Santhosh's ramblings

If we look at last week’s stories from around the world, they will either numb us or challenge us. The stampede in Prayagraj left 30 dead, though the numbers are questionable. Reports from ground zero say the numbers might be far higher.  The flight accident in the USA, where a helicopter and an AA jet collided, resulted in 75+ deaths. Many of us might not have even heard about the ongoing crisis in the DRC (Goma), which has left 700 dead.   These are the events that caught media attention—Prayagraj because it is the largest religious festival in the world, the USA because it’s the USA, and the DRC in some circles because of the tantalum interest for developed nations.  Around the same time, there have been more deaths in Ukraine and many other parts of the world that did not catch media attention—either because the numbers did not matter, the interest had waned, or they were deemed not worth talking about. (It is "they" and "out there!") Numbers numb because li...

Travelling and living in rural India are always educational. The last blog I wrote about such a journey was a year ago. You can read that   here . This time was different! Most of my conversations were with the “Literate” and “Developed” who had moved to the location to serve the illiterate and undeveloped community. However, after a couple of hours of conversation, I was confused about our terminologies and understanding. It was clear that the villagers were illiterate, except for the young generation attending English-medium schools. One of my friends said that people in these villages are 50 years behind other rural communities in India. I took this at face value.  But the conversations that followed were revealing. The illiterate, undeveloped communities had three things which we, the developed and literate, have longed for! One – Community with clarity.   I heard about how the whole village works together in the fields. How families help each other to plant and harve...

I am like Cavlin, at times, a  heavily prejudiced individual. I hold strong opinions and biases about many issues, one of which was recently brought to light. (Including certain food!)   Not long ago, I was invited to a conference of professionals in a field of medicine I had neither expertise in nor knowledge about. I accepted the invitation with many prejudices and preconceived notions—only to be proven wrong!     My prejudices are not limited to areas of expertise. They extend to certain people with whom I’ve had challenging experiences, and even to lifestyles, I don’t agree with. In some cases, I’ve had to eat the humble pie of being proven wrong. But even that doesn’t stop me from having preconceived notions or biases. I wonder why.     In some situations, I am indifferent—I’m fixed in my assumptions and don’t want to change them. In others, I’m too preoccupied to try listening or learning. And then there are cases where I genuinely want to c...

This blog is for those above 60; others may read at their own emotional peril!  😊      Recently, getting into a crowded Metro in Delhi was a refreshing experience. The moment we got in, a young man stood up and offered his seat to us, the “uncle and aunty” who had just boarded. Grey hairs, even today, bring respect and special privileges in many places. As I wait in queues, I sometimes find people making way, occasionally offering a gentle smile—a sign that ageing does come with its benefits! Then there is the expectation that grey hair brings wisdom. In meetings, you are asked, “From your years of experience, what wisdom do you have to offer?” But little do people know that grey hair does not always translate to wisdom. Yet, the expectation itself is refreshing to the heart!     The reality is that, although externally, there may be respect and expectations, internally, there is always a challenge. The creaky joints and goldfish memories are, at best...

Recently, I walked into a glass door. I was so preoccupied with looking at my mobile phone that I didn’t notice the glass in front of me. I suppose I am on my journey to becoming “Homo-Technologicus-Curvatus.” You can read more about this in a previous blog:   https://santhoshsramblings.blogspot.com/2024/10/evolutionary-journey.html   My concern was: why wasn’t I looking up? Why was I so focused on looking down? If only I had looked straight and up, I would have seen the door and what was ahead of me!   In neurology, the inability to look up with both eyes is called ‘Upward Gaze Palsy’. Patients with this condition are unable to look up, so their eyes often remain deviated downward. This phenomenon is referred to as the “Setting Sun Sign.” The inferior border of the pupil is partially covered by the lower eyelid, creating the appearance of a “sunset.” This typically occurs when the dorsal midbrain is affected by a blood clot, tumour, bleeding, or other causes. I...

Christmas Eve was spent with a friend and family in the hospital, and late in the evening, we were crying, comforting, and grieving the loss of a loved one. On Christmas Day, what C.S. Lewis said in his book ‘A Grief Observed’ seemed real and true: “For the greater the love, the greater the grief, and the stronger the faith, the more savagely will Satan storm its fortress.”   2023 and 2022 were similar. In 2022, there was the loss of a baby in the womb of a close family friend and the loss of the mother of another friend. As I grow older, the memories of Christmas from yesteryears seem distant. Carols, cakes, celebrations, and gifts are still there but do not seem to make as much sense as they did then. Is it my ageing heart and overly sensitive soul, or is it a season given to us that we must endure and walk through?   But then, for many, Christmas is not about cakes and celebrations. Yesterday, on Christmas Eve, Ukraine was bombed again. People in Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, and Syr...

I eagerly look forward to beholding and enjoying beauty like this. I suppose most of us would love to see such beauty around us.  I imagine this must have been the picture in the Garden of Eden, too—the day before. The day before, humanity decided to take control of the earth. The day before, we were to be stewards. The day after, it became free for all - anarchy.    This week, while travelling to a nearby city, we saw these pictures: beauty being destroyed for the sake of perceived new beauty and "development" that supposedly helps humanity move upward socially and economically.   But isn't this what we've done for centuries? First, it was the hydroelectric projects. Most rivers were blocked by dams. A few decades later, rivers dried up, green land diminished, droughts became a regular occurrence, and at times, flash floods forced the opening of dams, flooding lowlands.    Then came thermal power plants, supported by coal mines, which destroyed millio...