The Hindu majority of our country has  celebrated  the Pran  Prathishta of Shree  Ram lalla at Ayodhya  on 22 nd  January 2024. 

The newly built magnificent temple, after 500 years history of conflict , have become the great  symbol  of unification  of our  faith, culture , civilization  and now  triumphant  journey. 

Ram and Ramayan   appeal to  the   lowest common  denominator  of our  people irrespective of caste,color,region and language. It is the Nervous system of the land,reaching everywhere ,sensing everyone.Ram is smell everyone recognises,Ram is sound ,everyone loves to hear and Ram is sight,etched so ever. 

But my mind is  remembering   my dear friend, Late Ketan -  Ketan  Mehta from Valsad , Gujarat. He was my  batchmate during MBBS and  MS, starting from the year  of admission,1974.  During first few   years, we did not have much interaction .   He had   taken  a drop in the  final exam of ours in 1978 .

 He would ,now,appear six  months  later. He contacted me for study and clinical  guidance . Many a  evenings ,we spent together  in medical and surgical  wards ," purcussing " each other's   knowledge. It was followed by tea and savoury in the swanky restaurants of the city. Being born with silver spoon in mouth,he introduced me to the fineries of gourmet  dining and  polished living. 

After his completion of  PG and two year fellowship in urology,He  started his surgical practice  at  Surat in 1987,practising as  Urologist . We  had become  family friends , attended each other 's  family ceremonies . 

December, 1992,there was fall of Babri  Masjid  at Ayodhya .  Idols of Ram lalla  were shifted to the  makeshift tents  and whole area was cordoned off  with multiple layers of security.  Stalemate over this situation  prevailed  due to   multitude of litigation and political turmoil. 

In 1998. There was a conference at Lucknow .My wife and I planned to attend. Lucknow is her janmabhoomi and my reward of  good " karma" bhoomi. Ketan eagerly   joined  us  . 

 After the conference, Ketan expressed his  desire to go to  Ayodhya for Ram lalla darshan. Not very enthusiastic ,I  accompanied him. My leanings are more towards  spiritualistic than ritualistic. We went by taxi to Ayodhya ( 127 km) via Faizabad. . 

BY the time we reached ,it was   evening time.  The whole town looked like big garrison with  multiple checkposts . 

 We went to the camp site for Ram lalla  darshan, but it was closed for the day.  There were many  security personnel   guarding the whole area.

 We requested security persons  for the entry   but they refused  and we were  told that it will not be possible and all activities here   are monitored  directly  from the center, Home department ,Delhi. It was okay for  me but Ketan was not the person to take No , easily. So he  insisted to have darshan and asked the security person to  talk to their  seniors ,telling them that the ex-  surgeons of government hospital  from Gujarat ,were  here and; and they are  insisting  on Darshan .The lower rank talked  to the higher one and the higher one  ,still higher.  

 After waiting for 45 minutes, there was a green signal, to my utter disbelief. We walked almost a kilometre of  barricaded  corridor,  and reached  to the site  where idols of  Ram lalla were installed  . By  the time, we reached, there was   Aarti time   . We had a  a great darshan of Ramlalla  in a tent,with melodious   sounds of Aarti going on  with the twilight sky  and it was  out of the world feelings ,. we ,being only bhakts along with pujari. 

It was goosebump ,surreal moment ,and it still is.  Surely, the similar moment occurred in the recent  Pran  Prathishta ceremony   for millions of people when the heart of a newly installed  idol was touched with a golden rod , with  priests chanting shlokas for invocation of ' life'. 

 We  returned  back to Lucknow  the same night with a  once in a  lifetime experience.  I was  wondering whether  we could have had the darshan if Ketan had not insisted and persisted .  

 This is my humble remembrance and  homage to the departed soul   of my friend-  Ketan.Jai Shri Ram .

Ayodhya ,Ram and Ketan

Ayodhya ,Ram & Ketan

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The Hindu majority of our country has  celebrated  the Pran  Prathishta of Shree  Ram lalla at Ayodhya  on 22 nd  January 2024. The newly built magnificent temple, after 500 years history of conflict , have become the great  symbol  of unification  of our  faith, culture , civilization  and now  triumphant  journey. Ram and Ramayan   appeal to  the   lowest common  denominator  of our  people irrespective of caste,color,region and language. It is the Nervous system of the land,reaching everywhere ,sensing everyone.Ram is smell everyone recognises,Ram is sound ,everyone loves to hear and Ram is sight,etched so ever. 

But my mind is  remembering   my dear friend, Late Ketan -  Ketan  Mehta from Valsad , Gujarat. He was my  batchmate during MBBS and  MS, starting from the year  of admission,1974.  During first few   years, we did not have much interaction .   

He had   taken  a drop in the  final exam of ours in 1978 . He would ,now,appear six  months  later. He contacted me for study and clinical  guidance . Many a  evenings ,we spent together  in medical and surgical  wards ," purcussing " each other's   knowledge. It was followed by tea and savoury in the swanky restaurants of the city. Being born with silver spoon in mouth,he introduced me to the fineries of gourmet  dining and  polished living. 

After his completion of  PG and two year fellowship in urology,He  started his surgical practice  at  Surat in 1987,practising as  Urologist . We  had become  family friends , attended each other 's  family ceremonies . 

December, 1992,there was fall of Babri  Masjid  at Ayodhya .  Idols of Ram lalla  were shifted to the  makeshift tents  and whole area was cordoned off 

 with multiple layers of security.  Stalemate over this situation  prevailed  due to   multitude of litigation and political turmoil. 

In 1998. There was a conference at Lucknow .My wife and I planned to attend. Lucknow is her janmabhoomi and my good " karma" bhoomi. 

Ketan eagerly   joined  us  . 

 After the conference, Ketan expressed his  desire to go to  Ayodhya for Ram lalla darshan. Not very enthusiastic ,I  accompanied him. My leanings are more towards  spiritualistic than ritualistic. 

We went by taxi to Ayodhya ( 127 km) via Faizabad. . BY the time we reached ,it was   evening time.  The whole town looked like big garrison with  multiple checkposts .  We went to the camp site for Ram lalla  darshan, but it was closed for the day.  

There were many  security personnel   guarding the whole area. We requested security persons  for the entry   but they refused  and we were  told that it will not be possible and all activities here   are monitored  directly  from the center, Home department ,Delhi. It was okay for  me but Ketan was not the person to take No , easily. So he  insisted to have darshan and asked the security person to  talk to their  seniors ,telling them that the ex-  surgeons of government hospital  from Gujarat ,were  here and; and they are  insisting  on Darshan .The lower rank talked  to the higher one and the higher one  ,still higher.   After waiting for 45 minutes, there was a green signal, to my utter disbelief. We walked almost a kilometre of  barricaded  corridor,  and reached  to the site  where idols of  Ram lalla were installed  . By  the time, we reached, there was   Aarti time   . We had a  a great darshan of Ramlalla  in a tent,with melodious   sounds of Aarti going on  with the twilight sky  and it was  out of the world feelings ,. we ,being only bhakts along with pujari. It was goosebump ,surreal moment ,and it still is.  Surely, the similar moment occurred in the recent  Pran  Prathishta ceremony   for millions of people when the heart of a newly installed  idol was touched with a golden rod , with  priests chanting shlokas for invocation of ' life'. 

 We  returned  back to Lucknow  the same night with a  once in a  lifetime experience. 

 I was  wondering whether  we could have had the darshan if Ketan had not insisted and persisted .  

 This is my humble remembrance and  homage to the departed soul   of my friend-  Ketan.

Jai Shri Ram .

The Hindu majority of our country has celebrated the Pran Prathishta of Shree Ram lalla at Ayodhya on 22 nd January 2024. The newly built magnificent temple, after 500 years history of conflict , have become the great symbol of unification of our faith, culture , civilization and now triumphant journey. Ram and Ramayan appeal to the lowest common denominator of our people irrespective of caste,color,region and language. It is the Nervous system of the land,reaching everywhere ,sensing everyone.Ram is smell everyone recognises,Ram is sound ,everyone loves to hear and Ram is sight,etched so ever. But my mind is remembering my dear friend, Late Ketan - Ketan Mehta from Valsad , Gujarat. He was my batchmate during MBBS and MS, starting from the year of admission,1974. During first few years, we did not have much interaction . He had taken a drop in the final exam of ours in 1978 . He would ,now,appear six months later. He contacted me for study and clinical guidance . Many a evenings ,we spent together in medical and surgical wards ," purcussing " each other's knowledge. It was followed by tea and savoury in the swanky restaurants of the city. Being born with silver spoon in mouth,he introduced me to the fineries of gourmet dining and polished living. After his completion of PG and two year fellowship in urology,He started his surgical practice at Surat in 1987,practising as Urologist . We had become family friends , attended each other 's family ceremonies . December, 1992,there was fall of Babri Masjid at Ayodhya . Idols of Ram lalla were shifted to the makeshift tents and whole area was cordoned off with multiple layers of security. Stalemate over this situation prevailed due to multitude of litigation and political turmoil. In 1998. There was a conference at Lucknow .My wife and I planned to attend. Lucknow is her janmabhoomi and my good " karma" bhoomi. Ketan eagerly joined us . After the conference, Ketan expressed his desire to go to Ayodhya for Ram lalla darshan. Not very enthusiastic ,I accompanied him. My leanings are more towards spiritualistic than ritualistic. We went by taxi to Ayodhya ( 127 km) via Faizabad. . BY the time we reached ,it was evening time. The whole town looked like big garrison with multiple checkposts . We went to the camp site for Ram lalla darshan, but it was closed for the day. There were many security personnel guarding the whole area. We requested security persons for the entry but they refused and we were told that it will not be possible and all activities here are monitored directly from the center, Home department ,Delhi. It was okay for me but Ketan was not the person to take No , easily. So he insisted to have darshan and asked the security person to talk to their seniors ,telling them that the ex- surgeons of government hospital from Gujarat ,were here and; and they are insisting on Darshan .The lower rank talked to the higher one and the higher one ,still higher. After waiting for 45 minutes, there was a green signal, to my utter disbelief. We walked almost a kilometre of barricaded corridor, and reached to the site where idols of Ram lalla were installed . By the time, we reached, there was Aarti time . We had a a great darshan of Ramlalla in a tent,with melodious sounds of Aarti going on with the twilight sky and it was out of the world feelings ,. we ,being only bhakts along with pujari. It was goosebump ,surreal moment ,and it still is. Surely, the similar moment occurred in the recent Pran Prathishta ceremony for millions of people when the heart of a newly installed idol was touched with a golden rod , with priests chanting shlokas for invocation of ' life'. We returned back to Lucknow the same night with a once in a lifetime experience. I was wondering whether we could have had the darshan if Ketan had not insisted and persisted . This is my humble remembrance and homage to the departed soul of my friend- Ketan.Jai Shri Ram .

My Encounters with Government Machinery.

My Encounter with Government Machinery

 (G.M.)

😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉

There are Governments and Government machineries. Behind the Government of the day ,the GM ,which can be invisible ,silent but most powerful in  any form of rulership , anywhere in the world.  The backbones  of G.M.  are   cadre of subordinates ,called clarks, supervised by officers who carry out Govt. Orders, follows by  rules and regulations. In these matters, they have a lot of leeway and freedom of interpretation .  They know how to follow, not to follow and circumvent the rules, they know delay techniques  too. The cleverest  technique is to ask  for the paper not presented and come tomorrow . 

 Due to my misfortune, I encountered two such incidents.

When I got the admission in the MBBS in 1974 Baroda Medical College, one of the requirement of admission process  was  to submit "Domicile Certificate". This was to be obtained from Land Revenue Officer at particular office in person along with one of the parents. This is to prove that one is continuously staying in the state for last three years, so as to be eligible for admission. ( In pre - Neet era,before pan India admissions)  Now, our ancestral  history in Baroda dates back  since 1895. Once upon a time we were big wealthy   merchants of sweets of the city, but due to bad phase , we had downfall and almost bankrupt and could not pay due government  levied income tax. We were listed as tax defaulter and our Firm's name was regularly published in news paper every year in the list of defaulters. 

To survive, my  father   began   his     business   under a   new firm   name  , totally separated   from the   previous   firm's   name,   So   as   to   not  to be  liable   to   pay   the previous  firms' taxes. Not that we do not want to pay,but not possible to, in spite of, selling many properties and borrowing money on  others.

Now the concerned  clerk found out these details from the records ,  almost 25 years old,, that the firm connected with us in past was a tax  defaulter & defaulters  are  not given any certificate or award or reward. I remember Rajkapoor has  to clear all his dues before he could be awarded " Dada saheb Phalke  "award.  I  got worried and my future looked bleak and  I feared that I will not be able to get admission to be   doctor. My hands  and feet turned  cold. But my father ,my hero,was a resilient man. He had fought many  such battles of misfortunes in his life. once I saw him arguing in fluent English in front of charity commissioner for our land.

My  father explained  the whole  situation and technical disconnectivity with the previous firm.  The  clerk got convinced   and   gave us the coveted   domicile   certificate .    I   got   admission   in   the medical college to earn 'Dr' as prefix with flying colours and earned enough Gold  in Gold Medals. My  degree and dowry  both was solved.

 The Second Incident happened in the year 1999. I did my MBBS in 1974 and MS in 1983 & started my practice in 1984 in Baroda.Now   at   the   time   of   admission,   we   have   given   bond in writing  to  Gujarat government for one year of government service post qualification.  Failure   of   not   doing   so   attracted   Rs.   5000/-   penalty.   The Government was not able to strictly implement  this policy though.  I was given government post after my  MS degree which I could not honour.

Now in 1999, I wanted to do  course  in  Fine  Arts,  Faculty  of  Baroda  in  Arts  history  (M.A.)  & Aesthetic.  I filled the form and gave  the entrance exam( I wrote about Picasso).

 One of the requirement was 'Transfer Certificate' from previous faculty, so as to get  that I went to my Baroda Medical College  office to obtain the certificate. The clerk, known to me found out  from my record that I  owe Rs. 5000/- as bond money to Gujarat  Government and unless I pay, I can not be issued  any certificate.This was again 21 years after my passing MBBS .

So I paid happily.   I got the  certificate and attended as a student of Fine Arts at a ripe age of 44. The Rs. 5,000/- of 1978  was Rs. 500 in 1999  on economic fulcrum.  Even the current dean was surprised and I was asked to see him that why I wanted the transfer certificate after such a long gap.He was pleasantly surprised about my passion and mission. 

So   Invisible   Government   Machinery   is   always   there   , it   works silently and wakes up at the right moments to confront one. 

Beware ,there are only two things that are certain  in this uncertain world. 

Death 

 Government machinery.

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EGYPT - DECODIFIED

Egypt - decodified

 The Egypt is the   land ,having history since prehistoric   time , having innumerable mysteries ,puzzles  hidden in its'  river,desert  ,land ,kings ,commons, language ,arts ,sculptures and history.

 One of them is the old pictorial language   called hieroglyphics .It was  the Rosetta stone( photo in post )  with trilingual inscription that solved the meaning of these  lessons of hidden  ancient history. 

 That was the kind of first"  google translate"  of  having three languages, Greek,Coptic and Hieroglyphics ,that opened the way for understanding of great mystery of the  land of Pyramids ,Pharaohs and Papyrus. 

After  the  recent 15 days tour of this  enchanting    land of pharaohs,Nile ,  Nephartari, Nefertity and Cleopatra, I venture  to share my  few impressions. 

 The country ' s geography is amazing. A single river is  running from its  South border  to North border almost in a straight line, and without any tributaries in its course in the land of  Egypt ,having  almost 1000 mile run    and supplying its' bountiful of water ,silt ,all along its bank . From the  bank of river ,up  up to 15 km in the interior all along and each side,it led to develop  the most fertile agricultural land, fruit  orchards and  ,fishing ,papyrus , nurturing  to development of ancient Civilization,as we know today. That is Nile - the river valley ,the all nurturing Aorta of the land. 

While cruising on the river in sail boat ,called Dahabia ( golden boat,photo ) ,I happened to find a book titled " Winter on the  Nile " by Anthony Sattin in the book collection of boat.  It describes the Nile cruise journey in the yearn 1850,  of two  parallel stories of Florence Nightingale  and  Gustave Flaubert,(Novelist )both in their late twenties and pre celebrityhood status ,seeking direction in their respective lives. 

The story  in the book( photo)  and  my journey in the boat  was in sync and a pleasure to read 258 pages of great work of  the author and enjoy his  meticulous research product,in lucid language and as fluid as the river i was floating on,tummy stuffed with falafal and Egyptian bread. 

Delta in its North areas and rest of the country ,being desert  ( 95%)completes the map. .The Suez canal that connect the  Red sea to  the Mediterranean sea  is the biggest toll gate of the world and number one revenue churner . As they believe in Sun God worshipping,they built all towns and temples on East side  of Nile and all funerary sites( Pyramids,tombs )  on  the West side. 

 How evolved  they were is  seen from the stone structures they  built in the form of statues ,Sphinx , temples ,tombs, obelisks and  pyramids. How their craft was evolved  is seen from their the paintings ,figurative art ,motifs,mosaics,bas relief ,

  carvings ,colouring,  jewelleries, furniture and funerary objects.  

 They theorize that  if the God does not exist it will have  be invented and the Egyptian did that too, they invented all  possible Gods ,representing   all celestial

bodies, animals and birds , from  the sun( Ra) and the moon(Amun)God of afterlife ( Osiris )  , cow( Hathor)/ ,dog( Anubis), ,crocodile( Sobek) ,eagle ( Horus) and interwoven in their  folklores,life,politics and philosophy. With the religion  came the priests and rituals.  The power struggle between crowned head and shaven head. 

Their philosophy has strong belief in 

  afterlife which led to the  process of mummification  ,almost perfect as seen from the 40+ mummies resting and residing in the  civilization museum in Cairo.   To save the mummified body along with accompanying Gold, artifacts  ,they built the  pyramid ,the  underground tombs  So that they can sleep peacefully till they enter the afterlife . 

Their methodology was like  putting  mummies in  bank vault  like chambers with valuables ,to be  hidden and safeguarded from thieves. But thieves proved smarter,they found the hidden entry in pyramids and tombs ,into the vault (  sarcophagus) and looted. Only lucky fellow was Tut ankh amun and his 111 kg Gold ,now the proud resident of museum. 

With abundant supply of  skilled men  power,they created the giant   statues,pillars,  obelisks ,temple complexes .They achieved great engineering skill without mechanical or electronic devices of our time.  All these built up  structures  were decorated with  carved  drawings,colors. These carved  stones were like  their  written books ,displaying  various information  on sacred practices, governing, perfumery and history of war . . The name of kings were carved  in " cartouche" ( Oblong space on monument ),and seen in all these  structures   built by 30 + dynasties  and 100+ kings  that ruled Egypt . Thank Ra,i was not school kid in Egypt. 

 From332 BC ,they were 

  ruled  by Greeks and Romans for almost 1000 years and after that by Persians ,followed by Arabs but all these  foreign powers  modified  enough to  basic Egyptian  cultural  and religious philosophy  so they   do not incur  the revolt of the people .The story of Christ is also woven in the land when young Christ along with parents fled and sought refuge here . 

Today ,there are 70% are Muslims and 28 % are Christians ,called ,Coptics .They live     happily because they foster the Egyptian cultural  identity and not the   religious one.   Today it seem ,their password is development ,economic growth and  to remain in  good books of advanced nations.No wonder,the tourism is their second highest economic booster. 

A La  Amitabh Bachchan style ,let me say ,"

Kuch Tho  Din Gujariye  Egypt mein."

Humor in Egypt

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Why I refuse to take dental treatment in Egypt ?

" Because my hidden fear ,that the dentist ' s drill may discover  some  unknown Pharaoh's '   tomb sleeping quietly in  my cavity 😜