Quintessence

FRoZeN FLaMeS

2011-11-20T16:55:00.001-08:00

Twilight..

That mysterious part of the day,

When the mind, like a sorcerer

Retrieves lost memories

Of a pair of Dark eyes

Daunting, yet inviting

As I lost myself

Into their twin depths;

Wild untamed passion,

Flames of passion

Transformed into words,

Into secret whispers

Ringing in my ears;

Of a touch:

More subtle than a feather's kiss,

Yet more lasting

In the pages of my thoughts;

Of the warm breath

Washing over me,

Expelling the cold

In seconds..

..Those seconds,

When I could hear my own heart beat,

Counting the minutes,

The days, the years..

And now,

The Sun has gone;

Leaving behind

A moonless night;

Phantoms from the Past

Are all that remain,

Of Broken Hearts

And Frozen Flames

Quintessence

2011-09-13T05:51:00.001-07:00

I hold a flower in my hand
And I gaze into its infinite depths;
All around me I hear whispers
Of nature and its mysteries.

Stories as old as eternity
Of how the soil beneath my feet,
Was once a towering mountain
Before its humble retreat.

I wonder at the royal rays of the Sun-
Sheets of the purest Gold;
Sea waves that gently rise and fall
All in perfect rhythm.

The dew drops that never fail
To welcome me each dawn;
The curious rustling of the leaves
In the cool breeze of morn.

The roar of the thunder frightens me
I tremble, but for a while,
For hither comes the rainbow
To paint the Sapphire sky.

The drops of rain that fell from the Heavens
Join the seven seas,
Leaving behind a rich aroma
Wafting from the wet soil.

Evening time, time for rest,
The little birds return to their nests,
Colorful wings flap in synchrony
As they prepare themselves for the night.

And now a curtain of black satin
Sprawls across the canopy above,
Slowly, like precious diamonds
The stars peep out and shine.

The Moon – the Queen of the Dark
Casts her silver beams
That gracefully alight on the tree tops
Giving them a soft shimmer.

I stand still and marvel
At nature’s age old wisdom,
As she cleverly hides within her cloaks
All her deepest secrets.

Here I am, a harmony-
Between mind, body and soul,
An integral part of the Earth
But a speck in the all its vastness.

The Earth completes the Universe
In a strange limitless space,
Performing a celestial dance
Intricate, yet exquisite.

Each planet remembering its path
Rotating and revolving,
To the tune of a flawless melody
That no man can comprehend.

Who is the Great Conductor
Of this divine orchestra?
Who is the creator
And the law giver?

Quintessence-
Some call it Science.
Others call it God.

The Story of the Caesarean Section

2011-08-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

Childbirth and its complications have always intrigued man. The challenge is to save the life of both the mother and the child. Experiments and experience have taught us methods of achieving the same. Cesarean section is one of them.
During ancient times, C-section was done on the dying mother as a “last resort” to keep the baby alive.
But today, birth by C-section has started to increase globally. Almost one out of every five births in urban India is through a C-section.
How did this change take place between then and now?
To understand this we need to travel back time and trace the history of the Cesarean Section.

Switzerland, 1500
The story goes that there was a sow gelder named Jacob Nufer whose wife had a prolonged labor. To relieve her pain he supposedly cut open her uterus and pulled out the baby. The mother was alive and the child lived till the age of 77. The accuracy of this incident has often been questioned. But nevertheless the story spread and this novel method set the physicians thinking.

1543
The period of Renaissance.
Andreas Versalius published De Corpus Humani Fabrica. The book explained the anatomy of the female genital system. Aspiring surgeons began to study the human cadaver in detail.
But on the darker side, women were not allowed to attend schools of medicine till the late 19th century.
Here comes the interesting story of Miranda Stuart Barry who disguised herself as a man and performed one of the most successful C-sections in the history of the British Empire.

Around the same time, travelers to Uganda were spectators to a procedure that increased the curiosity of the Western world.
Each tribe in Uganda had a Healer. Whenever a woman went into prolonged labor, the Healer would semi-intoxicate her with banana wine and make a mid line incision on her abdomen to gain access to her uterus. He would then massage the uterus and take the baby out. The incision was then sutured using iron needles and the wound was dressed using a paste obtained from indigenous roots.
This was one of those rare incidents in history when the civilized world seemed to be way behind times.

1800-1875
Back in the Western World surgeons now had a thorough knowledge about the anatomical structures within the female body. But C-section still did not make any progress because of 2 reasons:
-Pain. C-section was a very painful procedure and the people looked at the surgeons as butchers and barbarians.
-Infection. Sterile practices were not known then and opening the peritoneal cavity naturally gave rise to many infectious diseases.

Anesthetics were invented in 1846 and this helped the surgeons operate with precision. It also helped them record the details of the surgery.
Soon antiseptics came into picture and the situation seemed ideal for the much dreaded C-section to become widely accepted.

But this did not happen.
And this time it was because the surgeons were afraid to suture the uterus after childbirth. They thought it would lead to infections; they also believed that the uterine muscles would contract spontaneously and stop the bleed. Thus, many young women died due to hemorrhage and shock.
To overcome this, hysterectomy was suggested by a few doctors. But the idea was discarded for obvious reasons.

1882
Max Sauminger introduced the silver wire stitches and a few years later surgeons started experimenting with transverse incisions on the lower segment of the uterus. This greatly reduced the chances of scar rupture in subsequent pregnancies which was a common occurrence with the previously employed mid line incisions.

1928
Discovery of Penicillin. Antibiotics were used to prevent many hospital-acquired infections.

1950 onwards..
Heart monitors and Ultrasound scan were invented. This helped to foresee the complications that might arise during the course of labor. Patients with pelvic abnormalities, placenta praevia, etc. were advised to get a C-section done.

Thus, The Cesarean section is not a procedure that evolved overnight. It had its own history. Mistakes were committed. Lives were lost.
But it has taken a giant leap from being a near-death or postmortem operation to a life saving one. And to the family of the mother and the operating surgeon, it makes all the difference in the world…

Vaccine no guarantee against Cervical Cancer!

2011-08-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

The excitement surrounding the Human Papilloma Virus vaccine for cervical cancer is not surprising given that "10 women die of cervical cancer every hour in South East Asia... and shockingly, 8 out of the 10 are Indian women".

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences has declared HPV types 16 and 18 as the main culprits causing havoc in India. They account for almost 70% of the cervical cancer cases in India.

So what exactly is a HPV vaccine?
The HPV vaccine is a quadrivalent prophylactic vaccine which offers protection against HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18. It is prepared from a non-infective, DNA free, virus-like particle produced by recombinant technology.

What is the Target Age group?
HPV vaccine is most effective when administered to women falling under the age group of 9 - 26 yrs. This is because a woman who has crossed 26 yrs of age might already be infected with the virus before she gets vaccinated.

How efficient is the Vaccine?
The vaccine prevents HPV infection for a period of 5yrs.
But the recipient of the vaccine should not develop a false sense of freedom from cervical cancer because the vaccine does not offer protection against all types of HPVs. In fact it fails to cover over 30% of oncogenic HPVs.
Thus, regular screening for cancer should be continued.

Moreover, the following risk factors must be kept in mind:-
- Multiple sex partners
- Male partner with multiple sex partners
- Intercourse at a young age
- High parity
- Immunosuppressive states (esp. AIDS)
- Use of Oral Contraceptive Pills
- Use of Nicotine

What are the Side Effects of HPV vaccination?
In most cases there are transient side effects like:
- Erythema and tenderness at the site of injection
- Pruritis
- Nausea
- Headache
- Fever
- Dizziness
A few cases of syncope have also been reported which is why it is wise to keep the recipient under supervision for a minimum of 15 minutes.

Are there any contraindications to the administration of this vaccine?
Yes. The vaccine should not be given to patients who are
- Pregnant
- Suffering from acute illnesses
- Allergic to yeast
- Hypersensitive (to a previous dose of the vaccine)

The WHO rightly states that while the vaccine reduces the prevalence of the cancer, it does not completely eradicate it.
Therefore, spreading awareness about cervical cancer would go a longer way in reducing its incidence than vaccination.

21st century DOC

2010-11-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

SUNRISE

2010-07-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

How gently the pall of darkness
Slowly lifts,
And the cry of the cuckoo
Pierces the silence of the morning.
The green leaves bathe
In the crystal clear dew,
And the trees stand silently
Watching the slowly fading mist.
Slowly the creatures stir-
Calm and well rested,
And venture out of their homes
To welcome the new day.
The lakes reflect the mountains
Shimmering in the first rays of the Sun,
That sweeps across the valleys
And enters the narrowest alleyways.
Soon the milkman begins his day,
The laughter of children fills the air,
And the whole world experiences
The magic of a new morning.
How gently the Creator smiles
At His marvellous creation-
That was once again basking
In the glory of Sunrise.

Three Students and a Cell Phone - A Short Story

2009-08-16T03:17:00.000-07:00

That morning, I was running through the College corridors at a breakneck speed, bumping into anyone and everyone because I was late for the class - and added to that, the first hour was allotted to the Mathematics lecturer Mrs. Alzan (whom the students had generously honoured with the nickname 'The Terror')
When I finally reached the classroom door - panting like a dog-tired donkey - all the heads (including that of Mrs. Alzan) turned towards me.
"You are late Mel," Mrs. Alzan's voice rang out loud and clear. "Come inside and don't be late again." I stepped inside, amazed at my luck, (for Mrs. Alzan held the unique reputation for granting her students a free tour to the Principal's office.) I had hardly taken a few steps, basking in my narrow escape, when Shaan began to sing - or rather - my cell phone began to ring. A few days back, I had set the singer Shaan's famous song 'Tanha Dil' as my ring tone and I used to wait for a call to hear the song. And here was Shaan, fulfilling my wish. I turned slowly to brave the expression on my lecturer's face. Her visage was contorted with rage and somehow (even in that situation) she managed to remind me of a hen that was trying extremely hard to lay an egg.
"..Chalna akele hum yahan.." Shaan was bellowing.
My cell phone was confiscated that very day.

Two days later.

Mrs. Alzan was working out many problems on the blackboard so that we saw more of her back than her front. To my left, Nita was messaging on her cell phone and to my right, Ella was viewing the image gallery on her mobile. Both were busy with their cell phones, though they did (occasionally) bestow me with their looks of pity. As for me, I sat between them like a sanyasini who had renounced all her worldly pleasures (in my case - my cell phone.)
Suddenly, Ella's cell phone gave a loud beep. Most of the students heard the beep though Mrs. Alzan (bless her soul!) was much too immersed in her beloved mathematical sums to notice anything. "My message alert tone is not in the silent mode," whispered Ella. "Then switch it off dumbo," snapped Nita. Poor Ella - she was visibly shaking - hoping that she would not receive any message until she had silenced her alert tone.
"I have switched on the keypad tones by mistake!" cried Ella, seconds later.
Just then, Mrs. Alzan turned towards us with the air of an accomplished warrior, since she had successfully solved a particularly difficult problem. Now all that dear Ella could do was to hope that her well-wisher would not pursue his attempt at sending her a message. Sensing her fear, my chivalrous Nita said, "Give me your cell phone; I shall take care of the situation." Ella was more than ready to part with the half-foot long trouble maker.
Nita walked up to Mrs. Alzan with Ella's cell phone hidden in her pocket. "May I use the restroom Ma'am?" she asked with unusual politeness. Mrs. Alzan gave her grand consent and Nita marched out of the classroom.
Her plan suddenly became evident to me. Nita would switch off Ella's cell phone in the restroom. I could not contain my smile and I flashed all my 32 teeth at once in what you might call the 'Million Dollar Grin'. But unfortunately, Mrs. Alzan caught sight of my Million Dollar Grin and the result was that she quietly slipped out of the classroom to follow Nita.
Both, Nita and Ella, had to hand over their cell phones that day.

Five days later.

"Therefore students, cell phones are the main culprits," concluded Mrs. Alzan. "Look at your classmates - Mel, Nita and Ella - I have confiscated their cell phones and now, they pay their sincere attention to my lectures even though they are seated in the last bench of the classroom. "
And sure enough, my two friends and I nodded innocently at whatever she said.
However, what Mrs. Alzan was unaware of, was the fact that our highly benevolent friend - Janet - who was seated right in front of us had switched on her mobile which was now playing a Hindi song from the Film 'Dil Chahta Hai' at a comfortable volume so that only the last two benches could hear it.
And the three of us were gently nodding to the rhythm of the song
'...Hum hain naye andaaz kyun ho purana..!'

Rahul Gandhi: The Chocolate Boy of Indian Politics

2009-08-06T22:22:00.000-07:00

"So..Rahul Gandhi is the prime-ministerial candidate of the Congress Party?" asked Nimisha.
Nimisha is a childhood friend of mine. She had just returned to India after spending 7 years of study in England and I took it upon myself to take her for a stroll along the roads of Bangalore. It was election time and she was apparently enthralled by the huge posters and colourful banners of the various political parties that adorned our streets.
"I suppose Dr. Manmohan Singh is their candidate," I replied.
"But I see more of Rahul's posters on the election pamphlets than Dr. Singh's!" exclaimed Nimisha.
I chose to remain silent.

The elections are finally over and the Congress has returned with a thumping majority. But the 'man of the match' - Rahul Gandhi - has once again retreated into his shell!
In fact, the zeal and enthusiasm that Rahul portrayed while campaigning for the Indian National Congress has motivated even the opposition party (the BJP) to encourage its youth wing - Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.
As for Rahul Gandhi, he remains as humble and simple as ever.
Surprisingly, this 38 year old 'Cambridge educated' MP from Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) has listed 'farming' as his only occupation, thereby identifying himself with the poor farmers who truly constitute the backbone of our nation.
Recently, Sushma Swaraj- a senior BJP leader- has accused the media of succumbing to the "gore chitte, chikne chupde" (fair and chocolate-faced) Congress leaders, especially Rahul Gandhi.
Perhaps they have failed to notice the immense potential behind this 'chocolate face'.
During our landmark elections this year, Rahul travelled across the country to campaign for his party. No Congressman could compete with Rahul's ability to make fiery and candid speeches in a nation that speaks over 60 languages.
The NDA government had earlier come up with slogans like 'India Shining' and 'Hindutva' during their election campaigns. But Rahul has slammed these slogans and upheld his own party's aim to work for the 'Aam Aadmi' (the common man) in his speech at Maharashtra. In his own words: "If you go to a village and ask what 'India Shining' means, the villagers will be unable to understand what it means. This thinking is that of rich people. They fight for privatisation, they fight for the stock market; but do not reach your houses."
He once again portrayed his skill at sending forth strong messages to the opposition party in the simplest words when he said , "They (the BJP leaders) did not go to the houses of the poor, the farmers, the Dalits and other weaker sections of society. They just went to the houses of the rich."
Right from the day Rahul entered politics, he has had to face the strong criticism and the rude remarks made by the opposition party members.
First, they pointed out the fact that his mother was an Italian, thereby making him unworthy to join Indian politics. Later, as his fan-base grew among the Indian Youth, they held his 'chocolate face' responsible. And recently, a BJP political analyst has asserted that Rahul Gandhi is a "proxy PM candidate" who "can say what he wants without being held accountable."
These are a few baseless and frivolous remarks that crumble before Rahul's cool-headed nature.
This young politician has successfully tackled complex issues that only the Ministers of the Cabinet address. From lodging in posh and luxurious hotels to spending nights in farmers' huts - this man has willingly tasted everything. He is one of the very few leaders whose dedication and deeds has enabled him to state with firm conviction : "We functioned as per our promise."

Recently, Nimisha gave me a call after she had returned to London.
"So Rahul Gandhi is not the Prime Minister of India?" was her first question.
"No," I answered.
"I guess he has become a member of the Council of Ministers.." she added hopefully.
"No.." I repeated. "He has turned down the offer."
"Ah!" she exclaimed. "That's bad... I wish I knew the reason why..."

Well, actually Nimisha, we all wish we knew the reason why...!

FRATERNAL TWINS : Your Bundle(s) of joy

2009-07-30T02:45:00.000-07:00

If producing babies is no mean feat, then what about producing them two-at-a-time?
Nowadays, about 1 in every 90 births turn out to be twins and there is almost a 75% chance that the twins would be fraternal sets (or more commonly - non identical twins). Over the past 2 decades, the number of fraternal twins has increased dramatically and after much observation and experimentation, our scientists have outlined the major reasons behind this unexpected rise in number:-

Superfoetation
This is an interesting case where the mother releases an egg and becomes pregnant, but after a few days (sometimes up to 24 days) she would release another egg which would also get fertilized. Obviously, the sperms fertilizing these two eggs are different and can belong to separate men. These fertilized eggs now implant themselves in the uterus of the mother either on opposite sides, or close to each other. If the eggs are too close, then their amniotic membranes (protective membranes around the developing embryo) and their placantae may fuse, thereby fooling the doctors to declare them to be 'identical twins' when they are very much a fraternal set.
Superfoetation can also occur in the case of a woman undergoing Invitro Fertilization (IVF). Here, the egg from the donor is aspirated out of her body, fertilized and then artificially implanted in the uterus of the mother; around the same time, the mother might release another egg (during her regular cycle) which if fertilized by natural means would give rise to fraternal twins.
Though both the twin babies have different dates of conception, they are delivered on the same day. Therefore, one of the twins is actually slightly premature!

Superfecundation
This condition is purely genetic, where a woman releases more than one egg during her regular cycles (superovulation/hyperovulation). Thus, when such a woman becomes pregnant, both her eggs would have been fertilized by different sperms resulting in fraternal twins.
If you have mothered fraternal twin babies, a common question that many people would have asked you is : "Do twins run in your family?" This is because, the case of Superfecundation bears testimony to the popular saying: "Twins are hereditary".
But today, many aspiring mothers turn to fertility drugs which also cause them to superovulate and bear non-identical twins.

Fraternal twins are like normal siblings - neither do they look similar nor do they share the same genes. In fact, they show a 50% variation in their DNA (unlike an identical set). It has been proven that fraternal twins share an intimate relationship and can be closer to each other than identical twins! Perhaps the reason is that the former pair does not have to strive to discover their own identity and uniqueness. Each fraternal twin also has the advantage of having a constant companion of his own age with whom he could share his experiences and discuss his problems.
President Bush's twin girls and (closer home) E.F. Minister Shashi Tharoor's twin sons are perfect examples of fraternal sets.

These twins develop a strong friendship that is often unbreakable and long-lasting.
After all, they began their journey together... didn't they?

Racism and the Echoes of History

2009-07-28T22:14:00.000-07:00

I was flipping through the pages of Adolf Hitler's famous book Mein Kampf, when a particular chapter titled "Race and People" took me by interest. As I began to read the chapter, I couldn't help but admire Hitler's knowledge about Evolution as he described the way nature forbids the mating of two individuals from two different species. I was just beginning to wonder if the Dictator had secretly studied Zoology during the years that he had spent in Prison, when another statement of his caught my attention: "If nature does not wish that stronger animals should mate with the weaker, she wishes even less that a superior race should intermingle with an inferior one." It became clear to me in an instant that Hitler was no fan of Charles Darwin, for all human beings, irrespective of their race, belong to the same species and can therefore intermingle and produce fertile offsprings.
He also claims in his book that the 'Aryan' race which has spread over Europe and America is the most superior race and that the culture adopted by the Asians show very little traits of "Asiatic inspiration" since it was borrowed from the Aryans. He goes on to write that our scientific achievements are built on the foundations provided by Europe and America. He praises their "lighter tint of the skin" and asserts that "Every manifestation of human culture...art, science and technical skill...is almost exclusively the product of the Aryan creative power."
Poor Hitler has limited his ignorance not just to Zoology, but to History as well!
When the Harappa and the Mohenjodaro civilizations grew vigorously in India in 2800 B.C. and the Chinese civilization flourished in Central Asia at around the same time, what was Europe? A continent in wilderness. And the inhabitants constituting Hitler's "Superior race" must have been mere food gatherers.
In his enthusiasm to portray the superiority of the Aryans, Hitler forgets to question their origin. For had he done so, he would have have found out that the Aryans hailed from Asia and that "Little Europe sticking on to the Great Asian Continent" (as Jawaharlal Nehru puts it) was civilized by the Aryans, the Arabs and the Mongols from Asia.
Asia has produced great thinkers and philosophers like Jesus Christ, Buddha, Krishna and Mohammed the Prophet. They were the architects of religions that even the Europeans and the Americans follow today.
Though I have already brought to your notice that the Aryans were originally Asians, yet (for the sake of analysis) let us continue to assume that they were a superior race. To study about their confrontations with a 'so-called' inferior race, let us dig into the rich History of our own Motherland.
When the Aryans came to India around 2000 B.C., they were welcomed by a civilized group of people called the Dravidians who occupied South India. They even had their own languages: Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kanarese (modern day Kannada). The Aryans settled down in the Northern part of India and the two settlements existed peacefully.
The political affairs in the Dravidian dominated South India amazed the Greek Historian- Megasthenes. In his own words : "...the popular assemblies of the south restrained the power of the Kings." On the other hand, in Europe, the Royal Class oppressed the peasants by means of cruel taxation.
South India also boasted of its ship-building industries. Giant ships, manned by Dravidians, carried pearls, ivory, gold - and for some strange reason- even monkeys to Greece and Rome. The state of Kerala exported Teak wood from the Malabar Coast. Thus, it was no great surprise to discover Roman coins in South India. But what did surprise many Historians was that South India had established her colonies even in Alexandria! She soon found a sea route to Sri Lanka; and the Kings of the Pallava Dynasty that thrived here colonized islands like Java, Sumatra, Indonesia -and for a short span of time- even the Philippines. The Indian immigrants are said to have exploited the original inhabitants of these islands and ruled over them for many years. Thus, it was apparent that the 'South' overshadowed the 'North' of our country many times in Indian History.
In what way then, was the Dravidian race inferior to Hitler's Aryans? And in what way did Early Europe match the grandeur and majesty of the Indian Kingdoms?
Sadly, even today, Indians -and in general- Asians are believed to constitute an inferior race and they become victims of racial attacks all over the world.
Why should we tolerate these outrageous acts when our ancestors have left behind a rich History that we all need to be proud of?
After all, there was a time when we were lordly too.
And History repeats itself...

The Lotus that never Bloomed

2009-07-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

"Have you heard about a relationship that could go terribly wrong?
Have you ever seen a woman who has everything-fame, wealth and beauty- but fails to win her husband's love?
No?
Then you must read my story.
I was born as Kamala Kaul in an orthodox Hindu family. My childhood days were spent at our family mansion in Old Delhi. From a very young age, I was conscious of my beauty. Daddy's friends used to often say that I would bloom into the most beautiful Lotus one day. I basked in the light of all this admiration. After all, Kamala means 'Lotus'.
I had plenty of friends and the best childhood that one could hope for.
But one particular day changed my life forever.
A very famous and highly Westernized Indian man called Motilal Nehru (who was an emerging figure in the Indian National Congress) asked for my hand in marriage to his son- Jawaharlal who was studying in England then. My family gave him their consent immediately.
I was eleven years old then and not many girls are aware of the terms 'matrimony' and 'in-laws' at such a young age. But once I understood their meanings, I found a new reason to live- waiting for my Jawahar...
Almost seven years passed thus.
Finally, in the year 1916, my wedding-day arrived. My long wait was over, for my Jawahar had returned from England. The Nehrus were extremely wealthy and Motilalji adorned me with huge chains of gold. My Jawahar rode to our family mansion on a white horse. He was much more handsome than the Jawahar of my dreams. We exchanged vows just after midnight. My sister-in-law described me as "one of the most beautiful women" she had ever seen. My joy knew no bounds.
But soon, I realized that my Jawahar did not share this happiness of mine. He maintained a gloomy expression all through the marriage proceedings. My first assumption was that he was shy. But later, I was proved wrong. When I heard the raw truth, my heart shattered into a million pieces.
After our marriage, my husband left me under the care of my in-laws and set off on a dangerous expedition to the Zojila Pass where he boasted of a narrow escape from death itself. Later, he plunged into Indian Politics and had absolutely no time for me. He was always cold and distant and seldom spoke to me. I soon learnt (mainly from the maids at the Nehru household) that he had married me against his will, under the compulsion of his father. He had, in fact, told Motilalji that he could never "fall in love with a photograph" and that the entire concept of an arranged marriage was "unromantic". He wanted his wife to be brave, smart and modern like the many English women whom he had met during his stay at England.
From then onwards, I began to have horrible thoughts. Every time I saw him speak to a female colleague, I would wonder 'Whether he loved her more than me' and worse still 'Whether he loved me at all!' The birth of a daughter- Indira Priyadarshini did not change his attitude towards me. I soon began to suffer from terrible headaches and that awful illness called tuberculosis. My condition only changed from bad to worse when my premature baby boy died just two days after his birth. I tried to draw from my husband's family a consolation of some sort (I had long since discarded any attempt to win my husband's love and sympathy) but they looked down upon me as 'ignorance personified' since I was barely educated. It pained me to hear them call Indira 'an ugly child'. And the irony of the situation was that my husband and I were hailed by our fellow-Indians as the 'Adarsha Jodi' - 'Ideal Couple'.
What my husband never understood was that I had modern interests too- I was passionate about women's rights and I urged my Muslim friends to educate the women in their family and to remove the purdah system.
Despite the problems pertaining to my health, I held demonstrations at Allahabad in favour of Emancipation Of Women. I also courted arrest twice and gradually (though my husband never realized it) I transformed into a spirited and politically active woman.
But this new-found solace did not last long. I soon fell ill and Jawahar (who was at that time serving a prison sentence for speaking out against the British regime) was allowed to visit me on one condition: that he should stay away from Indian Politics.
This condition angered me for I did not want to be a hindrance to my husband's freedom struggle. Though I was barely conscious when he arrived, I managed to whisper in his ear, "What is this about you giving an assurance to the Government? Do not give it!"
After this incident, Jawahar would read out to me pieces of his favourite poems and would also try to spend as much time as possible at my bed-side. Whether this sudden change in his behaviour towards me was an act of love or sympathy, I did not know and may never know..."

Soon after this, Kamala's condition became serious and she was taken to a clinic in Germany. Jawaharlal was released from prison on compassionate grounds but soon he had to mourn the death of his wife - Kamala.
Sadly, Kamala never knew that on the day when she had bravely persuaded her husband to pursue his jail sentence, Jawaharlal had realized the fact that his wife was naturally endowed with the qualities that he had tried to find in other women.
But it was too late.
He had lost an opportunity to love and respect his highly gifted wife and finally, the least that he could do was to dedicate his autobiography : "To Kamala, who is no more."

Note to the Reader: I have sketched the life of Kamala Nehru in the form of an autobiography only to make the article an interesting read. As to whether Kamala penned down her thoughts, I have no idea. But all the facts expressed above are accurate and true to the best of my knowledge.

Size-Zero? Now that is a Weighty Issue!

2009-07-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

"I wish I could have a figure like that of Kat or Kar yaar..", wailed my friend Nita. I was just wondering if cats and cars have excellent figures when my second companion- Ella -interjected, "You mean Katrina and Kareena? Me too. After all, 'size-zero' seems to be the fashion now..".
I found the conversation very boring.
" Come on!", I said, in a desperate attempt to steer the conversation to a different subject, "Let us visit the restaurant right over there". But inside the restaurant too, the same story continued. Nita and Ella ordered a small cup of coffee each (claiming to be on a diet), while I ordered four delicious looking pastries.
"Did you see Kareena in that black swimsuit in Kambakht Ishq?", asked Nita. I had had enough of this meaningless mourning. With my mouth filled to capacity I managed to point out that the weight of a person is not a major issue at all! So why all the fuss? But I should have remained silent- for Nita and Ella immediately pounced on me with their arguments. When I continued to stick to my views, Nita shrugged her shoulders and told me (rather pitifully), "Maybe you will never understand."
"And by the way", added Ella, throwing a nasty glance at the half-finished pastries on my plate, "You need to reduce your weight too.. You've gained five kilograms in the last three months!"
When I returned home, my grandmother (who was watching me with the air of a policeman scrutinizing a culprit) told me sternly that I was 'too thin' ( "as thin as a needle" to be specific) and that in her days, all the actresses used to be nice and plumpy. She also added that she had prepared some laadoos for me. "They are in the Kitchen. Eat them", she pleaded, "And try to shed this skinny, ugly look".
I smiled at the irony of the situation.
I made my way to the bedroom first. The laadoos could wait; but not my serious contemplation on weight.
So how is it that in the yesteryears, a voluptuous figure was every woman's desire; while now, the fairer sex (well-represented by my cronies) are dying to lose weight?
One reason might be the fact that towards the end of the 20th century, obesity was related to various problems pertaining to the heart. Soon, cooking-oils with low cholesterol and sugar-free capsules became famous. To advertise these commodities, advertisers needed thin models; and gradually slimness entered the fashion industry and subsequently the film industry too.
Another reason is the Indian woman's yearning to fit comfortably into Western wears like tight-fitting jeans, tops, etc.
But the fact of the matter is that having a 'size-zero' is neither a sign of beauty nor brains.
Our tinsel-town actresses may claim to feel good about staying slim. But if feeling good includes fainting while shooting for films and skipping meals everyday, I'd rather not buy that opinion.
So, the next time you plan to go on a diet, make sure that your health gets the higher priority.
'Size-Zero' is after all, a fashion trend; and trends keep changing. Hopefully, the day would soon arrive when the 'curvy but fit' figure would return and I could perhaps turn to Nita and say, "Maybe you will never understand!"

Vijayanagar: The Forgotten Kingdom

2009-07-24T02:54:00.001-07:00

The year was 1522. A young man, popularly known as 'Paes the Portuguese' was enjoying a stroll on the streets of Vijayanagar. His attire seemed strange in a land where women were draped in a Sari and men in a Dhoti. But Paes was a well-informed traveller and was accustomed to all dressing styles. His knowledge about the Italian Cities flourishing after the Renaissance was accurate. But India- and especially- South India seemed to tempt him more than Italy and it had always been his childhood dream to visit this mysterious part of the world that exported rare gems and spices to countries across the globe.
So here was our Paes, making his way to one of the popular 'Bazaars' at Vijayanagar. Unlike the crowded market places in his country; here, the roads that fanned across the Bazaar were long and broad and could comfortably hold a thousand people at once; and there was absolutely no hindrance to the traffic. The bullock carts were neatly lined up at one end of the road and the people were seen buying and selling their wares at the other end. Paes stopped to buy some sweet smelling flowers. His eyes had never feasted upon such rare and fresh flowers in any other country to which he had travelled so far. But what really caught his attention was the sight of a hundred tradesmen selling their diamonds, rubies, pearls and emeralds openly in the bazaar. Every time a seller chose to close his shop and retreat to his house to take some rest, he would simply throw a piece of cloth to cover his valuable stones and would retire peacefully with no fear of his goods being stolen. Such was the mutual trust and respect that the people of Vijayanagar had for each other!
Paes noticed a man seated at a corner of the street, watching the busy people at the Bazaar. The man looked very old. His age had probably crossed hundred. Paes chatted with him for a while during which he came to know that before him, another foreigner - by the name of Abdur Razzaq- had arrived at this place from Central Asia and had stated that "the City of Vijayanagar is such that- the eye has not seen nor the ear heard of any place resembling it upon the whole earth". Paes enquired about the size of the city and he learnt from the old man that the circumference of the city was more than sixty miles! He added that when a Muslim Bahmani King from Gulbarga had come to Vijayanagar to marry the Princess, the entire road (for six miles) was covered by a sheet of gold and decorated with velvet and other precious gems.
An interested Paes continued to explore the City. He saw a beautiful temple built from pure molten brass near Mangalore and the King's Palace built using Ivory. He was charmed by the innumerable waterways, lakes and orchards that adorned the City which made him admit that Vijayanagar was "as large as Rome and very beautiful to the sight". He also had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the King himself. The King's name was Krishna Deva Raya and he was famous for his chivalry, generosity and his immense love for Literature. He was tall, fair and well-built. He was also a cheerful host to Foreigners. Later Paes wrote that the King was "so gallant and perfect in all things!"
Paes admired the irrigation system of the City. In his own words- "An entire river was dammed up and a huge reservoir was built. From this, the water went to the city in an aqueduct." All in all, he says that the Kingdom of Vijayanagar was "the best-provided city in the world".
With this thought, our traveller left the City. But hardly forty three years had passed since his departure when the neighbouring States formed a League and launched an attack on Vijayanagar. Unfortunately, due to the over-confidence and foolishness of the King who was ruling Vijayanagar at that time, the entire Empire was crushed by its jealous enemies. All the palaces and temples were destroyed and in the end, only a heap of ruins remained. An English Historian wrote , "Never perhaps in the History of the world has such havoc been wrought...so suddenly on so splendid a city; teeming with a wealthy and industrious population one day, and on the next- seized...amid scenes of savage massacre."
Today, famous Cities like Bangalore, Mysore and Chennai have been built on the ruins of this Kingdom.
But sadly, not a single pillar stands 'complete and whole' on its soil to echo the past glories of the Kingdom of Vijayanagar...

The Execution of Saddam Hussein

2009-07-23T23:29:00.000-07:00

Note: In this article, I express my views against the recklessness of the US Government in carrying out the execution of Saddam Hussein, but not against the execution itself.

It might seem absurd to the reader that I am digging up an issue that was laid to rest years ago. But the political unrest in the Middle-East following this execution has tempted me to turn back time and express my views on the incident.

'Imprisonment is too small a punishment ; but death penalty is too severe'.
These were the two sad facts that people all over the world were torn between while judging the execution of the Great Dictator- Saddam Hussein.
This ruthless execution has raised many legal questions over the years.
As the Indian Government had rightly pointed out : the correct procedures for the case were not followed during Saddam's trial. It seemed to be a pre-planned design of the Americans to crush him. The then President- Mr.Bush had shown a certain amount of impatience to get rid of him as soon as possible. The fact that Saddam was given a chance to appeal appears to be a mere legal formality.
Soon after the execution, the separatist elements of the society used Saddam's execution as an excuse to carry out various riots all over Iraq. The execution also stimulated various terrorist groups that had been lying low- waiting for such an opportunity to launch fresh terror attacks. The minds of the people of Baghdad, especially the Sunni Muslims, fell prey to the instigation to rebel against the US Government, thus creating a total turmoil in the country.
President Bush put the lives of the people all over the world in danger, while he himself remained under high security. The man who wanted to relieve the world of a dictator, has in the process, taken away the lives of thousands of people through his attack on Iraq. The number of people who died in these attacks may even amount to more than those who died at the hands of the dictator. The abuse of soldiers after the War reveals the sheer indecency on the part of the US Government and the refusal to show the full tape of the Execution of Saddam shows utter cowardice.
Man has no control over another man's life, or his own.
Even if an execution is inevitable and is carried out for the benefit of the people, the accused has every right to defend himself in the court of Law.
But Executions like that of Saddam Hussein only succeed in teaching us to forget the past, fear the present and dread the future..

Today's Slave - Tomorrow's Master

2009-07-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

Super Power.
And the country that comes to our minds impromptu is The United States of America - A country that subtly dictates the decisions taken by nations all over the world. But this same word- 'Super Power' would have caused a different reaction in our ancestors. They would have recalled countries like England and France (the then major colonial powers).
So how exactly does a country become a super power?
According to well-known dictators like Adolf Hitler (Germany) and Mussolini (Italy), a nation becomes greater by defeating other nations. Their statements proved to be impracticable and mere figments of fantasy after they suffered humiliating defeats. Thus, one may conclude that a nation's greatness lies not only in its missile-power but also in its intelligentsia.
For England and France, setting up of colonies required careful planning and execution. Similarly, the engineers of USA had to use all their skill in order to design the weapons and ammunition that eventually brought them to the world's forefront.
But the most important question is this- Is the Super Power tag permanent?
The sad lesson that History has taught us over the years is that every Sudden Upswing has an equally Sudden Downfall. England and France greedily entered the World War, but their only rewards were debts and deaths. The US-President interfered with the political affairs of the Middle-East failing to notice the forthcoming recession in his own country. But this has always been the Dance of Fate. Power never accumulates at the hands of a single country for long. Wasn't India too a rich country before the arrival of the British?
In contemporary world History, the Global Recession has set up a platform for developing countries to voice out their concerns. I believe that the time is ripe for the once-oppressed Asian Countries to take over the reins of World Politics.
The fact that India has still managed to maintain her economic growth at the rate of 6% to 8% p.a. during this major economic slow-down came as a rude shock to the Western Powers. What seemed to mock them further was the emergence of China as a country of great stability and ability. All the world bows down before the Japanese Technology and Korea's Nuclear Test clearly brings forth the message: Size - no Limit.
Let us take a closer look at our own Motherland. India has launched her satellites independently, upgraded her education system and is fiercely fighting to patch up the rift between the rich and the poor. The Prime Minister- Dr.Manmohan Singh who was responsible for the 'Liberalization of Economy' and 'Nuclear Deal' has placed India in a much more comfortable position now, than in the yesteryears. The French President had recently invited our PM to adorn their Republic Day celebrations and the Indian troops marched smartly at the Champs-Elysees. The recent decision by our PM to hold talks with Pakistan has promised a new dawn in the relationship between the two countries. Now, Pakistan is showing clear indications of resuming the Hafiz-Saeed trial case according to its news line. Meanwhile, our neighbour- Sri Lanka has successfully wiped out the LTTE terrorists from their land.
Coming back to the Western World, President Obama was forced to admit earlier this month that unemployment was on the rise in his country.This is not surprising, considering the fact that 'dropping out of school' has become a fashion in his country over the past few years. USA owes some of its major developments in the fields of space and medicine to the incomparable brains of its citizens of Asian descent. But now that more and more Asians are preferring to serve their own Motherland, it is high time that USA designs an alternative to deal with the situation.
In England on the other hand, it has been predicted that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth would soon run out of funds. The corruption taking place in the British Parliament has also been brought to light, further adding to the country's shame.
USA is still trying to put its best foot forward to lead the World despite being pulled back by its own problems that are rapidly increasing day by day.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the heart of our Continent, in the grasslands, an Asiatic Lion wakes up from its long slumber. The time has arrived for the next cycle- the Power will soon be passed on.
But the Dance of Fate continues...

Chod Do Aanchal!

2009-07-23T05:12:00.000-07:00

Our External Affairs Minister (Dr.Shashi Tharoor) had written an article titled: Save the Sari from a Sorry Fate.. Sadly, his article met with a sorry fate too as it did not receive the usual applause from the fairer sex in India. In fact, the response was so much wrought with anger and outrage that set our dear Minister musing "Where did I go wrong?"
So where does he and all other such birds of a feather who flock together go wrong?
In my perspective, the major problem lies in the fact that our grand moms and grandpas still hold on to their grand opinion that the sari is a traditional attire which protects the modesty of a woman . Well, if you feel that the public display of nearly half of your stomach is a mark of decency, one should also lift the ban on Short Tops!
The Sari is supposed to teach a woman the virtue of discipline. A long piece of cloth tightly draped around a woman's legs would ensure that she walks gracefully with short steps in a manner that bears testimony to the popular phrase : Women should only be seen; not heard. If we are expecting our ladies to attend to their various jobs tightly bundled up in a sari, I'm afraid that India would soon be left behind in our fast paced world .
Come the Indian Summer! and all the men in our neighbourhood resort to the extreme measure (doing a Salman Khan act of going topless) to take refuge from the cruel Sun. Nobody spares a thought for the poor woman silently suffering near-suffocation in her 'modest' Sari.
Everybody feels proud of a 'Saina' or a 'Sania'... No matter what they wear-- only their talent matters. But we must learn to apply the fact that 'Talent overrides Attire' in the case of a common woman too. A woman's modesty, humility, decency and ability is governed by her words and deeds and not her dressing style. A woman clad in jeans and T-shirt is worthy of more respect than a woman who wears a Sari but flaunts her body.
In fact, the Sari also reveals the early man's inability to design comfortable clothes. After the sewing machine was invented, the whole world upgraded its manner of dressing. It is time for us to move on too!
We still wear a Sari on important occasions and the Sari continues to be a symbol of grandeur at wedding celebrations. Therefore, one need not fear the extinction of the Sari.
But a man ( who has long-since discarded the Dhoti and has limited it to the four walls of his house) displays his own backwardness and narrow-mindedness if he expects a woman to continue to wear this traditional costume.
The message is strong and clear to all the men who are still clinging on to the Sari-'Chod Do Aanchal! Zamana Kya Kahega?'