I have been consuming Homeopathy medicine for more than five years. Since my childhood, I had been suffering from frequent throat infections due to tonsillitis . As any other parents, my father took me to a doctor who would prescribe antibiotics as a dosage as required. But still, it wasn't of much use. Then, he would increase the dosage for 5,7 and 10 days to the max. Sometimes, the throat infection was so intense that in spite of taking antibiotics for 10 days would not bring down the pain due to the puss and I had a great difficulty in swallowing food, water or even saliva :( This made him give injections for 5 days to reduce the throat pain.


Six years ago, I underwent tonsillitis surgery. After a couple of months, I had frequent throat infections and I was fed up. A few acquaintance suggested Homeopathy medicine would cure throat infections. Small sugar balls are mixed with the medicine in solution and are given in the tiny bottles. After taking these medicines for a month or two, I was relieved of throat infection. Ever since then,  I have been taking only homeopathy medicine for cough, cold, fever....

After I came back from Udupi in May '08, I had ear infection with severe pain around my neck and ear due to Eustachian tube . This time, I took homeopathy medicine and was cured. But most of my friends and relatives had no belief in homeopathy and repeatedly insisted that I should have taken allopathic medicine and shouldn't rely on homeopathy in case of ears :| Though, I was cured, no one was ready to believe that I was cured and pestered me to visit a ENT specialist. I took an appointment and here I was:

Me: I was suffering with severe ear pain, last month. I took homeopathy medicine and no longer have any ear pain. I am able to hear perfectly.

Doctor: People still believe homeopathy can cure many diseases and don't turn up to us unless pestered.

Me: I have been taking homeopathy for years, now.

Doc: I do agree that it can cure diseases like piles, skin allergies and skin diseases.
[Carefully examines my nose, throat. Ear is examined with a help of a special torch and the vibrations of a tuning fork]
You have severe cold due to which had ear infection. Eustachian tube must be infected. Ears are perfectly fine and you don't have hearing problem.
[Explains about Eustachian tube which I didn't understand.]

Me: Even the homeopathy doctor told me that both my ears are fine and I need not worry.
 [Smile with glee :D]

Doc: Are you allergic to antibiotics?

Me: Yes.

Doc: [scribbles few medicines]

Me: Thank you, doctor [..and leaves the place]

Every medicine is based on trial and error. Few diseases in some stream can be cured instantly. It is baseless to detest Ayurveda, Homoepathy or Allopathy. But most people believe Ayurveda and Homeopathy are obsolete and so are the people who follow and preach it. :(

© Manasa. All rights reserved.

Drafted: 24 Jan '07

Geisha reminds me of beautiful kimono which is a traditional dress (like saree) worn by Japanese women. It also reminds me of the white painted face with lips painted deep red .

Memoirs of Geisha authored by Aurther Golden describes the life of a Geisha : Geisha is a profession which no girl would take up and forced to take up without any other choice. The book is a story of young girl, Chiyo Chan, happily living in a small village with her elder sister and parents before the World War. Her father, a fisherman, much older than her mother. Once, Chiyo questions her father,"Why do you look so old than mother?", he says,"Is it so? I don't know." The very next day, her mother takes her to a cemetery and shows three graves,"The grave of this women is your father's first wife, the other two graves were their children. That's why your father looks very old than me." Chiyo, a beautiful girl with blue eyes just like her mother.

Chiyo's mother falls ill and her father being poor, has no money for her treatment. Before her death, Chiyo and her sister are sold to become Geishas. Chiyo is sent as a trainee to a Geisha House called Okiya and the care taker is the mistress of the Okiya. She finds another trainee of her age, Pumpkin. Chiyo's attempt to escape from the Okiya fail. Once she meets a Chairperson on the way who consoles her and buys her an ice cream. From then, she is motivated to become a Geisha hoping to see the chairperson in the future. The struggling journey of young Chiyo as a maiko to renowned Geisha Sayuri with the help of Mameha. The survival of Sayuri from others jealousy, find a danna, during World War and migrating to America to start her own Tea House.

Memoirs of Geisha gives a detailed description of their day-to-day life. How difficult it is to maintain such a hairstyle, makeup and long flowing kimono. As a trainee, Geisha are taught high discipline, to walk slow, never spill tea while sipping, eating etc... They are taught dancing, playing instrument and required to visit the Tea House very often. Once they decide to marry, they have to give up their profession as Geisha.

Arthur Golden interviewed many Geisha including renowned Mineko Iwasaki . In his book, he acknowledges her for telling the life style of Geisha. He was legally sued by Mineko Iwasaki for including many false inaccurate descriptions. Later, Mineko published her own autobiography, Geisha of Gion.

Geisha's are neither courtesans nor wives. They are performing artists.

© Manasa. All rights reserved.

Mobile phones have become an integral part of our day-to-day life. A couple of years ago, cell phones had antennas with black and white display, so called basic handset. Now-a-days, phones are not only used to make calls, they are more likely used to click instant pictures and listen to music or radio with camera and music player integrated. Adding to these, internet browsing, GPS are additional features.

At times, I think, a day may come when you can control washing machine, dishwasher or even microwave oven with your phone. :)

How about owning a phone which prepares coffee, serves the purpose as a shaver, a projector, harmonica. Pomegranate phone provides them. Go, check the fascinating phone here: http://www.pomegranatephone.com/

I wouldn't mind, if any of you gift it to me. :D

© Manasa. All rights reserved.

As children, we have an ambition. When somebody questions, "What do you wanna become when you grow up?", we already have an answer at the tip of the tongue, "I want to become an engineer, singer, teacher.." At times, depending on various situations we are forced to choose a field which we dislike. After a couple of years, we realize what our true aim or ambition is. Getting a job with huge moolah count without satisfaction causes frustration and how long can one sustain without spending time on oneself?

Sometimes, though we want to choose our hobby as profession, "Will I be able to survive taking such a job? After all, pay is meagre.." We tend to opt a profession and the hobby aside. As time progresses, with confidence choose hobby as profession, "let come what may". I have met few people, who gave up their well paid jobs and chose their passion as profession. At first, I thought it was foolishness to do so. Later on, realized that it needs lot of thinking, guts to quit a white collar job. Initially, there are lot of hurdles. But without taking risk and facing odds, one can't climb the ladder. :)

An IIT engineer turned farmer: http://specials.rediff.com/money/2008/dec/23slide1-an-engineer-from-iit-now-a-farmer.htm

You need will, to reach your way. :)

© Manasa. All rights reserved.

Many years ago, in England, there was a father-and son pair who were doctors. The father was very famous and innovative, and the son was young and enthusiastic. In those days, there was no concept of anesthesia and whenever a patient was to be operated on, chloroform was given.

The senior doctor did many experiments in this field and developed a medicine, which when injected in the area where the operation was to be done, made only that part numb. There was no need to make the patient unconscious. Today, we call this local anesthesia .

He performed several experiments and was convinced by adding different chemicals that his medicine was effective. But there was one problem. No one would offer himself for the experiment. Without experimenting on a human being, this medicine could not be officially released in the market.

Now, the doctor's son had six fingers on his left hand. One day, he suggested to his father, 'Father, I know your medicine is very good. You inject it to my sixth finger and operate and remove the finger. Anyway, I wanted to get rid of that finger. Let us perform this operation in front of other doctors. No man can stand the pain of surgery without anesthesia. When they look at my face, they will come to know that your medicine has made the area numb and I am not experiencing any pain.'

The suggestion was very good. The father conveyed a message to the members of the Academy of Medical Science, who were the final authority for allowing this medicine to be used in public.

The day of the operation came and several scientists, doctors and other public figures assembled to watch the effect of this miracle injection. The father exhibited his son’s sixth finger, and injected the medicine. He said, ‘Now I will start the operation. You can observe the patient’s face.’

There was a smile on the young man’s face. The operation was performed and was a success. Throughout, the smile remained on the son’s face. Everybody was amazed by what they saw and congratulated the senior doctor for his work.

After they left, the young doctor was dressing his wound. His father had tears in his eyes. He embraced his son and started sobbing uncontrollably.

‘Sorry, my son, I knew the pain you were undergoing during the operation, you never showed it to the public.’

The injection had to be prepared by adding four chemicals, but in his hurry and tension before the operation, the father forgot to add the fourth. Because of that, the injection was not at all effective. There was uncontrollable pain during the operation. However, the son realized there was something his father had forgotten, if he showed his pain, his father’s experiment would fail. He knew how hard his father had worked to develop this medicine. He himself was aware that it was effective. It was unfortunate that something was not making it work now. In the middle of the operation, the father too realized the fourthe chemical was missing and the medicine was now working. But he was unable to tell this in public. He knew what agony his son was undergoing in spite of the smile on his face. That was why, when everyone left, he broke down crying.

The son consoled his father. ‘Father, don’t worry. For the welfare of others, I controlled my own pain.’

A forwarded email, though, I am not sure how true it is.

I guess you know what the moral of the story is. :)

© Manasa. All rights reserved.

A good year with loads of moments I cherished!

Depressed daughter consoled by her father.

Daughter: Why there's so much struggle that you keep working towards your goal and end up failure?

Father: After every suffering, there is happiness and success for sure. Unless, there's struggle, you wouldn't realize the joy of your achievement.

While walking on the road, always look down and step ahead so that you avoid falling down. Its better than looking at sky and falling down.

Hard work is always rewarded. Everything comes to him who waits.

Daughter: When will the right time come?

Father: You're still young. You've such long years to live and its not the end.

[Daughter: With tears in eyes.

Father: Pats her to sleep.
]

© Manasa. All rights reserved.

Jiya se Jiya song: AR Rahman.

Watched it ...and liked it. :)

© Manasa. All rights reserved.

Wise and Otherwise-A salute to life, authored by Sudha Murty. Impressed by reading her book, Mahashweta , I borrowed this book from library and completed at the earliest. :)

Dedicated to page says:
Sudha Murty writes her experiences as a teacher, a friend, a mother, a wife and a social worker. Having traveled in remote villages, towns, urban cities and places abroad; she, being an extrovert, has conversed with both rich and poor, literates and illiterates, young and old. The different kind of people she met, some rich at heart though poor, some with high potential to succeed in life, people she met while setting up libraries in villages, strangers who could converse for hours in train, few married women who suffered torture from in-laws, etc...

The book consists of 51 stories written in a lucid style. No glamour and just simplicity and modesty. Each incident narrated is a lesson taught by life.

The question paper set by life is unpredictable. Every one has to face the examination with or without preparation. No one can predict the questions we face in life. Life is such!

You meet a few who are wise and remaining who are otherwise!

ISBN: 81-86852-88-3

© Manasa. All rights reserved.

Yesterday was my cousin's wedding and I got an opportunity to click loads of pics. South Indian weddings have lot of rituals like Vara Pooje, Kashi Yaatre, Gowri Pooja, etc... More explanation will be added soon. Here are a few pics:


© Manasa. All rights reserved.

I am an avid reader of books. Be it fiction, non-fiction, fantasy or mythology, I don't spare reading even Harry Potter or Shantaram . The first novel I read was during my college vacations, Tell me your dreams by Sydney Sheldon. I had borrowed that book from a friend. My parents always consider that investing on novels or comics is a waste of money. Hence, I never bought a novel or a comic from my pocket money during school or college life. Though, they always encouraged me to buy text books required like GRE by Barrons and many more.

A couple of years ago, I met a gal who was also an avid book reader. She had read so many books that I would ask her suggest me my next book to be read and explore the good novels and great authors. She not only read them but also owned them. I was fascinated when she said that she had around 5000 books in her library, which occupied the topmost floor of her house. I was much fascinated when she told that all the books were original and not pirated! One fine day, we decided to meet and visited British Library for membership. That fine day was 16th December. :)

So far, there are around 100 books in my personal library bought from my money. There are several e-books and online books available which I have read. But holding books is different from e-books. This friend inspired me to start my own library with unique collection of books. I still repent that I've few books and buying books are never a waste. I hope to add many good books in near future.

Now there are book networking sites like Shelfari , libthing and goodreads which encourage the readers to share their thought and explore books.

© Manasa. All rights reserved.

A forwarded email.

Hi,

Many of us forget that we have one right (rather weapon) bestowed upon us by our constitution to choose those people who can shape our future, make our living place a better one. But we simply can't exercise this right of ours because we don't have our name registered in the electoral rolls (to clarify, u can vote even if u don't have voter id card, only ur name should be in the voter list). So, this Jaagore initiative helps us to register ourselves in the voter list, so that we will be able to choose our leaders. It just takes 5 minutes to register and the website is very user-friendly.

Jaago Re is started by Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy and members are all scholars from premium institutes like IIT who left their lucrative jobs… do visit www.jaagore.com once. They r doing some real good stuff. Register for voting online, in 5 min, n they'll keep you updated on mails n SMS about elections dates, your nearest polling booth and other stuff. They have many eminent persons in their advisory panel including our own revered NRN, Rakeyesh Omprakash Mehra(Director of Rang De Basanti) etc.

About Jaago Re-One Billion votes:

Jaago Re! One billion Votes is a nation-wide movement launched by Janaagraha in association with Tata Tea to enable the citizens of India, especially the youth, to register for voting. The mission is to register the entire of India (one billion voters) for voting in the next five years; in order to benefit Indian democracy. The campaign focuses on empowering the Indian youth to lead this change.

In launch year(2008-09), the campaign is targeting urban voters in India's top 35 cities, which represent one-third of India's urban population. The campaign is targeting to register 4 million voters to register before April 2009 elections. From next year onwards, the campaign plans to target Tier-2 cities and eventually rural India.

Read more here: http://jaagore.com/main.php 

© Manasa. All rights reserved.