We all have our share of stupidities, follies and then missed opportunities. I too have so many of those. But if I am given a chance to go back and change 'ONE THING' that happened in my life; this has to be it.
It was in December 2002 during the wedding of my cousin at a place called Shirali near Kundapur. My family of five, both of my sisters, both bothers in law and their kids had traveled from Kochi to Kundapur by a Tempo Traveler. It sure was a daunting journey. But it all comes out well when you're surrounded by your loved ones. So was it for us. Only hitch was that my 4 year old daughter was suffering from a respiratory infection with cold and cough. We were managing her with medicines and a lot of care.
Once in Kundapur, we had little time to relax and we had to reach Shirali for the function on the eve of the wedding. My wife and me had told our daughter not to run around during the function and to sit quiet like a good girl. But having my little niece Prajna for company with other kids joining, she did run around a bit.
And then in our hotel room in the night, she started to cough. We gave medicines and hot water, but there was no relief. Since it was well past midnight and we had a very important function next day, both me and my wife were irritated. Both of us started admonishing our little one, "Didn't we tell you not to run around? Didn't we tell you to sit quiet? Look at this now, you are suffering and we too can't sleep." As our decibels were increasing, our child looked up and with all the innocence of a 4 year old asked, "Appa, Amma, but what did I do?"
It was like a sinking feeling. I was almost gutted by guilt. I asked my wife, "But Vidya, what the hell are we doing? This is OUR child. Not some enemy and it is she who is suffering, not us" My wife's eyes too started to well up. I said the most pained 'SORRY' of my life to the most precious one in my life and then took her in my arms and put her on my chest and cuddled her and hummed some songs for her. Did the medicines start working or the love? Love I believe; the child went to sleep on my chest and slept like a child without a single cough!
I tried to force a child of 4 to sit quiet, it was my stupidity. I admonished her when she was coughing, it was my folly. I had to correct myself when she asked that question and the opportunity was there. Right there and right then I corrected myself. I didn't miss the opportunity! Thank Goodness for that!
But still, I have never been able to forgive myself for what I did that night. Looking back, I have realized an important truth. Even this happened for good. I have 'Never Ever' been rude to my child again! And that... Will NOT happen again. How can I forget those innocent eyes and the haunting little beautiful face of that Christmas eve?
Sab Theek Ho Jayega !
- Govind Raj
- Kochi / Ernakulam, Kerala, India
- A Doctor who loves to Live, Love and Laugh with the World! Absolutely crazy about Cricket ! Other Qualifications: A Tired Bathroom Singer, Retired Gully Cricketer and Satire Writer !
Friday, January 22, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Name... Is there something in it?
Naam gum jaayega, chehra yeh badal jaayega, meri aawaaz hi pehechaan hai...
This was a fabulous Bhupindar Singh - Lata Mangeshkar song from the movie Kinaara. So very apt for two fabulous singers.
What is there in a ‘Name’? A rose would smell as sweet by any name! Is it true? It has been an obsession for me to follow ‘Names’. Not just the high and the mighty, but just about any or all names.
Let us look at some examples. Imagine Mohammed Yusuf Sarwar Khan becoming a Super Star in immediate post-independence era. So he became Dilip Kumar. So many famous movie stars have changed names, rechanged names and then added or deleted letters to their names. All for the sake of 'Fame and Name'. Future generations will not even know Rajesh Khanna was actually Jatin, Amitabh was Srivastav and Dilip Kumar was a Khan. Coming to Khan, the most awaited Hindi movie of 2010 is ‘My Name is Khan’. This again deals with 'Name'. Kamal Hassan, a Tamil Hindu faced harassment with the Xenophobic US Authorities because of his ‘Name’ that sounded like a Muslim name. So this ‘Khan’ too might have to face a similar fate.
In the massive hit comedy ‘3 Idiots’, the character ‘Piya’ played by Kareena Kapoor tells Aamir Khan that she doesn’t want to change her surname because Chanchad was unacceptable to her. During the feel good climax, she is happy that Aamir Khan is not Ranchod Das Chanchad. But when he divulges his original name, she is the only one upset in the scene. She finds Phunsukh Wangdu much worse than Chanchad. She is somewhat confused but still emphatically declares that she’ll not change her surname after marriage. This is typical of human race, or at least most of us. Be it individuals, people, castes, religions, regions, states, nations and continents; we are prone to this discriminatory attitude at every level. Anything we are not used to, has to be funny, unacceptable or worse! So Piya fails to understand why her own father’s name was twisted by his hateful wards. Veeru Sahasrabudhdhe becomes Virus Budhdhe for the irate Farhan in the movie.
When I was in class V, a teacher used to call me, Govinda Raya and how I used to hate it! Being a huge fan of ‘Raj’ Kapoor, I always wanted my name to be Govind Raj. Anyone adding the additional ‘a’ was unacceptable and ‘Y’ was yuck! Today living a busier life, I have started realizing something even worse. Looking back at many places where I had written my name on paper, there was something extremely funny. The curve at the tail of ‘J’ had gone missing many a times when I had written my name in a hurry and I had become… GOVIND RAT :-)
Malayalees have this tendency to choose unique names for the kids. This has been there for ages I believe. Earlier, it used to be names of freedom fighters and heroes. So there were a lot of local born Bhagavat Singhs or Raveendranath Tagores. Then came the craze for short names. Aji, Biji, Ciji, Diji, Fiji, Giji and so on. Ani, Bini, Cini, Dini, Fini, Gini and so on. When I first landed in Kerala in 1995, this used to be a culture shock. I still am not able to remember names of most of the girls in our hospital because I am always confused which alphabet to begin with!
Then there are some really outrageous names. Nespu, Crispi, Typsi, Cissy, and Lovesy. Now, the last name was definitely a lousy one, but do the rest of them make any sense? But when it comes to most outrageous name ever, how about a girl named… Vagina! I leave it to your imagination how she must have felt once she understood the meaning of it.
Recently a fast bowler is doing rather well for England and his captain has called him a legend. His name is ‘Onions’. South Africans must be feeling a really pungent taste every time they see this guy. After all, he is responsible for a 3-1 verdict in a 4 test series ending up as a 1-1 tie. Now let us come to India. If a north Indian were to have a surname ‘Pyaj’ or ‘Batata’ what a miserable life he would have had. I haven’t so far met a Malayalee or Tamil named ‘Ulli’ or ‘Sawala’. But in Karnataka we had a senior lecturer from Hubli who was called ‘Ullagaddi’. I don’t know if Mr. Onions is related to this gentleman. They both mean the same!
My surname too was ridiculed by some of my friends. Shenoy means someone who maintains accounts in my mother tongue, Konkani. But once one Devendra Reddy, a very good friend of mine told, “Hey Shenoy, your name can be spilt like this, She Nai… Nai in Kannada means Dog. Everyone around laughed big time. Well, I have never been known to keep accounts. Settling things then and there, was my policy. So I told him this story...
A father was going for an evening walk with his 5 year old son. The curious lad used to ask a million questions to his father. The father had real tough time answering them. When they saw a man walking with a white dog and the boy asked, ‘Papa, what is the name of this dog?’ Father told, ‘Whitey’. A little later, they saw a black dog and the boy again asked the name. The flustered Father told it was ‘Blackey’. As they moved further, they came across a ‘Browney’ too. And then they saw a Red Dog! I stopped my story here. My friend just looked at me blankly for some time and told, ‘You Bloody fellow, you never like to lose!’
With this I sign off, but hope to be back with more! The stupid, the funny and the outrageous!
This was a fabulous Bhupindar Singh - Lata Mangeshkar song from the movie Kinaara. So very apt for two fabulous singers.
What is there in a ‘Name’? A rose would smell as sweet by any name! Is it true? It has been an obsession for me to follow ‘Names’. Not just the high and the mighty, but just about any or all names.
Let us look at some examples. Imagine Mohammed Yusuf Sarwar Khan becoming a Super Star in immediate post-independence era. So he became Dilip Kumar. So many famous movie stars have changed names, rechanged names and then added or deleted letters to their names. All for the sake of 'Fame and Name'. Future generations will not even know Rajesh Khanna was actually Jatin, Amitabh was Srivastav and Dilip Kumar was a Khan. Coming to Khan, the most awaited Hindi movie of 2010 is ‘My Name is Khan’. This again deals with 'Name'. Kamal Hassan, a Tamil Hindu faced harassment with the Xenophobic US Authorities because of his ‘Name’ that sounded like a Muslim name. So this ‘Khan’ too might have to face a similar fate.
In the massive hit comedy ‘3 Idiots’, the character ‘Piya’ played by Kareena Kapoor tells Aamir Khan that she doesn’t want to change her surname because Chanchad was unacceptable to her. During the feel good climax, she is happy that Aamir Khan is not Ranchod Das Chanchad. But when he divulges his original name, she is the only one upset in the scene. She finds Phunsukh Wangdu much worse than Chanchad. She is somewhat confused but still emphatically declares that she’ll not change her surname after marriage. This is typical of human race, or at least most of us. Be it individuals, people, castes, religions, regions, states, nations and continents; we are prone to this discriminatory attitude at every level. Anything we are not used to, has to be funny, unacceptable or worse! So Piya fails to understand why her own father’s name was twisted by his hateful wards. Veeru Sahasrabudhdhe becomes Virus Budhdhe for the irate Farhan in the movie.
When I was in class V, a teacher used to call me, Govinda Raya and how I used to hate it! Being a huge fan of ‘Raj’ Kapoor, I always wanted my name to be Govind Raj. Anyone adding the additional ‘a’ was unacceptable and ‘Y’ was yuck! Today living a busier life, I have started realizing something even worse. Looking back at many places where I had written my name on paper, there was something extremely funny. The curve at the tail of ‘J’ had gone missing many a times when I had written my name in a hurry and I had become… GOVIND RAT :-)
Malayalees have this tendency to choose unique names for the kids. This has been there for ages I believe. Earlier, it used to be names of freedom fighters and heroes. So there were a lot of local born Bhagavat Singhs or Raveendranath Tagores. Then came the craze for short names. Aji, Biji, Ciji, Diji, Fiji, Giji and so on. Ani, Bini, Cini, Dini, Fini, Gini and so on. When I first landed in Kerala in 1995, this used to be a culture shock. I still am not able to remember names of most of the girls in our hospital because I am always confused which alphabet to begin with!
Then there are some really outrageous names. Nespu, Crispi, Typsi, Cissy, and Lovesy. Now, the last name was definitely a lousy one, but do the rest of them make any sense? But when it comes to most outrageous name ever, how about a girl named… Vagina! I leave it to your imagination how she must have felt once she understood the meaning of it.
Recently a fast bowler is doing rather well for England and his captain has called him a legend. His name is ‘Onions’. South Africans must be feeling a really pungent taste every time they see this guy. After all, he is responsible for a 3-1 verdict in a 4 test series ending up as a 1-1 tie. Now let us come to India. If a north Indian were to have a surname ‘Pyaj’ or ‘Batata’ what a miserable life he would have had. I haven’t so far met a Malayalee or Tamil named ‘Ulli’ or ‘Sawala’. But in Karnataka we had a senior lecturer from Hubli who was called ‘Ullagaddi’. I don’t know if Mr. Onions is related to this gentleman. They both mean the same!
My surname too was ridiculed by some of my friends. Shenoy means someone who maintains accounts in my mother tongue, Konkani. But once one Devendra Reddy, a very good friend of mine told, “Hey Shenoy, your name can be spilt like this, She Nai… Nai in Kannada means Dog. Everyone around laughed big time. Well, I have never been known to keep accounts. Settling things then and there, was my policy. So I told him this story...
A father was going for an evening walk with his 5 year old son. The curious lad used to ask a million questions to his father. The father had real tough time answering them. When they saw a man walking with a white dog and the boy asked, ‘Papa, what is the name of this dog?’ Father told, ‘Whitey’. A little later, they saw a black dog and the boy again asked the name. The flustered Father told it was ‘Blackey’. As they moved further, they came across a ‘Browney’ too. And then they saw a Red Dog! I stopped my story here. My friend just looked at me blankly for some time and told, ‘You Bloody fellow, you never like to lose!’
With this I sign off, but hope to be back with more! The stupid, the funny and the outrageous!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
God's Own Country !
I live in Kochi, known as the Financial Capital of Kerala, calling itself the most literate state in India. I work in a Private Hospital in the Department of Cardiology. Hence I see mostly people suffering from heart diseases. I have seen men as young as 29 suffer 'Heart Attack'. When I look back at the past decade and a half of my experience as a Doctor, the most sinister entity that stands out is "Smoking".
We read the news item about the soaring sales graph of the Kerala Beverages Corporation and the record created by all the 'Alcohol Lovers' of Kerala during the Christmas and New Year. But very little is mentioned anywhere about the sales of cigarettes and those cheap and dirty beedies.
Smoking and Diabetes are two of the worst culprits we have identified as the 'Primary Evils' behind Heart Attacks. Doctors coax, plead, admonish and even threaten people so as to make them quit smoking. But somehow the number of smokers has not come down since I took my first steps in this profession, neither has the number of packets smoked by people dwindled.
I did dwell upon this in an earlier post titled "The Greatest Question". But I am compelled to write again on what I consider as the most offensive of the human habits. I have seen some really obnoxious drunkards. I have also seen those dirty men who beat up the women of the house. Then we always have Politicians, child molesters and murderers. And then we have 'Smokers'!
I have discovered to my dismay that this breed is the most shameless of all. They smoke in public places when there is a Supreme Court Ban. They litter the nature with those rotten pieces of cigarettes. They don't bother when men and women around them turn their noses away or openly show their dislike. Smokers are Smokers and they'll smoke come what may!
But the most horrific thing is when you see the people of the so called most literate state in India smoke in HOSPITAL WARDS! Yes, we have boards asking people not to smoke. We also have Nurses and Supervisors requesting each and every inmate to desist from smoking. But unfortunately, I am witnessing blatant violation of rules, conventions and public decency by smokers.
You can't venture out of a Cinema hall during intermission because you will be engulfed by the smoke. Some unscrupulous guys smoke even inside the Air-conditioned halls. I once complained to a TTE because someone was smoking inside an AC Railway compartment. The culprit escaped Scott free, but left an entire compartment stinking.
When caught red-handed, some of the smokers sheepishly throw away the butt. Some will feign ignorance and say someone else must have been smoking when you can clearly see from where the stink is emanating from. Some will counter with convoluted logic of stress and tension. But the worst case is when you have caught someone and requested him not to smoke inside the hospital premises; and you see the same person smoking again! This infuriating nature is unique perhaps to Malayalee. I apologize straight away if I am wrong, but I have never seen any other species doing this.
When will we people learn to respect the laws and rules and learn to behave?
When will we get to breath some fresh air in our "God's Own Country?"
When and will we ever?
We read the news item about the soaring sales graph of the Kerala Beverages Corporation and the record created by all the 'Alcohol Lovers' of Kerala during the Christmas and New Year. But very little is mentioned anywhere about the sales of cigarettes and those cheap and dirty beedies.
Smoking and Diabetes are two of the worst culprits we have identified as the 'Primary Evils' behind Heart Attacks. Doctors coax, plead, admonish and even threaten people so as to make them quit smoking. But somehow the number of smokers has not come down since I took my first steps in this profession, neither has the number of packets smoked by people dwindled.
I did dwell upon this in an earlier post titled "The Greatest Question". But I am compelled to write again on what I consider as the most offensive of the human habits. I have seen some really obnoxious drunkards. I have also seen those dirty men who beat up the women of the house. Then we always have Politicians, child molesters and murderers. And then we have 'Smokers'!
I have discovered to my dismay that this breed is the most shameless of all. They smoke in public places when there is a Supreme Court Ban. They litter the nature with those rotten pieces of cigarettes. They don't bother when men and women around them turn their noses away or openly show their dislike. Smokers are Smokers and they'll smoke come what may!
But the most horrific thing is when you see the people of the so called most literate state in India smoke in HOSPITAL WARDS! Yes, we have boards asking people not to smoke. We also have Nurses and Supervisors requesting each and every inmate to desist from smoking. But unfortunately, I am witnessing blatant violation of rules, conventions and public decency by smokers.
You can't venture out of a Cinema hall during intermission because you will be engulfed by the smoke. Some unscrupulous guys smoke even inside the Air-conditioned halls. I once complained to a TTE because someone was smoking inside an AC Railway compartment. The culprit escaped Scott free, but left an entire compartment stinking.
When caught red-handed, some of the smokers sheepishly throw away the butt. Some will feign ignorance and say someone else must have been smoking when you can clearly see from where the stink is emanating from. Some will counter with convoluted logic of stress and tension. But the worst case is when you have caught someone and requested him not to smoke inside the hospital premises; and you see the same person smoking again! This infuriating nature is unique perhaps to Malayalee. I apologize straight away if I am wrong, but I have never seen any other species doing this.
When will we people learn to respect the laws and rules and learn to behave?
When will we get to breath some fresh air in our "God's Own Country?"
When and will we ever?
Friday, January 8, 2010
“All izz well” in the Happy New Year !
I woke up exactly at 6:00 AM in spite of sleeping very late after wishing my friends a happy new year. I was feeling as fresh and as energetic as a 25 year old even though I will be 40 this year. As much as I wish to remain 25, my body has shown signs of the age catching up.
But this must be a perfect beginning for a new year. When I walked into the living room, my Mom was pleasantly surprised. On a normal day, my wife has to wake me up with persistent nagging. And here I was up and looking fresh at 6:00 AM. For once my Mom had not forgotten the day. She said, “What a great beginning, Happy New year!” I reciprocated with equal warmth and walked towards my daughter’s room. By the way, there was not a single missed call on my mobile !
The bed was immaculately neat in my daughter's room and there was no sign of my 11 year old. Hence I walked to my treadmill and there I see my wife on the treadmill and my daughter doing the abdominal exercise on the abs-crunch. Both of them wished me a really happy new year. My wife told, “It is my New Year resolution to lose 15 kilos this year and I am going to achieve that before the next Christmas holidays” And she added, “It’s your turn on the treadmill. We are finished and are going to take a shower” Wow !
I got onto treadmill and finished 20 minutes of vigorous exercise. After cooling down, I shaved and took my shower. Everything was in perfect shape. As I stepped out of my room, my daughter came with her report card. It was a pleasure to sign a report card that showed A+ in all subjects and all extra-curricular activities.
A usually lazy girl had done exceptionally well in the sports and games too. The Physical Director had added a fond note, ‘Most improved Child in the school’. What a day ! In a total departure from our routine mornings; my daughter was doing everything in time and my wife wasn’t screaming at her or at anyone.
My breakfast as usual was bland curd rice with some vegetables. And I was on my way to the hospital before 7:15 AM. What I saw on the road was beyond my imagination. The road was completely renovated. Not a single pothole. I pinched myself to see if it was a dream !
Feeling great, I was driving really fast and I saw an Auto-rickshaw approaching the main road from the left and I slowed down. The Buses and Auto-rickshaws in Kochi are so notorious for rash, rude and dangerous driving. But again I was floored by the driver halting his vehicle to let me go and he took the turn after me. He was keeping the left lane.
Then I saw a bus behind me and again slowed down to let him go. But even the bus-driver humbled me by keeping to left and not even making an attempt to overtake. No honking. No thumping the sides of the bus to scare my small car.
I could see why there was so much order ! Every road was policed and had sign-boards. Pedestrian crossings were manned. Safety alerts were beautifully erected at every corner. The North Bridge was a sight to behold. The bikes and Auto-rickshaws were taking the side bridge and there was absolute order. Is this too good to be true?
It took me only 7 minutes to reach the hospital. Once there, the slot given to me for parking was vacant. The watchman had made sure nobody parked any two-wheelers there. I lodged my bag in my room and everyone was wishing “Happy New Year” with absolute cheer.
The ICCU was unusually calm, though it was almost full. No ventilator patients and none critical. The night-duty Doctor was pleasant and told me that even though there were some admissions during night, it never was hectic or bad. After keeping my iced tea in the fridge, I went for rounds. Everything was in order. But for me, the most surprising thing was I didn’t lose my temper even when I saw some minor discrepancies.
The Out-Patient department was as usual busy and we had enough appointments to keep myself busy. All the technicians were available on this day and the work was flowing with no hindrance whatsoever. I finished my lunch of 2 bananas at exactly 12:00 Noon and never felt hypoglycemic.
I was able to finish all the appointments and my afternoon rounds by 3:00 PM. After updating my files on the PC, I still had some time for coffee with my Doctor friends. Everyone was happy with a brilliant take off for the year 2010. And the coffee was simply great. I did check the messages and reciprocated New Year wishes to all the well wishers. What a fantastic day on which I never lost my cool or snapped at someone. Are my days of unnecessary tantrums over? I honestly hope so!
I started back at 4:30 PM and again the traffic was in perfect discipline. I reached home in less than 10 minutes. My daughter was back from school. She already had her shower and looking marvelous and fresh. A hug and kiss and she went to her room to study.
Wife accompanied me for the evening round of exercise. After an invigorating shower, I had a cup of tea and some biscuits and walked to my clinic. My in-laws were on their evening walk. Stricken by Alzheimer’s disease, my father-in-law had never looked as alert and cheerful as this for over 4 years now.
My assistant was waiting cheerfully with the Clinic in prim and proper shape. A nice board with ‘Happy New Year’ was kept at the entrance. The OP was busy but I still managed to wind things up by 8:15 PM. My friend Mohan was there to wish me as usual. I had a small chat with him and rushed back home for dinner.
After dinner, we watched TV for some time. My Father was ready with a story as my Daughter went to bed by 9:00 PM. My Mom retired too by 9:30 PM. That left the two of us; me and wife. We had a perfect time together. No usual bickering. No complaining. This was altogether a great beginning for the New Year. There must be some entity called ‘God’. How else can we explain such a dramatic turnaround in the life of a Kochiite? The Non-conformist in me was secretly admiring God! Thank God “All is well!”
And then, my rug was pulled rudely and there stood my wife, “Can’t you sleep early and get up in time at least on the New Year day? It is already 6:45 AM. Aren’t you going to hospital today ? So many people called to wish you. Go check your mobile for all the missed calls”
And then she turned around and shouted at the top of her voice, “Baby, how many times do I have to tell you to get ready. She hasn't even finished her bath. Watching TV last night and now she remembers she hasn't completed her homework. The school bus will be around any time. Irresponsible girl. Like father, like daughter !”
So at last, “All izz well” in the Happy New Year !
But this must be a perfect beginning for a new year. When I walked into the living room, my Mom was pleasantly surprised. On a normal day, my wife has to wake me up with persistent nagging. And here I was up and looking fresh at 6:00 AM. For once my Mom had not forgotten the day. She said, “What a great beginning, Happy New year!” I reciprocated with equal warmth and walked towards my daughter’s room. By the way, there was not a single missed call on my mobile !
The bed was immaculately neat in my daughter's room and there was no sign of my 11 year old. Hence I walked to my treadmill and there I see my wife on the treadmill and my daughter doing the abdominal exercise on the abs-crunch. Both of them wished me a really happy new year. My wife told, “It is my New Year resolution to lose 15 kilos this year and I am going to achieve that before the next Christmas holidays” And she added, “It’s your turn on the treadmill. We are finished and are going to take a shower” Wow !
I got onto treadmill and finished 20 minutes of vigorous exercise. After cooling down, I shaved and took my shower. Everything was in perfect shape. As I stepped out of my room, my daughter came with her report card. It was a pleasure to sign a report card that showed A+ in all subjects and all extra-curricular activities.
A usually lazy girl had done exceptionally well in the sports and games too. The Physical Director had added a fond note, ‘Most improved Child in the school’. What a day ! In a total departure from our routine mornings; my daughter was doing everything in time and my wife wasn’t screaming at her or at anyone.
My breakfast as usual was bland curd rice with some vegetables. And I was on my way to the hospital before 7:15 AM. What I saw on the road was beyond my imagination. The road was completely renovated. Not a single pothole. I pinched myself to see if it was a dream !
Feeling great, I was driving really fast and I saw an Auto-rickshaw approaching the main road from the left and I slowed down. The Buses and Auto-rickshaws in Kochi are so notorious for rash, rude and dangerous driving. But again I was floored by the driver halting his vehicle to let me go and he took the turn after me. He was keeping the left lane.
Then I saw a bus behind me and again slowed down to let him go. But even the bus-driver humbled me by keeping to left and not even making an attempt to overtake. No honking. No thumping the sides of the bus to scare my small car.
I could see why there was so much order ! Every road was policed and had sign-boards. Pedestrian crossings were manned. Safety alerts were beautifully erected at every corner. The North Bridge was a sight to behold. The bikes and Auto-rickshaws were taking the side bridge and there was absolute order. Is this too good to be true?
It took me only 7 minutes to reach the hospital. Once there, the slot given to me for parking was vacant. The watchman had made sure nobody parked any two-wheelers there. I lodged my bag in my room and everyone was wishing “Happy New Year” with absolute cheer.
The ICCU was unusually calm, though it was almost full. No ventilator patients and none critical. The night-duty Doctor was pleasant and told me that even though there were some admissions during night, it never was hectic or bad. After keeping my iced tea in the fridge, I went for rounds. Everything was in order. But for me, the most surprising thing was I didn’t lose my temper even when I saw some minor discrepancies.
The Out-Patient department was as usual busy and we had enough appointments to keep myself busy. All the technicians were available on this day and the work was flowing with no hindrance whatsoever. I finished my lunch of 2 bananas at exactly 12:00 Noon and never felt hypoglycemic.
I was able to finish all the appointments and my afternoon rounds by 3:00 PM. After updating my files on the PC, I still had some time for coffee with my Doctor friends. Everyone was happy with a brilliant take off for the year 2010. And the coffee was simply great. I did check the messages and reciprocated New Year wishes to all the well wishers. What a fantastic day on which I never lost my cool or snapped at someone. Are my days of unnecessary tantrums over? I honestly hope so!
I started back at 4:30 PM and again the traffic was in perfect discipline. I reached home in less than 10 minutes. My daughter was back from school. She already had her shower and looking marvelous and fresh. A hug and kiss and she went to her room to study.
Wife accompanied me for the evening round of exercise. After an invigorating shower, I had a cup of tea and some biscuits and walked to my clinic. My in-laws were on their evening walk. Stricken by Alzheimer’s disease, my father-in-law had never looked as alert and cheerful as this for over 4 years now.
My assistant was waiting cheerfully with the Clinic in prim and proper shape. A nice board with ‘Happy New Year’ was kept at the entrance. The OP was busy but I still managed to wind things up by 8:15 PM. My friend Mohan was there to wish me as usual. I had a small chat with him and rushed back home for dinner.
After dinner, we watched TV for some time. My Father was ready with a story as my Daughter went to bed by 9:00 PM. My Mom retired too by 9:30 PM. That left the two of us; me and wife. We had a perfect time together. No usual bickering. No complaining. This was altogether a great beginning for the New Year. There must be some entity called ‘God’. How else can we explain such a dramatic turnaround in the life of a Kochiite? The Non-conformist in me was secretly admiring God! Thank God “All is well!”
And then, my rug was pulled rudely and there stood my wife, “Can’t you sleep early and get up in time at least on the New Year day? It is already 6:45 AM. Aren’t you going to hospital today ? So many people called to wish you. Go check your mobile for all the missed calls”
And then she turned around and shouted at the top of her voice, “Baby, how many times do I have to tell you to get ready. She hasn't even finished her bath. Watching TV last night and now she remembers she hasn't completed her homework. The school bus will be around any time. Irresponsible girl. Like father, like daughter !”
So at last, “All izz well” in the Happy New Year !
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
A Decade since the Millennium !
Another year coming to an end and another occasion to celebrate for the people. Those who had a bad year would love to move on and leave behind the pains. And those who did well over the past twelve months would try to consolidate on the gains.
2009 gave us the Great Recession, The Bird Flu and the Swine Flu. So many institutions collapsed. When AIG went bankrupt, I was worried because I had invested some of my hard earned money in AIG. But to my relief, I received a very nice and soothing letter from TATA group, the Indian Partner of AIG assuring me of continued service without any problem. This is why I admire the name Tata!
2009 also gave us some very nice movies. Paa, 3 Idiots, Luck by Chance, Ajab Prem ki Gajab Kahani were good entertainers. In Malayalam we had a relative windfall of good movies compared to the period of drought during the previous years. Paleri Manikyam Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinde Katha, Passenger, Bhramaram, Pazhassi Raja, Ividam Swargamanu, Loud Speaker and of course 2 Hariharnagar were not only good; but also set the box office on recovery path.
Team India went onto lose the only title it had won since 1985; the T-20 World Cup. They also lost miserably at the Champion's Trophy. But on the positive side, they went onto win more tests and climb to the Official No. 1 position in Test rankings. With Gambhir becoming the Top Test Batsman and Dhoni, the Top ODI Batsman; it was a double whammy!
On the personal front, 2009 was a fairly good year for me. But for a severe acidity problem that has prevented me from enjoying my most loved drink coffee, it was pretty good on the health front. 28 May was the last time I tasted coffee and ended up sleepless for almost half a week due to 'An almost Peptic Ulcer'. On the positive side, I managed short but very nice breaks to visit Goa, Tirupathy, Karkala my beloved native place, Kumarakom and then Guruvayoor with my entire family including in-laws. But the dampener came with my failure to make it to Madikeri to meet up with old chums from Medical College due to one unavoidable commitment. I wish myself better luck for 2010.
It sounds as if it were only yesterday that we welcomed Y2K or the Millennium Year. And it is already 10 years since! A Decade has passed since and that only means one thing! We all are getting older, but thankfully wiser too! The Internet has penetrated into our lives to unimaginable levels. Try not to check mail for 3 - 4 days and see your in-box bursting out on your face when you finally log on.
If you're not on Orkut, Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin, you don't exist in this world. Correct me if I am wrong. Blogging, Social Networking, Micro-blogging and so on... The world clearly is getting younger, quicker and impatient. The younger lot have everything going for them and clearly are in a majority. The middle class like me, are forced to learn new things every other day just to appear 'Up-to-the-hour'. Up-to-date was fashionable when we were young. Now things change in hours; including marriages that happen and are broken within a matter of hours.
So at the breakneck speed the world is moving ahead, we only stop for a few hours to celebrate 'The New Year'. Not all are as lucky or as optimistic as some of the younger lot. I have never been an ardent celebrator of this 'New Year' thing. But I have gamely sent Happy this festival and Happy that festival messages to almost all my contacts during most of the festivals. I will be doing it again for the 'New Year'. It doesn't hurt to wish and to celebrate. Not if you have 6000 free messages in your monthly package!
So let me wind up wishing all my friends... A Very Happy, Healthy and Hopeful New Year!
Question: What major change will the year 2010 bring into our lives?
Answer: The Calender!
Footnote:
Finally remembering those who departed during the past 12 months leaving a lacuna behind them...
My Uncle, Guide and Godfather: Mr. T. M. V. Shenoy
A Family Friend: Nithin Shibu who died at 23 falling victim to a two-wheeler accident.
Malayalam Cinema people: Adoor Bhavani, Rajan P. Dev and Lohithadas!
My Childhood Hero: Vishnuvardhan who left on 30 December 2009 just before the dawn.
Though he was never a favorite, just because of his fame: Michel Jackson.
And many more, especially those faceless thousands who die everyday due to someone Else's mistakes!
2009 gave us the Great Recession, The Bird Flu and the Swine Flu. So many institutions collapsed. When AIG went bankrupt, I was worried because I had invested some of my hard earned money in AIG. But to my relief, I received a very nice and soothing letter from TATA group, the Indian Partner of AIG assuring me of continued service without any problem. This is why I admire the name Tata!
2009 also gave us some very nice movies. Paa, 3 Idiots, Luck by Chance, Ajab Prem ki Gajab Kahani were good entertainers. In Malayalam we had a relative windfall of good movies compared to the period of drought during the previous years. Paleri Manikyam Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinde Katha, Passenger, Bhramaram, Pazhassi Raja, Ividam Swargamanu, Loud Speaker and of course 2 Hariharnagar were not only good; but also set the box office on recovery path.
Team India went onto lose the only title it had won since 1985; the T-20 World Cup. They also lost miserably at the Champion's Trophy. But on the positive side, they went onto win more tests and climb to the Official No. 1 position in Test rankings. With Gambhir becoming the Top Test Batsman and Dhoni, the Top ODI Batsman; it was a double whammy!
On the personal front, 2009 was a fairly good year for me. But for a severe acidity problem that has prevented me from enjoying my most loved drink coffee, it was pretty good on the health front. 28 May was the last time I tasted coffee and ended up sleepless for almost half a week due to 'An almost Peptic Ulcer'. On the positive side, I managed short but very nice breaks to visit Goa, Tirupathy, Karkala my beloved native place, Kumarakom and then Guruvayoor with my entire family including in-laws. But the dampener came with my failure to make it to Madikeri to meet up with old chums from Medical College due to one unavoidable commitment. I wish myself better luck for 2010.
It sounds as if it were only yesterday that we welcomed Y2K or the Millennium Year. And it is already 10 years since! A Decade has passed since and that only means one thing! We all are getting older, but thankfully wiser too! The Internet has penetrated into our lives to unimaginable levels. Try not to check mail for 3 - 4 days and see your in-box bursting out on your face when you finally log on.
If you're not on Orkut, Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin, you don't exist in this world. Correct me if I am wrong. Blogging, Social Networking, Micro-blogging and so on... The world clearly is getting younger, quicker and impatient. The younger lot have everything going for them and clearly are in a majority. The middle class like me, are forced to learn new things every other day just to appear 'Up-to-the-hour'. Up-to-date was fashionable when we were young. Now things change in hours; including marriages that happen and are broken within a matter of hours.
So at the breakneck speed the world is moving ahead, we only stop for a few hours to celebrate 'The New Year'. Not all are as lucky or as optimistic as some of the younger lot. I have never been an ardent celebrator of this 'New Year' thing. But I have gamely sent Happy this festival and Happy that festival messages to almost all my contacts during most of the festivals. I will be doing it again for the 'New Year'. It doesn't hurt to wish and to celebrate. Not if you have 6000 free messages in your monthly package!
So let me wind up wishing all my friends... A Very Happy, Healthy and Hopeful New Year!
Question: What major change will the year 2010 bring into our lives?
Answer: The Calender!
Footnote:
Finally remembering those who departed during the past 12 months leaving a lacuna behind them...
My Uncle, Guide and Godfather: Mr. T. M. V. Shenoy
A Family Friend: Nithin Shibu who died at 23 falling victim to a two-wheeler accident.
Malayalam Cinema people: Adoor Bhavani, Rajan P. Dev and Lohithadas!
My Childhood Hero: Vishnuvardhan who left on 30 December 2009 just before the dawn.
Though he was never a favorite, just because of his fame: Michel Jackson.
And many more, especially those faceless thousands who die everyday due to someone Else's mistakes!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
'Great' 'Grand' 'Paa'
‘Paa’ is the talk of the town; not only the town but the whole of India and beyond among the film lovers. It is true that there are a lot of people who say the movie is lousy and Bachchan is crap. Surf the net and you’ll see every piece of writing admiring ‘Paa’ will be countered by articles abusing the movie in general and Bachchans in particular. But then you immediately know they are biased and motivated. So let me not dwell too long on these issues. I am writing about something unheard of in Indian movies before.
There are critics who compare the movie with the ‘The curious case of Benjamin Button’. But this movie is absolutely different except for the ‘Progeria’ issue. This movie is about life and about living your life to the best of what you have got. This is also a movie that celebrates the ‘Greatest Indian movie star of all times’.
Amitabh Bachchan, He has acted in so many movies which were plain dumb. Toofan, Jadugar, GJS, Lal Badshah, RGV ke Aag and many more. But then he has given us some of the most poignant moments in movies like Mili, Anand, Deewar, Muqaddar ka Sikandar and Baghbaan. He also gave us many outrageously funny movies like Amar Akbar Anthony, Khuddaar, Namak Halaal and Satte Pe Satta.
Cheeni Kum was a nice and intelligent movie. Sarkar was intense and good stuff. He did well even in multi-star capers like KANK, K3G and Mohabbatein. But the one thing missing was ‘Something Special’. All he did was good, but nothing great!
And now finally Bachchan has broken the jinx. At the age of 67, he plays ‘Auro’ a 13 year old boy with a very rare congenital illness that leads to accelerated ageing and early death, Progeria or “Hutchinson–Gilford Progeria Syndrome". Auro, his mother, grand-mother, his teachers at school and even his friends take it as a matter of fact. There is no lamenting or no melodrama. But all are concerned about Auro and they take care of him well. He grows up to be a funny and fun-loving but a little too head-strong boy with a very sharp brain. In spite of his frail health and awkward looks, he is a very popular character at school. And he comes up with one-liners that are simply funny. When his grand-mother starts getting on his nerves, he tells his bear, “Are you not a non-vegetarian? Why don’t you eat her?” He is a boy with an attitude too. Written on the door of his room, “Knock, else I will knock your head off’. He also has his way when he decides to leave his best friend Vishnu back as he joins his Politician Father on a trip to Rashtrapati Bhavan.
R. Balki, who also made the delightful ‘Cheeni Kum’ with Bachchan and Tabu has come out on top with a fabulous idea and a wonderful movie experience. The beauty that Bachchan brings to the role of the 13 year old Auro is matchless. You feel like you are one of those characters in the movie as you cheer on towards a climax. Vidya Balan as his Gynecologist mother and Abhishek Bachchan as her estranged lover and Auro’s father are very good. Arundhati Nag is good too. Only Paresh Rawal is perhaps a little wasted. Auro’s friends are cute and loveable and Vishnu is too good.
There are moments like the little girl apologizing to Auro and presenting him with a caricature of himself made of ‘Sorry’ that are touching. You will not be wetting your hankies even though Auro has to depart at the end. If they were to re-promote this movie, I have a slogan for them. “His birth did them apart. He lived as everyone’s loved. And his death had to bring them together”.
A very mature and sensitive movie from the Bachchans and R. Balki. Let us all stand up and applaud at this moment for a truly wonderful movie experience gifted to us during this Christmas by the Big B!
And especially a huge thank you to Balki!
There are critics who compare the movie with the ‘The curious case of Benjamin Button’. But this movie is absolutely different except for the ‘Progeria’ issue. This movie is about life and about living your life to the best of what you have got. This is also a movie that celebrates the ‘Greatest Indian movie star of all times’.
Amitabh Bachchan, He has acted in so many movies which were plain dumb. Toofan, Jadugar, GJS, Lal Badshah, RGV ke Aag and many more. But then he has given us some of the most poignant moments in movies like Mili, Anand, Deewar, Muqaddar ka Sikandar and Baghbaan. He also gave us many outrageously funny movies like Amar Akbar Anthony, Khuddaar, Namak Halaal and Satte Pe Satta.
Cheeni Kum was a nice and intelligent movie. Sarkar was intense and good stuff. He did well even in multi-star capers like KANK, K3G and Mohabbatein. But the one thing missing was ‘Something Special’. All he did was good, but nothing great!
And now finally Bachchan has broken the jinx. At the age of 67, he plays ‘Auro’ a 13 year old boy with a very rare congenital illness that leads to accelerated ageing and early death, Progeria or “Hutchinson–Gilford Progeria Syndrome". Auro, his mother, grand-mother, his teachers at school and even his friends take it as a matter of fact. There is no lamenting or no melodrama. But all are concerned about Auro and they take care of him well. He grows up to be a funny and fun-loving but a little too head-strong boy with a very sharp brain. In spite of his frail health and awkward looks, he is a very popular character at school. And he comes up with one-liners that are simply funny. When his grand-mother starts getting on his nerves, he tells his bear, “Are you not a non-vegetarian? Why don’t you eat her?” He is a boy with an attitude too. Written on the door of his room, “Knock, else I will knock your head off’. He also has his way when he decides to leave his best friend Vishnu back as he joins his Politician Father on a trip to Rashtrapati Bhavan.
R. Balki, who also made the delightful ‘Cheeni Kum’ with Bachchan and Tabu has come out on top with a fabulous idea and a wonderful movie experience. The beauty that Bachchan brings to the role of the 13 year old Auro is matchless. You feel like you are one of those characters in the movie as you cheer on towards a climax. Vidya Balan as his Gynecologist mother and Abhishek Bachchan as her estranged lover and Auro’s father are very good. Arundhati Nag is good too. Only Paresh Rawal is perhaps a little wasted. Auro’s friends are cute and loveable and Vishnu is too good.
There are moments like the little girl apologizing to Auro and presenting him with a caricature of himself made of ‘Sorry’ that are touching. You will not be wetting your hankies even though Auro has to depart at the end. If they were to re-promote this movie, I have a slogan for them. “His birth did them apart. He lived as everyone’s loved. And his death had to bring them together”.
A very mature and sensitive movie from the Bachchans and R. Balki. Let us all stand up and applaud at this moment for a truly wonderful movie experience gifted to us during this Christmas by the Big B!
And especially a huge thank you to Balki!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
People who have made a Difference... 2
‘Wife’ is a ‘Four’-letter word; so is ‘Life’. They both rhyme and there will be a wonderful harmony in ‘Life’ if the ‘Wife’ and ‘Hus-band’ are in tune!
There are millions of ‘Wife’ jokes. Many are funny and mild. Some are mean and wild and some others downright offensive. I too have shared and forwarded some of them. But to be honest, I don’t really subscribe to any of them. I respect women too much to generalize about womanhood.
I have mentioned about my admiration for “Womanity”! Well, I don’t know if anyone has coined this word before. If I am the first, then let me be firm, this isn’t a ‘typo’. ‘Womanity’ is ‘Humanity’ with a Feminine touch!
This rather weird introduction is necessary because I am writing about a ‘Woman’ who has made a huge difference in my life over the past dozen years. That is my wife. We first met as a part of our arranged match at her home on 9 June 1997. When I asked her opinion about me; she told me, I was ‘no problem’! I wonder if she still thinks so.
We had a rather short courtship and were married on 3 September 1997. It was a culture shock for me. I had grown up being pampered by my sisters. But this was different. She knew very little about the world outside her circle. My short temper had to cause a few problems. During a journey to Ponkunnam from Kochi, I had to shout at her because she was walking on the road without noticing a speeding bus, which certainly would have knocked her down. Through the entire 3-hour journey, she was sobbing and the see of humanity was staring at me as if I were some kind of a villain who had committed a sin!
Then it was a learning process for both of us. For her, everything from cooking to cope up with a temperamental husband. For me it was about learning to teach. Teaching her how to cook what I liked. Teaching her to manage our time, money and so many other things. 12 years down the line, she now manages all our money matters, banking and shopping single-handed. She has an Orkut profile that has a burgeoning list of visitors. When we went on our first date, she didn’t know what was a ‘soup’. Today, she manages to bail me out of it whenever I need her. For a girl who didn’t know how to walk on the road without her mother, she is now taking care of both her parents and mine!
We aren’t without our share of quarrels, disagreements and follies. But we are together at the end of the day because, we have become used to each other. I can’t wake up without her and she can’t sleep without me. When we do a balance sheet of our life together, she has had to change much more than I have. She does more work than I do and she keeps the home tidy in spite of my laziness.
Her weight is a heavy-duty issue and I have always managed to remain below the BMI mark for my height. My anger is the danger our relationship faces constantly though I never raise my voice and she can’t keep her volume down even during the times of peace. She forgets what I had told just about 3 minutes ago but reminds me to wish my cousin on his wedding anniversary. She also remembers every single birthday, wedding anniversary and such things in our circle. I am happy that I somehow manage to remember our own wedding anniversary and her birthday. She doesn’t think much about those comedies of Malayalam actor Sreenivasan that I love. She loves spicy food and I just can’t stand them. I remove all kind of Chillies and spices from my food and she gorges on them. I can laugh any time and most of the times and she finds it hard to understand why I am laughing.
So many differences and yet we stick to each other. Why? Simply because I need her and can’t do a thing without her. She has stood by me through some of the most difficult times of my life. It is no exaggeration if I say she is an addiction. She is not fond of reading except those scraps on her Orkut page. But I hope she reads this and understands how important she is to me. Love you and need you to be with me till I live!
I have only one message to her:
Live [For Me], Love [Me] and Laugh [With Me], because I Live [Thanks to You], Love [You] and [Love to see You] Laugh!
There are millions of ‘Wife’ jokes. Many are funny and mild. Some are mean and wild and some others downright offensive. I too have shared and forwarded some of them. But to be honest, I don’t really subscribe to any of them. I respect women too much to generalize about womanhood.
I have mentioned about my admiration for “Womanity”! Well, I don’t know if anyone has coined this word before. If I am the first, then let me be firm, this isn’t a ‘typo’. ‘Womanity’ is ‘Humanity’ with a Feminine touch!
This rather weird introduction is necessary because I am writing about a ‘Woman’ who has made a huge difference in my life over the past dozen years. That is my wife. We first met as a part of our arranged match at her home on 9 June 1997. When I asked her opinion about me; she told me, I was ‘no problem’! I wonder if she still thinks so.
We had a rather short courtship and were married on 3 September 1997. It was a culture shock for me. I had grown up being pampered by my sisters. But this was different. She knew very little about the world outside her circle. My short temper had to cause a few problems. During a journey to Ponkunnam from Kochi, I had to shout at her because she was walking on the road without noticing a speeding bus, which certainly would have knocked her down. Through the entire 3-hour journey, she was sobbing and the see of humanity was staring at me as if I were some kind of a villain who had committed a sin!
Then it was a learning process for both of us. For her, everything from cooking to cope up with a temperamental husband. For me it was about learning to teach. Teaching her how to cook what I liked. Teaching her to manage our time, money and so many other things. 12 years down the line, she now manages all our money matters, banking and shopping single-handed. She has an Orkut profile that has a burgeoning list of visitors. When we went on our first date, she didn’t know what was a ‘soup’. Today, she manages to bail me out of it whenever I need her. For a girl who didn’t know how to walk on the road without her mother, she is now taking care of both her parents and mine!
We aren’t without our share of quarrels, disagreements and follies. But we are together at the end of the day because, we have become used to each other. I can’t wake up without her and she can’t sleep without me. When we do a balance sheet of our life together, she has had to change much more than I have. She does more work than I do and she keeps the home tidy in spite of my laziness.
Her weight is a heavy-duty issue and I have always managed to remain below the BMI mark for my height. My anger is the danger our relationship faces constantly though I never raise my voice and she can’t keep her volume down even during the times of peace. She forgets what I had told just about 3 minutes ago but reminds me to wish my cousin on his wedding anniversary. She also remembers every single birthday, wedding anniversary and such things in our circle. I am happy that I somehow manage to remember our own wedding anniversary and her birthday. She doesn’t think much about those comedies of Malayalam actor Sreenivasan that I love. She loves spicy food and I just can’t stand them. I remove all kind of Chillies and spices from my food and she gorges on them. I can laugh any time and most of the times and she finds it hard to understand why I am laughing.
So many differences and yet we stick to each other. Why? Simply because I need her and can’t do a thing without her. She has stood by me through some of the most difficult times of my life. It is no exaggeration if I say she is an addiction. She is not fond of reading except those scraps on her Orkut page. But I hope she reads this and understands how important she is to me. Love you and need you to be with me till I live!
I have only one message to her:
Live [For Me], Love [Me] and Laugh [With Me], because I Live [Thanks to You], Love [You] and [Love to see You] Laugh!
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