.......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  ...!!!!

.....the sea saw ride is nearly over  now , now tht the yr is coming to an end ....the 12 Jan arrival frm India steeped in  winter, into the balmy climes of  the  Isles....nd thn the onslaught on life , liberty , fun & frolic ....the disease unfolded....Locked down ....Lock Stock & Barrel......as Liberty was snatched away....it was time to fight  back ....truly we fought  back .....the ship stabilized , a rudder on  an  even  keel  ....!!!....this is probably  Life  in  its  truest unpredictable  shade , bringing  out  in  us rare  qualities , primal  qualities  of  a  Survival  ....As the  City shook  itself  up  frm  its Slumber & veritable  all  round Rust.....it was  time to be back  amidst  familiarity ....

...As we sip tea overseeing  the  Deep  Blu  our  Constant  guiding  angel , We thank the Lord for our survival....tru  the  yr went  tough...but lessons  are  learnt.....the Journey continues .....!!!

......The departure ......

 ...Possibly 102/120marks in Medical Dental Admission Test of 1984,   Gautam was tied with me holding a rank of 36 & I the 38th,  this was enough in 1984 for a smooth sail  into  the  Coveted haloed Patna Medical College & thus  began our long journey of friendship .He was the  first  batch of Bihar Inter Council of 1983 & I the last Isc. batch of Patna university of 1982; one year junior to me in Science College Patna , he drew level at the entrance , with a deft rightfooter  ,  the striker that  he was in  football...he was good at  it , represented  our Class & a sprightly , active , much in contrast  to  his Chubby persona ....fondly  'Baba' to us as he donned  the fmly title of Pandey ...Rd no.13 D , Rajendra nagar, Patna and subsequently 40 F Saidpur medical hostel were our  common  address at least  for a  couple  of  years where a quartet of frnds that of Anindya, Pankaj , Gautam and myself shared a tiny accomodation ...we studied on our respective beds as there was shortage of  space , as proper hostel allotment was still not obtained...as we grappled  with Gray's  Anatomy , Baba would discuss animatedly and  at  the opportune  moment could  be seen napping behind a heap of books and  Cadaver bones which were strewn over  our  beds for academics , a half cut skull serving as the ash tray ....we all used  to  huff  and  puff  our  way  to  the college  a  full  3  km  away ....We had our bicycles ....these bicycles  took  us  to  movie  theatres of Patna , with host many  class mates  of  difft  floors  in  the  sprawling  Medical hostel, we wud  return at midnite post a nite  show on  these " Shaan ki Sawari ", Baba  was  ever  enthusistic for  such  a  trip ....in  as  much  we  made  it  to  Rajgir, on these,  102  km  frm  Patna on a blood  donation  awareness  campaign  of  the  Mountaineering  &  Allied activities  society  Of  PMCH ....thus  generating  a bond, for  the gruelling  years of  studentship & training   to  come .

That  Baba had a loving  family  , we experienced  first  hand  on  a trip  to  Dhanbad  his  hometown  where  he  took  us as invitees  to  his  Sister's marriage ...His father  was a Sr. Permanent way engineer in E . Rly ,& his Mamajees were very  well to  do, as Contractors in  the Coal  belt with varied business interest,and he  being the " Ankhon ka Tara Bhanja " , pampered  to the  tee.. in that  we  were  accorded a lavish  accomodation for  our  stay  there , participating in the marriage   and  getting  acquainted  to  his  fmly...It was a memorable event as GORA (his pet name)pulled all stops  to  ensure  that  we  had  maximum  fun ....!!!!...Cherished  is  that  Memory ...!!!

...thus  began a long  association  of  camaraderie  in  many  acts  of  Omissions  &  Commissions , in  that we  organised surreptitiously an exclusive  trip  to  Kakolat Waterfalls with a section of our female class mates...& with a far  reaching  consequences of an upheaval  later  on  in  the  125  strong  class, when  it  was discovered...that is another story ...Baba was a part and parcel of  what  I did and  a  few  of our illustrious partners , all hand  in Glove ....whom I  so  fondly  remember  now  ....Anindya Gupta , Pankaj Jha , Soubhik Roy , Kunal Hazari , Sanjay Kumar ,Nawneet Sinha , Anupam lal, Nirmal sultania , Anand Makharia our Guru , and a host many of  us....

Baba parted  company  for a  Boys Old hostel seat in the campus only  to  reunite  later in The newly Built hostel for  final  prof stds & later on  to Doctor's hostel 7  &  2 all in  the campus  where  we  relocated .

Umpteenth  time  we  wud  visit the  Chaiwali at our hostel  doorsteps sipping  tea ...

Always  presenting  a  bored  expression of a Non Existing Fatigue,  followed  by  peels of  laughter whn  we  struck  the  right  cord , never  in  want  was  our  company ...

As He  finally  bid adieu last week , I remembered  having  chatted  with  him  recently  on my Madhupur trips , wherein  he  wud  express  a  desire  to  meet  ,  even  a  programme  by  rd  frm  Dhanbad  was on  the  anvil only  to  be  scuttled for the  heat  wave thn prevailing ....That Madhupur  trip  never  materialised , and that  will never  now  ,  now  that  he  is  not  around  ...The CMS of Loyabad , BCCL , my close associate is  no  more...a Void Unfathomable, a Loss Irreparable ...!!!!...Rest in peace, Baba , my dear friend Gautam ...