SALT

THE POWER OF COMMON SALT I had a swelling in the leg. My daughter advised taking Xray. As I had no difficulty in walking , I ruled out the possibility of fracture . Instead , I suggested covering the area with common salt and making a bandage of it . I did not stop my morning walk. In two days the selling disappeared . The dry salt absorbs water from the skin and the muscles . That is all!

BOOK REVIEW

BRIDGE ON THE DRINA – A YUGOSLAV NOVEL There are rare books in Dyal Singh Library at ITO in Delhi. The bridge on the Drina is a very powerful novel written by a Yugoslav doctor. I was casually browsing through the books in the shelves. I would go through the opening paragraphs and if I liked it, I would take it. The book opens with a vivid description of the turbulent river and the boatman, before the construction of the bridge. It ends with the blasting of the river by Turks, after withdrawal from Kosovo. I got a clear picture of the Kosovo problem after reading the book. The two powers, the Turks and the Russians, were at war frequently, with periods of rest, for the control of eastern Europe in the fifteenth century. At that time Turky was in control of the whole of Europe, except Russian Europe. After one such war, Kosovo, a Slav majority area, comes under the control of Turkey, when peace treaty is signed. The theme of the novel is the Slav resistance movement against the Turks. On one side of the river are the Muslims who favour Turkey and on the opposite side are the Slavs, fighting a guerilla war against Turkey. Three friends, ” terrorists”, make a secret plan to sabotage the construction of the bridge. The Turks want the bridge for movement of troops against Russia, their leader warns. Shall we stand still, watching it come up? Meanwhile, work is going on under the supervision of the Turkish commander, who conscripts the entire villagers for voluntary work and, after the piers are constructed, girders are being made. Every day they find some tools go missing. After diligent watch, the three men are caught, but two manage to jump into the river, to face certain death. The third man is put on the stake. Experts are hired for this work. A STAKE IS INSETED THROUGH THE RECTUM AND THRUST INTO THE BODY WITHOUT DAMAGING ANY INTERNAL ORGANS LIKE THE HEART, LUNGS, STOMACH ETC., TILL IT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH, and is put up in a busy place ,until the man dies after several days….People watch helplessly, as any act of sympathy will invite punishment. After his death, a close friend removes the body secretly in the night and performs funeral ceremony according to Christian rites. When the work is over, it becomes public place, with gardens, tea shops etc. Lovers enjoy the sight from the bridge! Special arrangements have been made on the bridge for people to spend their evenings and it becomes a busy centre. Movement across the bridge is closely watched by military officers. One officer is duped into falling in love with a not so young woman guerilla activist, in veil, who escorts ‘her ill grandmother’ ( a guerilla leader), also in veil, several times across the river.When exposed, the officer commits suicide! This chapter alone can be published as a short story! There is no hero or heroine. Each chapter is independent. Several important characters come and go. After a long time, following a fresh treaty between Russia and Turkey, the latter withdraws from Slav areas and blows up the bridge after withdrawal, for which suitable holes had been secretly built into the piers. The novel ends here. There are several gripping stories in between and the book is never boring. The reader will find it difficult to believe that it is written by a doctor! The remnants of the bridge can still be seen. I wish somebody translates it into Malayalam.

CIRCUMCISION

CIRCUMCISION From the earliest of times , men used to remove the cap of the penis, known as prepuce , by cutting it off. It was the habit of Arabs . They used to cut it off,with the sharp edge of a stone. Early Christians also continued this practice. Abraham was circumcised at the age of 86 , according to bible. I wonder when they stopped it. In the East ,we never did it . The movement of the prepuce up and down the penis , during inter course , excites it. I think the duration of the course will increase , without the prepuce. It is said that circumcision ensures protection from infection. I prefer it.

RIOTS

COMMUNAL RIOTS IN MUZAFFARNAGER Communal riots occurred in September 2013 in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, resulting in the death of 63 persons . A number of Muslim families are still living in camps provided by the Government. An enqury was ordered and the Commission has submitted its report in a sealed cover . There is no point in keeping it secret. Those responsible must be punished . Such riots are engineered by interested parties; the public have the right to know who they are.

SECRECY

OFFICIAL SECRECIES ACT This obnoxious act was in force , during British raj , because they wanted to keep their doings confidential from Indians. Now, things have changed . Ministers elected by the people are ruling and there is no harm if the people come to know about it. Government working should be transparent. If people had known the contents of the documents now ‘declassified’ , concerning Nethajy Subhas Chandra Bose , history would have been different . It is a mystery , why he did not bravely surrender , along with Captain Lakshmi and other INA men . This obnoxious act was in force , during British raj , because they wanted to keep their doings confidential from Indians. Now, things have changed . Ministers elected by the people are ruling and there is no harm if the people come to know about it. Government working should be transparent. If people had known the contents of the documents now ‘declassified’ , concerning Nethajy Subhas Chandra Bose , history would have been different . It is a mystery , why he did not bravely surrender , along with Captain Lakshmi and other INA men .

TIME

HOW TO SPEND TIME? I do not know how to utilize spare time, especially after coming to Delhi. At home , I go about selling books . Morning walk is for health ; as I have become very slow, it takes only one hour . At the end of it , I buy one tender coconut for my wife and come home. Watching TV is boring . The same films are shown again and again. Evn news from Keralam is the same . Panchayath elections and dog attacks are repeated every day. Yesterday , the English channel was interesting , as the discussion was about the new constitution of Nepal. Though our neighbor , we know very little about that Himalahan Kingdom; sorry , it is no more a kingdom ,it I a republic! Till now we used to believe that it is the only Hindu state in the world. Now it is secular. I was surprised to learn that there are about hundred languages and an equal number of castes in that tiny State!

ISLAND

ISLAND I like to live in an island. Like the sea shore , the island too is attractive . All our relatives can settle there . Then we can have our own school , hospital etc. It can be a tourist resort , if we construct a hotel and buy boat. There is a small plot of land in the midst of rice fields at Chathakudam . Whenever I pass that way , I wish I could buy it!