I've always loved train journeys. One of those rare ocassions when we get to see green trees for real and not in some TV ads for fertilizers. After one whole semester away at my univ, I went back home. And I wasn't alone. I was in the company of good friends. So it was truly an exciting trip.
Indian railways is typically portrayed as unhygenic and filthy. That is an image of yesteryears. Trains of today are fast, punctual and moreover relatively clean. If you didn't mind, you could spread a newspaper on the coupe floor and sleep. Fortunately though, we had reservations for the entire journey. We started at 11:25 pm sharp from Dhanbad by Shaktipunj Express and by 4:30 am we reached Howrah. After a brief 'brush', we went to Comesum(probably Bengali for 'come hv some'). This Comesum is part of a chain of restaurants in major railway stations that serve a wide variety of hygenic, delicious and cheap foodstuffs for the diverse Indian palates which pass through that terminal. By sheer coincidence we meet a senior that I knew from my Freshman year as an avid footballer who reached the ground ahead of all others and did warmup until we arrived. He was overjoyed at seeing us and treated us. Fine. Our connecting train was Falaknuma Express (dep - 6:00 am). With an hour on our hands we decided to cross the HOWRAH BRIDGE which was a 5 minute walk from the station.
As we exited the terminal, we were greeted by a morning with clear skies, chirpy birds and taxis, the evergreen waters of the Brahmaputra/Ganga/Damodar, the river of sorrow for once, reminding us of things that were farthest from its name. We stood on the bridge with the 'mishti' morning all around us and the Damodar flowing from under us and vibrated to pulsating rythm that suspension bridges are wont to generate. To the right as we gazed, the tint of rosy pink slowly faded into the glowing glazed ball of orange. The sun rose over the sillouette of the city, over the distant towers and apartment buildings, over the slums and the ghettos. All this we saw from the HOWRAH BRIDGE. A white topi interrupted this reverie. He was a bored policeman glad at the prospect of going home after his night shift. But before that, he wanted to know why we were standing idly as if waiting to plant a bomb. After a crisp explanation about our status as temporary tourists in this city, we waved a pleasant goodbye to him. Finally after more deep intakes of the still shivery cold air, we returned to the terminal with a morning raga in our minds. Ironically, all I have really retained of this 33 hr train journey are those 40 minutes on the HOWRAH BRIDGE which give a new meaning to the term 'suspended animation'.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
A twitch in time saves nine
My left eye has been twitching suddenly at odd times since the last 4 days. A friend of mine had the same problem but it went away. I was curious and did some googling. Here's what I found out:
A twitching muscle in the eyelid is extremely common. Its medical name is myokymia. In the vast majority of cases it is a completely benign condition that is self- limiting and disappears within a few weeks at most. The list of common possible causes includes: fatigue, lack of sleep and others.
I was satisfied but couldn't stop reading......
Benign Blepharospasm or eyelid spasm usually begins gradually due to emotional stresses, affects both eyes, and disappears during sleep. Treatment is through botulinum toxin (Botox) injections. Emotional stresses?...if you don't count formatting my Hard Disk as one...then..none whatsoever. And BOTOX? Isn't it for really old and stinking rich people who think they can play with Einstein's equations and reverse time?
You can get an eye-twitch from too much coffee. Try cutting down and see.
Coffee and me....naaaa....
It may also be due to a neurological disorder called FMS&MPS Complex. Eye twitching is a common symptom of people suffering from FMS&MPS. See a doctor.
No chance. I haven't seen a single complex since my IInd semester maths course. And I see plenty of doctors everyday (ones with PhDs) and believe me...they can hurt more than a silly eye twitch...
An excess of toxic heavy metals in the body such as mercury, aluminum, lead, cadmium and copper can lead to neurological irritation, and twitching.
It is quite possible.... I have been listening to Slipknot, Rammstein and Metallica a lot this week. That's a large dose of metal.
Twitching occurs as a result of an overwrought nervous system unloading impulses. It is most common during rest from stress and strain.Some people claim that cannabis is effective for relieving muscle spasms in general.
Now that's why I like "Some" people.
Things such as bright light or light wind can bring on the twitches.
So?....should I stay in my room all day with the lights switched off or what?
Magnesium works well for this too, but be careful not to take too much if you take supplements. You can get lethargic, slow pulse from taking too much.
Oh My God!!!...I must have fallen into a drum of Magnesium in my childhood.
A twitching muscle in the eyelid is extremely common. Its medical name is myokymia. In the vast majority of cases it is a completely benign condition that is self- limiting and disappears within a few weeks at most. The list of common possible causes includes: fatigue, lack of sleep and others.
I was satisfied but couldn't stop reading......
Benign Blepharospasm or eyelid spasm usually begins gradually due to emotional stresses, affects both eyes, and disappears during sleep. Treatment is through botulinum toxin (Botox) injections. Emotional stresses?...if you don't count formatting my Hard Disk as one...then..none whatsoever. And BOTOX? Isn't it for really old and stinking rich people who think they can play with Einstein's equations and reverse time?
You can get an eye-twitch from too much coffee. Try cutting down and see.
Coffee and me....naaaa....
It may also be due to a neurological disorder called FMS&MPS Complex. Eye twitching is a common symptom of people suffering from FMS&MPS. See a doctor.
No chance. I haven't seen a single complex since my IInd semester maths course. And I see plenty of doctors everyday (ones with PhDs) and believe me...they can hurt more than a silly eye twitch...
An excess of toxic heavy metals in the body such as mercury, aluminum, lead, cadmium and copper can lead to neurological irritation, and twitching.
It is quite possible.... I have been listening to Slipknot, Rammstein and Metallica a lot this week. That's a large dose of metal.
Twitching occurs as a result of an overwrought nervous system unloading impulses. It is most common during rest from stress and strain.Some people claim that cannabis is effective for relieving muscle spasms in general.
Now that's why I like "Some" people.
Things such as bright light or light wind can bring on the twitches.
So?....should I stay in my room all day with the lights switched off or what?
Magnesium works well for this too, but be careful not to take too much if you take supplements. You can get lethargic, slow pulse from taking too much.
Oh My God!!!...I must have fallen into a drum of Magnesium in my childhood.
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Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Sinking "Life"boat
Life is showing me unspeakable horrors,
Yet, anger, I do not know your colour.
Each day, the numbers on my wall tick,
With mind numbing slowness, it makes me sick.
My friend tells me, The Bridge won't break,
Yet, at nights, I lie awake.
Ominous thoughts, holding my head in their sway,
Every second, every hour, every day.
With such a crucial time ahead, I wonder,
Will I stay afloat or am I going under?
Now I tag the other regular blogger that I know: Revathi
So my utterly 'Vetti' friend....you have to write a poem now....
Yet, anger, I do not know your colour.
Each day, the numbers on my wall tick,
With mind numbing slowness, it makes me sick.
My friend tells me, The Bridge won't break,
Yet, at nights, I lie awake.
Ominous thoughts, holding my head in their sway,
Every second, every hour, every day.
With such a crucial time ahead, I wonder,
Will I stay afloat or am I going under?
Now I tag the other regular blogger that I know: Revathi
So my utterly 'Vetti' friend....you have to write a poem now....
100 Words
I took an hour to come up with this 100 word story. Since I put in this much effort, I gain the right to tag someone and that someone is going to be Visionary. Read on....
The INDIGO swerved onto the wrong side. A split second later, rubber tires squealed. CRASH. The 2 cars turned into scrap metal. I ran towards them. An unconscious woman was inside the FORD. A young girl was screaming inside the INDIGO. With great effort I pulled her limp body out. Others came running and helped me take them to the hospital.
The doctor said "The girl survived but the woman's dead."
When I went in, she screamed "Why didn't you save her?" No gratitude. No relief. I was dumbstruck.
"She was my mother." She said, tears streaming down her face.
The INDIGO swerved onto the wrong side. A split second later, rubber tires squealed. CRASH. The 2 cars turned into scrap metal. I ran towards them. An unconscious woman was inside the FORD. A young girl was screaming inside the INDIGO. With great effort I pulled her limp body out. Others came running and helped me take them to the hospital.
The doctor said "The girl survived but the woman's dead."
When I went in, she screamed "Why didn't you save her?" No gratitude. No relief. I was dumbstruck.
"She was my mother." She said, tears streaming down her face.
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