The End of an Era

 Obituary to  the  Doyen of surgery Prof Narendra Prasad  formerly Prof & HOD surgery PMCH , Patna .

Sir always donned the  white apron , seldom we students saw  him  in formals ....the  Doctors coat was long , the  extremities  well  draped....he was  the  busiest Surgeon around , his colleagues and contemporary being Prof Motilal singh , Prof A A Hai , Prof OP  shah to name  a few .... He  embodied an inspiration & awe for young medicos who at  some point of  time  wanted  to  be a Narendra  Prasad , such  was  his  personality  of  enigma , laced  with Hard,  Hard work and  ultimate professionalism in an era  where Medical instrumentation had just  seen  the  light of  the  day ....we  used to  say Bailey Love  ,  K  das and  S  das in  the same  breath as Prof Dr Narendra Prasad . It  was sheer  number  of  successful  general  surgery  he  used  to  churn  out  on  daily  basis  either  be  it  in  PMCH or  at Alok Nursing  Home . his  personae  was that  of  a lightning : Sharp , Swift , Decisive The hallmark  of a Great surgeon .....this  was further augmented  by  the  twinkle in  his  eyes whenever  he  dwelt  on a topic , leaning  with  his  aproned  arms on  the  LT desk , a  fast applied  approach  to  Clinical  surgery with a smile of  ever  oozing  confidence so  so  very  much essential  for  a practitioner  of  Surgery ....

Prof Narendra  Prasad was a Cynosure of all  eyes  when  he  moved  in  the campus & we Medicos  definitely were awe struck  by  his stature .

As He passes  away , his  Legacy  will be remembered with  thousands  being  touched  in  their  Lives by Narendra  Babu....He will always be  remembered  by  we  Medicos as a solid Pillar of Professionalism & Hard  work , a benchmark of  diligent application to a discipline ....Rest  in  Peace Sir , deeply mourned by all of us ......

Makar Sankranti

 ...the  bone  chilling  Bihar  cold  ...as we siblings  huddle  near  Ma  over  the  Earthen heath  where " Makar Sankranti" preparations  are  underway ... the  kitchen is  warm and  definitely  Ma is  sweating  and  toiling  over  the  heat  of  the  oven ....the  crackling  sound  of  the  ground  rice  paste milky  white  in color  spread  evenly  over  the  pan  diligently  being  spread  over  the  edges  with  a cut brinjal with  its  stalk serving  as  a handle  to  smoothly  outline  the  paste as it starts  crackling  over  the  simmering  heat : this  would  serve  as  the  wrap over  a sweetened  cheese with  condiments  and  grated  coconut , the  preparation  in  bengal  being  called  "Patisaapta". All  eyes  are  glued  as the  delicacy is  special  on  this  particular  Sankranti  occasion. As  we  eat the  hot  preparation : the  ethereal  experience  well  etched  in memory  .....Ah ! Memories  ....Ma :  Her Golden hand  of  a Culinary  skill  unparalleled  &  irreplaceable : Laced  with  her  stellar  preparations was her  Love , bountiful &  in  all Munificence ...the  thin  pair  of  hands  with equally  thin  Golden Bangles  wearing  off over  the  years while  managing  her family with  elan  ....The  unmistakable  "Payas"was  the  Cynosure of all  eyes  and She  had  a  formidable  reputation  in  that  &  we  brothers had a disputed  stake over  the utensils  in  which  it  was prepared as the Payas  tasted  lot  more when partaken from the  utensil directly ....We called  the festivity more as Til Sankranti which held a spl place in our young hearts thanks to the delicacies ..... 

The abundant Rain .....

 ......Unusually Rainy at  this  time  of  the  yr ....as RainGods doing  the  rounds  frequently ...The Presidential Innauguration round  the  corner and preparation  in  full swing ....Diwali passed  off with festive fervour interacting  with frnds and  fmlys back  home ....the  communicability  is  relentless and  excellent , both  electronic  and  transport . As  I  fly  every  mnth  to  Mumbai to  reunite  with fmly  briefly.... the  Airports  at  both  places  a short  distance....a comforting  factor ....the main  street  here a long  one  is  waterlogged in patches , this  is  one  area  the  City infra  failed ...the  inner streets are congested  and waterlogged...a  much  desired  renovation ....The wars  continue  to  linger and frm times immemorial the  mindset  of  might  is  right dominate....the  Human Civilization witnesses not  much  of  a  progress ...The  Wars  are obsolete and  in  this  era irrelevant  other  than  destruction ....as  human  misery  pile  up  so  is  the  indifference....The real  war is on  the  health  front and full attention  need to  allocate proper  direction  as  the  latest Pandemic  proved  ... It  shud  hv  been a  period  of  reconstruction  as  many  fmlys  lost  kins  in  the aftemath  of  the  Onslaught ....with  excellent  Technology the young minds are a hope to change  the  old  order....!!

Finally the full circle

...It starts with Entrance  exam of CLAT 22 (Combined Law Admission Test  ) in  Dec  22 in  Bangalore for  Doel the  island  girl  who completed  her   A  levels here  and  got  a  seat  in  one  of  the  Prestigious  National Law  universities  of   India, precisely  Maharashtra National Law  University  Mumbai located  in  Powai where  another  great  institution  of  IIT is  located .Arnav  the  brother also  got  relocated  from  here  taking  admission  in a prestigious  group  of  schools whose  first  Chairman  was  none other  than  the  Mahatma .Archana too relocated  after  a  17  yr  stint here  in  the  Islands  brushing  shoulders  and  supporting  the  fmly  fulwell.

I on my  part will visit  motherland more  or   less  every  mnth now  for  a  short  stay , thus  completing  the  full  circle .

Relocating  myself  locally  to  a  sea view   more  compact residence & its  back  to  basics  again . 

Having  achieved  the  agenda  of  raising  a  family in  Gods   own  Land  in  quietitude , a sense of  deep  satisfaction  &  gratitude  to  God  &  fmly engulfs  me . The   Indian  Ocean  Diary Rojnamcha bloomed  and  spread  its  fragrance  sustaining  the   family  well maintaining  a  steady  bridge  with homeland  with  friends  &  fmlys . 

Hence  ,  its  time  to  Thank  each  &  everyone  of  you  now.....!!!

 

Fragile string and a thread to behold....

Fragility has crept in....no matter how much u try ..the thread and tenterhooks....a sigh....and crash will come the world...in smithereens...all investments of yesteryears down the drain ....a loss surreptitiously well entrenched....Crusoe made more relevant as he braces up to the kingdom of raw nature, bereft of an iota of a civilization....the social order so painstakingly inculcated now under tremendous pressure from the whiff of fragility doing the rounds...as humans hurtling down the vortex of a myopic view....as far far away from reality of age old systems nurturing stability....a silent revolution has crept in eating away the very foundations of humanity....as you only live in a time frame and the framework finite.....

.....there are too many Birds around ......

.....there are  too  many  Birds  around ....the  abode  navigation at  the  junction  of  two  narrow  lanes , with choc a bloc  residences, balconies adorned  with  flower  pots with  busy  bee  doing  the  rounds , no  wonder  there  will  be  birds  as the  Giant fig tree got  decapitated  recently  on account  of FIFA world  cup  Qatar 22, to accomodate  a  screen , now though  over  the  mnths  post  the  enthralling  final , disdainfully  growing  at  breakneck  speed , foliage  growing  rapidly , just  as  the  Phoenix  rising  from  its  ashes  .....the hitherto  displaced birds,   now  on  cloud  nine  reclaiming  their  lost  places....the  incessant  chirping in  an  otherwise , mechanised  upcoming  city , with  decibel levels of  a  myriad  of  machineries to  keep  it  going  ....the  Birds  the  Bees now  working  overtime  to regain  lost  place  ....hence  the  Cacophony ... the  living  with  the  Machines  .....

As  , one , is felled  , by  the  sheer  remoteness of  the  land  , when  one  swiftly  drifts  away  from  the  busy  shores  , the  tallest  of  all  buildings  dips  below  the  horizon  ....its  an  altogether  different  proposition ....the  lush  green  Coconut trees swaying ...a  footfall on  the  warm  white  beach , and  there  you  are  , all  to  yourself ....the  Tropical  Sun beating  mercilessly  , you laze on  the  sand  ,  not  a  soul  in  sight  ,  a  true  Sabbatical, which  everyone  so  very  much  desire  .....!!!!

...the Spectacular trio of islands ...

 A very Happy New  year  to  All....freshly back  from  home on 3rd instant with all  the sparkles rubbed from homeland , augurs well for  yet  another stint  of a  stay  in  the  Sunny  land of  Maldives.....

As  the  plane veered  sharply  and  banked  to  its  right  a breathtaking  view is witnessed  of  the  trio  of  islands  of  Male'  , Hulhumale'  ^  Hulhule'  the  airport  island  , the  connecting  sea  bridge ....the feeling  of  spending  a   major  chunk  of  active  life  here with  all encompassing  sea sank deeper , first  time  in  17  yrs  this view  was  witnessed  by sheer  coincidence  ....and  must  I  say  its  a  must  see...!!!!