Summer 2021

 

·       “Last year, I came away from the vacation thoroughly bloated and ten pounds heavier, convinced I’d blocked an artery and possibly shortened my lifespan by a few months. But I was also deliriously contented, which is surely what it’s all about.” – Cash Peters

 

There has been a lot of talk about the upcoming summer vacation. With 2020 being a total washout where vacations were concerned, any and everyone has been looking to 2021 to make up for lost time, and I don’t blame them.

At a dinner, that I had the pleasure to attend recently, along with senior Gems colleagues, there were eight of us at the table, and five were travelling to Greece, so I smiled, wished them Bon voyage, and began to seriously reconsider my options.  

The newspapers, over the past two or three weeks, had bombarded us with ample information about the so called ‘safe places’ to visit in July- August and I must admit they did look tempting.

Topping the list for my wife and myself was Seychelles with its tree houses, pristine nature views, delightful parks and amazingly tranquil beaches. We gave it a serious thought and decided to vacation there for two weeks. However, recently it is being touted as the ‘most romantic place for honeymooners this summer’. Not being in that category by a mile and not too keen about being surrounded by honey mooning couples, we have decided to give it a miss.

Spain, Germany, Greece, Sweden, Switzerland, Georgia, Greenland and Iceland were all on the ‘Welcome list’ and had been termed as safe for tourists. However, Pune in India is home, and hence we zeroed in on ‘going home for a month’, relaxing, enjoying the monsoons and catching up with old friends. However, as things stand today, what with the ‘Delta variant’ making the headlines, my wife and I are still torn between the devil and the deep blue sea.

 Now this is so unlike me. Under normal circumstances, holiday decisions and dates are finalized by February and flight tickets and hotel reservation confirmed by March. I am even packed two weeks in advance and usually get on everyone’s nerves in the family, by continuously reminding them to get their packing done. To sum it up, I hate anything that is last minute and I put this down to being a bit of a nervous traveler.

 No, its not the plane or the flying or anything of that sort– that’s the fun part – it’s just the thought of arriving at the airport late, having luggage that is overweight, having something wrong with the passport or missing the flight that stresses me out. Believe me when I say I have gone through all of the above!

Perhaps I should let you into a secret – in my heart of hearts I am actually relieved that we are not going on holiday this year. At least nothing has been finalized as yet.  I have made plans and thought of plenty to do in the UAE that is less stressful and yet a lot of fun. At least I will be in control of my life. Just imagining being stuck in a hotel in Georgia or Iceland and not knowing when I can return gives me nightmares.

I know a large number of people who are travelling and I wish them luck. Hope and pray you stay safe and return after an enjoyable holiday!

On a more serious note, even before we break for summer, ‘September and school re-opening’ is on everybody’s mind.

Will schools reopen on time and what will the scenario be like is the million dollar question?

 Blended learning?

 Another partial lockdown?

Back to online classes?

Normalcy - with schools open, pupils back in classes and everything honky dory?

Prize days, concerts and competitions?

If wishes were horses – beggars would ride.

Everyone is tired, frustrated and stressed out- not only of Covid itself, but of the accompanying indecisiveness, the inability to plan and the actual loss of days, months and years of our lives. The fun and frolic of school and work has been robbed from us and we are forced to ‘smile, endure, and make the best of a bad bargain, and that for me is a sad state of affairs.

However, I am positive and hopeful by nature and who knows what may happen within the next month or so. I sincerely hope that things are better soon and the world begins to heal.

I am sure that is what we are all HOPING and PRAYING for.

HOPE

 

From the time that Covid 19 was declared a pandemic, I have been a close observer of how people have reacted. I have watched, wondered, marveled and pondered.

It has made me smile in disbelief, laugh and cringe simultaneously, wince in pain & at times, almost cry in sadness, at the way the world, and all of us have reacted, from time to time. We are a strange species indeed.  Just wonder if we are getting worse?

If you have been following the happenings of the world over the last two years, and I am sure most of you have, in some way or the other, then you will understand what I mean.  

1.  The first group of people are those that were in complete denial from day one. They kept informing all and sundry, at every opportune moment, that Covid was not so serious and would soon be over. They referred to it as the over exaggerated, Common Flu, and guffawed at everyone else for taking requisite precautions. They went about their business as if nothing was wrong, and the whole world was insane. They were super spreaders - directly responsible for spreading the virus themselves, getting more people ill than necessary, and not feeling guilty about it.  Surely the height of absurdity.

2. The second were the Defeatists. Seemingly related to Nostradamus, they declared in all their wisdom, that the world was doomed. They believed we would all die sooner than later and that the human population was being wiped out gradually and systematically. According to them, it was a well-conceived plan. They lived-in constant fear, refusing to step out of the house, even when permitted to do so. They swallowed every vitamin available with the chemist, made their own concoctions at home, and did more than necessary to try and stay healthy, and boost their immune system. More often than not, they overdid everything and lived in constant fear of either getting Covid or dying. Life was miserable but, hats off to them, they endured it manfully.

3. Then came those who blamed everyone and everything. They blamed China, they blamed India, they blamed the United States, they blamed Mr Modi, they blamed Mr Trump, they blamed Mr Putin, they blamed Bill Gates, they blamed bats, they blamed poultry markets, and they blamed the health systems all over the world for misleading them. They believed they knew exactly what had caused Covid. They called it a world conspiracy of epic proportions.  

4.Next were the anti vaxers. Now these super suspicious, ‘know it all’ humans, from the Google and WhatsApp universities, were determined that the vaccine production, testing and approval was firstly rushed & hence it would either maim or even worse, kill them and their loved ones. They believed that it was purposeless, unproductive and ineffective. They went around spreading irrelevant rumours, poking fun, and causing futile panic wherever possible, especially on social media. According to them, we didn’t need a vaccine in the first place, as it was not going to help in any way. Apparently, according to their logic, it was a method to control world population.  They felt that they had ample antibodies, were sufficiently healthy to fight off the virus, and could survive without taking the vaccine. Tragically, they tried their best to convince others not to take the vaccine as well. Surprisingly they disregarded and nullified all medical advice, irrespective of which country it came from.   

5. Lastly came those who remained calm, wise and who were not swayed by emotions. They took proper medical advice & got the vaccine as and when it was made available. They observed all the necessary precautions, attempted to stay healthy, took the normal vitamins, ate sensibly, followed the instructions of the authorities, didn’t take unnecessary risks, above all, stayed positive and lived in the hope that the world would heal and things would be better in due course.

Hope is an extremely powerful tool, and coupled with faith in God, it contributes to our wellbeing and happiness, while motivating us to be positive in body, mind and spirit.

Human beings live with a number of emotions – and at present, some of the most powerful ones which threaten to take over the world are restlessness, fear and depression. Thus, it is important to be as positive as possible, to be happy and hopeful.

In order to be hopeful, there are some things we need to remember to do.

Be content, focus on the good, spread positivity, accept change, embrace failure, include others, be friendly and approachable, worry less, avoid stress, take up a hobby, & spread love. Not easy I know & obviously, you can’t do everything and succeed every time but it’s the effort that counts.

In everyone’s life, there are times when we feel sad and sorry for ourselves and that is normal. We psyche ourselves into believing that everything is wrong with our life and good with everyone else’s. We start comparing, and the more we compare, the worse we feel. It’s happened with all of us- with our parents and their ancestors too.

However, the simple, message is – WORRY LESS AND HOPE MORE. When you address every challenge in life under the assumption that everything invariably works out, it usually does!  

 I will end with a few lines titled –HOPE

 

‘’Hope is the place where you want to go

Hope is the person you want to know

Hope is the feeling that carries you through

And hope is the future for me and you’’

    

 

Do ghosts exist or am I just a silly oneironaut

 

Disclamer

 

As you all know I worked in The Bishop’s school, Pune for twenty years and lived on campus, in five  different flats over the years. Now, I am not implying that the school was  haunted when I was there . No harm ever came to me or my family, and I was never terrified or any such thing . I also believe I am a bit of a psychic but then again …….

 You can attribute this story to a very fertile & vivid imagination, poor eyesight, or just an old school master pulling the legs of his pupils.

Whatever your interpretation – I am just  amusing myself,so do not read too much into it, or ask me to elaborate.

On the other hand, it could be thought provoking- it may bring back memories – it may awaken the senses and may make you say “oh goodness me, so that was it.’’ Or you may just pass it off with a guffaw and  a smile ………….whatever Sir!!

 

Whether you believe these stories or not, does not matter. However, innumerable people at my time maintained that the campus had its fair share of supernatural happenings. Staff and pupils did often discuss some strange occurrences in and around the campus, but it was all passed off as a joke. I did meet a few pupils who had passed out in the sixties and seventies and even before that – all boarders – I must say that some of them told me some creepy & bizarre stories too. However, none could ever be substantiated- nor can mine for that matter. This could be the joke of 2021!

 

Now let me jog your memory.

 

Just close your eyes & think about the innumerable times you had to carry piles of chairs and put them back, under the stage, after the Friday movie. All boarders and a few day scholars. How did you feel?

 What about that narrow, dingy passage near the infirmary and past grade 9 A and B. Most boys avoided it after dark!

What about when you were sent to get the Logbook from the MOD’s table after dinner, and the area was unlighted and gloomy– and then you had to pass the Billiard room! Somehow the wind howled louder around that building. Going home after filling in  the MOD log book after dinner , I often looked over my shoulder as I felt someone was following me.  

Mark my words- I am not using the word haunted, because haunted somehow has evil connotations for me - let me just reiterate – I was in Bishops for 20 years, and yes, we did feel peculiar at times. However, there were no ghastly apparitions, no phantoms or specters but I think I know what I saw, heard and felt and the term I will use is ‘spooky’. I could be wrong, and it could be my imagination but read on if you care.   

 

Am going to divide this article into a few parts, as this is a  story with no  beginning or  end – not even a middle for that matter.

 

 Lunn block terrace

 

As a young family back in the early  80’s, we often slept on the terrace of Lunn block, during the summer vacation, as I was the dormitory in-charge and lived on the second floor just beside the dormitory. It was cool, fresh and mosquito free on the terrace and sleeping under the starlit sky was exhilarating. I owned a ‘Bush Two in one radio cum tape recorder’, so there was music too.

The cool breeze ensured a good night’s sleep. We had a Pomeranian as a pet, and often she would bark at night and charge about in a frenzy.

 At first, we thought nothing of it and scolded her for disturbing us, but one night is extremely vivid in my memory. It was a cloudy night and very still. We awoke with a start, to the dog barking very differently, and looked around to try and see what had provoked her. She seemed to be scrutinizing the corner of the terrace near the water tank- barking ferociously, backing off and yelping at the same time. I tried to call her back, in vain. She then suddenly charged toward the terrace door and began jumping up in the air as if to catch something. I stood up, picked up a hockey stick I kept nearby, but saw nothing.  Then the unexpected happened – the dog made one last lunge, barked uncontrollably and then, bawling, with her tail tucked between her legs, she ran backwards, towards the water tank, and hid under it, crying out loud. She refused to budge, despite my coaxing.We folded up the bedding and went downstairs immediately & never slept on the terrace thereafter. When I told the watchman about it, he said it was probably a monkey. I still do not know what to believe and yes it could have been a monkey for sure!

 

Simba dormitory

 

This was another place where something rather bizarre once took place. I was the dormitory in-charge and lived on the second floor just beside the dormitory.

We returned rather late from a party. To keep the rather skillful boarders inside, and make sure that they did not try and slip out for a midnight meal, we had started locking the three gates – at the entrance to the dorm; just before you descended the steps and then downstairs at the entrance to the building. Not sure if they had made duplicate keys, as some were quite devious and were up to all the tricks.

Anyway, as we entered the building, we clearly heard footsteps going up the steps ahead of us. At first, I thought it was an echo but was wrong. I called out “who’s there’’. There was no reply.

 Every time we stopped; the footsteps stopped as well. This happened twice or thrice. I thought I heard someone coughing but could not be sure. We went till the top – all sixty-five steps carrying our two little ones. As we reached the gate at the top, the footsteps were heard one last time and then fell silent. I opened the gate to the top floor gingerly, and yes, I think I was trembling – the dormitory was locked, so no one could have been out by any chance. Who was on the steps ahead of us and where did that person go? The door to the terrace was locked hence anyone going up there was out of the question. The person had vanished into thin air.  The mystery baffled me. I asked some boarders the next morning but they all said they were asleep – something I doubted.

 

 Cambridge dormitory

 

This dormitory with its creaking staircase, cobwebs and lose floorboards had its own share of alien footfalls.  Mr Derek Beaman, who we all remember fondly, was no more, and his quarters in Cambridge block and the entire top floor remained locked up ever since he had passed. We had stopped using the dormitory for over a year or so, hence it was a trifle dark & rather dilapidated. One dim light at the entrance was switched on daily, after dinner, by the watchman.

 On a few evenings we thought we heard  the distinct sound of a vessel being washed and put down/ at times dropped  – then there was the sound of  a tap being opened and water flowing ----------- things that Mr Beaman did regularly at about the same time, after the boarders’ s supper , while he stayed there – ( We stayed in the staff  quarters in Simba and could almost look into his  flat )What were those noises and who was making them. Were we imagining? The building was empty. The strange sounds baffled us.

 

 Late one night

 

Came home past midnight, all four of us on our scooter- driving up from East Street towards the roundabout outside Bishops, past the large palatial Talera bungalow on the left. We could either go straight past the crossing, and enter through the wicket gate near the kitchen, or go right, and enter through the wicket gate near the office. As we approached the small round about, we saw something freakish.  Standing in the middle of the road which went towards the kitchen gate/ Racecourse, was a very tall fair woman, in a white knee length dress, carrying a large blue suitcase in the right hand. It seemed light and empty.  Her left hand was up- palm facing outwards, as if she wanted to stop oncoming traffic and request a lift. I saw her from about twenty meters and my heart skipped a beat or two. Needless to add, I accelerated, turned right, and sped towards the office gate from where I entered the campus. Yes, my wife saw her too.

On making enquiries the next day, I was told by the school support staff that that a similar figure was seen on that road once or twice a year and in the vicinity of the army house at the crossing. There is a story about her they said- it was not a very pleasant one. That sighting was eerie, and it played on my mind every time we came home late at night. Thankfully, we never saw her again. Were we imagining?

 

 

The  Principal’s bungalow

 

 Returning home after a movie one night, and entering on my scooter from the office gate, we saw the watchman sitting at the gate to the Principal’s bungalow. He was facing towards the office gate. About ten feet behind him, lying on his stomach and peering into the bungalow was a figure of a man- his face almost touching the bungalow steps. I rode passed on my scooter but thought it so strange. So, I parked outside the billiard room, reached the family upstairs in Simba block, and walked back to check. The watchman, when asked as to who I had seen a few minutes ago, feigned complete ignorance, and said that he had no idea. He swore he had not seen or heard anybody. To his credit he was wide awake and sober.

 

The wedding

 

 Returned from a relative’s wedding and it must have been past one am. We were about to go to sleep on the Simba dorm terrace – summertime as usual. Had barely closed the terrace door, when we heard a female voice, distinctly calling out my wife’s name. At first, we thought it was her mother who was visiting us at the time. It was past one am! When the calling was repeated for the third time, I opened the terrace door & went down- I opened the door to our flat and went in.  All was completely silent, and no relatives were awake. I then went downstairs to see if there was anyone outside. As expected, there was no one. Who called out and why we will never know?

 

The Face on the cupboard

 

One night, there was a minor fire in one of the residential master’s flats – they resided on the first floor of Junior school building – it may have been around midnight. I will make this short – I rushed to help & together we  managed to extinguish the fire which had begun when a large candle had fallen over on to a cushion. When we cleared up the mess in the room, we were shocked when we looked at the cupboard – etched on the front, and very clear, was the face of an old man. The house suddenly smelled musty and damp.  I can tell you who the face  resembled if ever you want to know. I presume the family discarded that cupboard the next day!

 

The Piano

 

There was a story of the sound of a piano being played in the Principal’s bungalow late at night and this was from a very reliable source. I once asked the Principal about the supposed ‘music at midnight’, but he just guffawed in his typical style and said ‘Rubbish- people make up all these stories’.  I dare not tell him who told me!

 

I heard several other stories from visiting  Bishopites over the years – some eerie and others which made me think and believe that I was not going off my head.

 

Coming to think of it, I am writing this story here in Dubai – and even if it ever did, all this supposedly happened over twenty years ago – was it just a frightening dream?)

 Frankly, I am not sure. Am I an oneironaut?

 

“I shall not commit the fashionable stupidity of regarding everything I cannot explain as a fraud.

― Carl Jung

LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDOURED THING

 

Do you remember the day you fell in love?

The hour, the season, the place

For the first, third or fifth time?

On every occasion you thought to yourself

“This is the love of my life.’’

“Finally got it right”!

 

 

Every time you met each other

 – things just got better.

In a trice- no moil.

The unwavering promises, of enduring devotion

Tugged at your heart strings.

 You were the happiest person on the planet

And everything in the garden was rosy!

 

No special day was needed for a celebration,

For everyday was Christmas,

 Holi, Easter, or Eid, for that matter.

 

It showed in the fetching eyes- the lingering looks.

It was reflected in the gorgeous smile.

Wardrobes were suddenly spruced up

Appearances began to matter more than ever

Everything was convenient, secure, content, serene.

 

The irresistible connection was overpowering

The Euphoria- overwhelming.

The positives were in focus

The flaws overlooked.

Two beings, so caught up in love

In the excitement, the passion and the frenzy.

Nothing, and no one else mattered.

Two souls had entwined and become one

Now life was sheer bliss.

This was for eternity.

 

Then unexpectedly – unforeseen cracks

Made a revolting appearance.

Decidedly slowly, but extremely  surely

And were soon unfathomable trenches.

Shocking disbelief followed.

No one saw it coming

No one assumed it would.

 

Two worlds collided and crumbled.

Battle lines were drawn

The disappointment, the wrangling and the blame

The bitterness, the rage, the rancour

Took its toll.

Honest conversations became History

Forgiveness- no more a foregone conclusion

The furrows were dug too deep

Reconciliation – utterly impossible.

 

All that was left

Was for the tears to dry.

And the healing process to begin.

 

People outgrow people, don’t they?

“If it just didn’t open

It was certainly not your door”.

LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDOURED THING

 

Do you remember the day you fell in love?

The hour, the season, the place

For the first, third or fifth time?

On every occasion you thought to yourself

“This is the love of my life.’’

“Finally got it right”!

 

 

Every time you met each other

 – things just got better.

In a trice- no moil.

The unwavering promises, of enduring devotion

Tugged at your heart strings.

 You were the happiest person on the planet

And everything in the garden was rosy!

 

No special day was needed for a celebration,

For everyday was Christmas,

 Holi, Easter, or Eid, for that matter.

 

It showed in the fetching eyes- the lingering looks.

It was reflected in the gorgeous smile.

Wardrobes were suddenly spruced up

Appearances began to matter more than ever

Everything was convenient, secure, content, serene.

 

The irresistible connection was overpowering

The Euphoria- overwhelming.

The positives were in focus

The flaws overlooked.

Two beings, so caught up in love

In the excitement, the passion and the frenzy.

Nothing, and no one else mattered.

Two souls had entwined and become one

Now life was sheer bliss.

This was for eternity.

 

Then unexpectedly – unforeseen cracks

Made a revolting appearance.

Decidedly slowly, but extremely  surely

And were soon unfathomable trenches.

Shocking disbelief followed.

No one saw it coming

No one assumed it would.

 

Two worlds collided and crumbled.

Battle lines were drawn

The disappointment, the wrangling and the blame

The bitterness, the rage, the rancour

Took its toll.

Honest conversations became History

Forgiveness- no more a foregone conclusion

The furrows were dug too deep

Reconciliation – utterly impossible.

 

All that was left

Was for the tears to dry.

And the healing process to begin.

 

People outgrow people, don’t they?

“If it just didn’t open

It was certainly not your door”.

NDTV and the Vaccination fiasco

 

EXCERPTS FROM AN NDTV DEBATE THIS MORNING – I DO NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR THE FACTS.

 

The ‘My way or the Highway’ Government has now done a complete U turn and that is not surprising. It has happened repeatedly  in the past.

After abandoning responsibility entirely, and leaving the states to fend for themselves, the Centre has now said that ‘Vaccinations for all will be the responsibility of the Centre and the same will be free’. However, they are now blaming the states for the fiasco by saying that some Chief Ministers did not agree with the policy of the centre earlier on!

While the U turn is a welcome move – pray why the total confusion earlier on? What strength did the Government display by giving in to a few Chief Ministers- IF they did make unreasonable demands which is still being debated and denied by the opposition parties?

Why has there been so much suffering, hundreds and thousands of deaths and a complete breakdown of the Healthcare system, if the government was in control?

Why did the government drag their feet and be among the last countries to order vaccines? The order itself is still insufficient by a mile.

When everyone else placed orders for vaccines in early and mid-2020, whey did India wait till Jan- Feb 21? Most countries have their orders in place till 2023- 24! Why this inordinate delay?

Why did India export vaccines and vow to be ‘saviour of the poor’ when their own people were running from pillar to post to get vaccinated? They still are!

Has the supreme court finally stood up and said ‘Enough is enough ‘and forced the hand of the government?

Hope better sense has finally prevailed. It’s never too late to make amends.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile – lockdowns are easing all over the country and people are out shopping, partying & enjoying themselves – Masks, social distancing, and in fact the pandemic itself, have been unfortunately, forgotten, and common sense thrown to the wind. If that is not a recipe for a disaster – what is?

For what it’s worth, the Government is wisely, still trying to impose some restrictions on travel and gatherings etc, but the common man couldn’t care less.  They are being fined, lathi charged, arrested, locked up and beaten but that seems to have had little effect.

Then there are so many who are still against the vaccine which is surprising. Vaccine hesitancy is so strange. Vaccines are the only protection right now.

Many medical professionals have predicted a third wave, which promises to be as bad, if not worse than the first and second. The vengeance of the second wave was scary. We all know so many people that lost family and loved ones. Our WhatsApp messages carried sad news every other day in February, March, and April.  

Are we preparing for the third wave? Are we taking precautions?

NDTV and the Vaccination fiasco

 

EXCERPTS FROM AN NDTV DEBATE THIS MORNING – I DO NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR THE FACTS.

 

The ‘My way or the Highway’ Government has now done a complete U turn and that is not surprising. It has happened repeatedly  in the past.

After abandoning responsibility entirely, and leaving the states to fend for themselves, the Centre has now said that ‘Vaccinations for all will be the responsibility of the Centre and the same will be free’. However, they are now blaming the states for the fiasco by saying that some Chief Ministers did not agree with the policy of the centre earlier on!

While the U turn is a welcome move – pray why the total confusion earlier on? What strength did the Government display by giving in to a few Chief Ministers- IF they did make unreasonable demands which is still being debated and denied by the opposition parties?

Why has there been so much suffering, hundreds and thousands of deaths and a complete breakdown of the Healthcare system, if the government was in control?

Why did the government drag their feet and be among the last countries to order vaccines? The order itself is still insufficient by a mile.

When everyone else placed orders for vaccines in early and mid-2020, whey did India wait till Jan- Feb 21? Most countries have their orders in place till 2023- 24! Why this inordinate delay?

Why did India export vaccines and vow to be ‘saviour of the poor’ when their own people were running from pillar to post to get vaccinated? They still are!

Has the supreme court finally stood up and said ‘Enough is enough ‘and forced the hand of the government?

Hope better sense has finally prevailed. It’s never too late to make amends.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile – lockdowns are easing all over the country and people are out shopping, partying & enjoying themselves – Masks, social distancing, and in fact the pandemic itself, have been unfortunately, forgotten, and common sense thrown to the wind. If that is not a recipe for a disaster – what is?

For what it’s worth, the Government is wisely, still trying to impose some restrictions on travel and gatherings etc, but the common man couldn’t care less.  They are being fined, lathi charged, arrested, locked up and beaten but that seems to have had little effect.

Then there are so many who are still against the vaccine which is surprising. Vaccine hesitancy is so strange. Vaccines are the only protection right now.

Many medical professionals have predicted a third wave, which promises to be as bad, if not worse than the first and second. The vengeance of the second wave was scary. We all know so many people that lost family and loved ones. Our WhatsApp messages carried sad news every other day in February, March, and April.  

Are we preparing for the third wave? Are we taking precautions?