography of Sarat & Subhas Chandra Bose was devoured  by the Midnite Oil ....a sense of linkages frm past reads, appeared to hv been firmly established.....the mind clearing up & information duly appreciated.....This Good Morn of the 2nd October 2015 , the Birthday of The Father Of The Nation : MK Gandhi augurs wel ,of a premonition, of a Resurgent Indian Civilization : Mother of All Civilization .....Long Live MK Gandhi ....!!!!!.....Long Live India.....!!!!

.......Back to Square one.........The Discovery of India....!!!

  ……… "नैशनल लाइब्रेरी " में नेताजी पर किताब ढूंढने लगे तो ,नेहरू जी का " द डिस्कवरी ऑफ़ इंडिया " हाथ लगा। …मैने सोचा यह बहुत अच्छा हुआ : पहले नेहरू जी का फिर से पढ़ लिया जाए , फिर नेताजी ……। किम्बदंती ,बहु चर्चित ,बिबादित पुरुष हैं : यह सभी महापुरुष  …। हमारी  अपनी पुस्तैनी हवेली मे स्थित "किरण कुटीर पाठागार :स्थापित १९४२" में इस किताब को पहली दफा देखा था । ………किरणबाला मेरी दादी थी.…। १९०२ मे दादाजी, लार्ड कर्ज़ोंण द्वारा ,बंगाल पार्टीशन के पहले, पुर्बी बंगाल से बिहार चले आए……और  कटिहार मे बस गए   ....और कई साल बाद  बिरासत मे मिली, यह पाठागार की किताबें :अनमोल ।....यह पहली शिक्षा थी। …… हर दोपहर को चुपके से, मैं ,एक अलमारी खोलता और एक 'डस्टी' झुरझुर किताब निकालता .....मुझे  पता होता था, किताब की घ्राण से, की ,वह कितना पुराना होगा । …… मुझे अभी भी याद  हैं  "बंकिमचन्द्र चट्टोपध्या" द्वारा लिखी गयी रचनाबली की हालत बहुत संगीन  था : राजसिंघ ,देबिचौधुरानी , आनंदमठ ,  इंदिरा, सीताराम को बार बार मे पढ़ता था , बहुत हिफाज़त से ,और शरतबाबू को तस्सली से। ……जब मार्क ट्वेन की "एडवेंचर ऑफ़ हखलेबेर्री फिन" हाथ लगा : मेरी पहचान अमेरिका की हुई  ....... एक 'वाइड विस्टा' नज़र आया  …उस खान की कोहिनूर : एलेग्जेंडर डुमा : " द  काउंट ऑफ़ मोंटे क्रिस्टो", जब रोम  रोम मे समां गए : एड्मोंड दन्तेस और मर्सेडेस की मरसै (फ्रांस) बंदरगाह  के पटभूमि पर प्यार,और बदला की कहानी ....मुझे लगा इससे अच्छा और कुछ  हो ही नहीं सकता । …… पर जब ,हिंदी मे "पंच परमेश्वर" , :प्रेमचंद ,को पढ़ा ,तो घमासान छिड्ड गया। …… एक से बढ़ कर एक किताब …य़ेअत्स, शैली, शेक्सपियर की समग्र , गुरुदेव की संचयिता ,नज़रुल , सुकांत। एक भूचाल सा उन अलमारियों मे था, जिसका एकमात्र वारिस मे था। .... इसलिए जब मे नैशनल लाइब्रेरी  मे "द  डिस्कवरी ऑफ़ इंडिया" देखा तो ठिठक कर  रुक गया ……मानो यह सभी किताबे मुझे 'वेलकम बैक' कह रही हैं....!!!!!
    

..."The Deep Blue "....!!!

…....... दोएल , को आज , पृथ्वी की  दस  बड़ी  नदियां  के बारे मे  पढ़ाया  …… ३ दिनों   की छुट्टी है। …जबरदस्त मौका हैं। …सुबह सुबह  माले  शहर  का  तीन चक्कर  काटा  हमने   …… सुबह  की  ड्राइव मजेदार होती हैं   .... कहीं भी रुक जाओ समुन्दर को छू लो   .... दोएल  कबूतर के साथ खेलने लगी और अर्णव  और  मैं  सुनामी  मीनार  के  लगून   मे  प्राइम एलिमेंट नाम्नी समुन्दर मे  एकाकार  हो गए। …ंन  जाने कितनी बार हमने इस समुन्दर को छुआ हैं।  .... हर बार  थपेड़े  खाते…मछलियो  के साथ डुबकी  लगाते और  रोमांचित होते हैं  …… बहुत ही छोटा महसूस होता है  अथह   सागर के  सामने …समुन्दर  की गर्जन और  बच्चो  का कलरब  ....  एक   ठहरा हुआ  पल   …… कोरल  को छूता  हुआ  पाँव   …एक अरसे के  बाद  ....इस  शहर  से  एक गहरा  नाता  …जुड़ता   नजर आया  .... बहुत कुछ  दिया इस समुन्दर ने। …मेरा  फेवरिट  " द  डीप  ब्लू  ".... दस  बड़ी  नदियां  पढ़ाते  पढ़ाते  ....... बहते चले गए   …।मिस्र  की  सभय्ता , अमेज़न  की रेन फारेस्ट , वोल्गा, लेना,यंगस्ते, टॉम  सॉयर और हक  फिन  की  मिस्सिस्सिपिमिस्सौरी  , और डाउन अंडर.... मुर्रे डार्लिंग  नदी  और  हमारी गंगा मैया  …… एक तार  गोमुख से  गंगासागर तक।   एक दिल से  जुड़ा  हुआ तार   …तरंगित  करता  ,दिल को छूता  , पबित्र   करता , इस   महासागर मे ....!!!!

....The Iconic Indian Hero....!!!!

....Now tht "BURMA ROAD" is over ....wil be rushing to the "National Library Male' "....Clouds Hovering over the Mind , now tht certain declassification is made in Kolkata.....too many questions ....nd too little Knowledge......

Quoting TOI from "QUORA"....."Are there any well known monuments or roads named after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose? Was Gumnami Baba infact Subhash chandra bose? When did Subhash Chandra Bose die? Is it justified to give any credit of India's freedom to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army? What are some famous stories about Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose? Why was Netaji Subash Chandra Bose expelled from Indian National Congress? What were the intentions of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose behind going "incognito"? What good did it do to him or India? What are the lesser known facts about the great Indian freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose? Why is Netaji Subash Chandra Bose more underrated than Mahatma Gandhi? Why is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose not remembered or recognised by the Indian government as much as the other freedom fighters? Did Subhash Chandra Bose ever meet Hitler? Was he planning an alliance with Germany during World War II? Why do people still think that India got independence because of Mahatma Gandhi and not Subhash Chandra Bose? What was Subhash Chandra Bose's vision of India? Netaji: What are some great stories about the Azad Hind Fauj that people know little about? Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: What's your view on the speculation that India has some secret files related to the 1945 disappearance of Independence struggle leader Subhash...

RELATED QUESTIONS What are the best books on Subhas Chandra Bose....".....UNQUOTE....

.......Wud be Hunting for 1) " THE SPRINGING TIGER" BY; Claude Hugh Toye,

2) "INDIA'S BIGGEST COVER UP" : By Anuj Dhar

3) ' AN INDIAN PILGRIM' & 'THE INDIAN STRUGGLE' ; NETAJI research Bureau

4) " HIS MAJESTY'S OPPONENT- SUBHASH CHANDRA BOSE & INDIA'S STRUGGLE AGAINST EMPIRE '...BY Sugata Bose

......Medical Memoirs....!!!!

…मै  मिस करता हूँ वह एक मीटर विजिबिलिटी वाले सर्दियों का स्कूटर
राइड , …गांधी मैदान की और ,एक्सहिबिशन रोड  के तरफ  से…रात  के  लगभग  ११ या १२ बजे  नाईट  शो फिल्म देख कर हॉस्टल लौटना  .... फिल्म  खत्म  होने  पर  वो  हड़बड़ा  के  हॉल  के सीढ़ियों  से  उतरकर , स्टैंड  से  स्कूटर  निकालना …और एक किक मे  स्टार्ट  करके   … गेट  के  बाहर  घना  कोहरा  मे  रोड  और  डीवाइडर  को  टटोलना   …और चुपके  से कोई  ऑटोरिकसाह  की  बैक लाइट  का सहारा लेना  .... मैदान का आधा  चक्कर  काट कर.....और बिल्कुल  अंदाज़ पे और भगवान भरोसे  हॉस्टल  पहुंचना ....आर्मी स्टाइल  जैकेट  और बिल्कुल  हिम शीतल  हेलमेट  मे मेस  मे  पहुंच  कर और  किचन और मेस की  गज़ब की गर्माहट  से  सुरक्षित  महसूस  करना , और प्यार से  रखा  हुआ खाना , मेस कर्मियों द्वारा , कभी भी भूल नहीं सकता  ....उस खाने  की  स्वाद और तृप्ति  का  अहसास   था  लाजवाब ……बेफिक्री  की  चोटी  मे था.... हमारा  तन और मन …!!!!! 

माय डिअर Bhal
……   क्या  जबरदस्त सॉफ्टवेयर है....इंग्लिश  टाइप कर रहा हूँ हिंदी छाप रहे हैं। …मानो की मेरी मुश्किल इतनी  जल्दी हल हो जायेगा…यकीन ही नहीं होता , और वह भी फुल स्पीड मे। …स्कुल , मे लोअर हिंदी पड़ा था क्योंकि हायर बंगला था …इसलिए   ,स्पेलिंग और ग्रामर गड़बड़ होगा …फिर भी कोशिश  कर सकता हूँ …लेकिन बहुत मजा आ रहा हैं। ।हैरान  हूँ की मैं इस सॉफ्टवेयर को पहले क्यों नहीं प्रयोग किया … ब्लॉगर को सलाम। गूगल को  सलाम, उम्मीद करता हूँ की आगे कुछ मेहनत  कर सकूँगा । मैने प्रॉमिस किया था की एटेम्पट करूँगा।  …ढेर  सारे शुभ कामनाये !!!!....सो द आईडिया इस व्हेर  देर  इस अ विल देर  इस ए  वे …!!!…एण्ड लैंगुएज इस नो बार फॉर 
हेल्थी कनेक्टिविटी  !!!! 

....The battle against Border....!!!!

......As the March continues to safer haven for their children: the Refugee Trudges on ....the world witnessing an  epic battle against  all odds......"...The Battle Against Borders...." begins....as the  surge continues , amidst damage control measures by respective host countries, though ,the visuals r worrisome .....morsels of food thrown at the Hungry as if they r animals....be assured , the modern world with all its "modernity", wil witness again & again this translocation as it is in Turmoil & sick, the sickness a far too long drawn now assuming cancerous propagation....The Bridge on the River Kwai nearly ready now, as Gen Saito of the Imperial army ensures tht ,with POWs & as The X force Of Gen Stilwel ,in tandem with Gen Odre Wingate's "Chindits" & US "Marauders" ably assisted by the Chinese Y force  of Chiang Kai Shek, attempt to regain BURMA frm the "Japs"...the Himalayan Hump Pilots frm Assam dropping Tons of goodies to Chiang's men @ bordering Kunming China, :blockaded  by Japan...& the Chinese X force under Allied command taking a massive training at Ramgarh ......Wht  a surprise.....!!!!.....once upon a time Chinese troops were not only in India , but were being trained thr to drive off the Japs...Lord Mountbatten the overall incharge, before taking over as Viceroy of the Indian Empire...!!!....Since thn ,nothing much seems to hv changed , vis a vis Human Misery....the War Zones & the Border Skirmishes continue unabated....the Refugees still on the run......there  home battered & shattered.....!!!!!....the Borders now frail , trampled  to no existence by  the surge of the sea of Humanity...!!!

....It needs a Heart....!!!!

.....the recent migrant tragedy unfolding in the Balkans, for passage thru Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany via Macedonia has the element of a spine chilling fact of Human Misery & Rootlessness...the trains r packed , people fleeing war zones to safer Europe, risking their lives scraping thru barbed fence, stowed away in Lorries with catastrophic result of a Lorry abandoned with its smuggled humans...all dead...reminds me of 'The Holocaust'...the Concentration Camps of Auswitz & Riga....to see the World come to such a pass is heart rending, as Humanity is the ultimate casualty nd with no respite....the UNHCR is at its wit's end...& the EU paralysed in the absence of a concerted effort & policy...."U need to hv a Heart"...to solve this demography shift & it is wanting starkly though.....the Mediterranean a long sad story now, the Rohingyas of Myanmar, persecuted nd fleeing....the quantum of misery adding up...with newer fronts of escape ,fleeing war zones ... desperation  forcing a person to leave his land ,uprooted ....Rootless....so whn a Silver lining lits up the sky....its time to say Cheers...!!...render a Helping Hand...!!!...as Few of the ICELANDERS hv proved it ...thr is a pressure group now to increase the refugee intake for their Land frm 50 to 5000....as I quote an article frm The New York Times....."...The Facebook page also said: “Refugees are our future spouses, best friends, our next soul mate, the drummer in our children’s band, our next colleague, Miss Iceland 2022, the carpenter who finally fixes our bathroom, the chef in the cafeteria, the fireman, the hacker and the television host. People who we’ll never be able to say to: ‘Your life is worth less than mine.’....UNQUOTE....!!!!

.....Pitter Patter Rain drops....!!!

....a steady drizzle is spraying the city currently nd with occasional lashes of a downpour nd gail ,characteristic to the place....luckily the morn walk was consummated wel enough in time by both of us with the children fast asleep.....snug in their blankets, enjoying the mid term short brk frm school.....the Sea definitely rough now....not a v gud time for tourism, as the under water visibility wil be poor nd the suntanned beaches wil be out of bounds in rain....yet for the rain lovers like me its a thrill....changing into the rainy gear at GIS: the school,.....enroute clinic, was funny .....wish Arnav & Doel wud hv seen my plight..... as I was caught unawares..... the drizzle suddenly torrential.....the soggy entry to the clinic....nd bemused waiting pt.clientele...a full quarter of an hr late....as the pitter patter continues, the redressal begins....sharp at 12 pm the peace & tranquil is shattered by Mushhamid's call....a boat has arrived braving the weather, loaded with fresh vegetables frm the adjoining Agro.Island, nd whether I need anything ....or whether he wud meet me with anything....if at al I am unable to come....dissuading him gently ,tht , for the moment 'no'.....cudn't but help, admiring the affable nature of the simple vendor nd his sense of responsibility in the face of a grim weather.....!!!!

.....The Arunachal miss...!!!

The recently concluded North East trip of India fresh in memory...a plan for visiting the Tawang Monastery was high on agenda ...via Bomdilla...in Arunachal Pradesh....via Sella Pass...had to scuttle the idea du2 paucity of time...nd truthfully du2 the terrain a risky proposition with kids...as Haflong got scuttled du2 a difft reason of a disturbed Dima Hasao distt. of Assam.....on the hindsight feel, cud hv visited Ledo & the Myanmar border....the town of Ledo...& may be a glimpse of the "The Burma Road"...now as I delve deep post clinic hrs the Epic story of  "The Burma Road".....having watched "The Bridge on the River Kwai"....practically transporting me to the tropical jungle & plateau....the imp.WWII war theatre....changing the course of India's history.....as plans r afoot for a road linkage to SE Asia frm India via Myanmar(Burma)....the current read is all the more interesting....Netaji's raising of Azad Hind Fauj in Singapore....his march to liberate the country aided by the

Japanese, all in the same theatre....post "Pearl Harbour" nd culminating in Hiroshima & Nagasaki bombing.....changing the course of World History.....though a restricted area still, Arunachal ,yet Indians can collect such a permit for touring purposes in Arunachal Pradesh.....it wud be thrilling to retrace the steps of an action of an imp. chapter in India's Quest for freedm......the Current generation must value freedm as it was hard fought nd not easy to get.....we owe our lavish life of a freed Nation owing to the sacrifices of many.....!!!!

....The Tea Time Balcony.....!!!!

....the Tea time balcony wore a deserted look....the hitherto majestic Deep Blu opposing it ,now dull.....the waves elicit no response.....the flickering lites of distant islands not either.....the chairs though diligently placed as ever....a fatigued look & a wait....the 7am & 5.30pm Tea with parents, till as recently as the 15th, still fresh in memory, with Archana, Doel & Arnav popping in & out...with us chatting & savouring the Tea & biscuits.....as they departed on 16th, reaching Mumbai safely via Cochin....must thank the Spicejet staffs@ Cochin for implementing the "Meet & Assist" programme in letter & spirit, for helping our parents frm International terminal to the Domestic....I was worried abt immigration ,customs, baggage claim etc. which was wel managed by the ground staff & ensured their smooth dep to Mumbai....received well by Neeraj & Sweetie....Arnav skipped school to see off Nana & Nani....crestfallen at times....Doel...a fleeting melancholia aft school....the apartment all of a sudden feeling huge & desolate....lots of space hitherto so very fulfilling & occupied.....a beginners game of Chess with Arnav & Draughts with Doel ,somehow distracted thm before my impending flight of refuge to the Hospice for the Evening Clinic, discarding the Car, thru lite rain ,taking the most circuitous route by the sea, on foot, tried negotiating with the altered scenario at home....a "Departure" not easy to forget....!!!!

...Where the mind is Without Fear....!!!!

...pleasure to reconnect  on this Auspicious Day of  India's 69th Independence day...!!!..A Lungful of Jai Hind  frm all of us here for our dear Motherland....Homeland...!!!...as we march  towards a fruitful existence of a truly speaking Independence ....our Head held high.... as World's largest Democracy....69 yrs is too young....yet the strides made is phenomenal.........as we move ahead ....with new found energy & vigor of a thriving land of the  planet .....Tru freedom   representative of India's Freedom...A mystic land...so very blessed....the rich Legacy of an Ancient Civilization with  its highly evolved people....so truly the poet said & I Quote....".....
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake

Rabindranath Tagore......"....Long Live ...Jai Hind....!!!!

.....the Departure...

....it's a pleasure to be amongst fmly on a Friday...the immediate thought dawned on me was the impending departure of Parents ,slated for 16th instant....tht they wr a part & parcel since 20th June the day of our arr. in Gurgaon....dawned on me....as I had taken for granted there presence...bound for Mumbai they wud spent some time with Neeraj & Sweetie before flying back to Sanjeev & Shweta @ Gurgaon....in Sept...Whn U raise a fmly in Youth ,seldom U think of parting frm the kids nd dividing ur precious time of retirement amongst thm ....a hop ...a step....thts the universal truth for the majority of sr parents....tht's the way the generation baton passes on frm Progeny to progeny....Hate too think of it...the first episode of a weeping mother bading farewell for the child to go to a hostel....the yrs of repetitive enactment, of a fledgling place under the sun, till the final settlement of a marriage....a career...as Ritesh(Sweetie's Brother) is US bound on a career call ,can imagine how Uncle & Aunty must be feeling...though Happy...yet the Airport posting tells it all....Ritesh wil come & go ,...ever strong in Life...Gud wishes to him....the Waxing & waning of emotions like the incessant breakers of the yonder Indian Ocean....!!!..
Whts the reminder?....The Children of the Sea .....Arnav & Doel growing up under the Island Sun & Breeze wil relocate to favorable pasture bidding adieu to us....raising their own units of sustenance....& our nxt journey wil begin as we had started before their arrival.....Unique as it is life in its Transient Glory of togetherness & Ultimate Truth of Parting....!!!....the Deep Blu Sky & the Sea...the Ever shining warm Sun Of a Day, al a mute  & smiling Testimony of our Footfall on its Sparkling white Sands deleted & Overshadowed in the infinite Time of a Memory, a thought , a Regret & a Satisfaction.....No matter how much U try U wil be drawn into the Vortex ,thick & thin....Ur parts to  play...Hide & seek with Time.... ever so precious, Beautifully short....!!!!

....Thr is something sprightly in the air.........

....the Qtr of an hr dash to Kangaroo Kids, against the steady Sea breeze to fetch Arnav in the aftnun , ejecting out of the Hospice....catapulting to the streets, albeit late , frm customary 14.00Hrs to a delayed 14.15Hrs , had, had an element of fleetfootedness congruent to the newly exposed vigor of a City quite changed now in the last couple of mnths as Maldives Isles Celebrates "Minivan 50",Golden Jubilee of Independence frm Britain.....the late Evening lighting is seen to be believed with the Dancing fountain & Sultan Park ,hogging the Limelite...thr is something sprightly in the air....something in abundance everywhr.....not to be left behind the Wrk place, which sees an unprecedented case rush, hence the late Ejection....the Wk long armstice between the Rain bearing Clouds & the Deep Blu sees a dry warm week spell , proportionate to hospital admission.....now tht the School re opens nd all holidays fulfilled nd exhausted, its time to dig in the heels , especially , for the children.....though a major date is in hand.....Little Arnav's B'Day of 5th August....a wrkin day....all geared up though....with a Spiderman Cake on the Anvil.....@ Fantasy Bakers.....Overt & Covert Gifts all wrapped up.....with GrandParents around......surely wil be a Spl Day for the Kid.....God bless.....!!!!

.....The Vagabond.....!!!!

....the news of the historic Land Swap Deal between 

India & Bangladesh, being effected, comes frm 

pathbreaking negotiations between the two countries...

unheard off in recent yrs worldwide....the nett result is 

tht humanity won today nd firm rootedness & Citizenship cherished....!!!...one can't feel the pain wht rootle

-ssness is ...its associated Disenfranchisement......

...a lesson all strife stricken parts of the world shud learn

..whn the Poet's Shonar Bangla got parted & so was

 RanjitSingh's Panjab"for some diabolic reasons, beneffi

-tting the Rulers nd Tsunami of Misery on the populace ,

mutiliation  of Humanity across the so called borders...

till persisting...a piquant situation of "Enclaves" arose 

much akin to Palestine & Zionist conflict.....drawing 

parallel.....untold & unheard Miseries..Can't Comprehend still the Divide , its necessity & Utility in a

land united by its Topography,Flora & Fauna...harbinger of a Thriving population United by the Poet's Poetry....for the Poet's Unbridled Soul.....thr is no Boundary.....thr is no Want....as he Chants...  

"......The Vagabond....R L Stevenson....."

"...Give to me the life I love,
  Let the lave go by me,
Give the jolly heaven above
  And the byway night me.
Bed in the bush with stars to see,
  Bread I dip in the river --
There's the life for a man like me,
  There's the life for ever.

Let the blow fall soon or late,
  Let what will be o'er me;
Give the face of earth around
  And the road before me.
Wealth I seek not, hope nor love,
  Nor a friend to know me;
All I seek, the heaven above
  And the road below me.

Or let autumn fall on me
  Where afield I linger,
Silencing the bird on tree,
  Biting the blue finger;
White as meal the frosty field --
  Warm the fireside haven --
Not to autumn will I yield,
  Not to winter even!

Let the blow fall soon or late,
  Let what will be o'er me;
Give the face of earth around,
  And the road before me.
Wealth I ask not, hope, nor love,
  Nor a friend to know me.
All I ask, the heaven above
  And the road below me...."

....One Life is not Enough....!!!!

...with the sudden demise of DR APJ Abdul Kalam former Indian President,India is mourning...Dr Kalam was referred to as the Common Man's President....a colleague of Vikram Sarabhai & Satish Dhawan the Architects of India's Space & Atomic programme,Dr Kalam had a humble background...a deeply rooted & sensitive Human being...Dr Kalam loved his subject of Science & Technology nd tirelessly he propagated for implementing same for the Nation ,which have a telltale bearing on the success of the Country...always in humility he represented wht knowledge & Wisdom in all its infinity could be a humbling factor for any Professor practising same....in fact he is truly the Path Finder for our youth & generations to come...he was relentless in finding solutions to a huge challenge called India its teeming mass of billions,...his mantra was to elicit smiles on this huge thriving civilisation of ours....no wonder his works & Books reflected his vision of a 2020 India, moving & Marching forward in Elan....he bade his adieu while on the teaching pulpit, imparting his message to the students til his last breath....as if One Life is not Enough...!!!...Dr Kalam's spirit is India's Spirit...Long Live....!!!!

...On Cloud nine....!!!

....the Deep Blu  at its "turncoat" best....intermittent showers , overcast conditions, with  Bright & Sunny side up every morn.....waxing & waning, titillating it to the realms of joyous abundance.....its Colorful Chimaera at its best....the Children wud point  it to their Grandparents.... waxing eloquence of their varied views....the Doors& Window panes need bracing, gusts of wind ,untamed roaring, crashing unwarranted at the first sight of obstruction....the Monsoon abundant as always....a Part & Parcel....moderating the weather .....a sudden drop must say frm May  Departure.....the Reading Team  is back to wrk.....Dicken's still holding Sway.....Ralph Nickelby ,in a shrewd move offering a Thames Riviera mansion to the Widow of his Elder brother: Mrs Nickelby , with Kate the daughter conveniently put away in employment at a Drapers firm....& Young Nicholas miles away incarcerated as Astt. Master in the Ramshackle Dothebys hall....gud to be back to the basics of existence aft. the whirlwind tour of the Indian Mainland......however & whtever Modernity invades us the the great works of Literateurs strikes always the Universal Chords and the observation is.... tht whtever & howevr evolved...we hv not changed over the centuries......the basic Tenets, Essence & Chemistry of Humanity......Thank Goodness for same....every line every para surmises so.....the language artfully Vintage...like a brush over a Canvas.....a Casualty in contemporary writing......in consonance with changing times....but it does in no uncertain terms elicit the thrill of Joyous reading, Character building & Firm Rootedness....despite & though ,hands are terribly full  the truncated wrk hrs not withstanding....thr is a spillage to extra hrs due to constant pouring of cases.....thr is a distinct feeling of fleet-footedness ....the vacation doing real Gud mentally & physically.....the ambient weather, overflowing mkts , the city in a newly refurbished look with reversal to 11pm closure as against 10pm in the last few mnths.....sprightly atmosphere in all urgency for the imp. mnth..... all adding up, with Pakistan 'Honey Mangoes' wel stacked up in cases in Godown , aplenty , auguring  wel for the impending Festivity.....

.....Into the Realms of Paradise....

.....UL 196 frm IGIA took off a trifle late ,amidst clear weather conditions & Srilankan Hospitality onboard....a strong return journey party, this time with Parent in laws...Arnav's classmate, nd his mother all fmly frnds, frm Kota joining us at the Airport....unprecedented Check in baggage allowance of 240kgs for 8 of us....all utilised by us, as we r Indians nd tht too Non Residents, hv to carry every bit of India with us....Connecting UL105 frm Colombo, past midnite,moving in thick rain,as the flickering Starboard lites on the wings wud suggest, across the Laccadive Sea once again, to Maldives Isles...crossing over to Male' frm the Airport, the early morn breeze,the Ferry, all Welcoming nd soothening...sharp contrast to now Gigantic NCR Gurgaon....upbeat Megapolis....its Ramaadan time....the air rife with Prayers....a truncated working hrs nd extended vacation for the Kids....the Second Innings begins, on the same note ,as I had left the First....!!!!  

.....the rapidly changing face of India....

....the porters no longer easily available .....nor do they throng upstairs near the Upper Class waiting Hall to collect their postcard if at all any arriving frm Chhapra/Siwan/Balia....the one I hired had a mobile ph....the Quintessential survival tool now...Kolkata no longer looks a hectic city anymore as it was 20 yrs ago...the traffic flow reasonable nd thr r no overloaded Bus'with people dangerously travelling on the footboard, as it was a common scene two decades back....a solitary tram or two & whole city draped in light blue shade to wipe away whtevr Red was thr which was the City Colors under the Marxist....Didi's Calcutta looks difft.....though the Strand Rd with its fossilised business est.looked just as same as I had left some 15 yrs back....simply fell in love with Victoria yet again...the lawns,the waterways nd the imposing facade erected whn the Empire was at its Zenith....this is the beauty of Calcutta, the maidan, the Sports clubs, the wide rds nd boulevards in the heart of the City...the Lungs of the City....also holding its place ,the sweetmeat shops nd the traditional taste unmistakbly Bengal....there was something amiss on the street though....the Unique wooden chassis Bus, with decorative window panels nd Aluminium,Tin panels,now,taken off the rds....replaced by more modern looking transport...with the Double Decker totally extinct....last 30yrs sees an unprecedented globalisation nd the Indian Cities losing its Unique status....untouched, though,is Madhupur 228kms west of Calcutta in native Jharkhand State...the Ramchandra Bazar same....one of the oldest Municipality,inaugurated by no less thn the Mahatma....Bansi Maharaj's kin still latching on to the slot without a structure, selling some fabulous sweetmeat...the fish mkt ,nd the Goat meat mkt under one heritage roof,untouched nd resitant to change....the nxt gen sellers r thr ,couldn't find those faces whom I still remember vividly.....the rural populace now dominating & thronging the Bazar as never before...nd merchandise overflowing....felt liberated as I sifted thru the crowd,popping in & out of small time shops...the heat & humidity unbearable....soaking a steady gaze of older gentry who unmistakbly recognised me....some old frnds perchance seeing me & hollering at the top of their voices my name....felt at home ...the undulating terrain,the far flung extent....dotted with Kothis of Bangali Babus, now in disrepair nd usurped....the Anglo Indian habitats of Bungalows now in ruins....shining though was Carmel Convent whr I learnt my ABC & 1,2,3 ,getting a fresh coat of paint in the vacation as it is customary nd usual practice....the air felt fresh, laden with fragrance of usual flora,the walk trail the same as I had last left 30yrs back.....!!!!!

.....The Slog Overs....

......Intermittent Rainfall , cool gusty sea breeze keeps us cool,sharply in contrast to the Indian Mainland whr Heatwave claim Lives....as the last phase b4 vacation is on, there is a sense of urgency for the Service...its time to formulate a plan for al my trusted clientele, as a backup & standby for the entire June Vacation.....last week sees an intense spurt in cases, nd stil continuing as these pre monsoon mnths wil be as usual....for the CDC....the NCD clinic wil be wel taken care off by trusted colleagues, whn handing over....there wil be a lull at Consult Chamber 4 ...the door taking a much needed rest as wud I....curtains for a yr of Marathon shud I say....!!!....in a couple of days the Butterfly is slated for its  arrival....in the abdomen ....as it is its customary fare....b4 departure.....Dicken's "Nicholas Nickelby" wil accompany me as I hv just started with young Nicholas assuming charge as an Asstt. Master in Mr Squeer's "Dotheby's Hall",depressed at the state of affairs thr....the progress is slow in the siesta time aft Lunch ,post Morn Clinic, tnx to chatterbox Doel ,who happens to be the reading partner,with her Thea stilton series & occasionally Enid Blyton...not to be undone & left behind is Arnav, who is picking up reading v fast ,with "Dug the Pug","Around the World" & "Fairy tales"....as he wud read aloud, much to our distraction....luckily halfway thru he wud  doze off for a Post school, Post Lunch nap.....happy tht the children like reading nd we r a team now, I enjoying every bit of the 1838 Novel ,post "PickwickPapers"....Copious reading & Voluminous writing as set forth as a brisk agenda for 2015 seems to be moving well in the first half of the yr.....now tht is concluding......Kolkata, Assam , Meghalaya & Native Jharkhand, r in the first leg followed by NCR in the second.....sad ,wont be visiting Haflong, as the Dima Hasao Distt. of Assam, is insurgency prone...one of the most breathtaking scenic route on Lumding- Silchar rail Route.....though,visiting in June, this Summer, with Monsoon around, shud be exciting nd fulfilling; meeting kith & kin & dear frnds....!!!....1st June instant,as usual wil cross the Laccadive Sea, with beautiful Birds Eye View of Maldives Isles.....!!!!....Pearl in the Indian Ocean....!!!

.....The Ussiri falls of Giridih Dist.....

....the Madhupur Giridih Pass  hauled by the steam Loco was a regular feature adorning PF 1 of MDP RS ....1MG in the wee hrs until 8Mg, terminating at nearly midnite at MDP RS ,shuttling arduously over a plateau terrain with clocklike precision,  a trust worthy shuttler ,between the two towns of Madhupur Jn(Jharkhand) ...a Holiday Home health resort of ubiquitous Kothis ....of  well to do Bengali Gentry frm thn British Calcutta  & Giridih(Jharkhand): the Coal & Mica mining town, en route  Hazaribagh  . Early 20 th Century Calcutta was moist ,humid ,warm with brackish water , playing havoc with the health of its citizen with Industrial pollution.....the reachable  Santhal Pargana Plateau was a Plateau of Delite for many ,who wanted to escape the drudgery of Calcutta....the Health Resorts of Madhupur, Jamtara, Giridih, Simultala , Jasidih , Devghar were dotted with villas nd sanatoriums ,suiting their panacea of a lungful to inhale, inciting the imaginations of the Bangali Babus... the advantage of these towns being on the Calcutta Delhi Rly Trunk route was responsible for their development as a tourist centres ,far far away frm the maddening crowd of Calcutta....retreats ,Mathths, Temples dotting the landscape with Churches nd Mosques, for an al encompassing society of mutual thriving, with Respect, at a time whn the other parts of the World were already experiencing sectarian strife....the jewel of the plateau was the  Aborigine Santhal, whose village nd occupation of a living was as simple as whn the World was born....rubbing our eyes in the wee hrs of the morn to take the 1MG train to Giridih was  ful of thrill, for onward journey to a huge Waterfalls @ USSIRI thru dirt tracks of a Horse cart ride....with al bag & baggage of a whole day Picnic is wel etched in memory......the quite a distance Horse cart  ride amidst thick Sal jungle nd red soil of a dirt track to a huge area of waterfalls , majestically  cascading over the rocks.......cud hear the massive roar of the falls frm half a km away, the huge sal trees with its equally huge leaves , the thick Aroma of the vegetation of the Tropical green rain forest of the Santhal Parganas.....with firewood abundant ...the fire lit Cooked preparations by the fmly, frnds & occasionally relatives, was delicious ,after exploring the area ,& a swim....the water tasted  heavenly , famous for its mythical gastro corrective properties......the return journey @ 4pm for Giridih RS  was hurried.....to take the 6MG train to Madhupur  @ 5.30 pm via Mahesmunda Stn.....whr a 2mt stop was sufficient to drink the water provided by the Rly.Waterman (Pani Paray) in the RS with shining Brass water dispenser frm equally clean cool Earthenware pots......incidentally Mahesmunda was famous for its Water....nd many wud fetch a can of water frm thr......the clean ,pristine, setting of a plateau whr  we lived for  30 yrs, is  unparalled  til date....!!!.....the Imminent June Rendezvous  frm Male' to Kolkata for Madhupur , trudging the original circuit is  therefore breathtakingly Awaited .....for tht Lungful of Panacea to Inhale.....!!!!!

....We r challenged ,yet we seem oblivious....sad too many people died despite being aware & alerted by the Recent Temblors at the region.....I was horrified ,to note how insignificant meaningful coverage the latest Earthquake cud garner....there is a Challenge thrown by Mother Earth,....with the Nepalese Parliament shaken...whn ,the ground beneath us was sliding.....our Parliament was discussing Land Bill, its merits nd demerits....a 10 Richter will flatten Delhi, Lock ,Stock & Barrel....wht is the Contigency plan for the Nation's Capital & other vulnerable parts, of the Country........its War time now ....now tht the Nature is our Adversary......as today's Temblor proves, how vulnerable we r ....nd how our homes r castles of cards.....matters which really matters for the masses need to be taken up...as many will sleep outdoors tonite...I think the Quake situation is a National Emergency....for al Nations in the Region....Big Bro @ MFP was sombre today...definitely the toughest also seem to be rattled....We must mature as a Nation & priorities prioritized....

.....150th Publication of The Indian Ocean Diary "ROJNAMCHA"....

On "MOTHER'S DAY" today...feel humbled, priveleged to attempt the 150th Publication Of the Indian Ocean Diary so close to the Heart, the Journey of an Indian Doctor's Service in a remote land....1976, my Ma was instrumental in my departure for St.Xavier's School, Sahibganj, as a Boarder, ful wel she knew wht she was doing.....setting her kid son in a dinghy frm her stream to the Mainstream.....can feel wht a decision tht must hv been for her....she must hv wept, missed nd her days off colored in my playful absence at her home.....only to see in the yrs to come how rt she was in strengthening her kid son to face the world.....the farsight shaped her fmly withstanding the ravages of time.....with prayers in her lips nd sacrifice of her valuable youth ful time rearing all 5 of us.....managing her ever busy husband's schedule of a public life, She stands thr epitomising al the finest qualities of Womanhood.....!!!!....Saluting her on this day, with gratitude ,tht without her presence, my pen wouldn't hv moved, my Heart wouldn't hv moved, my thoughts wouldn't hv flowed nd be paralysed for ever.......always feel... nd can't wait to give her a big Hug this June whn we meet...."....Ma Mujhe Apni, Gale Se Lagale, Aanchal mein Chhupale, Ki Aur Meraaa, Koi nahin.....".......Saluting Her nd al Mother's On this auspicious Day.....!!!!

.....picking up the threads.....

.....Everyone affected by the recent 7.9 Richter Temblor, seems to be gradually picking up the threads of Life both in India & Nepal, which claimed a huge no. of lives.....the Finest & the Meanest Human qualities came to the fore dealing with the situation.....the finest rendering a helping hand & the meanest looting people, already weakened by the onslaught.....Ur nxt door neighbour nd ur locality r ur best frnds , the calamity proves beyond doubt....united in Grief.....the entire sub Himalayan terrain of ours wil frm now on be shaky, philosophical nd Clueless as to wht is in store...the Plates r just too much with the Indian plate moving v fast northwards in the last 40 million yrs....colliding with the Eurasian plate.....I believe this is still the frontier to be conquered by the Scientists nd Geologists....by far the biggest challenge.....look at the movement..... NE to West India.....the genesis of Everest nd the Himalayas lies in these collision.....nd incredibly at our doorsteps.......the moot point is the lack of a Forecast & significant evacuation.....the Cyclones &Tsunamis r alerted.....evacuation effected...nowhr is the chance of an Earth Quake Alert, as we r lacking in the knowhow......its time for the World body to delve deep nd secure the Earth nd its Populace....finding water in Mars nd beyond is fine......but wht of the decimation & its Lurking menace at home.....God Forbid.....a 10 Richter will flatten all of us .....nd its time to tighten our belts with landmark Legislations, Policies ,& War Time  Research towards building a safe home & hearth for all.....

.....The Himalayan Misery........!!!!........The Himalayan Blunder...!!!!

....amidst Homes piling up like falling cards, the Himalayas nd the Earth underneath twists nd turns as if waking up aft a long slumber,.....1934,..... 1988,......& 2015 ,never ending saga of the Earth turning & twisting, as if to shake away the deadly load of Civilization aft. civilizations over the yrs.....With the destruction of the Ecology....with modern day self inflicted warfare....with Guns & Ammos...nd Howitzers blazing in the Himalayas in not so distant a memory....a far too long memory of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, ....of relentless urbanization....decapitation of the Ecosystem...avaricious nd capricious quarrying nd Tunneling thru the earth for our day to day run for existence nd subsistence....choking the rivers ,harnessing thm beyond capacity...changing the course of Civilization in breakneck speed......it al has its own share of guilt for the Current misery.....well, the Plates will Collide ,its inevitable....the Earth will shake....but wht of us repeatedly shaking it....round the Globe warfare, round the Globe Tampering of the Ecosystem...nd Scant regard....taking Mother Earth for granted.....the day some Lunatic created the Bomb of Mass scale destruction ....we had our fate sealed frnds.....as Chlorine is being used as Warfare, in one of the fronts.....nd we as mute spectators....Gud Mother Earth unleashes her Fury......probably a thatched hut is safer ,thn the fallen pack of cards which r Death traps of a Modern day home.....we r witnessing ,this fury ,with increasing frequency,with the Uttarakhand Deluge & Horror still fresh in memory........!!!

...100yrs &....the road to destruction....

...it is 100yrs now....the mass destruction of WW I 1914...the Mother of all wars & battles hitherto fought in the planet's history....nothing much hv changed since thn, I thought....the poignant picture of a Yemeni Mother pleading for cessation of the Air Raid, with her hand covering her  child's head,both with a placard,as if trying to shield her child frm this raid....thank God ,the raid is over, a temporary reprieve...as the country is up for grabs.....today is Earth day, with Little Arnav donning a green outfit nd painting & writing for Saving the Earth....this is the Earth we r handing over to our progeny.....it is time now to curb & curtail drastically arms production by all member states of the UN on the lines of Nuclear Disarmament....this might sound unfashionable but a strong opinion hv to be garnered for a blanket ban on further production.....til the Air raids r off , the Child & his Mother will re organize, re collect their tattered thread of Life....!!!!....nd wait patiently for the World body to react....

...& quietly flowed Ganges....

....thr were lot of opportunities to the river frnt,which quietly flowed,kissing the v base of the wel laid campus of PMCH....I wondered ,it wud be a gud idea to sift thru the archives to note the layout....how the picturesque setting of a campus & a hosp.came abt....personally, I was more enamoured by the Cottages, overlooking the river, nd the vip history associated with it....at one time there was a state of the art base kitchen which provided just the rt fud as prescribed by the Dietician & doctors...the Cottage admission was a privilege nd the attendants of the pts. were more thn happy to partake the fud tht was supplied which was in plenty....this , status is much before our times,whn the Doyens used to rule the campus & Hospital....still the very look & disposition of the Cottages bespoke of its halcyon days...the small field beside the library staircase, was one real pvt grassy field whr we opted for photography & the like, relaxing before attempting the Library staircase which was one steep climb....these locations were the places whr we wud be 'abducted 'by a group of seniors for our daily dose of being courtmartialled, during the ragging period...I observed keenly tht the most virulent of thm( with due respect,as I mean no disrespect , discussing history) were those who had innocuous looks, short in stature ,lean & thin, akin to a SS Gestapo, al embalmed in notoriety....I soon found myself chasing a Ma'am to seek her blessings in the form of touching her feet, as commanded,...she was kind & I relieved whn she falsely gestured my tormentors tht really I had touched her feet....incidentally later I learnt she was "AS",tall, gracious,smart, dusky...only to be replaced by another "AS"...swan necked & a duck tail swish...a permanent distraction....who pulled the rug underneath my feet,the moment I saw her...!!!(pardon me ,if I exceed my brief,...but I guess its time to Declassify...lest we lose this one time opportunity of sharing),incidentally, the initials "AS" never left me as, finally aft 4yrs I met my match & waterloo in Archana Singh, my beloved wife....thr were more pranks & the nadir was at the common room below the Library one fine day, whr many a todays, successful Neuros, Cardios,Orthos,Internist,GPs were forced to don their B'Day suits, with anthropometric parameters wel researched & awarded & conferred with titles which is again beyond the realms of this edition....surprisingly til date I remember these Honorary titles & burst into laughter, til my flanks hurt....the ultimate was tht of the oath which I guess was carried over frm yesteryrs nd had withstood the ravages of time....wish , we cud,know the antecedants of these oaths & titles & awards...surely the finest brains over the yrs were its progenitor....!!!!...no doubt after this particular episode ,the freshers were emboldened nd whtever hesitation or scare tht was remnant ,disappeared into thin air....!!!!

.....the Memoir of a Fresher....!!!!

....Can't keep frnds waiting, for they r the ultimate VIPs ,sharing common history, necessitating this spl edition...never in the history of "Rojnamcha" back to back did I publish the same day....unprecedented as it is, as the feeling of well being & infectious warmth generated by the peers egged me to catapult a spl episode....Dr Sampadanand Swain was a revered Anatomist & PCP was much feared.....the Anatomy Deptt. looked like an old Museum &  the Lecture theatres steeped in history : of alumni after alumni ,donning its mantle, Gray's Anatomy the Holy Book ....I felt  was the yardstick of future success & the prognosis of success in the yrs to come, depended on how u mastered its volume of  information of  data of tht of a modern day Supercomputer...so as to brace up for further assaults in near future....the ultimate test of Rote' memory....B D Chaurasia was dull, no where near to Gray's, with diagrams which looked more like a Mechanical Engineering book.... but handy & immensely popular with the students....the Physio & Biochem block was the same whr we pithed quite a number of frogs, quite a gory way for a set of Experiments ,upstairs ,:...the steady supply of Rana Tigrina frm an adjacent in campus pond was amazing....a batch photography also held in the Biochem Deptt....also lurking around were immediate seniors.....a section on the prowl to scare the hell out of u in the first few mnths of admission....ur dress was an uniform & the red & green ribbons for the girls hair do was a sharp contrast....must salute thm for their forbearance of such a strict regime imposed by seniors....our dress code was tht of the sailor white shirt & pant....here in Male' ,upon arrival of INS ships & the cadets in Male' streets ,their uniforms evoke the 1st yr feel, whnever perchance I meet thm....notwithstanding, our Professors went abt delivering lectures routinely nd we in rapt attention....there were few infamous seniors who were dreaded nd their diktats r beyond the scope of this publication......I remember them vividly nd no matter whtever time has elapsed ,a FB frnd request if at all will be subject to circumspect......such was the reign of terror on few bad days of the first 6 mnths.....No doubt it was al part of growing & shud I say Baptism by Fire......!!!!!....al ending up in the Fresher's Nite nd I rendering a number:..."...Chhooo kar Mere man ko ,Kiya toone Kya Ishaara...." despite the bombardment of the stage of Rajendra Surgical Block Auditorium(RSB) with eggs & tomatoes...thereafter ensued an unprecedented camaraderie with seniors, who had to often shell out for Tea ,coffee nd samosas.....!!!!( to be concluded)