Reality Sucks

It is over a month since mom's departure and I am back in the ho-hum of my life, but as days go by, the vacuum it has created is more evident. I ponder as to why, it is so difficult coping this loss, having known the outcome from day one of the diagnosis. I had been preparing myself to face the unthinkable , the sole reality of our existence - Death. No doubt, reality sucks !

Thankfully, I feel my mom's presence but miss talking and listening to her. We will miss her even more on her birthday on December 5th. She would have been "Sixty" that day. Time is said to be a great healer and I know for sure it will take hell of a time to heal. My daughter cheers me up and doesn't want to see tears in my eyes. She is convinced that her grandma is living the life of a queen in heaven, riding a chariot with a magic wand in hand. And basically having a great time with new friends. And well, I want to believe her ! Kudos to such imagination.

A small incident that happened a week after mom passed away added momentum to her conviction. My husband wanted to cheer us up, so he suggested we visit the famous Durga Puja Pandal at Secunderabad that evening. We had the darshan of Ma Kali, bumped into many acquaintances and my daughter had a good time. It was past 9 pm and we were unable to get an auto, cab or a bus to get back home. The wait of over 30 minutes started getting on to my nerves and I told her, please pray to God or ask Grandma who is in heaven to send us an auto. My daughter promptly prayed aloud " Grandma please send us an auto", and no sooner she said that, a cab approached us and the driver asked us if we needed a lift to the area where we live. The cab was on its way to pick the BPO employees for night shift. We hopped into the cab and were chauffeur driven home .

I am overwhelmed by the affection and regard people had for my mother and extend my appreciation and gratitude for all their kind thoughts and words. I can't resist myself from sharing a condolence message conveyed to my brother, Ravi by a distant relative, who is a well known "specimen". After lunch on the " Vaikunta Samaradhana cermony" day, as everybody were meeting us and taking leave, this 'specimen" who is about sixty years of age with his father of eighty years alive, walked up to my brother, shook his hand and told him " I am in a better position than you, my father is still alive. You are an orphan now, with both your parents dead". I am not exaggerating, these were the exact words conveyed by this person. My husband and Sister-in-law who overheard it and did not know the person were shocked . Wow, can any condolence message match up to it !

Tribute to Mom

Our beloved mother Smt. Geetha Ramamoorthy, w/o Late Shri. H. Ramamoorthy, passed away peacefully at 6.00 am on Oct 2, 2008, Thursday at Army Command Hospital, Kolkata. A lady of tremendous courage, positive attitude, very spiritual and immensely beautiful and talented. She finally gave up her two years of fight against breast cancer on Gandhi Jayanthi day. She was a wonderful human being who has touched many lives in her own little way. She led her life with great dignity having lost her husband at an young age and raised three children, a daughter and two sons. We, her children are fortunate to have her as our mother and are very proud of her.

Though she is no longer with us in body, her soul and spirit continues to exist with us. She always told us that her childhood aspiration was to become a soldier or a doctor and serve humanity. And interestingly her youngest son, is a pediatrician in the Indian Armed Forces - A doctor and a soldier. She received the best treatment at the Army Command Hospitals, Pune and Kolkata respectively. She lived a dignified life and received a farewell befitting the proud mother of a Soldier.

I thank my family members, relatives, friends and my brother's colleagues at the Army Command Hospital, Kolkata, who have been very supportive and helpful.

Information Galore - 8

Hyderabad & Cyberabad City Police

Hyderabad City Police Our City Our Life Our Safety (http://www.hyderabadpolice.gov.in) is the official Website of Hyderabad Police which was launched yesterday i.e September 29, 2008. It is indeed a very informative and educative website which provides vast information on law and order, crime, traffic, emergency services, Cyber frauds, etc.

The Find Your Police Station, Women's Corner, How Do I and Check Yourself, Permissions & Licences sections on the website are people friendly, as they provide information on "How to report Crime, How to get a Voter's ID, How to get Birth Certificate or Death Certificate, How to obtain permission for public meetings , rallies, dharnas, Arms license etc" ; Helplines to report Domestic Violence, Dowry Harassment, Eve Teasing; and the facility to check the status of Passport verification is fantastic.

A similar website was launched earlier by the Cyberabad Metropolitan Police Partnering for a Safe Community ( http://cyberabadpolice.gov.in) which has all the above mentioned information and is useful for the citizens who come under the Cyberabad Police Jurisdiction, covering Ranga Reddy District.

I hope, the kind of friendly assistance provided by our Police Force on the Website is rigorously implemented in real life situations, thus eliminating fear about the Police, from the law abiding citizen's mind. And let's generate fear in the minds of the culprits and terrorists, by showing then the combined strength of the Police and Public.

Reflective Thoughts

I receive some thought provoking maxims in my mail, which I want to share with my readers. Here are a few of them that fuel my mind and instigate me to introspect. . .

Some people make the world happen;

More watch the world happen;

Most wonder what happened.

Its your choice, which group you want to belong to.


It isn't what you have,

or who you are,

or where you are,

or what you are doing,

or what you are going to do,

that makes you happy or unhappy.

Its what you think about.


No one is beat till he quits,

No one is through till he stops,

No matter how hard Failure hits,

No matter how often he drops,

A fellow's not down till he lies

In the dust and refuses to rise.

Fate can slam him and bang him around,

And batter his frame till he's sore,

But she never can say that he's downed

While he bobs up serenely for more.

A fellow's not dead till he dies, nor beat till no longer he tries.
- Edgar Guest


Whatever you give to life, it gives you back.

Do not hate anybody.

The hatred which comes out from you, will someday come back to you.

Love others. And love will come back to you.


Don't say that you should have not existed.

Without you, there will be a hole in creation.

A missing life to those in your family.

A missing friend to those around you.

A missing role in this World.

Treasure your uniqueness. It is a gift given only to you.
Play your role in life.


Take the whole responsibility on your own shoulders.

Know that you are the creator of your own destiny.

All the strength and succor you want is within yourselves.

Stand up. be Bold. be Strong.
Make your own future.


Life is divided into three terms.

The one which was, which is and which will be.

Learn from the past to profit the present;

And from the present to live better for future.

Its the best way to lead yourself through life.


Realize things before it is too late.

Have lots of friends before you are alone.

Accept things rather than deny them.

Love people before you loose them.

Life comes just once.
Love it while you live it.


If you do not seem to advance, do not be discouraged.

If things don't see right, do not be downhearted.

It does not matter how fast you move ahead in life,

But what matters is the road on which you move ahead.

On the road of life, be true to others.
More importantly be true to yourself.


The World is dangerous not because of those who do harm,

but because of those who look at it without doing anything.

It is up to us to build the world.
To spread light around us.
To make it a better place.

Courtesy: Mails received from Pravsworld...inspiring you for a better tomorrow.

Importance of Human Birth

I have been reading the English adaptation of the original Marathi book, Shri Sai Satcharita - The Wonderful Life and Teachings of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba , by Govind Raghuanath Dabholkar alias 'Hemadpant'.

I found answers to the "Importance of Human Birth" in Chapter VIII of the book and wish to highlight some of the extracts and share related aspects of the wonderful teachings.

"In this wonderful universe, God has created billions of creatures or beings inhabiting heaven, hell, earth, ocean, sky and other intermediate regions. Of these, those creatures or souls whose merits preponderate, go to heaven and live there till they enjoy the fruits of their actions and when this is done, they are cast down; while those souls, whose sins or demerits preponderate, go down to hell and suffer the consequences of their misdeeds for as log as they deserve it. When the merits and demerits of these creatures or beings balance each other, they are born on earth as human beings and are given a chance to work out their salvation. Ultimately, when their merits and demerits both are worked out completely, they get their deliverance and become free. To put the matter in a nutshell, souls get their birth or transmigration according to their deeds and evolvement.

Special Value of the Human Body

As we all know, four things are common to all the creatures, viz., food, sleep, fear and sexual union. In the case of man, he is endowed with a special faculty,viz, knowledge, with the help of which he can attain God-vision, which is impossible in any other birth...

Some say that there is nothing worse than the human body, which is full of filth, mucus, phlegm and dirt and which is subject to decay, disease and death. This is true to a certain extent, but in spite of these drawbacks and defects, the special value of the human body is - that man has got capacity to acquire knowledge. It is only due to the human body or on account of it , that one can think of the perishable and transitory nature of the body itself and of the world, and have an aversion for the sense-enjoyments, and can discriminate between the unreal and real, and thus attain God-vision... The proper course therefore, for us to pursue, is the following; that the body should neither be neglected nor fondled, but should be properly cared for... The body should ever be used or engaged to attain God-vision or self-realization, which is the supreme end of life.

Man's Endeavour

Realizing how precious the human life is and knowing that death is certain and may snatch us at any time, we should be ever alert to achieve the object of our life, we should not make the least delay, but make every possible haste to gain our object... So with all earnestness, we should strive to attain our end, i.e, self-realization. Casting aside laziness, warding off drowsiness, we should day and night meditate on the self. If we fail to do this, we reduce ourselves to the level of beasts.

How to Proceed?

The most effective and speedy way to gain our object is to approach a worthy saint or sage - Sadguru, who has himself attained God-Vision. What cannot be achieved by hearing religious discourses and study of religious texts is easily obtained in the company of such worthy souls. Just as the sun gives light, which all the stars out together cannot do, so the Sadguru alone imparts spiritual wisdom, which all the sacred books and sermons cannot do. His movements and simple talks give us 'silent' advice. The virtues of forgiveness, calmness, disinterstedness, charity, benevolence, control of mind and body, egolessness etc, are observed by the disciples, as they are being practised in such pure and holy company. The enlightens their minds and lifts them up spiritually. Sai Baba was such a Sage or Sadguru.

Allah Maalik - Peace be to all

My Child's Concern

A couple of days back, I suffered a bout of tummy upset and ended up spending a night moaning and groaning in pain. My daughter came to bed after viewing "Ramayan" on the NDTV Imagine Channel. She laid down silently beside me for some time and suddenly I found her tender hands on my brows stroking gently. I was like "wow" my baby feels for me, and then she whispered in my ears , " Mom, will you be OK for my Birthday" . And I burst into laughter, forgetting the pain for a moment, as her birthday is another 12 days away. I said, of course Sweetie, I'll be fine tomorrow. Don't worry!

Well, each one of us have our priorities , isn't it? For a child, Birthday is the ultimate, important day ( for some adults too). The idea of wearing a new colour dress, distributing chocolates in school, party at home, cake and gifts make them excited. It is something that will remain etched in their memories. We as parents, try as much as possible to meet their expectations and make them happy. But sometimes their excitement does get on to the nerves, when every waking moment, a month in advance starts with , "will you do this and that...?"

A few months back, my daughter wanted a quite birthday this year, with the family dining out in a hotel of her choice and of course, cake cutting in the hotel with the Happy Birthday song playing in the background. I was very pleased with her idea, because every year, we had a grand get together for her friends, family friends and family, with cake and clothes of her choice. Though fun, it also meant a back and nerve wrecking week for me and my husband.

But her idea has now taken a twist. She tells me, we should have a grand party like we did on her previous birthdays. And her list of do s is going on and on ... Well, I am listening and what we will ultimately do to celebrate her birthday is left to guessing, including me.

Disturbing Scribbles

This morning I came to my office as usual and was waiting for the elevator. The lobby still has the India independence day decorations with small paper flags pasted around. There were two such flags pasted just above the entrance to one of the two elevators. And I saw some scribblings on them. And this is what was written on one of the Flags - " Mera Bharat Mahaan ...Sau mein se 99 Bemaan" and on the other Flag it said - " We should be proud of our poverty, our un employment, our corruption, our il tracy" (as spelled on the scribblings) . Below the scribblings was the signature of the scribbler.

I do not know why, but I was terribly disturbed. And I keep thinking, who jotted them. Was the Scribbler - a male or a female? old or young person? literate or a semi literate? Hindu, Muslim or Christian, employed or unemployed? intelligent? sadist? pessimist ? sarcastic? dejected? - WHO could it be ?

Information Galore - 7

Hyderabad Transport Information System (HTIS)

I found information on this live traffic portal, launched by the traffic police to provide information on live traffic, directions, auto fares, distance between two places in the city and the route, etc from a relevant post, on the blog Rambling with Bellur. The Transport Information System portals are available for Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi and Pune cities.

HTIS is a useful portal, though with some limitations like not identifying some well known areas while checking out the directions and also an update is required on the auto fares. The minimum auto fare in Hyderabad is Rs. 12/- (For 1.6 km) and Rs.7/- per km . The autos still run with the old meters indicating Rs.10/- as the minimum fare and refer to a revised fare chart which gives the revised fare with reference to the old fare. Do look out for the Auto Rickshaw Driver's & Trolley Union (AITUC) seal on the chart, as fake charts with enhanced auto fare are being used by many auto drivers.

Hotels in Hyderabad

My work involves a lot of interaction with the admissions' officials from US Universities. I facilitate their visits to Hyderabad to meet prospective students interested in studying at their respective Universities. They are keen to stay in a good Hotel in Hyderabad, which is safe and located at closer proximity to their meeting place. I get requests from these guests for suggestion and booking of the accommodation, keeping in view their budget and other requirements.

I have earlier recommended Hotel Green Park, Ameerpet; Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills; Hotel Marriott, Tank Bund (earlier Hotel Viceroy) and Hotel Amrutha Castle, Saifabad. Some of the guests have got hooked to these hotels and prefer to stay in them during their yearly visits. Earlier the airport was centrally located to Hyderabad and Secunderabad and all these hotels were at closer proximity to the airport. But now with the new Rajiv Gandhi International Airport located at Shamshabad, which is about 25 kms from the city of Hyderabad and with more number of visitors coming on business to this IT hub; the hotel industry is experiencing a boom time in Hyderabad. I flew into Hyderabad a couple of days ago from Kolkata and was impressed with the facilities and sleek look of the Hyderabad airport. Though the distance is bugging, the transportation facilities like Aero Express bus, Radio cabs and Taxis are a relief.

Most of the IT companies are located at Hi Tech City and Gachi Bowli, therefore many new hotels like Hotel Novotel, Hi-Tech City ; Ista Hotel & Spa, Gachi Bowli ; Hampshire Plaza Hotel and Hotel Peppermint Lakdi-ka-pul have come up in recent times. There are many web sites which provide information on Hotels in Hyderabad, but I found TravelMasti to be informative and another site which provides comprehensive information on Hotels in different parts of the world and searches multiple hotel reservation websites simultaneously, to help one find the lowest rate instantly is HotelsCombined.

Come enjoy your stay in Hyderabad - the City of Pearls and now famous as Cyberabad, for being the IT hub in India.

Information Galore - 6

Do you want to earn a degree from an educational institution in India?

If yes, always check the institutes' credentials before enrolling, with regard to the Accreditation (official recognition) which includes the validity of the courses offered by the institution, status of degree and other facilities.

For more information, log on to :

Ministry of Human Resource Development

University Grants Commission

All India Council for Technical Education

National Council for Teacher Education

Association of Indian Universities

Medical Council of India

Distance Education Council

Courtesy: Advertisement "Jago Grahak Jago" issued in public interest by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in The Telegraph, Calcutta, Aug 7, 2008

My visit to Huvina Hadagali

I and my daughter, had the opportunity to visit Huvina Hadagali, a Taluk in Bellary District, which is about two hours drive from Hospet in Karnataka State. The occasion was the engagement ceremony of my cousin on July 20, 2008. The place has some significance to me as it is located very close to my father's hometown Harpanahalli, from where I get my family name. And my father's cousins live in Huvina Hadagali. I vaguely remember to have met them in my childhood and vice versa. I vividly remember their mother, my paternal grandmother's younger sister who was a lively, affectionate and wonderful human being. She had stayed with us for a month during our childhood and entertained us with her innumerable stories. We kids were very fond of her.

Huvina Hadagli is famous for Jasmine flowers. It is said that the flowers (Huvu in Kannada) from this place were sent in a boat (Hadaga in Kannada) on the River Tungabhadra to Lord Virupaksheshwara, the presiding deity at the famous Virupaksha temple at Hampi, the Capital of Vijayanagara empire in the 12th century. And this is how the place derives its name, Huvina Hadagali.

The engagement ceremony was held in the premises of an old temple dedicated to Lord Chennakeshava. The sculptures in the temple appeared special, but is in a bad state of affairs, due to poor maintenance.

My curiosity to get some historical inputs about the temple led me to understand that it was a 900 year old temple built by Amarashilpi Jakanachari , a legendary sculptor credited with building many fine temples, including the famous sculptures at Belur and Halebidu in Karnataka. Adjacent to this temple was another creation by Jakanachari, a Shiva temple, equally wonderful and in a slightly better condition than its neighbouring temple.

My daughter took the initiative of taking a photograph of Lord Chennakeshava from the entrance of the temple.

We also visited an Anjaneya Swami Temple (called Madalgatti Hanumappa in the local Kannada dialect) situated on the banks of River Tungabhadra at a place called Madalgatti which is about 15 kms from Huvina Hadagali. The ancient temple has been renovated with granite and marble and is well maintained. The three day annual fair is very popular and well attended by localites and people from the neighbouring villages and districts. Here Lord Hanuman is believed to fulfill the prayers and wishes of his devotees.

For me, it was definitely a memorable trip!

My Opinion in the Deccan Chronicle

Just sharing my opinion on the topic " Will the UPA Government survive the no-confidence motion? ", which appeared in the Hyderabad Chronicle, Deccan Chronicle, July 20, 2008, Sunday edition.

"I feel the Government will gain enough support to survive. Even though the Left has withdrawan their support, many other parties like the Samajwadi Party are coming forward to lend support to the Congress. Also, I feel that the nuclear deal will benefit the country and the Congress should go ahead with it."


Tomorrow is the trust vote. Do share your views on this national issue.

Dark and Dry Hyderabad

We Hyderabadis, are facing an extended summer this year. The weather is hot and humid and is getting on to my nerves; a fresh bout of heat prickles are on. Adding to our already existing woes are the power cuts and acute shortage of drinking water. There is a four hours' scheduled power cut and many hours of unscheduled power cuts. We are provided drinking water by the municipality, once a week, for one hour ( at least in the residential area where I live) .

Everyday, I religiously carry my umbrella, hoping it will rain. So the other day, I decided not to carry it, with the anticipation that it will rain at least that day. Some superstition ! And believe me it drizzled for 5 minutes that evening, in the locality where my office is situated. Well ! it only added to the already existing humidity. Whenever it gets cloudy, my optimism rises and fizzles out when I don't see a drop of water falling from the sky. Anyway I am back to carrying my umbrella - rain or no rain.

I am praying hard for the rain God to have mercy on us. Every drop of water is precious. Please do not waste water.

With Love...To Adithi

Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na which released today is slated to be the coolest- romantic- musical Hindi movie, directed by Abbas Tyrewala produced by Aamir Khan and Mansoor Khan and music by the inimitable A.R .Rahman. The hero is debutant , Imran Khan (Aamir Khan's nephew) and the heroine is Genelia ( Actress from the Telugu hit film "Bommarillu").

The songs are really cool and peppy. I especially loved "kabhi kabhi Aditi " , because my daughter is "Adithi". So this special A.R. Rahman's musical creation, sung by Rashid Ali, exclusively being played on my blog.

I love you Sweetie Pie !











Get this and more amazing Songs at musicalscraps

Book Review - 3 MISTAKES OF MY LIFE by Chetan Bhagat

I read Chetan Bhagat's first book " Five Point Someone"**** and found it interesting because the story had a flow ; the language, friendly for any average Indian reader in English, to follow; and the cost of the book, very affordable. Then came "One night @ call center"***** which was again priced at the same affordable cost and had a good, entertaining, contemporary storyline. I enjoyed reading this second book, which is being made into a Hindi Movie "Hello" starring Salman Khan.

I was awaiting his third novel " 3 mistakes of my life" which was released this May . And on my trip to Kolkata this May, I bought it from a book vendor on Park Street and was surprised to see the same affordable price tag of Rs. 95/-. Kudos to the publishers, Rupa & Co and the author, Chetan Bhagat.

3 Mistakes of my life, revolves around the ambitions and events in the life of the protagonist, Govind, a young lad who dreams of becoming a businessman. The backdrop of the novel is Gujarat, with Business, Religion, Cricket and Friends forming the focal points for the story to gain momentum. References of the earthquake, cricket match and riots gives the needed twists and turns to the tale and makes it realistic. However much I dislike to use the word "Bollywood" , this book definitely has all the mirch and masala to make a Hindi flick.

The protagonist's journey till he realizes his first mistake takes a wee bit long and the story moves at a slow phase, whereas the second and third mistakes come in quick successions pepped with romance and action.

My rating of 3 Mistakes of my life***. Personally my expectations of the book was very high after reading his One night @ call center. And that could be one of the reasons to find this one, average reading. Anyway I still look forward to Chetan Bhagat's new literary offerings. I really like the way he writes.

My Ratings:

***** Excellent
**** Good
*** Average
** OK
* Yuck

Information Galore - 5

Travelling by train...

For a safe travel in the train, be careful with your luggage and other belongings. Lock and chain the luggage to your seats. Do not reveal personal information to strangers. Be careful while conversing with your family members, especially with regard to personal matters and information. Do not accept eatables and drinks from strangers. In the recent months, there have been many cases of theft, especially in the AC coaches of the A.P Express which runs from Hyderabad to New Delhi. The thefts are taking place between Itarsi and Bhopal railway stations. Some new passengers alight the AC Coach and on finding an empty berth, occupy the same. As they are well dressed, it is difficult to differentiate the thugs from real commuters. So keep a watch on these strangers.

South Central Railway alerts the public to be watchful at railway stations and on trains to save a disaster like bomb blasts. Terrorists and anti national elements are out to cause damage and destruction to lives and property by means of planting explosives in the form of innocent looking objects. Foil these attempts by remaining alert to such acts of terror during rail journeys.

• Do not touch un-claimed, unidentified, unattended objects like briefcase, mobile phone, transistor, doll, purse, packets etc, lying at railway stations and in trains.
• Do not accept to take care of any luggage from strangers at railway stations and in trains.
• Look out for suspicious looking persons, luggage or activity around you at railway stations and in trains.

Please report to Railway Protection Force (RPF) , Govt. Raiway Police (GRP), Railway Personnel on any suspicion or doubt you come across.

Courtesy : Advt by the South Central Railways in The New Indian Express, Hyderabad Ed, June 22, 2008

Summer 2008

At times, getting back to the ho-hum of everyday life seems good. I had an exceptionally busy summer on the home front, with getting carpentry work done at my house in the first week of April, followed by guests visiting us for summer vacation. My daughter was delighted to have her aunts and cousins visiting us and enjoyed the outings to NTR Park, Chilkur Balaji Temple, Pragati Resorts ( an ideal family and friends getaway), Snow World and Havmor for the pizzas and the Titanic Ice Cream.

During this busy phase, I couldn't speak on a daily basis to my mom who lives in Kolkata. We practically spoke everyday, as either of us would call each other. When my daughter had her exams, my mom unfailingly called me everyday in the evening to find out how did the exam go; the call was actually to ensure that I was not harsh with her grand daughter. Even if I did not call her, she would call and find out about my well being. But this time she didn't and I presumed it was probably because I was busy.

I managed to find time from my crazy schedule and called her around April 25th. Mom's voice sounded very feeble and weak, she also seemed disinterested in a conversation, and was giving some irrelevant replies which was very unlike her. When I inquired, She reminded me how the summers were always a tough time for her and therefore her weakness was due to the heat. And trust Kolkata's heat and humidity for torture! I told her to take care and drink a lot of fluids, etc and she reciprocated my sermon with a "OK".

The same week, my sister-in-law Suma called me from Dubai to find out if everything was fine with mom as she and my brother felt something was amiss in her conversation. The call disturbed me and I spoke to my doctor brother, Ravi with whom she lives in Kolkata. He told me that he had in fact noticed some memory loss and severe physical weakness within a weeks time and expressed some serious concerns. He assured me that he had an appointment scheduled with the specialists on May 12 at the Military Command Hospital, Kolkata. Ravi is a Paediatrician in the same hospital.

On every Mother's Day, ever since I became a mother, my mom used to be the first one to call me and wish me. On May 11, 2008, I called her and wished " Happy Mother's Day Ma" and she replied " Happy Birthday". I felt dizzy and couldn't hold back my tears. I knew all was not well.

On May 12, she underwent a MRI of the brain and it showed three tumors with the largest one measuring 7 Cm's, located in the frontal lobe of the brain which is the seat of reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving. Cancer had reached the brain and an intelligent and active woman had turned into a small girl. Her behaviour and speech was that of a sweet, well behaved 4-5 year old. She was more or less in a semi comatose state. The oncologists advised twenty sessions of radiation therapy which she had to undergo everyday with immediate effect. She has already undergone a radiation therapy and two chemotherapy sessions since the advanced stage breast cancer was diagnosed 18 months back. Since then, she has been very positive ,strong and active all through the treatment. Mom was immediately admitted to the Command hospital which is next door to where Ravi and his wife, Ashwini stay.

My other brother Nagaraj, flew in from Dubai on May 16th and I reached Kolkata along with my husband and daughter on May 17th to see our mom . She appeared frail, but normal. Only when she began to speak, the problem was noticeable. Amazingly she was very "time" conscious and had command over all the languages she knows. She was very polite to all with Hello, Thank you, Very nice of you , Don't worry - Be happy and Bye, dominating her conversation. We had to feed her for nearly 15 days as she would not know what to eat from her plate. For a lady who loves to cook and eat tasty food, it was tough to eat the bland food, She never complained. She kept talking to herself saying 'the food is very nice and tasty... no salt... no chillies...no sugar'. She wouldn't allow us to sit with her beyond two hours in the afternoon and night. She would get restless and insist on sleeping only after we left. She was aware that we would be late for our lunch and dinner respectively.
Mom was unable to recall anything from the past. She only remembered us as very small kids and my youngest brother Ravi as a baby. She did not remember my father's name, but promptly recalled her mother-in-law's name. So we bestowed her the "Best Daughter-in-law" award for this feat. She was not able to remember names and any significant events; it appeared like all the stuff must be there in the head but she was unable to co-ordinate and it was all getting jumbled up. Surprisingly she addressed my husband, her son-in-law correctly by his name during their conversations. She also read the name plates pinned on the uniforms of the doctors and nurses to address them. Of course, she would immediately forget the names. Mom had this peaceful and divine look on her face and on our request, recited the " Hanuman Chalisa" and " Sri Raghavendra Stotram" without any flaw. She is an ardent devotee of Sri Guru Raghavendra Swami.

She had to undergo the ordeal of travelling to and fro to Medical College, Kolkata for radiation therapy everyday at 11. 00 am, braving the Kolkata heat and humidity which was hell for normal healthy people like us.

A few of my cousins, aunts and uncles travelled all the way to Kolkata from different cities in India to see her. She was apologetic to all of them stating that she couldn't remember their names and her memory was bad. It has been a shock for our family and friends to see such a beautiful, charming, active and intelligent lady transformed like this. In fact I and my brothers have derived profound strength to face this adversity, from my mom herself. Her toughness to face any hardships, immense will power and positive attitude towards life is unmatched. She has touched many lives with her helpful, spiritual and affectionate persona.

Mom remembered Ravi's and my birthday dates which is May 31st and June 1st respectively. She told Ashwini to buy me a gift and we had a cozy birthday party at home (thanks to Ashwini and Adithi for the arrangements) with mom joining us for a couple of hours from the hospital on both the days. My two aunts (mom's sisters) came to Kolkata from Hyderabad to see her on June 1st. So she was happy to have them join the party.

In the past two weeks there has been significant improvement in her memory. She is unable to recall events from the initial two weeks, such as how she came to the hospital, my brother and husband's visit, etc as they stayed for a week and then left. She kept asking me, what had happened to her and how she reached the hospital, etc. And as I described the events, she vaguely remembered some of it. She has again lost all her hair and appears disappointed about it. Earlier she had taken her bald head look with elan. I returned back with a heavy heart to Hyderabad on June 5th as my daughter's school reopened on June 9th.

Mom came back home on June 13th, exactly after a month's stay in the hospital. The latest scan shows traces of cancer in the liver also. She is very weak, but her memory has improved considerably. She is getting the best possible treatment and care. The doctors, nurses and helpers were very caring at the Command Hospital. Mom's charming smile attracted many friends ( other patients and their family members) at the hospital. In the initial two weeks she wouldn't converse much, but in the weeks that followed, she was talking to people.

She is now eagerly waiting for Nagaraj and his family's visit on June 20th, especially to see her grand daughter "Gauri" and grand son, little "Raghav" who turned one on June 8th. In the past one month she had no inkling about "Raghav" as she was unable to remember him. She only remembered "Gaura" (Gauri) and of course my daughter "Aadu" (Adithi) who was entertaining us live with her histrionics in the hospital.

Adithi was very impressed with the hospital room where mom was staying. She felt it was an ideal place to live; AC room with attached toilet, Colour TV, clean bed and last but not the least, Food, which was visually very endearing. In fact she was envious of "Ajji's ' (Grandmother's) comfortable abode!

I thank all my family members and friends who have stood by us in these difficult moments and continue to do so with their prayers and best wishes.

Information Galore - 4

Are you/your daughter marrying an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) ?

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs advises Indian Citizens, especially parents, to be vigilant before marrying their daughters to a person based abroad. It is vital to check the background and all legal details before saying 'yes'. The contact E-mail ID for Distress Resolution/Helpline is dirss@moia.nic.in .

Courtesy: Advertisement issued in Public Interest by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in The Week. Vol 26 . No 19, April 6, 2008.

Information Galore - 3

Save Electricity and Energy...Save Environment, Money and Our Earth. Please switch off lights, fans, television sets and other electrical appliances, when not required or when not in use.

Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC)

Attention: Architects, Builders, Building product manufactures, Commercial Space Developers, Design Professionals, Engineers and Citizens of India.

Bureau of Energy Efficiency - A statutory body under Ministry of Power, Government of India has established the ECBC which aims at increasing awareness about efficient use of Energy and its conservation in new Commercial Buildings with a connected load of 500 kW or contact demand of 600 kVA.

ECBC incorporates energy efficiency factors at the design stage itself to reduce the long-term operating energy costs of the buildings.

ECBC defines the norms of energy requirement per sq. metre of area and takes into consideration the climatic region of the country, where the building is located. Norms have been developed to cater to five different climatic zones in India - composite, hot and dry, warm and humid, moderate and cold.

ECBC details the parameters of various building materials to be used in walls, windows, glass, ceilings and floors, to minimize heat gain and thus the cooling cost.

ECBC also covers lighting, Heating, Ventilation, Air-conditioning, Electrical Distribution, Water Heating and pumping systems.

Compliance with ECBC norms is voluntary now, but soon it will become mandatory.

A copy of the "Energy Conservation Building Code - 2007" Manual can be obtained by sending a crossed bank Draft of Rs.200/- + Rs.25/- for postage charges, favouring "Bureau of Energy Efficiency", payable in New Delhi, India to the following address :
Bureau of Energy Efficiency, 4th Floor, Sewa Bhawan, R.K.Puram, New Delhi - 110 066. Tel # 011 - 26179699, Fax # 011-26178352 .

Courtesy : Advertisement by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency in The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, March 29, 2008.

Blame Game

It has been a month since the media has been talking about the death of British teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling in Goa, India. She was found dead under mysterious circumstances on Anjuna beach, Goa on February 18, 2008. She is believed to have been drugged, raped and left to die in the shallow water on the beach by a bartender, Samson D' Souza and an alleged drug dealer, Placido Carvalho. Pictures of Scarlett's mother, Fiona MacKeown, driving to the police station, giving interviews and panel discussions on the subject are aired everyday on television and articles on the same are published everyday in the newspapers.

Ironically, the whole circus is leading nowhere to the actual situation on hands, but to mud slinging and blame game amongst the Goa police, Government of Goa and Fiona MacKeown; peppered with our hounding media and its reports. The issues raised are about Fiona MacKeown's personal background and her irresponsible parenting of nine offsprings , fathered by five different men in her life; the flourishing drug trade and drug mafia in the coastal state of Goa; the Goa police being charged with cover up and what not!

I wonder what torture, pain and helplessness, the young teenager, Scarlett must have undergone in the last tormenting moment in her life. Why are we not able to pin down and punish Samson D'Souza and Placido Carvalho who committed the heinous crime. I also wonder about the plight of the parents of these two irresponsible, wretched living beings and also about their parenting pattern. Every other day we hear about females being molested in India with age and nationality, no bar. As citizens of this country and living in this society, are we not responsible to counter the situation by voicing our concerns and force the authorities to take immediate action and be more sensitive and accountable to such issues. The media has the power to drive and derive justice to the victims, as it has done in some cases. It needs to take up this mission to create more awareness amongst the citizens about their rights and stimulate confidence to join hands and crusade against the evils of this society.