Walking And Walkers In Dubai .

No one ever comes back from a walk and says “ I should not done it” . Walking  gives you far more than what you seek .And if you have the time –try to walk with a turtle –the real world literally pauses with you .You can actually slow down time !!

I am  a compulsive walker . I love walking because it makes me feel good .I think ,a walk is a divine blessing from God that sets up the  day or night for me .

I like walking alone .Sangeeta is not a walker –my sister Indu is . When I walk with Sangeeta ,she is always on her cell phone and at a hearing distance –with the result that I am forced and dragged into thinking what she is talking about .My idea of a walk is to soak in the things around me and reflect and get to know myself better .As also the fact that it keeps me fit .

The place where I stay in Dubai is a paradise for walkers .It has beautiful ,secluded ,tree lined walkways around lovely water bodies –one can often see ducks in them and the cats eyeing them for a meal !!.

There aren’t many people who walk on these walkways –unlike Hyde Park or Central Park In Jaipur ( which has millions walking and socializing).I meet a clutch of people everyday and over a period of time we have come to know each other well .

There is Kate from Scotland.A women with a easy smile and short blond hair When we started walking ,  we noticed  that she was pregnant .She used to walk with her husband and two lovely poodles .All of a sudden she dissappered –and surfaced with a lovely baby girl in a pram –Madison !! I have seen Madison grow and now she takes tender steps with Kate .I saw Kate again after my summer holiday –after nearly 2 months .I asked her whether she had  gone for a holiday to Edinburg ,her hometown and she replied in the positive .Her husband patted a small bump on her stomach and said that they were expecting their second child !!

There is  also Patty from Wales (Cardiff). She is amazing .She runs pushing a pram in which is seated her little baby .The baby is not more than 5 months old –and Patty is very  fit –you couldn’t  possibly run with a baby in the pram after just 5 months of delivering her .

Perhaps the most beautiful of the lot is Janice from Copenhagen .She is very Nordic –blue eyes ,and fair hair and stands at 5 ‘ 10” .She has absolutely striking looks .She also walks her dog .One day I talked to her and told her how fond I am of dogs .I tried to impress her by saying “ The more I see dogs ,the less I respect men” . She was quick to retort

“ Yes Samuel Johnson was absolutely right when he wrote that” . Beauty with brains !!

There is a mid 60s man –Sangeeta and me were convinced that he is a German because he normally wore Tshirts with the German colours.He does not seem to want to be friendly with me.He is a  big huge guy with a white French beard .His knees are all strapped up –and by jove ,he walks fast .Many times we tried matching his steps –but had to give up !! He is so very fit and strong  !!

There is a Indian  my good friend from Bijnor - Virender Singh !!.Everytime he meets me he says “ Kain Saheb , come over for a drink after the walk”!! Mr Singh likes his evening drink  .He worked in BHEL Haridwar and knew the Principal of DPS there .He walks his brown Labrador which he has got from Hungary .He has  been convincing me to accompany him and  a group of walkers to Kenya –to climb Mt Kilimanjaro!! I don’t trust my knees –so I always fend him off !!

If I have to walk –I might as well walk around my beautiful locality rather in Kenya  .I would have done that if I was in my 20s !!At my age ,I am wise enough not to take risks and take my body for granted !!A walk around the water bodies with swaying trees is just right for me .It entitles me to my bottle of Corona beer .

Sweet Heart -Its Beating Inside Him !! Part 2

By the time Vijay flew  into  Chennai , everything had  more or less  been put into place.He was quitessential Vijay –cool ,collected ,sharp as a needle and enquiring about everyones well being .At one point he remarked  “ The plus point of illness is that it brings the family under one roof .Like a wedding”. But he was struggling –a thin pipe  (  going straight into the heart ), was carrying Milnirone a life saving liquid ,straight to his heart via a artery on his right arm .A lot  depended on how he would handle his hopes – optimistically or pessimistically . He responded like a injured tiger .He took the fight to the enemy’s camp. As always !!

.There were two key players who were working round the clock –before Vijay  landed in Chennai .The first was my sister Kusum .It is difficult to describe her because she does not fit into any ordinary mould .I haven’t met anyone like her .She is persistent ,confrontationist , takes people and issues headlong ,is nagging  ,never gives up and magnanimous .She is the type who will give you the only chappati between the two of you and stay hungry herself .She stays  in New York ,Singapore and Kandaghat  in equal proportions through the year  .Is she the kind of person who I would like to spend my life or a evening with ?No( too dominating !!) .Is she the the kind  who I would trust my life first and last with ,when I am battling for survival ? Without a doubt yes .She  keeps gnawing away at a problem ,chipping away at it ,stripping it to its roots,murdering it !! .Never gives up .Never ,never,never.

The other key player was Varun Berry –one of corporate Indias top honchos .He is my Bhabhis only brother .I have known Varun since his days at the DAV College in Chandigarh .A brilliant man  who likes to maintain a low profile ( though the TV cameras don’t let him getaway),Varun is the Managing Director of Brittania after having worked in  very senior positions in multinationals –including Pepsi .He is fabulously networked , a brilliant strategist ,and a go getter .Put  up a problem to him and all he says is “Leave that to me”!! Anything and everything –and Varun had a solution for it .And back up plans as well .Dr Naresh Trehan would be roped in if necessary Kusum and Varun  were battling it out at ground zero .Others were praying for him  .My other sister Indu , took off to the Balaji Temple in Tirupathi to pray .I went to the Gurudwara and a mosque here in Dubai.

The big task before all of us was to identify a doctor or a hospital for the heart transplant .The classic question confronted us –should we be focusing on a hospital or the doctor.( remember the college versus the course dilemma ?).It was a call which was quickly settled – look for the best  heart transplant  doctor

We researched a lot.We googled  a lot ,youtubed a lot , asked a lot of people .We got different answers .But we debated a lot –it was a life and death situation.We needed to be very focused. We were getting a bit confused .But then  we  got a honest and decisive lead. The world  is after all very  small and childhood friends are for keeps .!!

Anirudh Raghuvanshi  is a  school mate and a dear friend  of mine .We are from the same locality –Clement Town . In 2014 he  came to  Ahmedabad  and  searched me out .He is a  IITian and a successful entrepreneur and was in Gujrat  tieing up with the government  for a project .He was, and is, still based in Nigeria .Over afternoon beer and omelletes  on a lovely monsoon day , I asked him about Ashutosh  his younger brother .It so chanced that Ashutosh was a leading  heart surgeon and the CEO of Hridayalaya Hospitals and a close confidant of Dr Devi Shetty !!

Sitting in my office  nearly two years down the line after having met him ,I decided to phone   Anirudh in Lagos .Could Ashutosh help?  He immediately got in touch with Ashutosh and told him to receive a call from a number which I gave him  . Whose number did I pass on ? Who else ? but Kusum’s . After   several  exchange of conversations  and emails –the die was cast . Ashutosh told us  that ,Dr K R Balakishanan  was the best doctor in the field of heart transplant  . Varun networked ,Kusum smelt a kill and a opening and they swooped on the celebrated Dr Bala at the Malar Fortis Hospital in Chennai  .He asked for Vijays reports .All this happened very fast .We were after all on a short fuse –there was no scope of being lazy and indecisive .

“ Get him to India immediately. He needs immediate attention.When can he come to Chennai?”

Bhabhi and Vijay ,started packing up to leave New York back for  India .On the 16^th  afternoon they landed at the  at the Chennai International Airport.Vijay was wearing a lovely Anokhi  shirt presented by my younger sister Bina!!He was looking terrific !!I had already landed in the morning .On the 17^th ,Vijay was face to face with Dr Balakrishna for the first time .

Dr Bala is a celebrity doctor .When he walks the corridors –everyone who is seated along it rises without knowing who he is .Its  the aura he exudes .Terrific looking ,he has a mop of white hair which keeps falling on his forehead .He keeps brushing  them back with long delicate and flexible fingers .So artistically crafted by God to serve humanity .These fingers cut and sew very delicate arteries of the human heart .He has deep ,dark , big and expressive eyes –eyes that help his fingers to detect where the blood vessels are .His English is perfect –very public school English .He must have cured so many hearts –but I am sure he must have broken million more !! He is so attractive .Seated alongside him was Dr Rao –a king  anaesthetist.One can die  if  anaesthesia is overdosed or underdosed during the operation .It has to be given in  exact doses .
My brothers life was in their hands .

Dr Bala ran us through the pros and cons of heart transplant . He was happy that my brothers kidneys and blood pressure was normal ( slightly low ).He was happy that my brothers lung power was good .

“ Ok .Lets wait for a donor .You will be fine Vijay .!!).And like a soft breeze on a hot summer day –he wafted  away .We watched him as he disappeared  slowly , with his head down -thinking .People were getting up from their seats s he passed them .Bala was not aware .He was on another mission .For a another operation .To save another life.
The  wait for the donor began. .
The stage was set –the actors had now to play their roles

Sweetheart -Its Beating Inside Him !!

I was among the few passengers who boarded the Air India flight from Dubai to Chennai on September 15 .Few –because it was not a weekend , it was a Wednesday . Flights tend to get crowded on weekends .At the check in  counter ,I asked for a window seat behind the exit door –it gives a lot more leg space than a normal economy class seat .Since I had flown Air India quite a few times ,it helped .The pretty  lady issuing  the  boarding pass played around with the computer ,looked at me ,smiled and said

“ Sir ,I have given you seat number 11 A .Its like a Business Class Seat.Its normally given to frequent flyers or VIPS ( why would a VIP travel Economy?).In future  continue flying with us ”.

I looked at her ,smiled wryly ,and said “ Thank You .God bless you”

It was a flight that took off at midnight .I cant sleep during flights , even after flying for so many years now .I am a bit paranoid .This time –I was certainly not going to be able to sleep .I was worried and disturbed .My mind was all the time conjuring up so many things .

At the unearthly  hour  of 1.30 am the flight crew started serving drinks .The young flight purser asked me what drink I would like to have .

“ Thank you .Just give me a bottle of water please”

“ Not even wine Sir?” he insisted

“ No thank you .I drink wine early evening ,not early morning” !! .He smiled

Food was served at 2 .30 am .Chicken biryani .Again I said “No  thank You .Could I have a cup of coffee ?”

I kept looking at the small screen  on the seat ahead of me .I flipped channels  but mostly looked at the one which showed the flight path  of the plane .After about 3 hours ,  I could see that we were nearing Chennai .I could also see the horizon brightening up a wee bit –from a mass of black space ,I could now make out hues of clouds .It was getting to be morning in Chennai . The pilots voice crackled –we were descending upon Chennai  he informed , and asked us to  fasten our seat belts .I have always admired pilots ,though strangely never wanted to be one .

At  4 55am  we touched down at Chennai .I was tired .I had not slept a wink through the night .I had spent the whole day working in office till 4 pm and then gone to shop for some stuff .I knew I was going to be a situation where lunch ,dinner or breakfast may not be available on dining tables or at fixed times .I had picked up tins of sardines ,tuna ,energy bars ,dry fruits .I was quickly off the plane ,and made my way  to the conveyer belts .I was dog tired .Not too often my age reminds me of the years – but now it did .I quickly bit into a energy bar and and  waited for my sole luggage bag –a brown colured  collapsible bag which has seen and travelled more than me –all of us take it with us whenever we travel .I have wrapped a old tie of mine on its handle so that I can identify it easily .Brown ,black and navy blue bags are very common –you need identification marks on them.

Soon it arrived .I picked it up and made my way to the exit point .A customs official  stopped me and asked  

“Do you have anything to declare Sir”

“ No nothing. I am not here as a tourist. I am not bringing any presents .” .Silence .And then he asked

“ All well Sir” ( Did he think I had come to  attend  a funeral?) “

“ No .” . I shook my head .I don’t normally lie ." I have come to help a patient at the Malar Fortis Hospital” .

 He was a sensitive man .He could perhaps sense my worry .He told me where I could get a prepaid cab .

I got into the cab and it sped away .Dawn had now broken .Chennais streets were empty .They were clean .They were wide .There were lots of trees .There were lots of birds who flitted from one tree to another . I reached Besant Nagar .My sister and brother in law were waiting for me .

“ How is Vijay” I asked .

“He is landing in about 5 hours from now”………..

As I was preparing to fly from Dubai ,in far away New York ,another Kain ( Vijay ) was checking in at the JFK Airport  .He was staring down the barrel of a gun and facing death .He had desired to  go back to his beloved India .The doctors had given up on him.He had a heart that was functioning just 18 percent .Not enough to pump enough  oxygen that his body needed  . It was failing by the day .It was a matter of days before the curtain would fall.
Thats what the doctors thought .

But  the family did not think like that .And neither  did God . A remarkable fightback was going to unfold ..

I was in Chennai to be a small part of a huge battle .Another mountain had to be climbed .I decided to look at the summit of it .We were going to climb it.It looked far away –but it could be done.
.And if it could be done –it  HAD  to be done .

Two Years In Dubai -Some Reminiscences .!!

Its been exactly  two years   since I landed in Dubai.The longest that I stayed away from India was in 1986  when I had spent two months in the Phillipines on UN assignment . At that time I had nearly broken down one night because I was feeling homesick –India sick .That was about 30 years back –I was young and I was prone to high emotions .This time –I havent felt the urge to break down !!But that does not mean that I don’t miss India .I refuse to believe that anyone born and brought up in India ,can ever get it out of ones system.Home is where your roots are .For me ,that is India .

It was wet and  humid day in Ahmedabad when I left it .My plane took off and I asked for a cup of coffee. I had travelled a lot before –but this time it was different .Life had  pitchforked  me  from a small town - Dehradun -to a gliterring fast paced city - Dubai.I could not even comprehend the reasons .I had  taught in a school as a young man whose address was “Village and Post Office Rai”.My life had been  spent in interacting with children  in places where Sangeeta and me would get up and enjoy our Green Label Lipton Tea on a balcony from where we could see Nilgais ,Peacocks ,Squirrels ,Dogs ,Buffaloes-and even people going to defacate in the fields !! .We would feed the pigeons bajra every morning and would give our dogs two biscuits each of Marie.We had struggled with amenities  such as  water and  electricity  .This had been  a ritual for years.It had never ever crossed my mind that I should move out of India .

The difference between Dubai and India is huge –both in work culture and landscape .Dubai is a international city .In the locality in which I live –my next door neighbour is a Brit and two houses away is a Srilankan  .In the evenings when I walk into Spinneys (which is the supermarket just across from where I stay ),I find mostly foreigners .In the evening ,Dubai is more gliterring than Paris which is called the city of lights .It comes alive with restaurants belting music and belle dancers .Alchohol flows freely in the hotels ,and on Thursday evenings it seems that half of Abu Dhabhi and the whole of Sharjah pack its Malls and night clubs !!.The beaches are  pristine and crowded with people of all ages –men and women in swimming trunks and bikinis absorbing the sun on their oiled and well maintained bodies .Some just sit around and watch the blue waters- occasionally pointing a finger towards a passing ship in the distance .It is a small city by Indian standards –probably no bigger than Defence Colony and South Extension combined .But because everyone has at least one car and because cars occupy more space than individuals –it appears crowded during rush hour .There are no dense foliage of trees and there are no undulating pieces of land .Its flat ,and its monotonous .

The best  view of Dubai is when you are about to land at its airport.Below you is a landscape which is brown in color –and its uninterrupted .Contrast this with when you land in Ahmedabad ,Jaipur or Delhi –its interspersed with trees ,dark clouds ,a meandering Sabarmati  and Jamuna , a number of bridges ,flat fields, surrounded by small hills .A completely different scenario .

The people move around briskly .Everyone walks as if he/she is about to miss a flight .They are almost running all the time .There are no two wheelers in the city –neither cycles or motorcycles .Service Companies bring the housekeeping staff in small sophisticated buses at a particular time and take them away at a particular time .If you make them stay longer –you pay them extra and also pay for their taxi fare home .!!The metros are a mode of transportation for the  middle class or people who don’t have a driving licence .Everyone has a car .Its no big shakes here –I had  a Mitshubushi Lancer to start with and now have Honda Accord .But I do use the metro –because I like to see what happens in the community areas .

Two years have seen me grow .There is a sense of satisfaction of setting up another school .Its been difficult –the teething problems have been many .But ,I am proud of myself that I have never given up the fight and enthusiasm .I am aware that if that happens ,I will be like a  braindead patient ! Its been a fabulous learning experience for me .I feel richer because of that ,but poorer because my wife and my pets have gone back to India .But then ,that’s destiny .One never knows where one will be tomorrow. I did not know I wud be in Dubai two years back .!!