.......the full steam juggernaut...!!!

...16th to 26th ,hands were full with backlogs and deadlines to be met and an increase in Patient clientele kept us even more busy...there was this rumour that I had visited Desh i.e India instead of Sri Lanka.I had to correct it umpteenth time to the hapless patient ,who are innocent & to them leaving Hulhule(the Airport Island) & Male'International terminal means nothing but landing in Swadesh ....!!There has been a spurt in the case registration,and Doctors & staffs are busy..!

Little Nanu(Shyamu) stepped out today after 10 days blissful at Home ,to visit Agora our Local Mall in MajidheeMagu. (Magu meaning Street) and a relaxing trip to Pappodums :India Restaurant,swung them back to Male' Action.

Upon return both the kids swung to the Waka Waka tune of Shakira and it is their favorite by all standards.

..aged 10 months,2010 World Cup is little Nanu's Baptism with soccer & that too in a soccercrazy land..!!when the game is on! : the streets wear a deserted look with flags of playing Nations fluttering & hung from all vantage pts.

Midnite, with a cordless head set I will barely prop up & see some scintillating matches ...the dejavu of 1986 Mexico World Cup visiting and revisiting ..:the B/W konark tv set with

the likes of Platini,the french legend,the Danish Dynamite Preben Elkjaer,the Algerian Abdel Azez Bouderbala,Carlos valderamma the Colombian,Zico & Socrates of Brazil, Shilton & Gary Linekar of England ,Buruchaaga,Valdano and the Great Maradona of Argentina,donning its Manual Mantle flashing like meteors is hard to forget and even today it is fresh in the memory...as if it happened yesterday.....!!! ..it is like first love & old wine hard to forget and always cherished...!!!!!

Total Recall.... !!

...the A 340 Sri Lankan,brought us to Male'comfortably on the 15th instant with colorful memories and immensely satiated we landed.Our little abode felt warm and cosy with home made food served in record time by Archana..!
The following day Doel sped off to school and I to the hospital.
"Changer Babu" is the coinage for the Kolkata Babu who came always in winters and spring to Madhupur where we spent our young lives & the fresh air of the santhal parganas and the plateau topo resurrected many a Bengali dada who came for a change from Kolkata's hectic environs.
The quantum change of well being we feel now after this change..! augmented by nostalgia of 1986 Mexico world Cup where we started our worldcup campaign in Madhupur in a b/w set called Konark TV is immense and spinning I had been to Total Recall....!It took 24 years & five World Cup campaigns to feel the same recharge and enthusiasm and happiness this World Cup.With Maradona deeply entrenched in our 1986 memories and now in his new avatar as a coach have struck a note of accord :the fresh Medico that I was fully charged ,exonerated and in High alter & esteem and now to a well established practitioner of the Trade...! It seems there is a similarity with Diego's journey and travails...!
...hence ,this World Cup is a special one as the relaxation is Deja vu ,akin to 1986.
..in this hulla balloo.quietly our Nephew got engaged in India..& a special request ,however is to be met ,as it is Archana's wish to drape Shyamu in a 3 pc suit & Doel in a fabulous Lahanga for the marriage festivity of dear Rahul our kin in Dec...! where we intend to meet our kith & Kin and Bless the couple ....!!

Panacea called Little England

Yesterday ,was spent visiting Sita Eliya or the Sita Amman Temple and Hakagela Botanics (Estd 1861) in the first leg and Ramboda Falls and host of tea factories in the second leg.
...the chilly winds in the Temple and the gushing rivulet underneath and the jungle and hills around made us feel rivetted to our Mythology, of being a Hindu ,our way of life.With Bajrangwali perched with folded hands made us feel fulfilled as far as our Faith is concerned steeped and ingrained since childhood...!
Ratnasiri,the Station Master of Nanu Oya who is also a partime guide cum Tourist van driver drove us through the rough terrain further to the Hakagela Botanics ,Estd in 1861 its pristine and with lots of Ghost and Ghowlies trees as Doel put it,also has a fernerry lodging the Ferns with rivulets crisscrossing the entire terrain.
The breathtaking view from the Botanics and the fresh air envigorated our spirits and a welcome change it is from the goalhis of Male'.
We learnt why this place is little England once we were in the second leg of excellent road and Lo! the hillocks bearing the tea plants ,the verdant green with tunnels and waterfalls ,dotted with tea factories with steep granite hills on sight and placid lakes with cloud kissing them is what we needed to a perfect rejuvenation.The Ramboda Falls with Avocado and Jack trees interspersed and a wonderful resturant for that recharging SriLanka tea embalmed us as never before.
....we dropped in St Andrews a fantastic trip till the end...!! .Tomorrow we are again hurtling down to Nanu Oya for our reserved seats in the train from Badulla to Colombo Fort and if the weather is fine we should reach CMB around 3.30 pm to halt for the nite in Galadari Hotel with its breathtaking sea front rooms and not forgetting the stones throw from there in The Ceylon International Hotel at the Indian Tandoor Restaurant where all the chairs are painted in the tricolor....!!

In New England

Nuwaraeliya today we reached :little England of yesteryears in Sri Lanka;having completed the tour of Colombo & Kandy with the Old Parliament building and the most reverred Budhdhist shrine of Dalada Maligawa deeply eked in our memories,the vast expanses of Tea gardens and the breathtaking journey to this Hill station has been a feat of sorts.
St Andrews Hotel 125 yrs old steeped in tradition is where we will spend 3 nites and it was just the rt thing I was looking for.
Our mythological Sita Eliya temple is nearby and caves where Ravana imprisoned her is nearby,
It is a quirk of fate that Hindu mythology has strong settings in Lanka & Buddhist well entrenched here with strong links in India...!
Both countries look alike and people traditional and friendly.
I am doubling up to satiate Queries of Doel ,Nanu and Archana,
They have been very co operative and little Nanu(shyamu) is practising stand ups with feverish agility,,
Incidentally ,the station where we detrained from Kandy to go to NuwaraEliya: or little England as they say is Nanu Oya.where we are booked in the observation car for Colombo Fort on the 14th morn.15 th Eve we are flying to Male',
Away from the sickness arena the little England and sri lanka with her friendly people have soared our spirits with cheers to some good Tea...!!

...mad rush..!

...incomprehensible last few days it had been..the butterfly in the stomach refused to die down & recent gains were waiting translation..the rainbow in the clouds bedazzled and down went I hurtling memory lane...!it was a total recall of sorts & hence the recoil from 29th till date.
The Sri Lanka trip now on anvil & 7th being tentative departure put the butterfly even more on the frenzy.
...the pre tour research also gobbled lot of time.& Doel's and Archana's queries satisfied.I never knew we had a beautiful neighbouring destination nearby & needless to say we are all happy..!
Personally ,I intend to cover SAARC Nations first before any major travel plans though USA is ever high on agenda with our kin there.Also Singapore with my dear childhood friend settled there is also high on the list.
It is truly a satisfying feeling,that the new arrangement on the workfront has set my soul free.....!!

.....and the invisible Hands of Our Forefather's Blessed us gently by infusing an invisible strength and taking our capabilities to newer heights....! the ordeal of ill luck mopped with steady gains and strength to strength we grew.Archana was the driving force co operating ,tolerating and delivering and little Doel and Dad made comfortable.

so the parleys and negotiations paid off and acquiscence made....& the Phoenix Rose from its Ashes ultimately reaching the coveted destination...yes it happened three days back ...the hard work recognised.

So when Pann & Shyam play in the safe realms of their Ma ,,,I feel fulfilled having set the Clock back Right.It is a promise fulfilled to my family ,my greater family,most importantly my creators my Mother & Father.....!

the Castaway

........busy it really was.From the urbane locales of Gurgaon ,with a plus 4000sft freedom,not so long ago,the corrugated sheet roofed house was a distant cry.With potable water stashed in a sintex tank of last seasons rain to drink and shallow well water for ablutions took out the best in Archana as a homemaker and Doel and her Dad spun around her kept her ever busy...!
The first weeks heat and stuffy atmosphere saw a 12btu Mcquoy being set up for 600usd and the bedroom looked like heaven with a 14inch TV displaying Star Plus.The freshness salvaged Doel who spent most of the time there.We learnt in adversity that how a half eaten chilly can be preserved for the next session for want of it.Yes,Vegetables were scarce in those islands and an occasional rough sea would jeopardise supply from Male'.However,ruthlessly we motivated and even got a Mazda B323 sedan for touring the quartet of Islands of Fonadhoo,Kadhhoo,Mandhoo & Gan all linked by causeways built by Japan.This led to us access to more habitable plantation islands for a steady supply.......!