......parting time now for the yr....

....its time now for the imminent dep.....dep 2016 nd dep India....the fog returns as if the interim sunshine was tailor made for us.....meeting fmly, kins , peers : the icing on the cake.....as the Delhi meet of Pmch84 turned out to be.....thr is a sense of fulfillment....with lungful of panacea of homeland to inhale.....to watch " Dangal " in Haryana was by far the best memory to savor ,....hats off to our people....!!!

.....A Taste of India.....

......Its  altogether  difft  now  ,  doing  the   rounds   here  ....the  huge  City on  the  move.....  despite  the  shackles of  Demonetisation ....thr  r  alternatives  .....a  change  in   habits   & back  to good  old  days , whn  the  purse strings  were   tighter .......Uber , Ola  & Meru hv  made  mince  meat  of   distance  &  never  was  the  communicability , so  gud  at  ur  doorsteps...the day time detours  to  Rup's place & my old premises is  routine  now  as  Nanu  will  mandatorily  visit  Rup  for  games  unlimited  after  his  arrival  frm  School, his nephew........this  eve  the   fog  settles....nd  the  Islander  in  me  is  thrilled.....the  donning  of  a jacket nd a warm  cap touring: "The courtyard  & Nirvana Country"....the  IMO is  incessant  now  .....as  per promise  it has  to be  on .......Ur Identity is  the People who r with  u  nd  who  r  for  u......the sprightliness in my moves  here  is  all  but  borrowed  frm  the  streets of  Male'  &  My hospital corridors.......!!!!   

Silent Revolution

.....3rd day passes in Gurugram witnessing the mild winter & the  silent revolution......1) ....rock bottom taxi fare professionally at ur door steps.....managed by  lead names......it took 15 yrs .....in the absence of Cheap bus service .......2)....the strength of Plastic money .......as ATMs r dry.....gud to use the card for as low a purchase as 100 INR.....though its only a matter of time the cash crunch wil stabilize.....despite difficulties....the Land of Abundance is not changed a wee bit, with markets overflowing with goods.....good old fashioned horse carts fully  loaded  with Jaggery. &. Radish fresh frm the fields......even in upmkt area.....the children   & Archana re united with  kins .....surprisingly the city looks cleaner.....? Swachch Bharat....thr is so much of our own youthful memories for the city when we came here first dreamy eyed in mid nineties a witness to the rapidly changing ........of a more Haryanvi ......to a powerful Cosmopolitan Culture.....or shud I say a pan India presence in " Jat Boy " land & heart....close to the National Capital ........a brite star of a resurgent India......

.....Parting Shot....

.....The Parting  Shot  is  being  loaded as  26th  is  the  D Day of  Dep  , direct landing  @ Gurugram frm  Maldives  Isles  : History  of  sorts ....took  a  decade for  Fruition ....as we  wrap  up for  the Yr  with whopping   35  day  off  frm  Wrk ....sounds too  gud  for  the  Unwind & stretching  of Legs  ....wud rub shoulders with fellow  countrymen   frm  now  on  for  a feel  of Demonetisation ....two  new  things happened  after our dep last..."GuruGram"frm  erstwhile GurGaon  .....& New Currency  notes ....hope  to  spend Judiciously  as  Judicious  as  we  r  being  Expat Islanders knowing  fulwel the  value  of  things .....!!!!!

....Cold Play & Cold Death....& Cold Sweat ....

.....As "Coldplay" was  belting  some  real  Hit  Music  @  Mumbai with  'whose  who'  in  attendance  , an Unsuspecting Passenger  train  was on  its  way  frm  Indore  to   Patna thru  the  Cold  Night  &  into  Cold  Death....Primarily , whn  the  Mercury  dips , the  Railway  Tracks  shudder  &  fracture  often  leading  to  derailments....possible, the  Indore Patna  Express  derailed  du  to  this ....being  a  3rd  generation  Rly Man hvin served  Indian Railways  in  the  past ,    Rail  Accidents  send  Coldsweats .... whnever  I  hear  one ....this  is  the  Era  of Bullet  Trains.....yet  still , people  die dime  a dozen in  Train accidents ....Whn boarding  a  Conveyance, an  inherent  Trust  is  automatically  bonded  with  the  Transport  Co  for  Safe arrival....its  too  frequently , this  Trust  is being  trampled .....IR an  Old  war  horse has a role  which  is  matchless  in  providing service  to  millions  day  in  & day  out...its  Time  we  revert  back  in  the  Truest  sense  & in rt  earnest  to  the  Slogan  " Safety  First"...after all this  is  unacceptable, destroying  People's  Lives...if  thr  was a Rail  fracture thr  has to  be  innovative devices in  place ,   in  addition  to  Manual  Patrolling  of  the  Permanent  way to  pin  point  &  preempt an accident ....RDSO  has to  be assisted frm  all  qtrs  for  valuable  innovations of  safety ....its  a  National  Priority  now  ...."Gati & Pragati" , yes  the  PM  said  recently, V apt  indeed ....Rest  in  Peace  Fellow Countrymen  ,  who  perished...

...The Old Order Changeth ....yielding place to New....

....hoarding  in  any form is a quintessential  in the Indian Psyche....it has been  an  age old  practice ...Cash  or  Kind ....the recent recall  of  high  denomination  notes by  the  Indian  Govt. hv  spelled  disaster  for  many...this will definitely change  the  outlook  of  amassing outside  the  ambit  of law ....Good  old  Gold reverts to  age  old  practice  for  reverence  for  the  Yellow  metal...hope  thr  wont  be  a  Md Bin Thuglak who  made Copper at par  with  Gold  during  his  Sultanate @ Medieval  Delhi, or else  the  Legendary  Myth  of  the  Gold  will  be  shattered  , shattering  many  hearts....the day is  not  far whn  these  conventional  modes  of  exchange  will  change , tnx  to  the  IT  revolution...these conventional  modes  of exchange  have held  sway  since  times immemorial nd  looks  like  thr  day  is  numbered...actually  this is  the  time  of  the  "Unconventional"....the unconventional candidate winning  the  US  Presidency....probably  in  days  to  come  the  Unconventional modalities  will  be the  order  of  the  day ....as  I see age old hierarchies crumble & Tumble  in  all  sphere...hence  the  Gud idea  is  to  feel  the  pulse , measure  the  winds  of  change  nd  adopt  &  adapt  to  situations ....as History wud  prove  it  tht  an  age  old  custom successfully  survives  after  ages  of  modifications....

 

...A ray of Tru Lite.....!!!

.....The Happy Diwali  sign on the  UN  Bldg @ NY  is  heartwarming  .....the  Indian Festival  of  Lights  finally  assuming  Global proportions ....as  we  celebrate  Deepawali  frm  all  across the  world : Quoting  Sri Aurobindo "........Even  if  thr  is  much Darkness  &  the  World  is  full  of  it  , & the  physical self  of  Man too , yet  thr  is  a  Ray  of  True  light  , which will  prevail  eventually  against  a   Ten  fold darkness ...believe  tht  & cleave  to  it  always........."Unquote.......Incredibly , Lives  r  being  lost all around  us , at  a pace of  a  strife  of  a  dead  end ....with all  its pervading  Darkness...Let  the Lites  of  Deepawali  overcome the darkness  eventually  , Celebrating  Life in  all  its  Glory....!!!...Wishing  all Kins   ,  Fmly ,  Frnds a  Very  Happy Diwali.....!!!!

.....The Butterflies & thr Unscheduled round....!!!

Norwegian ship Sørlandet – nicknamed “The pearl of Norway”. (Photo/Daily Mirror)  Quoting SUN.MV News....Quote ...." The world’s oldest full rigged ship still in operation, oldest of the three Norwegian Tall Ships, Sørlandet – nicknamed “The pearl of Norway” will be arriving in Maldives soon.
The ship, on a two-year circumnavigation of the world with 70 high school students from A+ Academy, is currently docked in neighboring Sri Lanka......"  Unquote....
To see a  Fully  Rigged  Ship  will be a  Dream  Come  Tru......after  hvn  being  fed  steadily  with  images  &  stories  of  Voyages around  the  Globe  by  Great  Navigators  who  discovered  the  World for  us....Nothing  can  be more  Adventurous  , Dangerous , Chivalrous  thn  Navigating  the  Untamed Deep  Blu in  a Rigged  Vessel.....recently  fresh in  mind  Vasco da Gama's Discovery  of  Calicut,  &  hvin pased  it  to  the Children , they will  surely  be  awe  struck once  the  Vessel  is  docked  here.....this  time  for  a  difft  reason  the  Butterflies  r  doin  their unscheduled  rounds .....yes  ,  in  the  Abdomen .....!!!!! Thanking SUN.MV for  the  info  & Update....

.....On Tested Waters....

.....the  festive  Mnth  will  reach  its  Crescendo  now  with  Deepavali  round  the  corner....the  depression  @ Bay  of Bengal  is  circumspect of  a possible  Dampened  Deepavali....the  scenario  here  is  highspeed  winds  &  smart  showers & dropping  of  the  mercury.....never  in  India  I had  the opportunity  of  Raincoats  being  used   so  frequently , as  it is  here.....good  for  the Agricultural  Islands  here....Children  r happy ; now as many  as  three parks  r  being  laid in  the  City afresh to  give  a breathing  space  to  the  Island's children ....Exams  r  round  the  corner ....the kids will  be  free  by  Mid  Nov instant ...followed  by  the  yr  end  trip  to the  Indian Mainland a  trip  over  the Laccadive  Sea ........though tempted  by  a  cruise  for  Bombay  frm  Male'  in DEC : a week  long  trip......but  I  believe  , not  this  yr  for  us  , it  has  to  wait as the  cruise  circuit  is  new ,  now  being  explored...Cruises  come  all  over  the  world  & do  call  on  Male' Port every  yr  ,  but  an Originating  one  frm  Male' is a  new  endeavour  I  believe.....tru  these pristine  waters hv  long  haul  Safari Boats  & yachts on  tested  waters .....Gud  to  note  the Archipelago  doing  so  well  in  the  Tourism sector , bringing  rapid  advancement  & modernity.....in  as  much  a  century  ago,  thr  were  v  few  Schooners mostly  Royal &  HMS  Steam Ships an  Occasional  sight  for   the  Islanders .....!!!!

.......The Bloodied rivers of a Civilization .....!!!

 .....the outlook  has  to  be  broad.....to encompass all......for a better  understanding........Global is  the word for  the  Children .......the  innumerable  Entry  &  Exit Stamps  on  the  Passport is a reminder  of  our  changed  existence.......the  modern  World  just  as  fit   to  partner in  the Journey......Communication   ......the  latest  Mantra ......armed as  we  r  , nd   a  distance  is  felled by  the tools  of  communicability.......the Passionate  studiousness with  the handset  has  cut  across  all levels  of  society  , in  tht ,Communicability  has boomed......!!!.....we  r  witness  to this silent   revolution......people hitherto  groping  in  the   tunnel  of  ignorance  ,  now  marching out   in  confidence......the more  we step  out  of  our cocoon the more  enlightened  we  become......notwithstanding the  recent  disturbances   in  the  world  in general....as history  proves  ......passing  phases  r  mandatory  in our  Evolution.....hence  it  is  pertinent  tht  the  mind  has   to  be  broad  &  all  encompassing.....!!!!....it  is  painful  to  see the  muck  &  weed  all  around.....its  painful  to  see  the  tunnelling   of  vision & equally  painful  to see being  torn  apart.....as Lord Mountbatten despatches  Lord Ismay his COAS with  final partition  plans to London , thr  is  a melancholic strain   in  the  ViceRoy's Durbar......as  India  would  be  amputated  shortly......as Churchill's  "Naked  Fakir" is crippled  at  the  scenario of  "The  Two Nation Theory"......As  if  , Just  because  the  Motherland  embraced different  religious  beliefs  , different  people of all  shades  from  different  parts   of    the world  , tht  doesnot  & didnot  change  the  Ethnicity  of   the   region .....the  language  , food  ,  music  , festivities  , art   ,  architecture .....an  unparallel  fusion  of   communities   in   tandem ...... .The  Indus , The Ganges  ,The Brahmaputra....its  people  &  its apposing   ethnicity.....all  in common........alas, too  much  bad  blood  is  flowing  thru  these rivers   of  Civilization....probably as  with  all  great  civilization    to  the  point  of  Decimation......!!!! 

.....The Departure...!!!!

....Devi  Ma will  depart  tomorrow.....a lump  in the  throat  for  many .....ABP Ananda  & Belur mathth  Live keeps  us  alive, buoyant in the continuing  festivities....contacts  with  closest kins  continue .....those  who  shared  the  same  childhood  path....strewn  with Love care & affection  & Bonhomie.....Common  history & path r  indelible....Cherished  always  will  be  in  Memory.....as I hear  Ma on the  phone, a tumultous  cascade  of  yesteryears thoughtful streams, engulf....her voice  as invigorating as it  was  for  ages ....irreplacable , irrevocable.....an  infinite stream  of  comfort , wherevr  &  Whtevr  I  am ......Thank  the  Lord  for  having  seen  the  Light of  the  Day  &  her  Voice.....Arnav  & Doel  no  exception  to  this  reception,  frm  their  Ma .....witnessing  as  I , day  in  &  day  out .....as  time  flashes  by  fast....their  roots  seeking  the  moisture  of  comfort & growth frm  thr  Ma .....this  is  the  tru  Rootedness  thn ......!!!.... a  Compulsory  must  hv , it  is , for  Ur  sustenance .....the  Concept  of  Devi  Ma thus  is  home bred ....the  Ma  to  whom  we  look  always for  succour  &  saviour....as  no   one  knows  u so  wel  as her....!!!!....ever  forgiving  ....ever obliging.....hence  the  Pujan  continues  for  Centuries.....unadulterated  pure  devotion ....!!!.....Gandhiji  is  in  Noakhali now  as "Freedom At  Mid Night" unfolds .....his  methods of  a solution  of  a  conflict.....its  a fall  now  every  day  for  me, frm  the  false  pulpit  on  which  I  am ....... as  the  lines   will  subjugate  me  to  humility,  to  Dust......Children  were  surprised  to  note  tht  Gandhiji  used a  pencil  to  the  point  till  the  stub  was  ungrippable  , making  a  point tht  labour  is  to  be  honored  & not  wasted......a  new  respect  for  strewn  pencils  of  theirs  will surely  develop I believe.....&  so  do  will  mine .....as  these  Electrifying  & Ecclesiastical like weeks unfold  both  in  Homeland & abroad ,  thr  is  enormous  reason  to  be  Thankful , Joyful  &  in  Celebration.....!!!!!......Wishing  all  Kins  ,  Fmlys  &  Frnds "Shubho Bijoya" replete  with  Good  Thoughts  & Wishes........!!!!! 

.....Puja of our times.....

.....the grassy  glade is moisture laden , just  after  Mahalaya....with  Durga Puja around ......the Shiuli  flowers all  strewn overnite below  the  tree , all drenched in the  dew....its  late  September....the  number  one  size  football : a  brand  new  one  frm  Calcutta, bought  by  Pa, specially  for  me, is  wet : the  new  leather  soaking  up  the  moisture.....its  lace wet  too....as  those  days in  early  seventies,  the  soccer  balls  had  to  be  tied  with a lace after inflating &  tieing  the  neck  of  the  bladder....thr  wud  be  occasional  punctures  ....the  Bicycle mechanic  will be  of  great  help,  repairing  with a  solution & patch....Calcutta  provided  the  hub  for  all  our  Durga Puja  Mktng  for   us  .....the  fmly  of brothers  & sisters wud  accompany  parents  prior  to  the  Puja....the  tram  ,  taxi  ,  bus  rides....Chowringhee,  New  Mkt  ,  Gariahat, were  the  places  to visit  ....with  such  energy  shown  by  parents we  youngsters  were  put to shame.....as  we  wud drag  our  feets  thru  different  shopping sites.....Sasthi to  Dasami full five  festive  days , wud be new wears for all  of  us , nd parents  used  to  ensure  tht  , thnks  to the indefatiguable energy of  Ma......the  short  lunch in  the  midst  of  shopping , satiating  our  hunger....the  aroma  laden  street  of  eateries....nd  a  choice unparalleled.....thr wud  be purchases of  Gramaphone  records  of  HMV & Polydor , Books  &  Magazines for all....all  Puja  Editions  ....for which  parents , more  so Ma  nd  us  waited  eagerly.....the  return  journey  back  home  nd  we  had  not  an  ounce  of  energy  left  ,  but  deeply  satisfied ....the  run  up  to the pujas  were  such.....!!!....this followed  coaxing  the  tailors  ,  who  had  brisk  business  thn  to  stitch  the  clothes  on  time......Puja  meant  an  annual overhauling  of  everything  at  home.....a  huge  fillip  nd a relief  to an  yr  of  hard  wrk as students & nd  also  dear  parents who left  no stones unturned to keep  us happy nd  in  festive spirits.....!!!.....halfway thru though , i,e  Navami , a  strange  melancholia  wud grip us  as  Puja  will be  over  at  Dussehra  &  Devi  Ma  will  depart  frm  all community Pandals.....thn  will follow a momentous custom  of  hugging  each other  ,  Pranams to elders  ,  visiting  frnd &  fmly's  house sharing  Sweets  ,  Namkins , & ubiquitous  Coconut  Laddoos a mandatory  fare.....as  telephone was  rarely in  use  , thr  wud  be  a demand of Post Cards wherein  we  wud  scribble Bijoya  Greetings  to  relatives & Kins who were  far  off......posting  thm  diligently  as  early  birds .....!!!!!

....The Impending arrival.....

......thr is an  expectation  now .....of  an  age  old  tradition  of  festivities....as Navaratri  is ushered  in  after Mahalaya, signalling  the  end of PitriPaksha & begining  of Devi  Paksha .....as Birendra  Krishna  Bhadra's  eternal  rendition  of ChondiPathh....." Ya  Devi  Sarbabhhuteshoo...." wil tear  apart  the  morn calm  here .....an  arrow piercing  the  heart thru  the  Deep  Blu  Yonder &  The  flamboyant  " IRU" : The Sun.....!!!!...as  thr  will  be  a  mild  tremor  , a goosebump , a gallop  of  a  rhythm  of  the heart.....a  resounding ripple.....a  state  of  mind as  tht  of the  swaying  of  the Coconut  palm thr.....!!!!....since  :  " Morttey  asitechhen  Devi  Ma  , Dukhho  Horon  Koritey....!!!!..." , meaning  Ma Durga  Durgotinashini's  arrival  on  Earth frm  Dev Lok  to  salvage  us frm our griefs  & sorrows.....embalming  us with  the  Morn  Dew  &  Shiuli  Flowers.....Its  a  pain  of staying  away  frm  the  community  Pandals  of Durga  Pujan  yr  after  yr  now , as Children  face  thr  Annual term  Exams nd  in  their  jet  speed  final  leg  of  completion of  their  respective  classes.....helpless  as  we  r , yet  Happy  to  be  part  of the Pujan Online ....as  thr  will  be  Live  telecast  frm  Belur ...which  we  r  a  part....Happy tht  We  hv  seen the  light  of  yet  another  "SharodUtsav"....Happy  we  r  strong enough now,  nd more committed  & resolute abt the  importance  of Festivity....We  hv  missed  enough ,to  make us doubly attached  to  the essence  of such  a Festivity....It's  in Contrast  We  hv  learnt  the hard way ,

to  appreciate  whtevr is Our's  back  Home....!!!...Wishing all Kin & Relatives & frnds  &  Fmly  a Very Happy Durga Puja.....!!!

.....Changing times.....!!!!

.....finally....today....got hold of "Freedom at Midnight" @ the National Library which was called "Island Library" then in the seventies.....amidst the current skirmishes this book will update my concept of Partition....a better understanding shud follow...thn thr was Partition , we grew up under its shadow & now the concept is Globalisation.....Glad our Children r free from this encumbrance & shadow......Doel Das & her SpeechMaster club of different shades doing a fabulous job @ Concert of their High School......a melting pot of all Nationalities ....

...If thr is Heaven On earth ...Its This , its this & Its this ........!!!!!

....thr is a distinct change in  " Iru" : The Sun :....the aftnun Sun  now distinctively mellowed & a cool gentle breeze always  in  the  air.....the  aftnun walk  post Morn clinic is soothing .....the Tourism Off Season  coming  to  a  close , as, October on , hordes will  descend ......as "Hulanghu" : Monsoon..... recedes.....the recent boil in the Sub Continent  between two  neighbours born  out of  a  common  birth  pang kept us busy , watching  the developments intently, as disturbances  revisit the  Northern Frontier of India......as Lamb's book on Kashmir & Prem shankar Jha's rebuttal treatise kept me hooked & a clear  conception  to  the  trouble  in  the Valley emerges......in  tht  Sept seems  to  be  a troubled  mnth.....Can't  get off frm  the Persian  translation on  Kashmir : "If  thr  is Heaven  on Earth ...its  this  , its  this  & its this...!!! "...as  the  'B' class  Bus snaked & slithered at Banihal Pass. Patni top, Jawahar Tunnel carrying us  as fmly some 42 yrs ago , 1973 June  to  be  precise : my first  visit  to  the  region  unfolded ; Batot  , Verinag  , Gulmarg  , Khilanmarg  & Lake  Wular  eked  in  Memory  with  green  apples  & Tandoori  Roti  &  incredible King  size  Tumblers full of Milk  or  Lassi ......the  army  erected  pontoon bridges & the  deadly  Chenab  in  full  flow  below, with  the  whirlpools  of  Jhelum  & placid Dal  Lake  in Srinagar with the 'Hazrat Bal' overlooking....the speared  fishes & saffron  laced  tea in "Himalayan Art Emporium".....beauty scattered all over ....it's  people.....culture.... here  nd thr ..... amidst  tall  Chinars  & mighty  Himalayas......ethnicity  stamped  all  over.....PirPanjal , Hindukush , Karakoram  , Himalayas......a blessed  region.....a meeting  point  of  multiple cultures..... yet  so  tormented  &  disturbed......Wil  wait  patiently  til thn  to  revisit....surely  every  Cloud  must  hv  a  Silver lining....!!!!

....The Common Denominator.......Hindi

....Having  lived  in  Maldives  Isles  now  for  more  thn  a decade , I am  able  to  understand the  Language  "Dhivehi" to  some  extent , making things simpler  for  me .....It was  Khadeeja Ibrahim , as  Interpreter ,  frm  whom  I  learnt , in  distant  Fonadhoo  island of Laaam  Atoll  228  km  down  south  frm  Male  '  whr  I was  posted  in  " Shihe' Marukkaz " : the Local  Health centre  catering  to  a populace  of  6000,  whr  I  had to  examine  local residents ...Hajja a soft  spoken , unassuming  girl , had  a  great  patience nd was    best  at  her  job....in  quick  six  mnths  I  cud  communicate  with  my  pts  pertaining  to  their  diseases  only....though  the  social talks  relied  heavily  on  English....Language is all  too  important,  as its  a tool of  smooth  operations , more  so  in  our  trade  whr a  pt  has  to  confide  lot  many private  things  relating  to self  , entrusting  the  doctor  for  redressal ....I  still  thank  my stars,  tht , it was  a  boon  ; the  initial 2  yrs  were  spent  in  a  distant  Island  whr  I  cud  grasp  Maldives in  its  original form....upon  return  back  to Male'  The capital Island  , it was  a cake  walk .....the  more  Cosmopolitan  tht  Male ' is  ....Male' seldom need  interpretation....though , I am  totally  at  sea  with  Tamil  , Telugu  , Malayalam , Kannad  languages  nd  pts  of  these  areas  wud  spk  fluently  in  chaste  Dhivehi ...a  strange  thrill  of  two Indians  chatting  in  local  language, across  the  table  ,   in  a  foreign land ...in  as  much  few  Bangla  boys  hvin  been posted  in  remote  Islands lose  the  touch  of  Bangla  nd  inadvertantly  skip  Bangla , to often  used  Dhivehi  by  thm ....its  a piquant  situation again  as two Bengali gentleman  of  "Shonar  Bangla"  communicating  in Dhivehi  language the  common denominator, discussing  Health  matters  .....speaking of  Language  ....the  more applied  it  is  the  better.....the  more smooth  Life  becomes....the more  respectful  ur  towards  the  language  nd  side  by  side better  understanding .......if  U dont  understand  a  language  its  Gibberish  ,  but  if  U  wud  ,  thn  ,  its  Music ....!!!...On  the  Occasion  of  Hindi  Diwas I wud  like  to  congratulate  all  my  fellow  Countrymen/women ....&  urge for  full  support  for  Hindi  ........here  we  hv  a  rich  language & a common Denominator  Uniting  all  Indians amidst  Diversity......!!!!! 

...The Heart must Beat....

.....a fifteen day  fever  had  done  him  in....as  he faced me transhipped frm a  remote Island  setting , whr Amran  was earning  his  daily  bread ...tht was  3 days ago prior  to the Eid  Holidays.....as he struggled ; his frail 20 yr frame shivered .....an Urgent  roadmap  for  his  recovery nd  quick  referral  to  the  Higher  Centre as impending Holidays  at the  Health Centre deterred  me  frm  thinking  further to  his  earnest request  of being  kept only  under  my  care.....Coaxing &  Cajoling tht  he  needed urgent ICU admission with  BT.....the  day  ended with  mixed feelings.....the holidays  over & peacefully  finding  him  at my Clinic,  I was  more  thn  surprised .......he  had chosen  to  brave  it out  nd  refused admission to  the higher  centre....his unflinching faith in me & concocted theory  of  feeling  better , didn't co  relate  with  his reports & findings,.....this time successfully,  though ,  I ensured his  admission to  the  Higher  Centre ,  after Coaxing  , Cajoling &  Threatening.....signing  out late  evening ,  I am  greeted  with  the call  of his  well  being  & substantial  recovery , taking  transfusion....a weary smile I cud  elicit frm  him  , & I finally  heaving a  sigh  of relief.....The  Heart  must  Beat...A good Heart  has  to Beat  come wht  may....!!!!.....all Ears  for  tht  Precious  Beat....!!!!...God Bless  the  Kid....!!!!

..." Teej & Jwitiya ..."

....Being Rooted is  the  best  possible  formula  for Wel being.....whn  we  act  as  Conditioned  by  Centuries  of  Rituals  & traditions & ways of Life,  we r  only  conforming  to  age  old  practices  of  wel being...invariably meaning  Happiness....however  scientific  , rationalistic, we  evolve over  the yrs the  Conditioned  part  in us ,is  the sheet  anchor , of  our  Existence....as  the Festivity  mnths  r  being  ushered in the Indian Mainland , we  r also in  the mode.....right  frm  the days  of  the Epics Indian womanhood  is Celebrated  & is  a strength  par excellence...Womanhood  WorldWide  is  in  itself  cherished  &  in high altar as  the progeny  evolves  & devolves frm  the  Grandmother to Mother  & to  a daughter....it is  to  my  mind , very well  established  , whn  it  comes to  the Sub continent....despite the rationality  , scientific  wisdom , logic , yet  traditions ,  culture  &  festivity  still  hold sway & yes  a Sheet anchor  for  the Rooted .....!!!!...as my  dear  wife celebrated in  our  Company  a  festivity , right  frm the  ages  of Shiv  Parvati , praying  for  my  Wel  being...I  am more  thn  amazed to  see her commitment & pleasure, in  tht its  tough to  fast  &  do  a Pujan.....wht gives  her strength yr  after  yr to meticulously  perform first  for  her  husband  &  thn  after  few  wks  her  Children  ;  in  the  form of " Teej " & "Jwitiya" respectively....the innate  , ingrained  , strength  I  believe....which  is so  very evident  as  tht were  seen  in our GrandMothers  &  Mothers ......its  a  passing of a  baton of  being in  real  Control of  Happiness in  the family....ths  how  the subcontinent of AryaVarta is  conditioned.......thts how  it holds  sway,  deeply  rooted as  it  is .....On  this Occasion , can't  but help showering  accolades for  my  better  half  for  her  strong commitment  to  her  cause ....her  family....!!!!!...God Bless her Womanhood...!!!!

...Megh Malhar...

....South westerly  bashing  is  still  on, as Unleashed  is  the fury  of  "Hulanghu" : local  for  Monsoon....Met office  alert & guidelines for  sea  &  land travel  for  the Islands  r  in  hand....the  traffic to  Male'  frm distant Islands  is   a  trickle  as  the Weather  is  rough  &  sea  travel a  risk.....late  evening  Clinic is a  pleasure  as  U  eject  frm  the  tight  compartment of  Solution  providing.....the  moisture laden  fine  spray of  rain  greeting  U, soothening  any  frayed  nerve....the  return  journey  back  home  is  a  steeple  chase with  various forms  of  walkways unfolding  be it  a  tiled  pavement , or  a  marbled  city  centre, or  treacherous  chalk water  puddles waiting to  greet  u with  all  treachery.....the  wind  &  the  drizzle  constantly propelling....its  a tug of  war , eventually  reaching home....&  the Coffee  joint  round  the  corner  in  full bloom...with  Men  &  Women enjoying  there sips  &  Chit  Chats.....tru such  is the liberty  tht  a  seat  is  urs for  life  unless  u  chose  to  relinquish  it......no  wonder  people  hang  around  for  long  even after  clearing the  tab  over  a  plate  of  Betel  nuts  , condiments  &  Leaf.....appreciate  the  abandon ....the  hallmark  of  the  Archipelago.....thr  is  no  tomorrow  here  ....its  all  in  the  Current....unfolding....shackle free....fiercely  independent.....suitably armed  to  the  hilt  with  latest  tools  of  communication    :  the  handset....!!!

 

.....Monsoonal Walks & Coffee fever....!!!

.....Spurt  in Monsoonal  activity makes  us run helter skelter , often scampering  home .....now  tht  We  r  pedestrian  for  good......the  Car  is  on  sale  now  after  being  in disuse  for  better  part  of  the  year ....as  Male' City is  reachable  on foot &  for good health  half the  City  is  on foot.....the  Healthy  ways  hv  rubbed  on us  too.....hence  we  or  on  the  Number  11  carriage  of  our  legs ......though  a  cursory  glance  at  a  new  Vespa Scooter  showroom  tempted  me  to slide  in  nd chk  the  beautiful  125 cc & 150  cc  machines  with  some  awesome  Colors with  the Piaggio logo  intact....remembered  my dear  father, ever providing , ever Conceding, applying  for me , a Vespa  scooter  150  NV yr 1985, duly  delivered  in  1987 ; Turquoise Blue, all  the  way  frm  its Kanpur Plant  to  Dhanbad....the  delivery  point at Dhansar .....feel the  same  feeling  of  a  3rd  yr  Medico, as I  touched  the Matt Red  machine.....in  contrast  the  Nissan  car  appeared a Junk  & unfit for  the  Island....further  bolstering  my  faith  of Gud riddance....!!!...all  of  a  sudden  a back to  basics feel  grips  me & how  interesting the  bumper  to  bumper  ride  @ Ashok  Rajpath  , Patna    on  a busy  office & school hr , flashed  back.....the  scooterists  &  MotorCyclists  of  Male'  r as a   majority, represent , the  abandon nature  of  its denizens....in  tht  Coffee  shops dot  the  Island  with  these  bikes all parked...infact  the Coffee  fever  caught  me  up  last week  as a  new  outlet  near  home lured  me  so much  tht  I  ensured  one of  my  dear  frnds  to  accompany  me on  one  Friday , savouring  the  Coffee  & the Local  abandon.....!!!!! 

...Clove, Pepper , Mace & Nutmeg....

......the Pepper on  the  table & Cloves at  the  exit  door  cabinet  assumed  immense  importance  these  days ....as  my  daily  exit  for Clinic wud entail a ritualistic unscrewing  the  clove  container , fishing  out  one  or  two..... popping  like  a pill of  wel being .....out  for  Wrk...the pepper stand in  the Brkfast  table I wondered  , how  easily attainable  & relished  with  a  toast  or  a regular omlette....the Clove  Container  equally  so  , strategically  placed  at  the exit ....lifting  the  spirit of  wel being & a  routine.....the taste buds  do  really  matters ....&  the  taste buds  did  really  matter  at  least  as documented by  the  West frm  13th  century  AD  onwards,  in  tht  Voyages  after  Voyages  frm Europe , Indian & Arabian Moors landed  at  the spice isles  of  India  &  Malacca & Indonesia.....beautifully  described r  the  Javanese , Sunda  , Celebes, Malacca ,Timor Majapahit, Mataaram powers  of  far  east all  centred  around  this  spice  trail  of  14  th  century......the  rise  & fall of  the  European East indies  &  the  rise  & fall  of  the  kingdoms  of  far  East....the  admixture  of  various  influences  centred  around  this  spice  trade  a vibrant Maritime , Spice  culture evolves......side  by  side  a  more  centralised Javanese agrarian......the  taste bud  trade of  spices & ........Pepper  assumes  the  mantle  of   GOD ....!!!!..... the  new  found  respect for  the  Condiments  at  home......!!!.....Spiceless  means  Bland.....!!!!....the  west  cudn't  resign to  its  bland  fate  &  hence  the  Voyages  &  Colonisation ensues......with  trade  came all  the  major  powers  decimating  the existing  ones.....the power  of  Pepper  , Clove  , Nutmeg  & Mace cannot  be  underestimated......  the respect  ....albeit  late  ....better  ....thn  never.....!!!!!

Olympics & Flood ....

....Two  medals brought  lot  of  Cheers to an otherwise insipid  campaign  for  our Olympians....its time  to  introduce  sports as a full fledged faculty  in universities & Sports  graduate be  introduced....at  par  with  the  normal  streams....sizeable  job reservations for  the  Sports  people  who  do  well in  the tourneys.... in a way  its time  to  take  sports  seriously  as  another  discipline  of  livelihood as its  also  a  sharp  , shining  , human  faculty...ready  to  be recognised...hv  to  come  out of  the  mindset  of  Study  more  Play  less....a  huge  populace  need  to  be guided to  make India , a Vibrant youthful nation....as  it  is apparent  the nation  is  stirred  ,  invigorated  by  superlative  performances  in  all fields  & sports  is no  exception....its  time  to  invest  at  the  Village  level....it  will  definitely  yield  result...Close  to  the Closure  of  the olympics the flood  situation in  native  Land assumes  alarming  scenario......year  after  year .....if  a nation is insensitive  to  a chronic  problem facing its  impoverished  denizens  its  no Nation at  all....its  time  here too  to  put  in the  best  measures....if  ur  cities  & villages  r chronically  afflicted  by floods :  the Concept  of  smart  cities  r  laughable.....hv to  prioritise the well  being of  people ....Flood is  terrible....a huge  populace  sad  & sick.....brk farrakka Barrage , desilt  Ganges do whtever but  for God's sake  do  it  now ....a  massive  plan  to  be  initiated....every  human  being  is  precious  national  resource...every afflicted  Human being  ar  our  own brethren  Indian....!!!!

15 th August 2016 : 70th India Independence Day ....!!!

....Freedom is possibly  the most cherished attribute in Existence....U  only  understand the tru essence  of  it  once U  hv  had  lost  it.....to regain might  be a  steep  askance , the  more steep  the  more valued & Cherished  it  is ......India & her kingdom were flourishing  till the Europeans Colonised  her at opportune  moments of  her  weaknesses of Governance....250 long  yrs  saw  the erosion  of  our  traditional  basis of Existence to  a more  powerful  diametrically  opposite race....finally Time Overcame as it  is  most  powerful  &  we  got  back  our  freedom.....70  long yrs since  thn ....we  hv  come  a  Long  Way.....!!!....the Indianess among all  its  Citizens  of  different  states , united  by  a string  of a  rich Civilization....We r  strong  &  We  r  still weak  but We r  happy  with  our  rich  Identity....we  r  no  longer  Enslaved...we r on our own....a Freedom in  the  truest  sense in all spheres being  the Goal &  Never Never  Again  to  be Frittered  away....Long  Live the  Motherland.....Jai Hind....!!!!

....IndoChina to Indonesia.....!!!

.....Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe is half way thru, with Crusoe accidentally finding  a footprint in  the Island which  hitherto  had not  a  soul  in  site.....I am amazed ; re discovering  Daniel Defoe....if  thr  is  anything  to  be  learnt  of  being  Self  resilient  &  Self  reliant  .....its  this  &  only  this Classic I  believe....frm an  Urbane  locale  of  Gurgaon , a  decade  ago....Castaway  right away to  a  remote  Island  near the Equator , remember  desolate  stretches  of  White  sandy  beach &  Equally  desolate  thick  Coconut  Jungles......felt  lonely  & scared only  to  fall  back upon  my  strength : my  fledgling  fmly  in  tow .......tru , the Archipelago  provides  Robinson Crusoe  Islands , which  can  brk  the  heart  of  many  a Braveheart....!!!...Salute  the  fraternity serving  in these remote lands.....as Crusoe  evolves  grappling  with  his  situation  ....a  fine commentary  of  Human Supremacy  of  the  Mind  emerges.....thts  why  a book is called  great spanning  so  many  a yrs.....its  relevance all the  more  relevant......the footfall on Indochina recently....smitten.....nd  it  was just  natural  tht  further  to  it  Indonesia & her Indic culture & connection  be Explored.....Glad a match is  being  met , courtesy National Library  , which will be  more  thn  a  matchstick to  ignite  the passion of  the  Eastern  &  Further East....armed  with modern day  Communication our children will  hv a better understanding of people , race  &  culture.....a passionate understanding...!!!

....A Father .....A Practitioner....

.....fresh frm his 7th B'Day of 5th instant.....little Arnav took ill.....landed at my health centre .....as he recovered admitted......I made  frequent trips down frm my 1st flr clinic......observing him intently  as  he took  the  infusions.....reverting  back to my patients, who had patiently qued up for  the  busy Evening Clinic of a T 20 fame ,I was challenged by  my sense of  service  & distraction for my son......surprisingly I took  more time  with  my patients  being  more  extra cautious  lest I falter & fall short of  the  benchmark services, so provided  over  the  yrs.....in  a  way  my  Pts  benefitted.....&  by God's Grace Arnav bounced  back....at  tht  testing  hour,  the  two  Chairs  assumed  immense importance......tht  of  the  Service provider ......&.....tht  of  the Attendant Father...!!!!

....Glad God gave  me  the  strength in  this  tough  Sail.......!!!!!....returning home together deeply  satisfied.....!!!

....the Heart thts Left behind....!!!

.....the  slog overs  r  being played  now  as  the  Month is  drawing to  a  close....just  after  return  back  frm  a  satisfying  holidaying  in  the South  East Asia.....though  ,  must  say  the  Heart  Left  behind  thr.....in  Thailand & Cambodia.....!!!.....its  unusually relaxing  mnth  here  with  holidays  galore......of  Independence  Day.....Male'City wears  a  festive look yet  again .....finally  M K Gandhi  parted  company ...."My Experiments with  Truth" finally assimilated....as often  in the  book  in  his  words ...."it was a Wrench  parting"......A Colossus & His  equally  Colossal book.....a  must  read  for  all.....Glad I reached  my  destination  ,  albeit  late......!!!.....Durban , Phoenix , Johannesburg , Sabarmati , now  will be a  pilgrimage  for  me  and my  fmly.....will  look  forward  to  any  opportune  moment.....must  thank  National Library  again  for  making  me  feel always at  home ...Must  thank  Maldives Isles  , for  providing such  splendid  opportunity  to  interact  with  the  SubContinent & her  people....!!!!

.........Mekong .....Tonle Sap.....Ganga.....Jamuna.....Saraswati.....

......Irrawady.....Mekong......Salween....Brahmaputra......Padma.......Ganga.....Jamuna......Saraswati......Son....Gandak......Kosi......Beas....... Sutlej.....Chenab......Jhelum .....Ravi......Sindhu........Narmada......Tapti.......Krishna.......Cauvery.......Godavari......Mahanadi.........Periyar ........Penner........River valleys    and  her civilization.......the SubContinent in full flow........its July......its Monsoon.......its Megh.  and it's Malhar........how much these rivers shaped the civilization.........sustaining..........I am awestruck as to the array of these great rivers.......nurturing the subcontinent.......no doubt we r a riverine race......our makeup & get up so influenced........the diversity thus deduced......silently flows the river........silently stories evolve ........generations after generations......The Indian Subcontinent is a bouquet of diverse flowers......unified nd tempered by free flowing thoughts.......as Tht of her rivers......

..the commonality of  nature nd her resources.......a  great River valley civilization.........

...........destined change......

.......thr is a tangible change evident after the holidays  now.....with Ayyuttha....Angkor.....in not too far memory.....thr is a deep sense of satisfaction ......now a far greater desire to explore more.........more related to Truth......of an old world time tested  order......thr can now be only an appreciation of original beauty of visuals nd thoughts.....of Art nd crafts.....of literature  nd rich legacy of heritage.....the make believe world appears shallow  nd hollow.....I am under a twin attack of wht I hv. seen nd.  wht I am reading....&......for the first time ever I found my trusted people , all beside me frm day 1 of my return ........as if I had not departed at all.....the solidarity so expressed gives me jet speed start to the 2nd innings of the yr.....such is the pleasure at the wrk place......all my extracurriculars   r in disarray......the daily news takes a beating....the social media. even more......nd Rojnamcha the  Indian Ocean diary.....in a trough.......its people.......nd thr concerns in the Driver's seat......!!!!!

....of Ayyuthha.......khmer......& Champa.....

......Ayyuthha(Thailand,....Khmer(Cambodge  :  Cambodia....).....& Champa(Vietnam) ......of RamaKien  &  Ramakiehr(  Ramayana) imprints telltale marks  on  its  civilisation....thn  the FrenchIndochina.....an  everlasting  imprint of  villas nd  architecture....as the Nattakan  Bus rolled  frm Aranyaprathet border , Thailand, over to  the Cambodian  border  of  Poipet....onward  to  Siem  Reap.....thr  is  feeling  of  deja  vu  .....flatland  & lush green  paddy  fields.....of  "TulsiManch" at every  house  dotting  the  landscape of Cattles grazing  idly......is  this India....??...I  am  in  a  state  of  trance......first the salutations  of  Pranams in  Thailand.....Wat  Trimitr & Wat Pho & the banks of ChaoPraya  ....the  never  ending  Indic  tale.....The Golden  &  Reclining  Budhdha  ......my  own  Budhdha  of  Rajgriha  &  Bodh  Gaya.....all  in  magnanimous aura  in  far  east.....!!!!...my  heart  skips  many  a  beat  as  I  run  helter skelter frm  a  barrage  of  Indic  civilisation.....I felt proud of  our  heritage  &  legacy  adorning  the  walls  of  the  temples  &  its  spires.....its  Ramayan  &  Sidhdhartha  all  the  way.....bedazzled  nd  mesmerised  the  Thai  Exit.....entering  the  Realms  of  Cambodge  :  Angkor  Thom ....the  Citadel  city  of  the  Hindu/Budhdhist kingdom of the  Khmers........the  lush  green  paddy  fields   as  flat  as  the   Gangetic  plain.....the  Mekong  Rice  bowl........tht  the  Eastern  in  me ....tumbles, felled  ,  biting  the  dust in all familiarity....as  I  step  into  AngkorThom the  ageless city of  the  Khmers....replete with  Lord Vishnu's  Samundra  Manthan....as  the  footfall of  my  fmly.....I  so  long  desired....the  journey  frm  Complexes  to  another.....all  in a  trance......proud  to  hv  a team  of  a fmly who  supported.......I carried  Gandhi : his book  physically & Nehru on mind...trudging the  plains  ,  so  fortified....India  &  her far  east  reach  out.....!!!.....Mr  Shweth the  Tuk Tuk  driver an  embodiment  of  calmness  & mirth....in  gud  stead....guiding  us  , obliging  us....the  War Museum of  a  recent  gory  past  notwithstanding.....the  Happiness index definitely  soaring  in  this  part  of  the world.....!!!!.....with  regular  linkages  thruout onward  to  PnomPenh , Saigon  , Hanoi & Vientianne.....French  IndoChina all  very  evident....the Siem Reap  National Museum... a  life  time  experience so  very  treasured  now....tucked  in  one  corner  of  our  hearts......!!!!!!

.....On Ur Marks.......Get set........!!!!!

.....the curtains  r  being  arranged  , soon to  be  pulled  over a marathon first  half  of  the  yr.....three more days  & the Consult Room 4 wil witness  a temporary  Lull....the door &  its  hinges  will  take  a  much  needed brk  &  welcome  Rest.....as we fly to South East  Asia on  24th  instant....the Rendezvous with the  Gautama Lands......& Angkor Wat.....a dream  nearing  its fruition.....as  thr  is  a torrential  downpour  of Rain God's  of  a  steady  SW Monsoonal  breeze  gaining  strength  day  by  day augmented  by an overflowing  Morn  & Eve Clinic....hands  r  ful....too  ful  to handle.....as  the  sign  out process  is  being  commenced frm  the  archipelago .....my frnds  &  patients.....painstakingly  I  explain I will be back  quickly  after Eid....thr  face  lighting  up amidst  tired  contours.....the  trust  &  the bond  so  established over  the yrs , get  strengthened ....sailing  together day in &  day  out......as I siff  thru the  papers on S E Asia....."The Burma Road " read recently  fresh... with  the  "Bridge  over  the River  Kwai"  at  striking distance  in Thailand.....the Death Railway  is  still  operational.....!!! , I am informed....I am  happy to  be  in  the  Budhhist Circuit  again.....nd  needless  to  say  .....yes  they  r  back.....the  Butterflies  , a  host  many  of  thm  .....doing  the  rounds  in  the  abdomen.....!!!!

....Faith tht binds....

.....Faithfully  the Holy  mnth  of Ramadaan  is underway.....everybody  to  the  best  of abilities.....the  piety  &  devoutness palpable....nd  overflowing  Eve  Clinic.....the  term  End  vacations r  on  for  the children.....thr  was a picture framed  in  mind's eye of  a dense  jungle straight  frm  the  history  books  of  the  Secondary....with  towering spires nd  hidden  temples in  a  jungle....tht  the Indic culture was  far  flung ....tht  we  played  a  pivotal  role  in its  spread  both  Left  & Right  of our main land....!!!....my  umpteenth  time  visits  to  "RajaGriha" : Rajgir  the  seat  of  the  powerful  Magadhan  Empire with  Bimbisara  & Ajathashatru  wel  imprinted  in  our  childhood  knowledge  of  the  terrain.....tht  Budhdha could  do  a penance  in  Gridhdhakuta  range .....still  the  environs  thr  maintained  diligently by  the  monks....the  cool  breeze  on  top  of  the  range  overseeing  the  Pagoda  of  a Serene  Gautama .....tht  Budhdha held  a permanent  sway  over  the  mind  nd  how  wel  entrenched  his  picture  of  a  composure  defining   world peace.......thank  the  Lord  for  letting  us  feel  &  inhale  the  pristine  , eternal  holiness  of  the  Land....whrto  we  r  rooted  permanently.........the  Jalmandir  at Pawapuri  of  the  Jain Tirthankaras,  not  far, with  the  epic  university  of Nalanda .....as  we  grew  up  nd  imbibed  frm  this  environment ; cud  I  not  say, now ,how  lucky  we  were !!!....the  freq  trips  to  Bodh  gaya & vaishali  reaffirming  this  faith ....the Falgu  with  its  streak  of  an  eternal  river steeped  in Mythology  &  our  Faith so  ever  encompassing....Glad  tht  I was  born  in this  region  of India ....as Angkor Wat Ruins  ever  mesmerised  the  young  mind  of  a  far  flung  Indian  reach  in  Cambodia....it  was  a desire  to  pay  a  visit  ever  since, hidden  , well  nurtured  waiting  patiently  to  see  the  light of  the  day ...!!!...24th instant  is  the D day  of  a  cherished  dream to  visit  the  South east Asia .....Thailand  &  Cambodia  bound.....as  the A 321 "Maldivian" will  take  us  directly  to Bangkok reaching  at  the  dead  of  nite  in Thailand....!!!!.....a week  long  stay @ Bangkok & around.........nd  thn  forward  to  Cambodia , crossing  over  frm  Thailand  thru  the  land  Route  to Siem Reap  the  platform  for  the Angkor Wat  ruins......the Khmer Hindu , Budhdhist kings ......of Jayavarman , Rajendravarman.....!!!!.....of French IndoChina capital  of Pnom Penh....!!!!!...possibly  Sihanouk ville, & finally delving  down South  thru  Road to  the  Gulf  of  Thailand  @  Pattaya ....whn  the  sea is thr  the  "Children  of  the  Sea"  can't  be  far  behind....!!!!!