.....Good Bye Good Year .....!!!!

....its winter  in the  Northern  Plains...the  mercury  dipping  further....frm  the  Sunny  Climes of  the Isles , its  a change much awaited every year....reunited  with  fmly  nd  frnds ....re visiting  nd  visiting  anew  many  a  place ,  Heritage being  a  priority.....frm the architectural  wonders  of  the  collonades  of  Chennakesavasamy Temple of South  India  to the  commanding  Qutub & spartan  Humayun's  Tomb  & the  melancholic romanticism  of  the  Taj  in  the  North...a  fair amt  of  awe put forward  to  the  Children  of this  brand  New  Global  age  ....Global Citizen as  they  are....the year  ends  dramatically  with  the imposing  Taj  with all  its  grandeur  &  Splendor  augmenting  &  fortifying  their  freshly  memoired  visit to the  Great Wall  of China in  mid  yr.....!!!....in  the  interim  in  the  balmy  climes   of  the Islands , the  Island detour , a  brand new  bridge linking  two  major islands, the unabated activities  of  the  children....the  indefatigable  spirit  of  their  teachers  &  their Mother all  soaring up  the  level  for the  year....!!!....on the  personal & professional   frnt its  the   unstinted  support I recd. frm  my  patients ,  my  hospital  colleagues...in  order  to   generate  a  service  providing  of  a  more humane approach,  in  tht  I  salute  thm   both  for  their  patience & expertise  respectively  ....though  ,  however  ,  I  am  missing  my  sprightly  walk  back  home after a  day's  wrk...the heart  ful of  thoughts  of  a  good  job  done  ,  of  an  immense  help  to  my people  and  the Love  & Good  wishes  thus showered....Hope & Trust  can it  be belied ?.....is  the Quintessential Question .....the question.... keeping you  in  tenterhooks , lest  you falter  &  remain  in  captivity of  the  mundane....!!!...
Lets Celebrate the  Ushering  of  the  New  year with  a  deep  sense  of  Gratitude...a Renewed  Hope ....& an  unflinching Faith  in  Mankind ....!!!....God Bless , God Be  With.....!!!!

....Last of a Friday....

....the butterflies  hv  heralded  this fine  brite  morn the  last  of  all  the  relaxing  Fridays  of  2018 in the  Isles......(as  nxt   Friday  is  departure...Vacation  time for  the  fmly ...a  mnth  long  much longed Wintery chilly Sojourn @ India  : Homeland....) the early morn move for  the twin city a 15 mt drive tnx  to the  bridge  over  the  Indian Ocean linking  the  two Islands.....thr....a sumptuous  brkfast ,  a  quick  swim  ....&  a  close brush  with   a  Manta  Ray.....!!!....the wrkin  week  before  dep.  is  going  to  be  tight......as  uprooting ur  reach gently  frm  ur  people is hard  & heavy.....a  set of  people  who  know  u  &  depend  on  u  in  these  remotely  tucked  fabulous Isles  of the  Indian Ocean.....!!!!

...Island hopping .....

...Island Hopping for  now  is  the agenda  ...as  children's Exam r Over   ....the weather  just  as  fine  for  Island  hopping  ....45  mts frm  Male' in Kaaf atoll  r  dotted with Islands  habitated  nd  with guest houses  for  those  who  wish  to  live  in  Islands  as short  stays ...a  change  frm  the  Resort  stay  which  is  urbane  in  nature ...there  is  a Guest House  Association  in Maldives  wherein  Guest  house  owners promote  a  more  realistic  Tourism ....Its  popularity  is  seen  to  be  believed as  last  two Friday  we  observed a   spurt  in tourism  in  as much  of  such   inhabitated  islands ...Excursion  clubs  ,  Watersports  , night  fishing r  the  Star  attractions...the  facilities  top  class...needless  to  say  low  priced as  compared  to  the begining of  the tourist  season .....though  , of course  the  retreating monsoon  is  here ....u  need  to  be  lucky  now  for  a  brite  day  out  ....!!!!!

 

.....Holy Ablution to the SUN....

....Post  morn  clinic  marathon ,  warmth  of  the Sun  is  welcome  change as  I  hit the  street  as  usual , hurtling  back  to  base  ,  as   hot lunch  with  school  returned  children ,  their  equally  hot cacophony  of  a narrative of their  day , finally  garnished  up  with  the  Post  Tang  , Post  Sung  dynasty  Chinese renaissance  pages  waiting  to  be  devoured , with  the  deep blu  in  the  background  thru  the  panes  ....Sun  God  must  touch  me  intently  today  as  I  prayed  early  morn offering  floral  &  water  tributes on  the Occasion  of Culmination of Chhath Pujan today....as  the sun  bathed  return  is  solicited ,  thr  is  definitely  a  sprightly  movement .....day  in day  out  blessed  r  we  soaking  in  the infinite energy  of  the  Sun ....growing  ,  expanding  our  progeny ...The  holy  ablutions  to  the Sun , reinvigorating  our  spirits ....Long  Live Our Festivity  ....!!!!!

 

"....One life is Enough ...."

...the  most  important  voice   I need to hear  is tht of Ma on  my B'day ....it was  no unusual ....as  early...as  her razor sharp voice  crackled  on  the  ether  wishing  me  " Happy B'day "  &  my day is  made ....in her late  seventies  her  voice continue    soothening   my  unruffled feathers   as  always , as  I  am  soaring , soaring  high  as  the way  she  wanted , just as  the way  she  prayed for me  at  the  very  first  day of my  life  in  the Temple  town  of Lord Shiva  :  " Baidyanath dham "....She always prayed  for  my longlife  , healthy  life ...three words of "Dhirgojeevi , Nirog  , Nikhunth.."...always would  come from  her & today  was   no  unusual  ....these  three words hv kept  me  alive  ....today  also  is "BhaiPhonta"...whr  Sisters  wud pray for  their  brother's  long life  .....my  sisters prayed , called  me , put a  Tilak  Chandan on their Puja  Ghar wall,  as  they used to  anoint us  on  our foreheads whn  we  were together....this  the  double  benefit  I  had on  this day....I  thank  God for  whtever  I  got  both  material  &  immaterial ...tht I saw Nature so  naturally ....tht  my  Parents Loved me  with  all their might; a loving fmly to support ; shud I  say  one Life  is enough  .....!!!!

....Happy Deepawali....

....Frm across  the Laccadive sea  ....Wishing  all  frnds  & fmlys  A  very happy Deepawali  ...Expat  tht  we are  far away , tucked  in  an  island  in  the Indian ocean , weathering  the  nature  &  its ferocity  at  times  ,  we r  geared  up  to  usher  in  the festival  of lites  ...the pious  flame  of  hope  in the  deepak  lit , ensconced  by  our palms  of  our  fmly  ,  withstanding  the  sea  breeze ....Festivity  away  frm Indian mainland  ,  a  tough call  indeed  ,  but  we hv  learnt  our lessons  well  enough ...as  to  its  value...redeeming  ourselves  as  Newer avatars of  forbearance  & resilience with  all  our  comrades  here  ...I  extend  a  huge diwali greetings  to  those  who  couldn't  make  it  home ...Let  this festival of  lite  lit  our  home  & hearth  with eternal warmth ....!!!

......dream to cherish before I perish ....

....Bullet  trains  from CAPE( Kannya Kumari)  to  JAT(  Jammu  Tawi ) a  distance  of  3430  KM  can be consummated in flat  11 hrs  @  300Kmph ...The  Fuxing of China  &  the Shinkansen of Japan  shud  easily do  it  ....it  will  be  a dream  which  I  shud  cherish before  I  perish ....!!!!...elevated  corridors  &  dot  on  time arrivals  , airplane  like service  all  can  be  had  .....as  the  Shinkansen  Bullet  train  is  already  on  the anvil  in India  &  ICF (Integral Coach Factory)  Perambur  gearing  up  with  the  rolling  stock  ...all  these  sound  exciting  ....Huge  country  tht  we  are  with  huge  populace  these  trains must  criss  cross  the  Metros  with  superlative  connectivity  as  a  mass  transportation ....Our  recent  experiences  in china with  the CRH  & Fuxing was  heartening  ....need  this  excitement  to  pass  on  to  the  country  ...yes  , I  firmly  believe  we  can  do  it  ....!!!!!....Another  Challenge is in  the high  altitude  Rlys   of  the Bilaspur  (HP)  line  to  Leh  is what  I  am looking  now intently  as  the drawing  sheets r  on  the  board  already  ....must  , must  compete  vigorously  with China  & Japan ....!!!!

......Retreating with vengeance...

.....Rains returned with vengeance today.....post aft nun clinic, wading thru the ice cold flooded streets was a pleasure...out of a tight compartment again of service providing on a wet treacherous wicket of diseases.....patients were more than happy as the clinic furthered until past 1pm , only to be greeted with the icy waterway which were streets until morn.....the state run hospital appeared  a flotilla as the front entrance was completely inundated....Retreating monsoon and its battering a talk of the town today.....

....Amritsar a sad day ......

....Railway  tracks need  to  be  fenced  in  India  ....elevated corridors  will  also  enhance train speed....India  is  no  Ordinary  Nation ....teeming  with population , whose  life  is  definitely  Precious .....fencing  needs  priority....newer  tracks  can  be  shelved  for  the  time  being  ....the  Indian Train  system Juggernaut , needs  urgent  reforms....if  at  all  we  care  for  our  people  ...Amritsar a  sad  day  definitely  ...

.....& into abandon of abundance ....

....the  rain  God's  finally  taking  a  bow ....as  the sun is warm ...Our festivities  are  On ...the  brisk  mnths  of  "Puja  Pathh" are  here....Children Term  end  is  near &  preparations  are afoot  for  the  annual  departure  to homeland in December ....the  Sunny  Land soon  to  be in  oblivion  into  the  realms  of  the  Winter , misty, foggy Northern  Plains of  Delhi & Haryana our  abode  for  life....time  to  re unite  ,  unwind  &  into a sprightly  abandon of  Abundance...we  & our  soil....!!!!

.....M K GANDHI....2nd Oct.

.....M K Gandhi upon arriving in England for joining the     Law school was  a  turning  point  in  both Nation's  history  ....as he settled  down seriously  to  learn  Law .... undoubtedly  the  education he  got  thr  was the  best  in  the World  .....in  tht  way  he  was  privileged  , tnx  to  the untiring  efforts  of  his  brother  , who  used  to  wire  money  to  England  frm India  for Gandhiji's education ....he  faltered ...as expenses rose....finally realization dawned  upon  him ...Vegan  society, promoting  vegetarianism & thrift was  tht he  started  promoting, completing  thus his  Law curriculum....English orderliness and discipline  he  imbibed  which further  honed his  experiments with the  truth...tht Gandhiji preached  wht  he practiced is seen  in South Africa  as an  expat  & later in  INDIA....Whatevr  nd  however  it appeared  to  the  masses....tht  he was a  Colossus in  India's liberation , endeared by many  as The Father  of  the Nation ....

 

.....Greater Male’.......a reality......

.....Friday was the designated day for inspecting the bridge now linking both the islands....brand new ....Greater Male’ finally is a reality....the twin city Hulhumale’ bubbling with activities....as Friday is a holiday....Male’ appeared jaded in comparison upon arrival......

.....Banana Leaf ....freshly cut .....

....as  the  train  rumbled  in MAS  Central    late  evening , it was  time  to  scamper  back  to  MAS  Egmore for  onward  connections....undoubtedly  Father  was  the  leader &  we  his  ardent  followers ...he  had an uncanny  knack  of  keeping things  v  interesting  for  us ....his choice  was  the  public transport ferrying  us  to MAS  Egmore  ....SIR , Elephant  Logo Rly  Stn ...the wooden  staircase thr ,thn, were  resounding  &  our  hurried  footsteps wud  be  resonating as  we  climbed  up  to  the  Waiting  rooms ....2200 hrs the RockFort Express  wud depart via  Villupuram  to  Trichy....&  we  had  enough  time  to  hv  dinner  across  the  street.....the  air  thick  in  these  restaurants  with  aroma of  freshly  cooked  food ...&  diligently  we  all  sat  together,  being  served  in  freshly  cut  washed  banana leaves....the steaming  rice  , sparkling  white,  stuffed  in  steel  bowls , to  be  placed  as  a mound as  it  is  served  unpacked....the  hot  Sambhar  ,  Rasam , Mixed  veg  curry  with Appalam & Ghee  tasted  ethereal .....as  the servings  were  unlimited  , thr  was  no  room  for  not  being  satiated ...the 36  hr train  journey  frm  Howrah  to  Madras & wht best  was it  thn  having  a  simple sumptuous meal with equally  sumptuous  stretching  of  limbs.....  

.....The Meltdown & a watery mouth to remember .....

...Sept  is  the  month of  meltdown ....meltdown in  the  Clinic  &  also  the  Mkt. area....as, major  festivities  here r  over  ....the disease  process  slowly  recoiling & its  easy  at  the  clinic ....last  nite the  "Escape  of  the Dalai  Lama" one  of  a  series  of Great  Escapes on Netflix was  riveting as I watched ....authentic  narration , & superb depiction by the  Characters , more  so  the  part  played  : as  the Dalai Lama....Tibet , China , Mongolia , India  the  backdrop....during student  ship  ,  the  freq  visit  to  Rajgir  ( Raja Griha) , Bodh Gaya & exposure  to  the  Monks , the  Gridhhakut  range  &  its  Gompa , the Mahabodhi  tree at Gaya were  telltale imprints  indelible....the  Ropeway ride  to  the  Monastery  at  Rajgir...the  deathly  silence  of  the  valley underneath the  ropeway  climb with  clean cool  air  , with  distant sound  of  the  Drum  &  Chant  enticing .....a  place so  rich  in Mythology    Rajgir , with  its  hot  water  springs...eateries ....&  the  famous  Silao  khaja  a  sweet  pattis to  savour, not  to speak of  Anarsa a hell  of a  sweet  meat  for  the  sweet  tooth  ....!!!!    

....Krishna Janmasthami .....

....there is  lot  of  sunshine  now  &  the  Earth's  position at  this  time  of  the  yr  ensures  abundant  such, as  is  evident in  the  east  facing    rooms....the intensity is a feel  of  the  festivities  round  the  Corner  ,  not  too  Warm  ...not  too  mild  .....Krishna Janmasthami  is  celebrated today , which  will  usher  in  the  festivity  mnths  to  come  ....at  least  this  part  of  the world  with a  Monsoonal  clime , a  part  of  the  subcontinent, generates  the  same  feel  of season's  waxing  &  waning .....as is it was  felt  back  home....the  Sun  , Moon , Stars  , Sea as  constant  as  ever bathing  our  Lives with  its infinite energy  as  before...the  Cycle  of seasons  ,  the  diurnal  variations  all regulating  us.....the  Calendar  pages  change, mnth  after  mnth ....we  r  upbeat  , optimist our  basic  human  trait .....as our  parents  age  , we  age nd  Children on a brisk  path  of  maturity....the  Earth's  Rotation &  Revolution  around  the  Sun  is  the Passage  of  time  for  our  empty  coffers  to  be  filled  up gradually   with  rich  experiences  of  Life....!!!!

....An Island....A development ....

....thr  is  a Lull  in  the  Clinic  corridors after  the  morning  blitz....as  the  mnth  draws to  a  close ....purse  strings  r  tight .....the  acute cases  wud  visit  now  only  .....others  will  wait  for  the  new  mnth  &  a  pay  chk  ....for  a  visit  to  the  clinic ....1/3  rd  of  the  lot  is  covered  but  a whopping  2/3 rd  is  uncovered  in  these  Pvt  clinics  here....though  the  Stately  Hosp. wud  render  cashless  service as for  the  Expats a Work visa  is  issued  after  due  insurance procedures ...for  the  locals  its free service  managed  by  a  company  with Governmental  say in  its  mgmt ....thr  is  an  air  of  volatility   as  the Country  goes  to  Polls  nxt  mnth....a  quiet  affair  to  the  run up so  far.....Sinamale'  bridge  over  the  sea  linking the  capital  to  the  Airport  &  adjacent Hulhumale' City is ready  for  inauguration ....its  a  big  development  here....as  it  will  further  economic development ....Friday  will  be  the  designated day  to  hv  a look &  take  some  pics for posterity .....!!!!

....The Deluge....

.....as the festivity week is coming to an  end  , with  visuals  both frm India  , Bangladesh , Pakistan , Maldives pouring  in warming  every  home  &  Hearth.....I  take  this opportunity to  wish all  frnds & fmly .....fabulous week this has  been...&equally heartbreaking , as  we see our  brethren , battered mercilessly  by  floods  ...visuals , tales  pouring  in now  ....the  aftermath grim  ....as  kerala  struggles....Onam  is  round  the  corner....I am  speechless....paralysed...even wishing Happy Onam  will  be  hard to be  made to my  dear colleagues...as near total damage to the spirit  of our lovely  ,  homely ,  beautiful State of kerala  is  inflicted  by Nature's fury....Help is being rendered....both indigenous  &  Foreign .....huge  homework is  to be  done   to avoid  such  a scale  of  calamity  to be inflicted  ....Co ordination between  states   & Central water commission ....learning  lessons frm past  calamities  need  of the  hr.....If  India  is to  be recognized as a progressive  , democratic , modern society with state of  the  art   governance....we need  to pull  our socks ....actually  Kerala  was  sitting dangerously for  this  tragedy to occur....Visionary planning to  handle  huge  population  settlements  in  river basins need  robust  initiatives ....We  the People hv  our task  cut out frm now  .....!!!!

...God Bless the subcontinent .....

 

.....the Rain Gods battered "Gods own Land"...as if Life has no value ...the effects resonating here too with sporadic heavy rains....back2 back hols on account of festivity, Asiad @ Jakarta...Trentbridge heart warmer keeps us busy ...Application on the crease is the Mantra....the recent demise of Political heavy weights in the Subcontinent in quick succession , drains us...as the better part of youth is spent observing thm...Heavenly abode.....above all board....the Comeback of Dr Mahathir Mohammad as PM at 92 @ Malaysia to salvage the Malay prestige is truly age defying...God bless him & Malaysia....last yr at this point of the yr we were all set for the fabulous visit to KL....fond memories...intently watching Imran Khan taking over....Winds of Change is sweeping the Indus....Let Peace & Better sense prevail.....!!!.....God Bless the subcontinent ......!!!

...15 th August : India Independence day ....

.....animated  discussions  at  morn  tea  with  the  children regarding  India  ...her  current  stature &  Past....as  15  th Aug  Our  Independence day is round  the corner ....an  Imp  day  in  the  Indian Calendar  as  "Swatantrata  Diwas" ...every  Indian  is  touched  by  the  auspicious  nature  of  the  day  .....Post Aurangzeb India  fast  relinquished  indigenous  control  to  the  East India Company  followed  by take  over  by  the Crown  after  the  first war  of Independence  in  1857 AD....the  slide  post  Aurangzeb  was gradual  with  internecine  wars  amongst  the  vassals  &  Principalities  now  uncontrolled  by  the  Mughals .....a  fertile  ground  for  the Superlative leadership  of  Clive  , Hastings  , Cornwallis  &   Wellesley  to  be  in  full  bloom  usurping  Indian independence  rapidly....the  exposure  to  the  English  led  to  exposure  to  western  education  of  Western Ethics  ,  Legal, philosophy  , Language  & Literature  over  a  decadent  Indian society....the  Bengal  renaissance  was  fast &  as  fast  as  it  cud  be  as  if  waiting  for  ages  to  burst onto  the fore  ......the  result  cataclysmic  for  the  Colonialists as  they  were  upstaged by  India's  talents ....this  was  sweet  revenge  as Iron  will  cut  Iron the  age old adage  .....hence  this  emancipation  from  foreign  domination is   ever  heart  warming , rejoicing  ,  remembering  every  15  th day  of August  to  come....wishing  every  frnd  &   fmly  a Happy Independence day  ...Long Live  the  Indian  Nation .....!!!!   

....FIFA World Cup & A Test Match Cricket ......

....the  completion  of the FIFA  world cup  recently & ongoing  Test  Cricket  series   with England  hv  gobbled  much  of  our leisure   time  ....Test cricket  is real treat  to  watch  .....India  lost the  well  contested  Edgbaston Test ....Imran khan's  prophecy  on India  Cricket hit hard as  he  spoke  recently  at  Pataudi  Memorial  inaugural Lecture  on  "Tiger Pataudi"   &  Indian Cricket ....a  strong  advocate  of  Test  Cricket  he  forbade  excessive  attention  to  the  shorter  form  of  the  Game  ...the  top order fell like  a  pack of  cards  with Kohli as exception   with   little  application ....missed    terribly  the  likes  of  Tendulkar  , Dravid ....the  T20  has  brutally  decimated  the  Gentleman's  game ....there are  no  more  "Walls"....the  Patience  to  build  an  Innings.....missed  Dhoni  though  in the  middle  order ,  he  cud  hv  stemmed  the  rot  .....Test  Cricket  is the  ultimate  test  of  batting  , Bowling  &  Fielding  skills  ....its a  great  pleasure  to  watch bowlers  having  long  spells  with varieties  of  arsenal unleashed  frm  their  armament .....whn  Holding , Roberts  , Croft  &  Garner  bowled  with  the  new  ball  &  the  little master  Gavaskar   with Farokh  engineer  facing thm  bravely  without  helmets  .....some  Cricket  it  was ......now  a Stokes  , an  Anderson, a Broad is  rattling  the  hell  out  of  the  top  order ....Kohli  impresses....a  trace  of  the  old  order  in  his repertoire ..... FIFA world  cup  was  an  even  more let  down  .....the  individual  brilliance in players  appeared  jaded &  the  games  just  routine  .....here  the  fault lies  with the  Leagues  prior to  the  Finals ....Cobbling  up National teams  with tired  players  will  surely  rob  the  Lustre  from the  FIFA  world cup finals .......much  like  the  T  20  in Cricket ....the  Defence &  Defenders  hv  turned  out  to be croppers  in  the  quest  of  all  seeking  a  goal  .....in  the  process  conceding  a many  .....Missed  Italy....

......Hide & Seek .....

...back2back hols  r  here  on account of  Independence  Day  today &  Friday tomorn....a  screeching  halt  to the  service @Clinic.....hide  nd seek of  the  Sun & Clouds in full  swing....unusual  quietude on  the streets....the city  taking  a   brk.....!!!!

 

......Feel Good factors ......

....it took  a  lot  of  time  this  mnth  to  get  back ....its back  to  basics again  of  service providing....its  almost  a mnth now  after arriving  frm  China....as   I am reading "Mao The Unknown Story" by Jon Halliday  &  Jung  Chang...& ..."History  of  Chinese  Civilisation" a  treatise  by  French  author  Jacques  Gernet  translated  to  English...now  the  Atlas of  the region  is  so  very  familiar & appreciable  ,  only  going  to  prove tht  ignorance  can  be  a  bane &  Prejudice  without  knowledge even  worse ....the  reads even further  ur   first  hand knowledge, of sites  visited  naively....1989 Tianenman  square events I  passed  on  to  Archana who  listened  to  me in  rapt attention...as  she had  visited the  place  so  very  recently....the  Tibetan Autonomy &  its past sovereignty....with  its  breath  taking  landscape being  the  "Roof  Of  the  World  " is  a whole  lot  new  entity of  a  civilization  within  a  civilization  ....the Chinese Mainland History  is fascinating....Finally  Sir Jadunath  Sirkar's Four Vols. Magnum  opus : " The Fall of  the Mughal  Empire "  gave  way  to  Jacques  Gernet  " History  of  the  Chinese  Civilization "....Wht  a  roller  coaster narrative Post Aurangzeb  to Shah Alam II , Rajputana , the  house  of  Holkars & Scindhias , Mysore  &  Hyderabad....gripping  & superb  command on little details & the English Language....feel elated  tht  we  had  such teachers as Sir Jadunath Sirkar...a  huge  salute.....empowered thus` thr  is  definitely  a sprightly movement down  to the Clinic for  an even  more pleasurable : Of a Service  providing ....as the  drizzle   notwithstanding, the  umbrella  ignored knowingly..!!!....the last few steps to the Clinic ....time  to  generate  the infectious smile  consciously....the feel  good factor  for many.....!!!!! 

...The Discovery of China ....

....penetrating  deep  into  the  Chinese  mainland  with  fmly  in  the  Golden Triangle  of  Shanghai  ,  Xi'an , Beijing ,we were deeply satisfied discovering  the  Country  on  our own ....In Shanghai the population  ws  huge , a la  India  &  not  much of a  discomfort  to  us   ...as  English  is  not  spoken  by  the  larger  population ....Google translations  &  English sign boards  did  help us ....The  Bund in Shanghai  is  breathtaking  on  the  HuangPu river  &  a  panoramic  view  atop  the  world's  2nd  tallest tower  The Shanghai  Tower  was breathtaking ....the  people were mild , sober , smiling...the  14th century Yu  Garden of Ming dynasty  era with Budhhism vibrantly  in  the air ....Shanghai Museum was superb nd  how  related  our two  cultures  r  is evident  ....with  Avolokiteswara &  Boddhisatvas on display nd how the early Wei , Han practises ,  followed  by  the  Song  , & Golden age  of Tang  dynasty  with  the  later Mings  , & Quings  shaped the  Buddhist  culture with  Confucianism  & Taoism  permanently  entrenched  ....I  found  China very  close  to  India as I  cud  relate  the  heavy  transfer  of  knowledge frm India thru  Nalanda  , Vikramshila   &  Taxila across  the Himalayas....the  Budhhist  ,  trails  ,  the  Silk  road  all very much bringing  the  two countries  together....the  Swanky City  of  Shanghai  &  side  by  side  its  traditional  populace....with  tradition  &  Culture  deeply  imprinted ....Oriental  blend  of  Modernity  &  tradition....as we  were  recognised  easily  by  the masses  nd  people referring  to  us  as  "Indoos" & with warmth as the  children  posed for  photographs with  parents  with  us &  Little  Arnav  getting so  much  attention....people  crazy  about  his eyes ....!!!!....in  a  way  we  felt  v much  at  home right at  the  begining  of  our trip.....the  High  speed  Bullet  train  rides to  deep  interior  Shanxii province with  Capital Xi'an with  world  heritage sites Of  "the Terracotta  army  warriors  "  of  the Qin dynasty unearthed  in 1974  was  a must  see for  the  Children  ....Xi'an  though  was  hot  & sultry  yet  the  world sites soared our spirits  ....the  Chinese  gentry  here  were  equally  frndly  the  City  charming  with  a well  maintained  ancient  wall....the  Big  Wild  Goose pagoda monastery  of  642  AD the  advent  of Buddhism Monastery culture & the  start point of  the  Silk  Road  frm this  ancient China  city of Xi'an ....pleasantly  surprised  to  dine  at  "Ganges"  the  Indian  restaurant  near  the  wild goose pagoda ....traversing now, the 2nd  side  of  the  triangle  now  to  Beijing  by G360 Bullet Train with  huge  swathes  of  cultivable land  ,  hills  &  Tunnels....the Forbidden  City  &  Tianenmann Square , Hall of the  People , the  biggest Chinese Museum...here  we  were  overwhelmed  by  Local  Chinese  people  as Tourists coming  frm  difft  parts  of  their  country,  appreciating  their  culture  & History ....2200  yrs  of  uninterrupted  Kingship  as Chinese  wud  believe  thr Kings  came  frm  heaven....The  forbidden  city  never  ending  layer  by  layer  as  we  traverse  the  ages....the  Temple  of  heaven  of  many  a  ritual  of  the  emperors.....I  cud gauge  the reverence of the  average  Chinese towards  their  heritage  nd  how  well    protected  thr  monuments  r.....in  for a pleasant  surprise  as we were  in the Jingan temple in shanghai  ....wherein  we discovered  our  very  own  lion  Capital  &  Ashok chakra  in  display, ubiquitous  Lotus  an  imprint how closely  our  Culture  exchanged between India & China  ....Hiuen Tsang  & Fahien  ....folklores in India ....the Beijing  museum  was  exhaustive  &  the Lion  capital  &  Mahabodhi  temple in  full  glory there  in  Stone sculptures.....wht more  cud I  hv  expected  thn  this  &  my mission  successful  in  establishing  a  linkage  of  shared Culture & Heritage  between  the  two Countries  ....!!!...&  finally  the great  Wall  of  China  overwhelmed  us  frm Korea  to  Mongolia its  extent ; our footfall nd  how thrilled we were  .....!!!!!  

 

 

 

 
 

....China Bound....!!!

....The  Burma  road    read  in  2016 ...the backdrop of  WW II...the RAF daredevil  pilots flying  low over  the Himalayan  "HUMP"  as they called  flying  to Kunming (China) to airdrop supplies  for  Chiang Kaishek's  Army to thwart the  Japanese....these  sorties  over  the  Himalayan  hump  from  the  airstrips  of Bengal & Assam  were real  daredevilry  & the  thought  of  flying  over  the  Hump  was  Exciting  & Thrilling for many  a  RAF  Pilot....the  Burma theatre  was  volatile & the  Allies depended  heavily on these airdrops  over  the Himalayan  Hump to Kunming , China ......It gives  me immense  pleasure to visit  China  with  fmly departing  8th  June via  Colombo  to  Shanghai...onward to  the  ancient  Capital Xian of Terracotta  army warriors  a  world  Heritage  site  ....further  onto  Beijing  to face   one of  the  Wonders  of  the World  "  The  Great Wall of China "....last week  is  spent  on  meticulous  planning  &  the  few  more  days  remaining for  this  12  day  trip  to  Chinese  Mainland , will  see  the  finishing touches  ....the  Children's  term  exam  is  over  & they r  on pins  & needles  to  make  a  move , as  the  Butterflies  r  doing  thr customary  rounds  before  any  major  trip  from  the  Isles  over  the  Laccadive Sea .....!!!!!

....The Holy Mnth....

  ....the Holy  Mnth of  Ramadaan  is  here  ,  today  being the first  day ...time  for  redemption , in selfless piety....Wishing all Frnds  & fmlys  frm across  the  Laccadive  ....Ramadaan  Mubarik ...the  pre monsoon  showers r  here ....sporadically....nd  tru to  the  mnth  of  May as seen  earlier  , this  yr  is  no  respite too....cases  tumbling  in  the  clinic  at  the  drop  of  a  hat.....the recent knee  injury sustained at  football with Nanu recovered fully  today  morn as  today's practice  at "Ekuveni" ground, went  flawlessly smooth  with  the  Child  happy....last week was whirlwind as June  is  the  mnth  of  term  Holidays with  impending  term exams....needless  to  say  the Butterflies  hv made  inroads...Thailand  , Cambodia in 2016 & last  yr  Malaysia trips fresh  in  their memories...God willing !!! will head  towards  China , as  plans  r  afoot for  a  12  day trip to  the  Dragon  land of Pandas....the  Golden  triangle of Shanghai  ....Xian ....Beijing....Visas applied @Chinese embassy  &  Sunday the  Tkts ....The Great Wall....really can't  wait  to  see....!!!!  

....the three pairs of Spects...

....the  three  pair of  spects  met  its  waterloo a few   days back .....the  three  pairs  of reading  glasses  arranged  diligently  this  Dec  frm  Gurgaon .....alas  , the  two  pairs  never  made  it  to  Male'  as  it  was  lost  in transit  &  the  3rd was "  Sobay  Dhon  Nilmoni ...";  the  Bangla ,  for  One  &  Only.....guiding my  stars & Destiny  with  elan  since  March end , finally  breathing  its last  with  a  fracture  ,  done  by  my  vigorous  wearing  On  &   Off  on  the  wrk  table  ....the  April  & May  Transit  of  the  Planets related  to  Patient  Clientele  ,  being  heavily  loaded  ....it  was  well  nigh  impossible  to  get  a  new  pair, as  ,  signing off  now : is  very  late  Evening  , touching almost  midnite ,  with  all  the  opticians in  bed .....thus  began  a  tedious effort  of  craning  my  neck  over  the  Keyboards  &   Screen ; Churning  out  prescriptions  feverishly ,adjusting  my  perch  ,  neck  &  Eyes  for  a  meaningful  read  ......the  Chamber  door  none  the  less  oblivious of  my  plight , continued  to  flap  like  a  heart  valve with  pts  entering  &  exiting  without  any  respite.....the  first  day  was spent with  neck  strain ,  a  vague headache ,though  luckily  unblemished  service  ....the adversity  continued  the  second  day  unabated  &  by  mistake I was always touching  my  brow  as  if I  had  the  glasses  on  ....as  I  was  compelled  by  my  wretched  habit of  pulling off  the  glasses  &  sliding  it over  the  table .....Old  habits seldom  die  hard  ....!!!...as  the  Late  evening  Juggernaut  continued  of  service  providing   without  the  pair  of  Glasses ....I  adjusted  philosophically  to  the  extent  tht  the  3rd  day  I  felt  as if I was  not  having  difficulty  in  deciphering  the  screen.....!!!!.....whn  the  going  gets  tough  ....the  tough  gets  going   I  thought  ....I  shared  this  with  the Kids  ,  who  were  aghast  to  see  me  Compromising  to  this  extent ....!!!...I  reasoned ,... : "...look  U  must  not  heavily  depend  on  anything  to  keep  u  goin .....lest  U  subject  urself  to  pain  for  want  of  it  ....if  u hv  something  its  fine  ....if  u    hv  nothing..... it  shud  be  fine  too " ....finally  , I was touched  & being   prodded by my  dear  patients,  who volunteered ,to  bail  me  out  with  twinkle in  their  eyes  &  I  was  happy  to note  their  Concern  ....Luckily , 4th day  the  order  was  placed    &  the  5th ,after donning  a  new  pair  I  understood  the  imp. of  anything  small  or  big  ....!!!!....definitely  with  more  clarity in  the  mind &  Of  Course  Vision  ....!!!!

....Summer Vacation in India ....a familiar Bell....

....tnx  to  my  earlier post  nd  the  depression over  Maldives Isles   ....the  weather   kept  us  busy on  a  holiday  ...29'c is comfort....45'C Rajasthan is truly discomforting , as   u  hear   abt  the  Dust  Storm ...Weather   has  really   kept  us  engaged...the   mnth  of  May  has a  spl  significance  as thr will  be  holidays & the  travel  diaries   & blogs of  closed groups  are agog with  adventures, tourism  with  some  superlative  videos  ,  one  which was  notable  was a Ladakh  -Spiti valley motorable  road...its time  to brace  up becos India  is huge , better now   or  never ...peak of midlife  shud  be the  rt  time  for  the  assault  ,  lest  ur  knees  fail post  tht  ....!!!!....the  tall  rose plants  of Manali ....rappling  over  the  Beas....&  the  majestic  Dhauladhar at Dharmshala...not very  far  frm  memory  ....!!!

...Juste Comme'....

....definitely its warmer  now  at   1 pm ....as  the sub continent heats up ....Maldives isles  won't  be left  behind,  though seldom exceeding    35  'c  as the  sea  provides  the  buffer  ....the sea   breeze  cooling  it down....the bridge  over  the  ocean  a  1.5  km  stretch  linking  the  capital  with   the  airport,  which  hitherto  was  accessible  by   boats is   coming up v  fast  as   many  a  pier got  linked  up  recently  & asphalt  to  be laid ....the  bridge  assumes  importance  as it  will  set  our spirits free....driving  over the  Indian  ocean  will  be a  thrill....reaching  airport  & further  driving  over  the  cause  way to  the  bustling  city  of  Hulhumale'  will be an  added flavor  ....to top it  all  the  reclaimed  Ph 2  of  Hulhumale' gets its , set  up , of well  laid  roads  &  street....the   idea   to  make  Juste Comme'   Singapore.....!!!!

....Home stretch ....

........যে ভাবে এসেছিলাম সেই  ভাবে  যাওয়া  হচ্ছে। ....কোনো তারতম্য  নাই 
ঝির ঝির  বৃষ্টি এখনো  একনাগাড়ে পড়ছে। ....জোর কদমে হাঁটতে  হচ্ছে। ..ছাতা  ফেলে  এসেছি। ...ক্যাপ  এর  বালাই  তো অনেক  আগেই  চুকিয়ে  ফেলেছি। ...চুল  পড়ে   যাচ্ছে  বলে। ....তবে  আজকে  ক্যাপ  টা  মিস  করছি। ...পাথরের ইটের   রাস্তা। ...পিচ্ছিল পথ। ....ফুটপাথে  হাঁটাই ভালো। ...তবে  গলির  এই  রাস্তা  উপরের  এসি  গুলোর  হিম শীতল বারিধারা গায়ে নির্ঘাৎ  পড়বে। ...ওটাও  একটা  বিভ্রাট। ....যাক....সামনের  হোম  স্ট্রেচ  ....রাত  প্রায়  ১১ টা। ...স্পিড কমালাম।...হোম স্ট্রেচ  এ  সাবধান  হতে  হয়  ....তীরে  এসে তরী   যাতে  না ডুবে  ... প্রতি রাতের  ওই  এক কাহিনী।....বাড়ি ফেরার  পালা। ....

....Language is Universal ....

...बहुत दिन हो गए राष्ट्रभाषा  में  लिखें  हुए...अंग्रेज चले  गए। ..भाषा  छोड़  गए ..और  भाषा  ने  जकड़  लिया। .... घर  मे मैं हिंदी और बांग्ला  बोलता  हूँ ,पर  सोचते  हैं  अंग्रेजी  मे। ..अब सोचता हूँ  की  पर्शियन  क्योँ  नहीं  पढ़ा  ...पढ़े   होते  तो और अच्छा  होता...बादशाहों की   समय  की भाषा जो हमारी  हिन्दी  और उर्दू भाषाओं  को सुसज्जित  किया....बहुत सारे किताब  पढ़   पाते "खुदा बख्श खां लाइब्रेरी" पटना में। ..जो की हमारी  मेडिकल  कॉलेज  के समीप  था  : पर्शियन  मे अबुल फ़ज़ल की "आईन इ अकबरी" शायद। ..भारत को  इन सब  भाषाओं  से अलग  करना  भारत  के  चरित्र  के साथ  खिलवाड़  करने की  बराबर  हैं। ..इस लिए मान  लेनी  चाहिए की  परदेसी भाषा जो परदेस से  आया.... वह हमारी  भी  भाषा हैं। ..पर्शियन की पढ़ाई पटना यूनिवर्सिटी में होती हैं। ..मन तो कर रहा हैं की एडमिशन  ले लूँ। ...अफ़सोस , इतना  नजदीक  रहते  हुए  भी  मिस  कर  गए। ...मानों चिराग  तले अँधेरा। ... बच्चे फ्रेंच  , और लोकल  लैंग्वेज धिवेहि पढ़  रहें  हैं। ..जरूरी  हैं....सारा   काम आसान हो जाता  हैं ,भाषा की जानकारी होने से..... दरअसल भाषा जैसा हथियार कोई है ही नहीं। .... 

....the Fragrance of ur Land ....

.....the  YDM4  Diesel Loco with its  serpentine  load frm  Siliguri  thundered   past   the  unmanned  Level  crossing ....the  gust  of  wind  &  dust  shuddering  past ....tht  was  the  only  walking  trail   to  our  native homeland  ,beside  the  single  Rly. line  of  the  alluvial  plain  of  Kosi  & Mahananda ....as I laboriously  trudged  , sometimes  on  the  track ..till  the  MG Diesel Loco  was in  sight ....reaching    Octagenerian  Misri  Tatma , the  Tiller  of  our lands  since  Grandpa's time...his  modest  dwelling  hut  &  his  four  sons Jagdev  , Dhanna , Sattan  ,  & Karu....the  Octagenerian  was full  of  grace & gratefulness  ....his  frail  body  rising  up  to  greet me ....quick  service  of  sparkling  clean  water in  equally  shining Lota (pot) followed  as  I was all  sweat  & parched ....the  Shahri  Babu in  me  put  to  test,  reaching  my  rustic  roots  ....as I enquired  his health ....his  Sons  & Children  in  rapt  attention...his  association with  Chander Babu my Grandpa was   long  &  equally  long  was  our  association  with  Chhattar  tatma his  brother....Chhattar  stayed  with  grandpa managing  his  estate, &  Childhood memories  of  Chhattarji  was clear ....but  Misri  I  visited  first  time  his  elder  brother  just  in  time  before  his  demise  .....so  ,  the  rendezvous was  significant  as had  to meet  thm  the  tillers  of  our  Lands  who sustained  our ancestors  & us .....feverishly  a fire  was  lit  in  the  earthen  oven by  the  Ladies  of home  &  Hot  tea in huge  brass tumbler  was served with  due  apologies  ....as Late grandpa ,  & my Late  father  so  well  remembered  by  thm , gratefully eulogised by  the Octagenerian  & I was  amazed to find our fmly  history  in  his  finger  tips...as  I  bade  farewell to  him  &  finally  too....he  bade  his  sons  to  show me  around  our  homeland....as  the  custodian  of  our  lands...!!!....as  Jagdev  &  Dhanna , showed  me  the  extent  of their  plough , I picked  up  a lump of  earth , kept it  carefully  concealed  in  my  bag ,  the  telltale sign of  our  roots .....!!!!  

...Shubho Nobo Borsho 1425...

...feel  lucky tht  schooling  was consummated in  the  seventies...the  old  world charm still  persisted  & hierarchy maintained ....the  seniors  were  truly  seniors ...a distance  &  respect was in the  air  ....thn  blew  winds  of  changes  in  the  name  of  development &  the aim   to  be  a  billionaire  ...tht  economic considerations wud  be  so  prime  an  importance, tht  everything takes  back  seat....the  aim  to  do well  is  on  a  target  propelled  by  economic  considerations  ....if  u  r  successful , in  tht , all other  time tested  things r  irrelevant  ....today  is  New  yr ....the  1st  of Baisakh  1425 Bangabdha....Kobigurus  "Nobo bostoray  korilam  Pron  ..lobo  swadesher  Dikhha..."is  ringing in  my  ears ....meaning  Will  take  a Pledge of  indigenous Motherland ...!!....tht  was  probably penned  by  Robindronath  Thakur during  the  "Swadeshi "  movement .....it was relevant  very  much  during  his  time  &  relevant too  in our  Children's  times....as the World  has  Constricted  & Views  Myopic ,  wht  best  thn  cleaving &  nurturing  ur own roots.....!!!....Wishing all  my  Bengali  Brethren  A  Happy  New Yr  1425 .....!!!

.....tht Life is a droplet on a Lotus Leaf....

....tht  Life  is  a  droplet  on  a Lotus Leaf .....extremely depressed with the  loss of School  children  in the  mammoth  Bus tragedy in HP  , India....words  won't  suffice....hence  the pen  is down ...the Eternal  silence  is  deeply felt....yes , silence ,  in  prayer ,  need  of  the  hour.....RIP

.....being in the reckoning....!!!

....late for the Eve.clinic.....all sweat nd steam....with pts. service rendered.....tomorn being Friday nd holiday.....no more getting up early for the kids ....as Camilla cabello, Luis Fonsii , Shawn mendis...Arianne Grande , Charlie Puth, will pervade the morn stillness....the numbers churned ....the kids loving it absolutely....thr will be a sprightliness in our movements.....as we adopt & adapt with their choice of music....swim with the tide.....!!!!......& be in the reckoning.....!!!!!

.....Delhi....the City of Lights.....

.....it was 5.10 am as AI263 taxied to the runway frm IGIA....31st March the dep. for the Isles....remembered Nirvana Country....remembered 1102....the warmth.....the kids....the National Capital Region....the setting of Sir Jadunath Sarkar’s 2nd vol. of the Fall of the Mughal empire....as sleep eluded the impending departure ....Panipat is all ready for the epic clash between Sadashiv Rau Bhau nd The Durrani.....as I sifted thru the pages.....the take off coinciding with the final charge as the soldiers clashed....Delhi down below a city of lights.....!!!!

.....the Old order Changeth...............’’

A father & his daughter....
....2nd April she entered her teens....we wished her all the luck....all the space.....all the privacy....as the little girl grew up by leaps nd bounds....a bundle of energy nd strength now....as I discover stark similarity.....got her a mobile....vacated my Pvt room.....made way for her.....handed over charge.....much to her comfort.....recognizing her new avatar.....The Old Order Changeth yielding place to new.....!!!!.....God Bless .....God be with.....

.....The Diverse Milieu of the Indian Canvas ....

....I  hv  the  advantage  of Eastern India , hvin  roots  thr   , the  Southern India  , hvin  travelled  intensely on  countless  long fmly  trips   tnx  to  my  Father ,   Northern India    .  now  tht  I  am  settled  thr  in  the National capital  region with regular Annual  visits  frm  Maldives Isles....tht  leaves  the West where  I  had  forayed  into  Ajmer sharif  v  frequently  , again  tnx  to  my  Father  , & Jaipur  , Bikaner  ,  Jodhpur  , Jaisalmer ,  all  suitably visited  frm Gurgaon , whr  we  finally settled  .........now  , as Salabat Khan  the  Mir Bakshi( C&C) of the  Imperial Mughal army  engages  the  King of Jaipur  Ishwari  Singh who  is siding Ram  singh , Suraj Mal who is  clinging  on  to Kota ..... to  win  a battle  for  Bhakt  Singh who  is  Eyeing Kota ,  Jodhpur ,  as  a  part  of  their  perennial  internecine warfares  .....towns  of  Haryana .....Narnaul  , Jajjhar  ,  Pataudi , Mewat , Sohna all  r flashing  in  & off  as  Salabat  Khan  moves with Bhakt  singh thru these  to  draw  a  battle  line .....Its  a  deja vu  as it  happened  quite  a  few  pages  back  whn  Alivardi  Khan  the Nawab frm  Murshidabad  is  camped  in familiar  Bihar towns of  Koilwar  , Punpun , Barh  ,  Patna ,  to  engage the  Marauding  Maratthas.....to  me  these   towns all  of a  sudden  has  shot  into  prominence  as I  scent  incredible  battles  which  had  been  fought  thr more  thn  200  yrs back  in  late 18th  Century  .....I  feel  amazed to  find  how  logistically  it was  difficult  for  these  Campaigns  in  those  times  , with  harsh  , untamed terrains  ,  overflowing  rivers  and difficult  & treacherous routes .....despite  this  the  grandeur  of  the  Palaces,  Forts  , Worship  places  ,  Rest  houses  in the  form  of  Serais were  in bloom , whn  thr  was no   semblance of modern scientific  development ....this  forces  me  to  think of the  strength  of  the  ruling  class , who  by  all  descriptions  in  war  or  peace , controlling  huge  swaths  of  territory , managed  with  Elan  &  indefatiguable  energy  defending & Usurping .....Valour  , Chivalry  ,  Intrigue  ,  Deceit  &  Conceit &  Nobility  flowed Copiously frm  these  Kingdoms as  never  before  ....as  India  was  a group  of  Principalities ....wht  held  thm  in  commonality was the  administration , which  was  definitely in  place  whn  it  came  to  enforcing  Law & Order  ,  Revenue  collection  , Trading  &  Philanthropy ....Its  really  a  pleasure  to note the  Evolution  of Modern day  India , whn  u  delve  deep  into the  past.....The Indigenous Hindus  ,  the  foreign Turks  &  Iranis   with  Afghans & Christian missionaries of Portugal , Dutch , French shaped India with  later near  total   British  dominance & involvement  .....Good  or Bad  tru evolution  is  achieved  whn  the  causative  agents  r  multifarious .....hence  the current  stability  of  our  Country  as  a mixed  Race  .....the diverse  milieu of India  is attributed  to  this  ......!!!!

......A Double Pleasure....

.....the  National  Library Of Maldives....more so  my  favorite section of History  &  Geography,  of Travelogues  &  Cartography , look  depleted frm the  very  start of  the yr  du2  to  some obscure  reason  of maintenance which is  taking  too much  of a  time  ....also  a  steady  drone  of  air  circulators  is  a  distraction  now  as  the  better  part  of  the airconditioning appears  stalled,  again  may  be  du2  maintenance....despite  , this  ,..... & after  surrendering Eric Foner's  "Give me  Liberty" a  marathon  text book  on American History,  painstakingly  completed  reading  by  me .....I was  wondering  wht  next....the African section  looked  enticing  but  the  girth  of  the  books were  discouraging  .....for  I  knew  ferrying  thm  for  regular renewal in 3  weeks  time , with  the mercury  slightly high will  be  difficult ...maybe  it  cud wait  ....may  be  something  light  wt  will  suffice  as  the  marathon effort with Eric Foner's " Give  me  Liberty" had sapped  my  energies.....as  I  was  more  or  less  inclined towards  a  short book , I stumbled  on  4  vols  of  ..."The fall of the  Mughal  Empire" by  JADUNATH  SARKAR ...each  volume  being  a  detailed  history  of  the  Mughal  empire over a  shorter  period  post  Aurangzeb ....thus  the  4  vols  appeared  manageable : each  cud be  borrowed  at  peace.....I  had heard of Jadunath  Sarkar the eminent  Historian  , nd was too glad  to  hv attempted  reading  his  works  ....by far  the  best  documentation  nd compilation with  his  stamp of  authority of authenticity as  the  reign  of  Muhammad shah unfolds  &  the Marathha  raids  on  Bengal  against  Nawab  Alivardi  khan .....the  most  interesting  part  were  the raids  where  I  cud  relate  to  names  of many  a  Bihar  town like  Koilwar , Punpun , RaniSarai  , Barh  where  Alivardi  Khan engaged the Marathha  "Bargi".....tht  Alivardi  Khan  was a strong ruler  ,  his  indefatiguable  campaigns  , even  at  his  ripeold  age   .....the  stories  of the  three  subahs of Bengal  , Bihar  & Orissa hv  generated  interest  in me, 

in rediscovering  unprecedented details  , so far  to which I  was  a  Blind  Eye .....the English  of Jadunath Sarkar   is  commanding  as  Commanding  as  the Standard (sword) of Alivardi Khan ......as  the  1st vol  is half  way  thru .....the  very  thought  of  the other  3 vols. lying in  the  National  Library  gives  me  immense   solace ....as  I  had  told earlier....little  borrowing  is  thr  of these  books  here  &  I am nearly a  sole  Patron  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge , a  double  pleasure .....!!!!  

....A Father ....a Friend ....

.....Remembering  Father  on  1st  March  : Birth anniversary  ....Never has  a day passed  since  1998 ,the  yr of his passage  into  the  realms  of The Almighty without remembering  Him , his persona well etched  in  memory .....The  Birthday  of  1st  March  is  a day  of  rededicating  ourselves  to  the  Cause  of  Humanity....Kindness  &  Patience  & deep faith in the Rule  of  Law  which were  the hallmarks  of his  life....as  I  tend  to  emulate ....I find  how his simplistic  approach  to  Life  can  keep  you  healthy & wealthy ...His  approach  towards his  Fmly  , Frnds , colleagues  &  the  Countless Railway workmen were simplistic , caring  & inspiring ....reading his  old letters  sent  to  me regularly  to  my  boarding school , is  still  the Guardian angel , Guiding  me  constantly.....He was my  Umbrella and  sorely  do  I miss  him , whenever  I achieve  anything  meaningful ....!!!....May  His Soul  ever  rest  in  Peace .....

....A Maldivian Tourism Isle....

..... A Trip slated to  a  Tourism  Isle is most  welcome as the  Warm  sea beckons ....Tourism Isles  r  different  frm  Resort  Isles   ,  in  tht   ,  it has habitation of a  Local  populace too, with  whom  U can  interact  ,  for a  better  insight into  Maldivian Tradition & Culture  ......The tourism Isles  give  a  resounding  Business  opportunity  to  the Locals  who  can  let  their  premises  for  state   of  the art  villas  ,  apartments , eateries ....many  a  tourist prefer  these  hideouts with  miniscule  population ,  for  a  more  all  round  experience....!!!