tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30354320889983682312024-03-05T05:26:54.722-08:00Just kidding. Seriously.Stories and random episodes of no importance.Sajjeev Antonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305350932435278394noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3035432088998368231.post-90750519257942890692015-02-09T01:35:00.005-08:002015-02-09T11:14:55.485-08:00Rabbit Around the World<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
text-indent:21.25pt;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">By <b>Sajjeev Antony</b><br />
(To be) Illustrated by <b>Lamha Bijili</b><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">PROFESSOR KHARGOSH, THE RABBIT, leapt up and pranced about in his laboratory,
whooping in glee. <br />
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Eureka!” he squealed as he reached
for a well-deserved bowl of carrots. What an amazing discovery he had just
made! He wished there was someone to break the news. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a sound outside. Someone
had indeed coming into the burrow --- ever so slowly. Khargosh groaned as he
realized who his visitor was. It was Kacchoo, the Tortoise. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All rabbits and hares regarded
tortoises as stupid creatures, maddeningly slow and steady. But then, tortoises
too used to laugh at rabbits and sometimes publicly insulted them
by reciting aloud the old rabbit-and-the-tortoise story.</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #c0504d; mso-themecolor: accent2;">**</span></i></span></span></span> <br />
<span style="color: #c0504d; mso-themecolor: accent2;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey Prof,” Kacchoo grinned, “were
you sleeping?”<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Har! hello,” muttered Khargosh in
disgust. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was enough invitation for
Kacchoo. He promptly plopped into the Professor’s favorite armchair and reached
for the carrot bowl as if the place belonged to him. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still bubbling with the excitement
of his new discovery, the Professor soon forgot his irritation. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I have discovered something
wonderful,” he said. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Like?” asked the tortoise, his
mouth full of carrot. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That the earth is round,” explained
the Professor. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kacchoo stopped chewing and stared. “What
did you say? The earth is what?”<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Round,” repeated Khargosh,
spreading his arms wide and making a big globe in the air. “I discovered it
just now. And listen, I have also proved that the circumference of the earth is
exactly one hundred kilo-snakes.<b><span style="color: red;">*</span></b>”<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #c0504d; mso-themecolor: accent2;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i>Kachoo choked on his
carrot. He could hardly control his laughter. Like all sensible jungle folk he
knew the earth was as flat as a banana leaf.</span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: white;">*</span> </span></div>
<div style="mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly;">
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" hspace="0" vspace="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" style="padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 37.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; page-break-after: avoid; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: 49.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-text-raise: -4.5pt;">P</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">rofessor Khargosh was
in the habit of making odd statements out of the blue. Once he said that lions
had evolved from common jungle cats. This was very embarrassing to Sher Singh,
the Lion, the King of the Jungle. For days His Majesty had felt too ashamed to
come out of his den. If he did, some cheeky small animal would say, “miaow!”
from a tree above, and all others would giggle. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Khargosh said similar weird things
about other animals too. Once he claimed that horses and asses belonged to the same
family. The asses didn’t mind but the horses got terribly worked up. Naturally
Professor Khargosh was disliked by most jungle folk.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Khargosh lived alone. Only
Kacchoo the Tortoise used to visit him. Not that he was in love with the professor,
but he liked to snoop around and gather funny news. Because of his thick shell
he could stand any insult. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time it was a real scoop for
Kacchoo. Within a day the whole jungle knew of Professor Khargosh’s latest
discovery. Everyone had a laugh over it. Only a few weird animals took the idea
seriously. But they were so few that their opinions hardly mattered. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally the news reached the royal
den. Khargosh was immediately summoned to court. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I hear that you are going around
saying that earth is round,” said His Majesty sternly. “If the earth is sound
why don’t I roll away? Answer me, Professor.”<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Your head almost rolled away in the
last year’s coup, Your Majesty,” Khargosh wanted to say. But he remained silent. He knew no one would understand
his calculations. Instead he said defiantly, "Even if I obey your Majesty and say that earth is flat, it will still be round, your Majesty."<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>King angrily said, “Such impertinence! I will punish you for spreading lies.” <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Law of the Jungle had a single
punishment for all offenses. Death. Everyone shuddered. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally the wise prime minister, Ulloo the Owl, spoke up. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Your Majesty,” said Ulloo. “Professor
Khargosh says the earth is a huge ball. He also claims that the circumference
of this ball is one hundred kilosnakes. I beg to give him a chance to prove it.”<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What do you mean?” asked the Lion.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If it pleases your Majesty, I have
a plan,” said Ulloo. Let Khargosh have a race with Kacchoo the tortoise. Let the
finishing point be the Victory Tree, which we all know, is exactly fifty
kilosnakes due east.”<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Victory Tree was an ancient pine
near the eastern border of the Jungle, where long ago His Majesty had defeated
his arch enemy, Babar Khan, the Tiger. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But only Kachoo will go in that
direction, I mean, east.” Continued Ulloo. Professor Khargosh will run in the
opposite direction, that is, west. If his theory is correct, he has to run only
fifty kilosnakes to go around the earth and reach the Victory Tree. Whoever
reaches first shall be the winner.” He sat back and preened.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lion liked the idea. “So be it.
And I will make the winner my next prime minister.” Turning to Ulloo he added: “O
wise Ulloo, I am proud of you.”<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone applauded and looked in
admiration at Ulloo, who had however gone very pale. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hoo-hoo-hoo,” moaned poor Ulloo softly
to himself. “I could have done with a little less wisdom.”<br /></span></div>
<div style="mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly;">
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" hspace="0" vspace="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" style="padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 37.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; page-break-after: avoid; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: 48.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-text-raise: -4.0pt;">O</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">N THE MORNING OF THE
RACE all jungle-folk assembled at the venue. The competitors got ready for the
sprint. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“On your marks. . . Get set. . .
ROAR!” said his Majesty. All animals cheered wildly. In a few nimble strides
Khargosh disappeared from view. He felt happy he was going west. This meant the sun wouldn't be in his eyes. A few rabbits and rabbits assembled there
applauded him timidly. They knew he was a fast runner. But even they did not
believe in his theory that earth was round. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the other side Kachoo had
started crawling slowly and steadily towards the rising sun. The assembled tortoises, turtles and
other crawling creatures like snails and earthworms were on his side of course.
They patted him on the back. “When you become the Prime Minister don’t forget
us,” they said. “Of course I won’t!” thought Kachoo, who really wanted to clean up the
administration. “I will appoint creepy crawly creatures as my office staff,” said Kacchoo and
all snails and worms shouted. </span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: white;">*</span> <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After ten day of patient plodding,
Kacchoo completed his fifty kilo-snakes and reached the Victory Tree, the
finishing point. Most other jungle folk were waiting for him and Khargosh to
arrive, and they all cheered Kacchoo loudly and waited for Khargosh in vain.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they returned to the Jungle in triumph, His
Majesty the Lion issued an official statement that declared, "Earth is Flat." <br /><br /> Keeping his promise the Lion appointed Kacchoo as his prime minister. But
Kacchoo didn’t keep his promise to other crawling animals. He did not recruit any snail to
his office. Instead, he chose Ulloo and other owls. "Treachery!" hissed all crawling creatures. They all marched to Kacchoo's office in protest but Ulloo and other friends were waiting for them. All protestors were eaten by the owls. </span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Kacchoo began to think
that he was superior to all animals and even better than owls. He rebuilt his office and home in a grander scale than that of His Majesty the Lion. He even got a lioness to fall in love with him, and got engaged to her. </span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> His Majesty the Lion tried to reason with his daughter. But she was a sociology student and wouldn't listen. She said believed that all animals were equal and lions and lionesses should set an example by marrying other species. </span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> His Majesty was in panic and had nightmares of growling tortoises as his grandchildren. Finally he called Ulloo the Owl secretly and discussed how to get rid of Kachoo. They made a plan. <br /> Next day Ulloo went to Kacchoo and praised him skyhigh. Ulloo even told him that he was fit enough to be the King of the Jungle. But for that he should do a feat of valor, said Ulloo. Kachoo was so full of self confidence that he was willing to do anything. </span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> The crafty Ulloo suggested that <i>Kachoo should learn how to fly</i> and thus prove that he was superior to even a lion! Kachoo excitedly agreed. The very next morning the lessons started. Kachoo would ride on the back of Ulloo in flight and watch how Ulloo flapped his wings. After a few days Kachoo felt confident that he could fly alone. Ulloo congratulated him on his confidence and took him very very high. Kachoo slithered off the back of the owl, started flapping his legs and arms and fell like a stone into the deep valley below. That was the end of Kachoo. </span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="color: white;">*</span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But whatever happened to our hero, Khargosh? Some animals living in the eastern part of the jungle claim that he was eaten by a fox. A group
of Siberian cranes swear that they saw the Professor fall off the edge of the earth. They might be right. After all, they keep flying to all corners of the world and have tremendous knowledge. <br /><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BUT WHAT DO <i>YOU</i> THINK? Where did
Professor Khargosh go wrong? Will he ever be able to return to the Jungle? Let us follow him and find out.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(to be continued) <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">---------------------</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #c0504d; mso-themecolor: accent2;"><b>*Kilosnake</b> is a jungle unit of measurement. One kilosnake is
roughly equivalent to one kilometer.</span></i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #c0504d; mso-themecolor: accent2;"><br />
**</span></i></span></span></span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #c0504d; mso-themecolor: accent2;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #c0504d; mso-themecolor: accent2;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You
might have heard it was a hare, not a rabbit, but it was actually a rabbit, as per ancient Jungle records.</i></span></span></span></i></span></span></span></div>
Sajjeev Antonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305350932435278394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3035432088998368231.post-32909482159926920352014-06-16T09:17:00.001-07:002014-07-21T04:42:50.412-07:00Orthopedic Adventures<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A tale from the past. <br />New Delhi, circa 1987.</i></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
text-indent:21.25pt;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div style="mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly;">
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" hspace="0" vspace="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" style="padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 37.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; page-break-after: avoid; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: 48.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-text-raise: -4.5pt;">“H</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">ELLO!” ANNOUNCED THE
CHEERY VOICE of my friend Kailash through the office phone, “I’ve had an
accident.” I congratulated him, sighed, and wrote an application for half-day’s
leave.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kailash collects accidents like
stamps and coins. His prized accident occurred years ago as a result of
which he lost his memory, and he created a sensation by asking his mother to
introduce herself. The memory returned promptly, however, after – as I suspect
– she walloped him therapeutically over the head with her handbag.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time he was driving along the
Ring Road, fast asleep. His subconscious mind, busy screening him a dream as
well as controlling the car, probably failed to take into account the essential
circularity of the Ring Road. Injuries were trivial – fractured ribs, a broken
leg, and total absence of amnesia. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last one was worrying though.
It meant I was in for a slow-motion rendering of each lurid detail. But when I
reached his home I found him in bed reading the book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Complete Yes Minister</i>, too absorbed in it to talk. I reminded
him that Yes Minister was too hilarious a reading material to go with broken
ribs.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But having peculiar tastes in such
matters, he impatiently changed the subject and asked me to get him a pair of
crutches. His earlier pair was worn out, he said, and in any case, out of
fashion. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In those times I had a racing cycle
on which I used to go everywhere very fast indeed – my average speed was 30
kilometers per hour, sometimes even touching 50 so I could easily keep up with
the flow of traffic without having to give way to motor vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I cycled fast to Netaji Subhash Marg,
Delhi’s crutch street. With a variety of models on display, choice was
difficult. Finally I settled for an orthopedic masterpiece in anodized
aluminum, which I thought Kailash’s personality. The problem was transporting
them.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The store did not make home
deliveries. So I took a decision and tied the masterpieces to my racing bike,
tips pointing straight ahead like gun barrels. The visual effect was neat; it
was difficult to tell the crutches and my silver painted bike apart.. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sight of a bearded and
bespectacled <i>Madrasi </i>zooming on a racer fitted with a streamlined contraptions
fired popular imagination. Some stressed on the aesthetics and called it a “disco
bike.” Some thoughtful people saw it as a symbol of the existential predicament
of the Delhi cyclist and said, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arre
dekho</i>! These days cycles come with built-in crutches.” <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only ones who seemed to attach
any ominous significance were the police. Delhi was crawling with them then as
it is now. At one junction, traffic had been held up for a VVIP motorcade. As
it was usual with me, I edged the cycle through the traffic emerged at the very
front, my crutch barrels pointing straight ahead. As I freewheeled to a stop, a
policeman leaped down from the kerb, sten-gun poised, and studied my bike and its appendages carefully. In the tense moments that followed, I could almost see
the officer’s prefrontal cortex working furiously. The intrepid cop finally
understood, relaxed and eventually scratched his nose with his trigger finger
as he looked around for more potential terrorists.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That evening I handed over the
crutches to Kailash. “Thank you,” he said, and returned to his reading. He had
graduated to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yes Prime Minister</i> and
his ribs were still in place. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Sajjeev Antonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305350932435278394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3035432088998368231.post-70931702329671879672014-06-09T02:37:00.002-07:002014-06-22T12:14:31.310-07:00How I attended the Wrong Wedding<div style="mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly;">
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" hspace="0" vspace="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" style="padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 37.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; page-break-after: avoid; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 49.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-text-raise: -4.5pt;">T</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">HIS HAPPENED THIRTY YEARS AGO when I was
working in Delhi. I had never attended a North Indian Hindu wedding. So when
our office clerk Yashwant Singh invited me for his daughter’s marriage, I
readily agreed. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> So on a </span>cold January evening, dressed
in my best I went to Laxmibai Nagar, (a government residential colony in South Delhi), only to discover that there
were three <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">baraat ghars</i> (Hindu
wedding halls) in the locality. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried
the first two and was directed to the third <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ghar.</i>
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">baraat</i> (the wedding procession) was just going in. The bridegroom was
seated on a white mare, a little boy squeezed in front of him. Entwined in
tinsel, a “note-garland” lay about his shoulder, in crisp new currency notes of two and
five rupees, its locket a single one-rupee note. Ahead, a dozen
youth were dancing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bhangra</i> to a band.</span><span lang="EN-IN"> I followed the party at an uncertain distance. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlL6fD-89SkF1VU9uMEtYI6JcJuazfneVAgcVheyQibbj7L6XBKByb-mJEJjtQcuunMPQKhMqGJ6DqQK1ucCpH_3qBXFmbBmgCbX0L7715hsWUnZph6L8f7Gm-_a5mfnS-v-ggT7fxac/s1600/A_wedding_procession_with_the_bridegroom_on_a_horse%252C_Pushkar%252C_Rajasthan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlL6fD-89SkF1VU9uMEtYI6JcJuazfneVAgcVheyQibbj7L6XBKByb-mJEJjtQcuunMPQKhMqGJ6DqQK1ucCpH_3qBXFmbBmgCbX0L7715hsWUnZph6L8f7Gm-_a5mfnS-v-ggT7fxac/s1600/A_wedding_procession_with_the_bridegroom_on_a_horse%252C_Pushkar%252C_Rajasthan.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-IN"><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked around for familiar faces from my office,
but there were none. A group of ladies were waiting at the door of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ghar.</i> Then it dawned on me: I am from
the bride’s party. Shouldn’t I be with them? But all men seemed to be on the
bridegroom’s side. I tried standing equidistant<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>from both the ladies and the gents. That way
no one could accuse me of breaking any taboo by standing in the wrong group.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the scene became lively. A fight had
begun, so mildly that at first it seemed part of the ceremony. Rapidly it
became business-like. The dancing youth were now kicking and punching each other, screaming
expletives of high voltage. Elders rushed about with folded hands, begging for
peace. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Pagal
hain sub!”</i> (madness!) said the bridegroom in anguish, surveying the unorthodox way his
marriage was being celebrated. As I watched, a hefty young man lifted the
bridegroom off the saddle and carried him away. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, not to be thrashed, assured an
old gentleman standing beside me, and explained this was a traditional custom. He then
looked at me carefully. [<i>Mustn’t ask silly questions.</i>]<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Aao!
Khana khao!”</i> (dinner ready!) bellowed one of the elders over the din. Instantly
the fighting stopped. Everyone casually raced inside, where a buffet was
waiting. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I was swept in with the crowd, I
tried to catch a glimpse of Yashwant Singh or anyone else I knew, and got
increasingly confused. At the end of the hall stood a pair of thrones,
decorated with plastic flowers. The bridegroom was seated in one, in a pose
reminiscent of Rodin’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thinker. </i>The
bride’s throne was occupied by a ceremonially dressed boy! Must be another traditional custom I thought. [<i>Gay marriages were unthinkable in the 1980s, and are still illegal in India.</i>]<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hungry, I wedged my way through the
seething mass of humanity and grabbed a plate. As my belly got filled my mind
became clear: I was certainly attending the wrong wedding. Providential, I
thought, happily munching a chicken leg. Yashwant Singh’s family were strict
vegetarians. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: white;">*</span> </span></div>
<div style="mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly;">
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" hspace="0" vspace="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" style="padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 37.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; page-break-after: avoid; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 49.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-text-raise: -4.5pt;">W</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">hile having ice cream, I overheard a
conversation. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thekedaar </i>(contractor)
and a guest were discussing the menace of strangers who came in just to eat.
The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thekedaar</i> was describing how the other day
he knocked the wind out of one. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i>The badmaash </i>[rogue] <i>was suited, booted, wearing tie, vie</i> . . . !” he recalled with relish. I fingered my jacket lapel and tie nervously.
Clearly there was no safety in being well-dressed. I got this horrible feeling of being
watched. Indeed, a gentleman in an elegant blue suit and gold rimmed spectacles
was staring at me. I sat on a chair and contemplated my next move. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A loud crash from the crockery
section indicated that the fight had resumed. Swear words exploded once again.
Everyone except the bridegroom went to watch. Taking advantage of the confusion
I swiftly walked out. All was well, except that the spectacled man was right on
my heels. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He got into the same bus as I did.
Once the bus started moving I became brave. What the hell can he do now? I sat
down firmly beside the man in the elegant blue suit and gold rimmed spectacles and
asked him, “Whose marriage was it?” <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gent shrugged. He didn’t know either.
Nor did he seem to consider it necessary to know. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKXAlh5NwQUyUCm3QwtFOhai-Abbdx_J16ohZfjY9cw4eejJfXoGRMTKtM73ziNxeIqOEfSzkHlsJkfLW50QBygxH4vknE2MCMvw6yzZX9ky-CNWNZTX3Jzam6T2lKyOC5_0n_UnLzhI/s1600/baraat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKXAlh5NwQUyUCm3QwtFOhai-Abbdx_J16ohZfjY9cw4eejJfXoGRMTKtM73ziNxeIqOEfSzkHlsJkfLW50QBygxH4vknE2MCMvw6yzZX9ky-CNWNZTX3Jzam6T2lKyOC5_0n_UnLzhI/s1600/baraat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKXAlh5NwQUyUCm3QwtFOhai-Abbdx_J16ohZfjY9cw4eejJfXoGRMTKtM73ziNxeIqOEfSzkHlsJkfLW50QBygxH4vknE2MCMvw6yzZX9ky-CNWNZTX3Jzam6T2lKyOC5_0n_UnLzhI/s1600/baraat.jpg" height="108" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
Sajjeev Antonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305350932435278394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3035432088998368231.post-32136333759081884632014-04-25T06:06:00.002-07:002014-07-07T07:50:59.191-07:00Profoundly Mixed<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
text-indent:21.25pt;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div style="mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly;">
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" hspace="0" vspace="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" style="padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 37.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; page-break-after: avoid; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: 49.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-text-raise: -4.5pt;">“I</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xCnpPbTj8wFckNiraLlJeXfVrgAOysxGcTwwUYU-emhOf9AX0UgXERzAMVWibfV_lzGifAJI3fmi8eQARqpb7yGYEZwqlcVh9swEaHvH-P_T-2a6n7dUv1QBlF2y0QTAr93tzx8Vr3Q/s1600/doctor-throat.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xCnpPbTj8wFckNiraLlJeXfVrgAOysxGcTwwUYU-emhOf9AX0UgXERzAMVWibfV_lzGifAJI3fmi8eQARqpb7yGYEZwqlcVh9swEaHvH-P_T-2a6n7dUv1QBlF2y0QTAr93tzx8Vr3Q/s1600/doctor-throat.gif" height="174" width="200" /></a><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">T IS MIXED,” said Doctor
Gupta as he turned off his torch after probing my mouth <span id="goog_1083436195"></span><span id="goog_1083436196"></span>and reading the omens. He
was answering my question, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Doctor, is it
viral fever or malaria? Or worse?</i>” I was not used to feeling ill and this
sudden sickness made me feel completely helpless and disoriented. The doctor seemed
to have realized that too, for he returned to his desk and wrote a generous prescription.
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Gupta’s clinic was
strategically located in the depths of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a
medical shop. His board outside was uncluttered by medical degrees and read
simply, “Dr. Gupta’s Clinic.” He must have too many degrees to be accommodated
on a single board. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor’s equipment also bespoke
of the simplicity of his genius. It consisted of a torch, and a cold steel
spatula used to hold mouths open. His sphygmomanometer and stethoscope were
dusty from disuse. Nor did Dr. Gupta have a clinical laboratory. He didn’t need
one. One illuminated look into any patient’s mouth was enough to tell him
exactly how mixed the illness was.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You will be fine. Two hundred
rupees,” said the doctor, handing me the prescription. <br /> I suspected I was being set up but the only way out of the clinic was through
the medical shop. The chemist was ready and waiting for me, smiling like a
friendly spider putting at ease the latest arrival in the web. While shelling
out another five hundred for the medicines I consoled myself my illness was
mixed. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back in my flat I consumed the
first batch of capsules and took to bed. When I woke up I had an out-of-body experience. I floated in the air and said profound things. I understood my mission in life which I expounded to
my friends who had come to visit me. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They, however, bundled me off to a
hospital, an unbelievably expensive one located in the diplomatic enclave of New Delhi, targeting foreign diplomats. I was to learn later that it took many
ice packs and injections to reduce my out-of-body-experience. <br />
<span style="color: white;">*</span> </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAHB92eM_zcLVY_C8Nb14hVkuwnYRPUS_pYuukQP0gCPNjmqDLT4oE5tcizl6ZmIlXmxujphtTVOZiH1Jfxv8UrxvuvhGZj19J4lmNdlguYt5hpZ8vLzaQZOTo4FlmFnz1SKibQVQo6s/s1600/iv+fluid+friendship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAHB92eM_zcLVY_C8Nb14hVkuwnYRPUS_pYuukQP0gCPNjmqDLT4oE5tcizl6ZmIlXmxujphtTVOZiH1Jfxv8UrxvuvhGZj19J4lmNdlguYt5hpZ8vLzaQZOTo4FlmFnz1SKibQVQo6s/s1600/iv+fluid+friendship.jpg" height="176" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Miraculous Floating Diplomats <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> <br /><span style="color: red;">(Actual photograph. Lent by the Embassy of France, New Delhi)</span></span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>WHEN I CAME TO,</b> I was
in a multicultural heaven that resembled a hospital ward. It was crawling with diplomats with
assorted seasonal conditions, each presumably highly mixed. People of different
races, colors, textures and sexes floated around me, their IV bottles high above them. Angels in nurses uniforms glided through them. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bed next to mine was occupied
by a European diplomat, a drip bottle hanging from his bedside stand. After
some time I noticed a second bottle had been added. The tube from this new bottle
was plugged into a large pink-and-white female diplomat sitting cross legged on
the bed, her back open from shoulder to rump -- freckles peppered her like brown stars in a pink sky.
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided it was my mission to count
all those stars. The more I counted, it became clear that each freckle was not just a star but an entire galaxy. The Universe was revealing its secrets to me on the naked back of this lady!<br /> Abruptly the lady blanketed herself in dark matter, ending my connection with the universe. Both the diplomats had turned and were now staring at me. I wondered whether to request the lady to let me resume my mystical bond with her backside. But the man spoke first. As he sounded French I replied, “<i>Enchante</i>, I'm Sajjeev.”<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I</span>t turned out that he was not introducing himself but asking me
to move to the next ward so that his girlfriend could occupy my bed. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i>Au revoir</i>,” (get lost) I said coldly and
closed my eyes. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard the Frenchman and his
girl sigh and murmur about Indians and pull curtains closely around the bed.
Throughout the night their bottles clinked together. No IV drip can stand in
the way of two motivated French people. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupM2zA6GBN-3pgzzKVOu8vOdsR3zxdzEPBalcpEGkeCV2-F44T1aUUdZz4zPycpk9dy6XSOPKDlNU9iug5H7JC5rhUaZE3CGOyde5xF_626qcNCouE2vuW05Zy_-8fRucetsb8je4-m4/s1600/freckles+copy.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupM2zA6GBN-3pgzzKVOu8vOdsR3zxdzEPBalcpEGkeCV2-F44T1aUUdZz4zPycpk9dy6XSOPKDlNU9iug5H7JC5rhUaZE3CGOyde5xF_626qcNCouE2vuW05Zy_-8fRucetsb8je4-m4/s1600/freckles+copy.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>The
universe manifests itself</b></i></span></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="color: red;">*</span></i> <br />on the freckles of a female French diplomat.</b> <br />Each
freckle is an individual galaxy. Atheists and skeptics who have no
access to <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">frec<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">kled</span></span> diplomats should stare at this photograph
for one hour to observe the universe. Viewing in a state of high fever
is recommended.</span></span><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /><span style="color: red;">[Photograph lent by the Parapsychology Department, Diplomatic Hospital, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi]</span></span></span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I woke up next morning I no longer felt that profound unity with the universe, but that was all right. From the Frenchman's side the extra bottle had disappeared along with the attached girl. He looked
amiable, though bleary-eyed from a well spent night. I too felt good and smiled
at him. I wouldn’t have felt half as good, had I known then I would have to
scrape up my life savings to get out of that hospital. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="tG QF">
<span style="color: #666666;">----------------------------------</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: small;">*</span></span><i>"<span style="color: #666666;">To see a World in a grain of sand</span></i><span style="color: #666666;"><br /><i> And a Heaven in a wild flower;</i><br /><i> Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand</i><br /><i> And Eternity in an hour."</i><br /> (William Blake)</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Sajjeev Antonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305350932435278394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3035432088998368231.post-86030381958484663102014-04-14T09:53:00.000-07:002014-04-15T03:06:32.801-07:00A pigeon in the hole<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJtXdREy3MdGc1y1pX814c1gCELbAHweg-3_WXr4ymb1xk-VswJbpZuVE8yGpZB_8zkCAWtjz3ofpfv43sFjiz2O2IQg-kHkyht1RIra9rvSKdqLmvC8Yd6Lq873zxWeeXP289MwUsRM/s1600/sparrows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJtXdREy3MdGc1y1pX814c1gCELbAHweg-3_WXr4ymb1xk-VswJbpZuVE8yGpZB_8zkCAWtjz3ofpfv43sFjiz2O2IQg-kHkyht1RIra9rvSKdqLmvC8Yd6Lq873zxWeeXP289MwUsRM/s1600/sparrows.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="http://indianinstincts.blogspot.in/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">picture credit: http://indianinstincts.blogspot.in/</span></a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
text-indent:21.25pt;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<div style="mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly;">
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" hspace="0" vspace="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" style="padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 37.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-linespan: 3; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; page-break-after: avoid; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: 49.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-text-raise: -4.5pt;">“L</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">OOK!” COMES STELLA’S
EXCITED VOICE from the living room. “There’s a pigeon in here!” <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Um,” I say, engrossed in my work. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She’s not afraid of me. Do come and
look.”<br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reluctantly I leave my desk to
witness the great scene. The pigeon is sitting in the showcase, cooing to
itself. And Stella’s pretty face is all aglow.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My irritation vanishes as I recall
how much little things used to matter to me when I first came to Delhi from
Kerala, years ago. I was a sharing a friend’s flat near India Gate then. His
rear balcony was a traditional nesting place for pigeons. My favorite pigeon
was one who let me stroke her as she sat nursing her chicks behind a broken
chair. All was well until the day my friend went on a cleaning spree. He
scooped up the chicks into a dust pan and threw them out. I saw them flapping
their stumps of wings before spattering on the ground eight floors below. I
felt he had thrown <i>me </i>down. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then there were squirrels. In Lodi
Garden I used to sit with bated breath as they climbed on my hand and nibbled
peanuts from my hand. I was once even bitten by a rather nervous squirrel who
seemed not to know where the peanut ended and my hand began. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bugs here too behaved
differently. Unlike their high flying energetic cousins in Kerala, cockroaches
in Delhi just sat and stared when you went after them with a slipper. Among the
other novelties were monkeys in government offices, peacocks that wandered
about people’s backyards oblivious of their status as national birds, vultures
who punctually queued atop buildings every morning to catch their “air buses”
that carried them three thousand meters up in the sky – and exotic birds that
came flying all the way from Siberia for nesting in the city <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">zoo</i> of all places. <br /> For each new observation I formed a
theory. As I theorized more and more I observed less and less. Finally even
what little I noticed stopped affecting me. Some time ago I saw a pigeon trying
to build her nest in a traffic light. There was no space, and the twigs kept falling
down. In the evening she was still at it, picking up the fallen twigs and
putting them back again mechanically. I was unmoved except for a fleeting
thought that the pressure of city life might have caused the poor pigeon go
cuckoo.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">NOW HERE IS STELLA, fresh from
Kerala, ecstatic at the little marvels of a new place. Feeling odd I beckon her to the kitchen and carefully open the window which I was postponing
cleaning out of sheer laziness. A family of sparrows is nesting on the sill.
The mother bird flutters out, uttering sharp warning chirps. That brings her
dark headed mate to the scene. Both the birds perch nearby and stare, dumb with
anxiety. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two chicks inside seem freshly
hatched. As we sign a torch into the nest, the chicks eagerly gape their huge
pink beaks, begging for food. “Put some food into their mouths,” I suggest. Maternal
instinct prompts Stella to say firmly, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No</i>,
let’s leave feeding to the mother bird.”<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stella fills a little bowl with
crushed rice and lentils and places it on the sill. Next to it she another filled with water. (<i>Unlike in Kerala, here there is no danger of an invasion
by ants on the rice and lentils, and by extension, on the chicks.</i>) Then she
hurries downstairs with a fork to dig up some worms. I wonder if she will ever find
one in this sun baked earth. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: white;">*</span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure of one thing: I will not
clear that window until those fledglings grow and fly away.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Sajjeev Antonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305350932435278394noreply@blogger.com0