.....the roller coaster ride of the current year since its inception is drawing to a close ...gradually getting out of the Pandemic shadow to a new Normal norm...the year saw business  limping back to normalcy and new equations being forged .....in that ,the Country did well when it came to tourist footfalls for the year  , whose target was met a week back...not a bad job at all , as  Tourism is the mainstay for this tiny  nation , and all business revolve around its well being ...its a common sight now of citizens of varied nationality on a day visit to the capital island from respective resorts ...the normalcy despite new variants of the virus is surely comforting ...we have to live with the scare for sometime as the Medical world is struggling for a breakthrough ......

The NEW YEAR should be ushered  in  with Prayers on our lips ....ITS TIME TO THANK EACH AND EVERYONE of our  friends ,colleagues for keeping their chin up . and  keeping the show running ....GOD Bless , GOD be with .....
 

...The New Grass....

 ....New grass  is  being  laid  in the  Republic Square ...done  at  breakneck speed ....a turf implanted & now watered regularly : the late evening OPD walkback home besides this newly laid carpet of green....the  chalky coral silica  now  nearly replaced ....20feet yonder is the  sea , azure green , the reef  visible, as many a boat  and its mooring visible ....sea & more sea  al around....

Gud, tht the grass shud grow , as the bare chalk was a sore in the  heart of  the Capital , the pigeons ruling  the roost  .....now there will be a green top , the deep blu and the robust flagstaff holding the nation's standard....

Must slow down is the mantra , as discernible are trifles to soothen ur ruffled feathers ...the leisurely  walk past these & a rocking chair at home ....the "for granted" ,hitherto neglected , need to be attended , the time for a token thanks.... the  recipe now for all trifle attention.....the  speed a casualty , duly buried & its swan song.....

Obituary that never was ......

.....Maimed.....Pained....the post an Orphan , as Bhal was invariably ,an early bird to check this  post , his comments  read  with  due  diligence  .....such  was  the  practice  in the  last few years ....& now until May onwards  the  posts went abegging  for  want  of  his  valuable  comments....as my flow was  a trickle  ,  yet  his  absence ,bothered  me ....the  unkindest  cut :as His B'Day wishes poured  in  the  group , the "Miss You",hit me hard , as I enquired from Javed , & my fears were confirmed....that  he  was  sick , returned  back to India from Sharjah ,where  he  was  posted as an ENT Surgeon , capitulating  to  the terminal illness , in his  prime  & at  the  peak of  his  career....

Dr Bhal chandra Jha , my early memories  go  back  to  1985 @Boys Old Hostel of Patna Medical college , bright & Witty sporting a thick mustache, sporting a Pyjama & Vest  , he was  the  quintessential brite 'Vidhayarthi ', the Netarhat look well besmirched  on  his  forehead , the Hindi was razor sharp , witty , satirical , with often dual connotations ,easily beating the hell out of his adversaries ,whoever crossed swords  with  him ,jokingly, in a way his command over  the  vernacular  was apparently  visible  whenever  you  happened  to  converse  with  him ....in  that  , even  after  a  long  hiatus  of  our  separation  to  different  walks  , the  reunion over  the  electronic  media , unmissable  touch  of  his  flair  over  the  language was felt and revisited ....

As we wrote & exchanged prolifically , I came very  close  to  him ....with 'Budho' his  Character , the  rustic setting of his writings,set   me back to  my  roots of my  village ,town....Only  an Expat can feel  the  pain  of another as  both  of  us  felt the  same , complementing  ourselves  with  our writings , as  we  missed  Homeland.....our  family  & friends , countrymen....

As we met , after  a  period of  long long  years ,in a different  setting altogether of  an established: establishment  of  our  professional self, both of us  in  foreign  lands , the  distant  homeland ,  we had to strike a chord of similarity ,of a  predicament  of rootlessness , yet united  by  our commonality , hence 'Budho '  appealed in no  uncertain terms, as  it  was  common  platform ....truly  cherish  those  days ,when we shared  our feelings  thru numerous  posts ..

...As my "Heart of Punjab" went abegging for want  of his comments , now there will be a permanent  void , coming  to terms  won't be  easy .....as the  images  are  too strong , the  Boys Old hostel , the cool rooms & Bhalchandra in his inimitable style .....Rest in Peace my dear friend ....!!!! 

9th November & Ma....

 The  recent  trip  to  Homeland  was  equivalent  to  5  such  trips  as in  a  short  time span,  we packed  enough  agenda  & concluded  in  a whirlwind  fashion  ,  with  a  deep  sense  of  satisfaction,  as  we  were able  to  break  the  shackles  which  we  had  for  past  2  yrs  owing  to  the  Pandemic .

Meeting  family  friends  was  the  icing  on   the  cake of  a  Long pending pilgrimage  to  notable  shrines  of India  , : Sri  Mata vaishno Devi , Katra in J & K  &  The Golden Temple  in  Amritsar .

The  Trek in  the Himalayas  was arduous  ,  long  &  God  helped  us  make  it  ....the  Children rose  upto  the  occasion  , equal  to  us in  our  efforts  ....

Glad  , I  stepped into  the  shoes  of  my  ancestors  ,  who  had  made  treks  to  various  shrines  in  India  , including  my parents  ....The  Heart  of  India  throbs  in its  shrines  of  all  faith  scattered  through out  the  nation ....

Wee hours  of  the  day  Spoke  to  MA , received  Blessings  of  a Continuity of  a Life of  whom I owe  one hundred  percent  to  my  Parents  , as its  9th  Nov . Her razor  sharp  voice , effusing  on the  ether of  a prayer  of  My  wellbeing  as always....Somethings  don't change  ,  somethings  will  never, well etched  in  Heart .....

The Heart of Punjab

 The Heart of Punjab

2am ....after deboarding at Amritsar station from Jammu Tawi....as we head towards Raja Sansi Kothi, hardly I had an inkling of Amritsar, where we had embarked upon the task of visiting Golden Temple and the Indo Pak border at Wagah.

Wagah border visit charged up the imagination of my expat children who witnessed the beating retreat of lowering at dusk, both the countries flag after a spirited display of parade from both side check post.

But the trip to the Golden Temple  and a 5 hr endurance in a Q to reach The sanctum Sanctorum ,with a direct connect with our Punjabi brethren, rubbing shoulder to shoulder....how ignorant one can be even if you have lived half of your life in India.....an Indian by birth ....an Indian by education ....the son of the soil....heard so much , seen so much ,exposed so much , yet ignorant of a province so near to hometown Gurgaon , Haryana ...... such is our Nation ....a wide variety of region , language and culture an entire lifetime won’t suffice.....as I am spell bound in the heart of Punjab : Amritsar , I am delighted , as I discover very very Large hearted people , their religion imprinted on their conduct ....there were boys , girls , adults , elderly , infirm inching their way to the Temple soothened by Bhajans ,the Day being Prakash Parv of GuruRamdasji, to which we were a witness....every person were kind to us, every person in piety......I am so proud of my Country and my footsteps in Punjab with family ,  I feel blessed , as we inch forward , with water being served by the sevadars....as to what Faith and Faithfulness is all about ....this we experienced in  our Yatra , trekking on the cold Himalayas to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine with family, climbing up the gradient and hurtling down past mid nite after the Darshan......as I question myself again , inching towards the Sanctom sanctorum of the Golden Temple ...what Faith and Faithfulness is .....as our lives are fragile , and all of us in Transit for emancipation, Faith and obeisance are quintessential for our goal.....a medium of a peaceful meaningful transit ......or else why people in hordes would subjugate and eventually capitulate at the High Alter....?

The Mata Rani in all her splendor and grandeur , it being a Kojagari Laxmi Purnima day , bedecked with flowers , jewelry, as we mortals step in with our last drop of energy , tired and fatigued to have a glimpse and inhale the pure & holy air .....to purify ourselves from all our sins , to redeem ourselves from near total oblivion of a Life for a quest of a success of self esteem,bereft of our consciousness of an environment, far far away from reality .......after all what we need .....we all escape to our comfort zones , our own bubble , which is prone to a burst at the drop of a hat and slightest provocation......are we truly meant for this bubble or in quest for the search of tru calm , in service of our people around us , rubbing shoulders , partaking a meal of a communal kitchen , trudging along the path over the cold Himalayas  .....as was squatting over the floors near the Akal Takth in line with fellow countryman irrespective of any thing.....10 pm ,now the 12 hr trek up the cold Himalayas consummates, a huge sense of well being and relief engulfs us as we complete our Yatra , Arnav , Doel , Archana , Mummy in tow ....the same relief generated as we bow and touch our forehead on the Swarn Mandir Sanctum, the ice cold Floor embalming our spirits .....an important milestone achieved and a path discovered for higher goals....of extricating ourselves from a bubble of a mirage of self comfort of no avail..... as I feel blessed ,having proven myself to the task of bringing my Family , flying out of the balmy climes of Maldives, to the true Spiritual land of an ancient country India , my Motherland.....Long Live

Air India takes us to India again.....

 16th instant Male’ Airport is revisited after a span of 2 yrs for the long , long awaited visit to India....seamless immigration and subsequent travel with the Maharajah was a great pleasure ,as we hit the homeland shore in quick time reuniting with our relatives , amidst a mixed feeling and a pall of gloom ,as Father-in-law is no more, the pandemic recently taking Him  away from us. Rains had been chasing us from Male’ itself, which continued till Gurgaon, 17 th morning being cold and clammy.

Visiting my apartments and preparing for the impending trip, further North to Sri Mata Vaishno Devi ,Katra ,Jammu in the Himalayas and subsequently to Amritsar was tough in the inclement weather....further Vande Bharat Express departed from New Delhi RS at 6AM sharp for Shri Mata Vaishno DeviKatra,which meant getting up early...

As the Superfast train got delayed  due to Farmers agitation,reached Katra past mid nite , the impending Journey to Mata Rani the next day got delayed. Profound Faith and Spirit stretched us to our limits as we trekked up the Mountain and Darshan consummated in late Evening hrs.....Trekking back through the mountains past mid nite was a new experience altogether and arrival in the wee hours @Country inn and Resort Katra was like a dream and stupor as we were tired beyond redemption....

Gandhi Jayanthi : 2nd October

2nd October isthe day when we remember Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi : The Father of  the Indian Nation .

Youngsters  must  read "My  Experiments with Truth  " written by Gandhiji in Gujrati , translated  into  English  by Mahadev Desai , his long time associate.

This  is  a  fast  paced  age , laced  with  scientific  advancements  in all spheres of  our  lives & the freedom  &  liberty augmenting  it further . Much  of  this is 

owed  to  our freedom  fighters  & free thinkers who shaped  India . Gandhiji  was  foremost.

His thoughts  and  teachings  are as  relevant  as  it was  before & latest  experience  of  mankind  plagued  by a  Pandemic , the  teachings  propounded  by  Gandhiji is even more relevant.

Swachh Bharat  Movement in  its  present  form  is a notable  example .

There  has  to  be  a  Golden leaf  taken  out from  his  book, as truly Leadership demands ....A  leader whose depth & Character Unfathomable ...

Gandhiji  is  indelible , ahead of  his  times  , immortalised, emulated   & Peace with self , redeciphered  

LongLive The father  Of The Indian Nation ....!!!! 

The temporary Lull

 

Business as usual now ....a temporary  picking up the pieces of Life...gain momentum.....It's back again the freedom savoured every moment...the crushing Pandemic ,now providing a breather....the Sprightly steps down the lanes for attending the Clinic , now cautious, as you never know...but it's gay abandon as you have learnt your lesson to live by the moment....making the best of it....the Value of Freedom.....!!!!!

.......Ground Zero.......

It has  been a while,  now the  communication  a trickle....as tentative , it  can  be amidst the passage  through  the  surge , a seesaw battle as  we fight  back ....Back  home  in India, a devastated populace , many  a  family in duress....these  r  unusual  times  ,difficult  to comprehend  & grapple....as the World  comes  to  terms , restoration  of  the  old  order  a desire  for  a many a heart....the  UEFA  &  The Copa America futbol , the olympics all in the  same groove for  a  semblance  of  normalcy .....fight  we  must  , however  daunting  the  challenge  posed  by  the  virus ...post Ramaadan , the City wears  a battle ground  look , with  agencies implementing  the  curfew post 4 pm to 4am....but the  service  continues , as people  brave  the  odds and a footfall and  a  relief  generated  in  these  difficult  times ....feels great  to  be in  touch  , a healing  touch  of  a  service towards mankind....however  & whatever  a  solution penned....a hope rekindled , a smile generated ....!!!

 

...The Surge....!!!

.....Relevant  ,  contemporary talks  seems  irrelevant  now  as  the  Pandemic rages  in  home country India....relevance  is  sustainable  when its  backed  up by being reasonable, which  the Countrymen have  refused  to  recognize,  hence  the  price....

....the  Price of Democracy , free speech , religious  fervour all a heady cocktail to  destabilize a scientific  fight .....

....Handling a heterogenous , huge populace is herculean  task , and stop gap arrangements  the  order  of the day....Its  time to  set  our  house in  Order ....Jai Hind ....!!! 

In Loving memory of Papa: Father In Law , Dr (Capt) D P Singh

....the IRU(Sun)rose softly penetrating  the  dawn, a hide and seek of yesterday notwthstanding  , as  the  previous day  was cyclonic   with  a  modicum  of  gail  lashing  the  Island  ...the  sea jet  blank  ink fuming  and  frothing  as  it  lashed  the  coast , the   high speed  wind hitting  the  glasspanes   with  a  thud.....the  mercury  dipping  further  and  the puddles  on  the  street generating  a  sprightly  gait to  the  Clinic , where a  trusted clientele waited patiently  to  be  rendered  a  service ...its business as  usual ,  the  Island climatology well entrenched   in  our  system  now.....the  second  round  of  vaccination is  due  with stocks  getting  replenished ...the drive fairly  successful , as Local  council  elections  are   round   the  corner .....the  Island braced  up for  the  event ....It  has  been a  long  time   that  we have  visited  anywhere as  our  internment  continues  and  Children's exam holding  us  further....as  a strong  desire  to  visit  fmly  , post  bereavement of my  late  Father in law , who  fell prey  to  the  pandemic on 13th  instant ....Papa  had  visited  the  Island  in  2015 athe   ripe  age  of   80yrs stayed  with  us   for ful 2 1/2 mnths , visiting local islands and  resort ....the  balcony  wears  a  forlorn  look  as  I  fondly   remember   chatting  with  Him  over  a  cup  of tea regularly in  the   eve hrs  prior  to  eve. OPD ...His stint  in  the Army  medical corps and  seeing  action  in 1962, dominated  the  discussions  ....the  posting  in  NEFA:North east frontier agency  , now Arunachal Pradesh, Bomdilla  , Tawang the  places  of  posting ....His assessment  of  Gen Thimayya  ,  Pt  Nehru , His Jeep  drive  in  the   mountains all I  savoured  in  all those animated  discussions ...It was  as if  yesterday ....I met  Him first in Medical  hostel & I  was  in  2 nd  prof 1989 ....He  understood  the  hostel  culture  as  He  himself  did  his  Medicine  from  Darbhanga medical college , in  its halcyon  days ...He  was  the  topper  in  Matriculation  in  entire  Shahabad  district  which  was  huge  district , now  bifurcated  & by  virtue  of  it  gained easy entrance  to  DMCH , often  travelling  via  Pahleja crossing  the  Ganges from  his  hometown of  Dehri -On - sone. Heard a lot from Him about Dr Sheetal Prasad singh , a doyen  of  Medicine  in  Darbhanga , who  was  His examiner in Medicine , Dr Mohan Mishra  an equally  illustrious  name  in  Darbhanga his  senior  colleague & Dr Sunil Bose who  was  his  senior  and  practiced  surgery  in the  same  town  as  his. I had the  opportunity  to  meet  host  many Papa's colleagues  during  my  frequent  visit  to  Dehri  on  sone from Patna , notably Dr M  Pathak , whose  TB  sanatorium & clinic was  famous in  the entire  region , Dr Awadh Bihari , noted eye surgeon , Dr  Geeta  Sinha  his counterpart  in  Gynae. & Dr Awadesh ,  all neighbours  and  not  to  forget  about  Dr R D  singh , senior consultant  Physician  and  a  closest  family  friend of the  neighbourhood..... I heard a lot  from  Him of  Dr  Jagdish  ,  an  eminent  physician, &  Dr Darbari a veteran  doctor  of  repute  in  the  township. He  used  to  talk  eloquently  about  the  good  days  of  the  industrial  township  of  Dalmianagar , the  twin city of  Dehri- on - sone ...where   He  set up  a  practice of  40  yrs as a Consultant  Pathologist, post  His  stint  in AMC .I  was drawn  towards Him  ,  because of  His  No  nonsense  ,  professional  attitude & Dry  honesty,  & Discipline & a reservedness , impregnable , a  straightforwardness & Candour, which  kept  people at  a  respectful  distance from  Him . I  was  the  exception , mingling  and giving Him  a patient  hearing  always , in  that  ,  in  Dec  2019 the  last  visit, the  dreary cold , I sat  at  His  bedside , chatting . At 85  He  never needed  a  walking  stick or  was  ever  dependent  ....in  fact  in  my  last  30  yrs  of  association  I  never found  his  routine  changed , a clock like  precision and  in self  sufficiency....needless to  say  I  was  more drawn to the fmly , the  disciplined atmosphere , thanks to  Papa...As We mourn His death , an obituary  function to be  held at His native home , I have  reasons  to  believe , His memory is indelible ....well ensconced in  our Hearts ...fighting the irreparable loss....Om Shanti...

In Memoriam

 Rest in Peace Papa Dr(Capt) Damodar Prasad Singh...

God is kind and Merciful....The journey proceeds ,we grow deep into the ground ,with the all round weathering as we grey, become fragile, and load ourselves with tons of memories fond and bitter, tempering our experience ,to lead a life of either Victory or Defeat..... victory in what sense, defeat in what?....as the cool morning breeze will brush your cheeks and the warm Sun embalming and anointing you for the Day , that'sVictory,..that we are able to see the light of another day... God's beautiful poem of an Earth ....as it's Hope of a fresh beginning, the Hope for another day ... Day in Day out as we transit ,the Stars,Moon , & the Mighty Sun a mute testimony of a journey....the Journey of a best shot to be parted & a Lungful of Good Earth to inhale....!!!...God help us all....God be with us ....🙏🙏

....the much delayed post ....

 ....delayed post  is  understandable  as the  New  year brought  lots  of  Hope  amidst  challenges ...the  Question of Immunisation  was  prime  in  agenda  & as it  saw the  lite  of  the  day  ,  soothening  nerves  ....the  World grapples with  the new  World  order  , of  a  restriction , which  seems  to  come  to  stay  for  a  while  now  ....the  Home  front  needed attention  too as near  &  dear  one's  are afflicted , and on path  to recove

ries ...Pins  & needles  will be  the  right  word  as the  New  yr rumbled  in ....the Clinic standing  tall  & services full  blast ....the  Core  group  of Pt.Clientele of  Greater Male' remains intact  , there  unflinching  trust & devotion & love  for  our  services , keeps  us  ever  busy  , as near  normalcy  is  restored  ,  only  ,  the  hapless  are  the  resort staffs  and  local  guest  house islands  &  inhabitated  local  islands  whose  foot fall is  a rarity  now  with  imposed  restrictions  ...The Silver lining  is  record footfalls  of  tourists  thronging  the  International  airport  with  every  arrival  ...no  doubt a  safer  destination  to  many  with  its  natural isolation of  remoteness  of  centuries ....

The Archipelago sways  &  swings with  the  sea breeze , successfully  withstanding  the ravages  of  recent  times  ...!!!!