When I started this website some years ago, it was primarily to share my experiences and explorations beyond the field of psychiatry. In my sojourns into nature, I often immerse myself in the graceful agility of birds as they sweep through air. Travels in India have opened our eyes to the richness of our architectural heritage. Sometimes I try to freeze those moments within the frame of my lenses. These frames are windows…windows to unexplored worlds, which I valiantly try to capture through words in these blogs.
I thought of opening another window this time around, albeit quite personal. On this day a year ago I lost my elder sister. She was differentially abled and led a complete life thanks to tireless efforts by my mother. My mother was an exceptional person in her own regard. Having lost her physician father of repute very early life, she educated herself in Hindi, inspired by an encounter with Mahatma Gandhi. She translated the works of many of the famous writers in Tamil (including Kamba Ramayanam) into Hindi. She was bestowed with the Sahithya Academy Award in recognition of her monumental contributions. As a mother she had a huge challenge to bring up a disabled child. When the medical profession urged my mother to abandon all hopes for her daughter, she single handedly strove to make her life meaningful. She took suggestions from physiotherapists and improvised innovative methods to make the child walk and talk. She educated her at home to read and write and she became proficient in more than one language! It was an arduous task and a lonely struggle at times. Over a period of time, my sister became aware of her own hidden prowess: she had a remarkable memory…of places, persons. We often turned to her archival memory, when our recollections failed. After my mother’s demise two decades ago, our bond with my sister deepened in ways that we never imagined. Every night unfailingly she would come, give me a hug and a cuddle to say good night. Since both myself and Ahalya were working, she took charge of the household, managing and maintaining things in her own personalized ways. She would remember each of our students who used to visit us and enquire warmly about them. She would have met them years ago and they would be surprised at her recall of even their minute personal details. She breathed her last, this day last year, at home. Her life gently ebbed away… The household still feels empty a year later but filled with her memories. More than a sister, she was our daughter and the loss is poignant. Your heart was never disabled Your love was boundless Your warmth infectious You remain At the center of our hearts Or more eloquently in the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Silently, one by one, In the infinite meadows of heaven Blossomed the lovely stars, The forget-me-not Of the angels
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![]() Decades ago when Ahalya and myself were trekking inside a forest on the border of Karnataka and Goa, a villager warned us to be beware of bears. We were told that it is much more dangerous than a tiger since it can maul a person and inflict severe injuries. Needless to say, we were a bit scared, but the beauty of the forest egged us on further. Fortunately we didn’t encounter the feared beast…perhaps it sensed our anxieties and graciously kept away from us! Over the years, we have had close encounters with the tiger, seen the most endangered bird in the Indian subcontinent, but have never had a tryst with the bear. On a recent visit to Hampi, we were very keen to have a glimpse of it at its favoured habitat, Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary. We got in touch with Mr Samad Kottur, the acclaimed conservationist who has worked tirelessly for the conservation of the sloth bears. It was an inspiring experience to get to know his untiring efforts to rescue these animals and his passion for their conservation. There is paucity of literature about the ecology and behaviour of sloth bear (in comparison to the tiger!) and it was refreshing to hear that Mr Samad is in the process of studying these aspects for his doctoral thesis. We set off from Hampi one afternoon to Daroji. Soon we were amidst the undulating landscape, with craggy boulders and scrub forest, a favoured habitat for the sloth bears. We waited with bated breath for the bears to make their appearance. The sun was beating mercilessly and after what seemed an endless wait, suddenly a big bear peered from behind a huge rock and looked us. He strolled across the boulders searching for food, licking the rocks and sniffing amidst its crevices. I was transfixed by this sight. With its shaggy coat and ambling stride, it sauntered along its terrain oblivious to our presence. It was distressing to note a fresh wound on its neck. Mr Samad informed us that it must have been the consequence of a territorial battle. Suddenly the first one made a loud guttural sound and as we were wondering as to what had provoked it, we noticed another bear sneaking into the vicinity. It seemed much younger and swift in its strides as it went searching for food. It was greeted with much anger and after a brief aggressive encounter, was driven away. Then it started raining…an unusual phenomenon in the dry, parched landscape of Daroji. The bear however seemed to enjoy its arrival as it put its feet up on the rock to savour the coolness. It took shelter under a big boulder and lay down underneath it for a while. There were others who were sharing the space with the bears. A group of Grey Francolins dancing their way gracefully, foraging for food, a laughing dove with its characteristic call and a pangolin, closely following the bears. We must have watched this enthralling spectacle for over three hours, but it seemed timeless. We were enveloped in the folds of pristine, alluring nature… Silence descended as the sun slowly faded away, casting dark shadows and it was time to prise ourselves from this enchanting landscape. Daroji is near the mythical landscape of Kishkinda, where Lord Rama met Jambavan (King of Bears) during his journey towards Sri Lanka. He was the one who provided a much needed pep talk to Hanuman before he flew off in search of Sita. Unfortunately today while Hanuman is revered and worshipped, not many seem to remember Jambavan, epitomizing the marginalization of its ilk. For some reason references to bears seem limited in folklore, literature and mythology, compared to tigers or elephants. No state has chosen the bear as its state animal and there is no project bear either, though their numbers are declining alarmingly. It was dark by the time we reached Hampi and the night sky was lit by stars. Ursa Major or the Great Bear was somewhere up there watching us, likely feeling more secure light years away… Do have a look at these magnificent dwellers of Daroji at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7N5MPMQat5icoPz42 |
Dr Raguram
Someone who keeps exploring beyond the boundaries of everyday life to savor and share those unforgettable moments.... Archives
May 2024
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