Monday, the silence day

Monday, the Silence Day

Every Shravan, on Monday, millions of Hindu pray Lord Shiva, the lord of salvation. Many follow silence on this day. Some people practice silence on one day in a week. Mahatma Gandhi was one of them, practicing silence on Monday. His Monday silence was used by British in deciding two important matters on following two occasions. 

1) On the day of execution of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Shukhdev (23 March 1931)

2) On Partition decision of India (2 June 1947)

People still circulate messages in social media blaming Gandhi to not to commute the execution Bhagat Singh, charging him for disregarding the feelings of the entire nation. Some say that he was jealous of his popularity. But was he silent on the subject? 

Gandhi's efforts in the case of Bhagat Singh have been appreciated by his close associates like Sitaramayya, Mira Behn (Madeline Slade), Asaf Ali, and Aruna Asaf Ali.

On 4 May 1930, a day before he was arrested, Gandhi had written to the Viceroy strongly criticizing him for the creation of the special Tribunal to try the revolutionaries in the Lahore Conspiracy Case. He raised the issue twice with the Viceroy on 18 February 1931 and 19 March 1931 during their Gandhi-Irwin pact discussions. He had a long conversation with Herbert Emerson, the Home Secretary on the issue on 20 March.

He met the Viceroy Lord Irvin on 21 March 1931 (Saturday), 2 days before the execution and discussed the matter of the execution of Bhagat Singh and two others where the Viceroy conveyed little hope for the commutation of the sentence but he would consider the submission of Gandhi. 

It might have been a war of principles of violence and non violence in the mind of Gandhi but, he tried once more writing a letter to the Viceroy on 23 March 1931 (Monday) as interest of peace demands final appeal for the commutation of death sentence citing public opinion, internal peace, offer of revolutionaries to shed violence, his own position, the possibility of a judicial error, etc, and wrote "If my presence is necessary, I can come. Though I may not speak, may hear and write what I want to say. Charity never faileth.” Mahatma's efforts failed to bear fruit. They were hanged the same evening at 7 p.m.As the news reached Gandhi, he was visibly moved and deeply shocked.

The Lahore trial case was pulled out from the Special Judge Court of Lahore (where a Hindu was the judge) and tried in a Special Court at Delhi with only an appeal to Privy Council. It was decided on fast track and the petition for special leave to appeal in the Privy Council was dismissed on 11 February 1931. The only option of commutation was the intervention by the Viceroy. 

Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were sentenced to death in the Lahore conspiracy case and ordered to be hanged on 24 March 1931. The schedule was moved forward by 11 hours and the three were hanged on 23 March 1931 at 7:30 PM (Monday) in the Lahore jail. They used Monday and executed the patriots before the start of INC Session at Karachi. Gandhi had to face demonstrators and slogan shouting in Karachi Session. Instead of naming the British villain, people blame Gandhi!

Reports suggest that, although Lord Irwin might had accepted the request of Gandhi to suspend or commute the execution but the real power in India the European ICS Cadre and the Punjab Governor were against such decision and threatened the Viceroy that they will resign en mass if commuted the death sentence. Murder of Saunders and subsequent revolutionary actions had posed a direct challenge to the European civil servants serving in India. Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, on 20 March 1931, closed the door on all efforts to save them by writing their 'mercy petition' to the Punjab Governor: "... according to the verdict of your court we had waged war and we are therefore war prisoners. And we claim to be treated as such, i.e., we claim to be shot dead instead of being hanged." In this circumstance, Judicial mercy from the Viceroy stood little chance and only option was to exert political pressure. And that failed too in the broader goal of non-violence and historical Gandhi-Irwin pact.

British were cunning, used another MONDAY, 2 June 1947, to take indirect consent of Gandhi for the partition of India. During his meeting with the Viceroy on 2/6/47, Gandhi wrote on a peace of paper: "I am sorry I can't speak. When I took the decision about the Monday silence I did reserve two exceptions, i.e. about speaking to high functionaries on urgent matters or attending upon sick people. But I know you don't want me to break my silence. Have I said one word against you during my speeches? If you admit that I have not, your warning is superfluous. There are one or two things I must talk about, but not today. If we meet each other again I shall speak...". Agony of a man at the partition junction, who had worked, lived and prayed for the unity of India, he neither considered the Viceroy as high functionary nor considered the partition of the country as an urgent matter. The Viceroy came to advice Gandhi to restrain his speeches at the payer meetings, not to take his consent for partition, because he had already an approved draft in hand on 30 May 1947.

Lord Mountbatten met Gandhi on 2 June 1947 Monday) after the forenoon resolution of 7 representatives (3 from Congress: Nehru, Sardar, Kripalani; 3 from Muslim League: Jinnah, Liakat Ali, Abdur Rab Nishtar; and 1 from Shikh: Baldev Singh) of India with the Viceroy. It was functioning problems working with Muslim League in the interim government and outbreak of riots in many parts of the country compelled the leaders to agree for the partition. Gandhiji was kept away (or he had opted to remain away) from the negotiations of freedom agreements by the British and may be by the INC with an argument that he was not a four anna member of the INC. 

The partition was formally accepted on 3rd June 1947 by Nehru, Sardar and Kripalani from INC; Jinnah, Liakatali Khan and Abdur Rab Nishtar from Muslim League; Sardar Baldev Singh as minority representative; in a meeting with the Viceroy Lord Mountbatten. It was made public in the evening. Lord Mountbatten, Jawaherlal Nehru, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Baldev Singh, spoke in this order on All-India Radio. To march together to the heaven of freedom for all (40 crore) in India, the broadcast in Nehru's  words: "nine months have passed, months of trial and difficulty, of anxiety and sometimes even of heartbreak. (...)These months have been full of tragedy for millions (...) My mind is heavy with the thought of the sufferings of our people in the areas of disturbance, the thousands who are dead and those, especially our womenfolk, who have suffered agony worse than death. (...) It is with no joy in my heart that I commend these proposals to you, though I have no doubt in my mind that this is the right course".

British used two MONDAYs of Gandhi's silence to dilute his voice on two important decisions. 

And see the tragedy of the history, Gandhi was killed by a mad man with an argument that he was pro-muslim and blaming him responsible for the partition. And many mads in this country accept his arguments at present without understanding the events following direct action day of 16 August 1946. They don't understand the pain of a non-violent father, when freedom was in hand, his two sons were parting away with violence. 

It is an unfortunate condition of the present minds    that they believe in words of a British or others but not believe the words of their freedom fighters. If Bhagat Singh had said it, people would have believed it. But now the people who don't know history and geography of the nation are talking against the great personalities by using the name of the greatest Martyr. 

Do you feel that the throwing dust over the Sun will reduce the light of our freedom fighters? They spent their valuable years of life in jail for our freedom. He was Gandhi and his team of Satyagrahi, who put forward the great army of "Common Men" in front of the "Powerful British Empire" and won the freedom through non violence. His "Khadi" won against "Khakhi" (police raj)

Punamchand 

26 August 2017

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Four Firkas of Jains and Paryushana

Four Firkas of Jains and Paryushana

Jainism Dharma is divided into four Firkas (sects): Digambar, Swetambar, and within Swetambar: Sthanakvasi (no idol worship) and Deravasi (worship idols). The Sthanakvasi are further divided into two: sthanakvasi and tera panthi. Digambars are also idol worshippers, the eyes of the idols are closed. The eyes of the idols are open in Sthanakvasi Derasars. The male saints are called Sadhu in all the sects but the female saints are called Mataji in Digambars and Mahasatiji in Swetambars. Digambar sadhu live nude but Mataji wear cloths. 

Digambars are 10 lakshana (virtues) and Swetambar are 8 lakshana (virtues). Therefore, their Paryushan Parva is for 10 days and 8 days respectively. Paryshana of Deravasi starts on 12th day of Savan Krishna pakeha and ends on 4th day of Bhadrapad Shukla. It starts on 13th day of Savan Krishna and ends on Bhadrapad Shukla Panchami for the Sthanakvasi. For Digambars, it starts on Bhadrapad Shukla Panchami and ends on Bhadrapad Purnima after 10 days.

Paryushana means abiding and coming together, ends with Kshamavani (forgiveness), greeting with michchami dukkadam to each other. They do fast, perform prayer and follow Five vows (mahavratas): Ahimsa (non violence), Satya (truth), Asteya (non stealing), Brahamcharya (chastity), Aparigraha (non possession). There are further seven minor vows the households to follow. The Parva is for self purification and spiritual upliftment.

8 days Paryshana parva is linked with 8 Karmas: 4 ghati karmas and 4 aghati karmas. The four Ghati karmas are: Jnanavarniya (Knowledge obscuring), Darshanavarniya (Perception obscuring), Antaräy (Obstructing), Mohniya (Deluding, attachment-hatred). The four Aghati karmas are: Name (body determining), Gotra (status determining), Ayushya (age determining) Vedniya (feeling producing).

The ten virtues of Digambars are: Kshama (Forgiveness), Mardava (Tenderness or Humility), Aarjava (Straight-forwardness or Honesty), Shsucha (Contentment or Purity), Satya (Truthfulness), Sanyam (Self-restraint), Tapa (Penance or Austerities), Tyaga (Renunciation), Akinchanya (Non-attachment), Brahmacharya (Chastity or celibacy).

There are sub detailing of each karmas. And all the karmas fall in these eight categories. One may attain Kaivalya by removing four layers of four ghati karmas over the Atma. And can get Moksha (salvation) after further removing the four aghati karmas. 

The base of the Jain Dharma is of self introspection and to remove the layers of dirts, ignorance and karmas over the Atma. It doesn't allow to harm others or to obstruct others joy. It is the acceptance of present life without complaints. It is a path for the followers, how not to build new nodes of karma and to attain Kaivalya before death of the body and Moksha after the death. However, many rituals edge over the knowledge, deviating them from the main goal of salvation.

Happy Paryushana and Michchhami Dukkadam to all. 

Punamchand

25 August 2017

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Don't underestimate the power of bullet

Don't underestimate the power of bullet

Two bullets fired by Gavrilo Princip, a 19 years old youth, member of 'Young Bosnia' on 28 June 1914, took the life of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir presumptive to the Austro- Hungarian throne and his wife Sophie, led directly the WW-I on 28 July 1914.

They were six killers, settled at different locations en-route of the visit of the Franz Ferdinand and his wife to Sarajevo to open the state museum. The first two assassins failed to act but the third threw a bomb on the motorcade at 10.10 AM, but it was bounced back and exploded the next car, wounding 16-20 people. Franz Ferdinand and his wife were saved, they reached to the Town Hall and attended the function under stress. The Governor failed in managing their further protection from attack. They changed their planned programme and decided to visit the hospital where the wounded persons from the bombing were admitted. The Governor changed the route but failed to communicate to the motorcade driver as his assistant was in the hospital. After the failure of the first attempt of assassination, Princip was waiting to act on the return journey of the Archduke. Little confused he crossed the road and returned. The driver of the motorcade followed the original route and when he turned off the Apple Quay, the Governor from the second vehicle called out and told him to reverse and take a Quay to the hospital. The driver stopped the car to revert, but in front of them Princip was standing. Before the driver backing up, Princip opened two fire, wounded mortally the Archduke and his wife. The couple died while being driven to the Governor's residence for treatment. Anti Serb riots broke out, Europe went into shock, Serbia didn't accept all the demands of the ultimatum given by the empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war against Serbia, Germany joined Central forces. France and Russia joined the Alliance. There after, the war was joined by other countries to settle their border issues, ended up with deaths 20 million people and with plantation of seeds of WW-II in the treaty of Versailles. One bullet of Princip took away 20 million lives, beautiful world was destroyed and the history and geography of many countries were changed in 20th century.

Don't underestimate the power of bullet. It has killed Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and changed our history too.

Punamchand
21 August 2017

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Hitler, rise and fall of a common man

Hitler, rise and fall of a common man

Hitler was not a common surname in Germany.
His real surname was Hutler (those live in hut) or Hiedler or Schickelgruber. It was surname of his father Alois Hutler, a cobbler turned government employee and became farmer after his retirement. It is said that Alois received this surname from his step father whom his mother married after his birth. Alois's real father was known to her mother Anna Maria only, whether a Jew where she was working as maid or someone else, whether they were from Ohio origin or some other place, historians may debate, but his son Adolf has created a history in Europe. People may question purity of his origin but he was the strongest propagater of purity of blood and supremacy of Aryan, born to culture and rule the world.

He didn't want to become a government servant as desired by his father, opposed him, didn't take formal education and joined the drawing school in Vienna but failed and moved to the field of architect. His father died when he was 13 years old and his mother died when he was 15 years old. He was inspired by his history teacher and became a strong believer of superiority of German race and nationalism. He was working as draftsman to earn livelihood and read books for entertainment and educational knowledge. His major love was for books on history, politics and social problems. He had analytical mind that can accept the right things (as per his beliefs) of his use from the book and discard the waste. He hated Hamsburg Rule and was against the slavery of German people living in Austria and desired for their freedom and unity of German motherland.

During his stay in Vienna (1901-12), he read a lot and studied a lot about acts and behaviour of the people, union, press, Parliament a aand concluded his thought process with the greatest enemies of Germans: the Jews, the upper castes, their character and the Press under their command. He realised the negative side of the Jews Marxism and developed strong hatredness against them. He was finding a space for Aryan (special) supremacy over the Jews (democrats). He believed that the persons of foreign origin if get citizenship, shouldn't be a liability or burden over the nation. He referred Africans as slaves and Asians as Kafirs.

He didn't like the parliamentary system based on numbers not based on quality of individuals; the system of individuals experts in winning votes but not the visionaries. He was against racial mixture and propagate to preserve the purity of German Nordic blood as the most valuable of treasure. He wrote, "The Weltanschauung which bases the State on the racial idea must finally succeed in bringing about a nobler era, in which men will no longer pay exclusive attention to breeding and rearing pedigree dogs and horses and cats, but will endeavour to improve the breed of the human race itself".

He was carrying strong ideas on educational and political system. He believed in one man (able) rule over the nation with all the responsibility and support of advise of the intellectuals and specialists. He gave more importance to physical training and suggested to have two hours PT everyday in schools and thereafter till the youth reaches to the middle age. He believed that valuable hours of life shouldn't be wasted in educational institutes for learning the things those are of no used for life. History should be taught not to remember the dates and events but teaching to make the principal lines of historical development understood. For history must not be studied merely with a view to knowing what happened in the past but as a guide for the future, and to teach us what policy would be the best to follow for the preservation of our own people. Science may also be made a means of promoting a spirit of pride in the nation. Advanced teaching in various subjects may be available to those who want to specialise in them. But for average individual, education fundamental of various subjects with the study of the subject in which he intends to work during the rest of his life are important. He suggested clear cut division between general culture and special branches. He believed in patriotic education of the youths. He stressed more on character building.

He believed that talent and natural gift should be the decisive factor in qualifying for the right to a higher education. He gave an example of America where the gifted persons of lowest social classes have contributed more in discoveries with the help of higher education. The state may give definite education in primary to the average lot but also open the door of higher schools to grow the talent of the competent brains. This suggest that his concept of Aryan Superiority was not limiting to a selected social classes of Germans but all the social classes (upper of lower) of German (Aryan) Blood. Socially, he belonged to a cobble caste. He proposed that boys and girls after leaving school, will not be a semi pacifist, a democrat or something else if that kind, but a whole hearted German. The man who loves his nation can be ready to make sacrifices for the nation.

He objected the stupid habit of looking down on physical labour and favouring for the son of highly placed civil servant in the civil services. The individual will have to be valued, not by the class of work he does but the way in which he does it and by its usefulness to the community.

He believed that clothes make the man therefore was conscious about his clothing and saved from food but didn't compromise on clothing. He believed that young girl must become acquainted with her sweetheart and condemned the stupid manner of dressing of the girls to be led astray by Jewish mongrels, with their repulsive crooked waddle.

He created a large empire of his own but by a small mistake of attacking Russia in winter, lost it like leaf pile, which he had rule for at least a decade more. His acts of genocide of the innocents made the surname Hitler, the most hated Surname in the world that nobody take it and those had had, changed it after his death. Shiver passes through the body of many with the word Hitler and nobody wants to talk or discuss about him in many parts of the Europe even today after 71 years of his death. People may criticise him with harshest words but nobody had raised any doubt on his spirit of nationalism. It was a miracle of the history that a small man of very poor family who lost his parents in teen age and was managing his needs from the savings of food rose to the height of the highest power of the nation whom he loved from his childhood.

He was born on 20 April 1889 in a Christian family of a small village Linz located in Austria on the border of two empires, the German and the Austrian. The country was dominated by the Jews, and when he was denied employment or conscription in Austrian Army by the Jews (he might had left Vienna to avoid conscription in Austrian army), he took final part of his father's estate and moved to Munich Germany in 1913 with a bitterness in mind at 24 years age. Some part of Germany was under the rule of the King of Austria.

He joined Bavarian German Army, failed in the physical test of the induction training in Salzburg (Austria) but still served as infantryman in the Bavarian Army as Private. He was in the reserve company. After 40,000 (3/4) men were killed in the battle of Ypres, his regiment (List) entered into war with 3600 men, left with mustered 611 and his company 250 was reduced to 42. He was promoted from Private to Lance Corporal and was given the job of regiment message runner. He used his four years period in military education. During the war, he was injured and was confined to bed, Germany lost and signed treaty of Versailles. His mind on bed thought that he can liberate Germany and would make it great. The seed of WW-II planted in his mind.

As part of post war demilitarisation he returned to Munich and came in contact with the founder of DAP (German's Workers Party) Mr. Drexler and on invitation from him, he joined the party in September 1919, when he was 30 years old. Within 6 years exposure to the WW-I, he was a changed man. He made Munich as HQ of his activities and started finding public space for his 'German Nationalism' from within the Marxist and Jews dominance. He was the 7th member of his party that had 7 shillings fund balance. The party was unable to attract 3 digit audience, but his continuous efforts of 4 years, from 1920-24, he was able to raise it to 2000 and place his voice and principles before them. His autobiography written in 1930, describes his journey from zero to hero.

His oratory skill was his advantage made him hero and Fuhrer of Nazy Germany (1933-1945). The propaganda used by the Nazi Party was a crucial instrument of acquiring and maintaining power of the Nazis over Germany. Former journalist Goebbels was the head of the Nazi party propaganda. The word Goebbels became synonym of negative connotation of falsehood of the propaganda. They followed what Hitler wrote in Mein Kempf,

"Propaganda must always address itself to the broad masses of the people. (...) All propaganda must be presented in a popular form and must fix its intellectual level so as not to be above the heads of the least intellectual of those to whom it is directed. (...) The art of propaganda consists precisely in being able to awaken the imagination of the public through an appeal to their feelings, in finding the appropriate psychological form that will arrest the attention and appeal to the hearts of the national masses. The broad masses of the people are not made up of diplomats or professors of public jurisprudence nor simply of persons who are able to form reasoned judgment in given cases, but a vacillating crowd of human children who are constantly wavering between one idea and another. (...) The great majority of a nation is so feminine in its character and outlook that its thought and conduct are ruled by sentiment rather than by sober reasoning. This sentiment, however, is not complex, but simple and consistent. It is not highly differentiated, but has only the negative and positive notions of love and hatred, right and wrong, truth and falsehood. (...) Propaganda must not investigate the truth objectively and, in so far as it is favourable to the other side, present it according to the theoretical rules of justice; yet it must present only that aspect of the truth which is favourable to its own side. (...) The receptive powers of the masses are very restricted, and their understanding is feeble. On the other hand, they quickly forget. Such being the case, all effective propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials and those must be expressed as far as possible in stereotyped formulas. These slogans should be persistently repeated until the very last individual has come to grasp the idea that has been put forward. (...) Every change that is made in the subject of a propagandist message must always emphasize the same conclusion. The leading slogan must of course be illustrated in many ways and from several angles, but in the end one must always return to the assertion of the same formula."

As a ruler, he govern his country on Bach System. The pillars of the so-called Bach system (Bachsches System) were, in the words of Adolf Fischhof, four "armies": a standing army of soldiers, a sitting army of office holders, a kneeling army of priests and a fawning army of sneaks.

During the World War II (1939-45), prisoners of war were the liability over the winner. They had three options: either to feed them in jail or to execute them or to free them. They put them on work but were giving only 20 gm food per head per day. The prisoners and Jews couldn't work for long with this little nutrition of 20 gm/day and had to stand in the queue of execution. How did they execute? They took the soft option of Gas Chamber, holocaust and executed millions: the prisoners of war, the Jews, the old, the young, the children, the women, all without any discrimination. The genocide was so big and cruel that when a Gujarati native of Vienna visited one of the Gas chambers located in Austria in 1988, he felt the pungent smell of human corpses after four decades of the genocide. It was a dark chapter of human history. Many were executed and many ran away to farther distances. Austria left with only 10% of Jews population.

It was a bad but widespread war across 30 Countries to prove superiority, claimed loss of 50-80 million human lives including the Holocaust of 6 million Jews and 1 million Japanese in strategic bombing. The war has given us two contrast personalities: Hitler the destroyer and Eisenstein the great physicist. Hitler committed suicide and Eisenstein opened the new doors scientific inventions and discoveries. The distraction of humans and resources was so big that the British couldn't hold command over it's empire. Many countries gained independence. India's Independence was one of the positive outcomes of the WW-II. The WW-II ended on 15 August 1945 with the surrender of Japan and opened the door of India's independence on 15 August 1947.

We pray the Almighty to save the mankind from the cruelty of human minds. Let the terrorists rest in peace. Let the wars of superiority and inferiority stops. Let all people live in liberty, equality and justice. Let our earth be the "Nandan Van" and the world be ONE family of "Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam".

Happy Independence Day. Happy Janmashtami.

Punamchand
15 August 2017

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Swaine Flu, Care and Caution

Influenza is unpredictable. It is zoonotic infection sharing gene from pigs, birds, humans etc. The virus is known to  drifts antigenically yearly and shifts every 10-40 years with pandemic potentiality. It was initially seen in humans in Mexico in 2009 and thereafter, spread in many countries of the world. Pandemic was declared over on 10 August 2010. 7 years completed after the declaration and and now it is circulating as seasonal flu.

Influenza A (H1N1), (H3N2) and influenza B are common strain in  circulation in India. Antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza are effective in curing the disease. There is no resistance observed so far.

You know 'yes' and 'no', but do you know HA and NA? The HA (hemagglutinin) and NA (neuraminidase) are the proteins that determines the subtype of influenza virus. They are important in the immune response against the virus. Protein made to combat infections are called antibodies that give protection against the infection. NA protein is the target of the antiviral drugs.

Common cold and flu are the common diseases of the season. How do you judge the Swaine flu?First and foremost symptom is "Fever" is always present, so at present era person who is suffering from fever with symptoms of common cold and throat pains, running of nostrils should not go out of home. The patients with the complaint of fever and cold can be divided into three categories : A, B and C.

The category A patients with symptoms of mild fever and common cold may be kept under observation for 1- 2 days & may be given symptomatic medication, bed rest and plenty of liquids orally. If patient develop high grade fever they should consult doctor immediately.

The Category B patients with symptoms of high fever, cough, throat pain, and suspect of viruses in upper respiratory tract are to be given the anti viral treatment of Antiviral oseltamivir for 5 days.
Children may have biphasic fever. Category B1 is symptomatic patient without high risk conditions
And B2 is with high risk conditions like :
Age <5years & >65 years, Diabetes mellitus; Pregnancy, Preexisting Lung, liver, heart, Kidney brain diseases; HIV-AIDS cases; Patient on long term steroids /aspirin therapy; Health care workers

For precaution, any symptomatic child  shouldn't go to school for a week. Adult patient should keep home quarantine till 24 hours without fever except visiting a doctor. Category A &  B are not tested but treated with meticulous follow up.

The Group C are the patients having breathlessness, pneumonia or ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) or multi organ dysfunction syndrome. They are admitted in isolation ward, throat swab is taken for testing & anti viral oseltamivir treatment is given immediately. Ventilator and other supports may be necessary for survival.  If not taken care timely, there are more chances of fatality.

Influenza spreads between humans when infected people cough or sneeze, then other people breathe in the virus or touch something with the virus on it and then touch their own face. "Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth". Stop Handshaking. Follow only our ancient gesture of Namaskar. Maintain safe distance of 1 meter while talking to the people.

Viruses starts spreading one day prior to become symptomatic. Keep your handkerchief, napkin and towel separate. Whenever touch any object, i.e., knob or handle of the door/room, toilet door knobs, basin tap, etc, clean them after the touch/use. Small things but they go a long way in preventing diseases.

Drink hot water. Do salt water gargle twice in a day. Black pepper ubala in hot water is a very good medicine for cold cough and viral infection.

Gujarat Ayurveda has started distributing 'Trikatu' (three bitter spices: dry ginger, black pepper and lindi pepper) to develop a herd of immunity. Drink the ubala (boiled with water) of these spices twice in a day. Even the ubala of black pepper will be effective. It's a medicine for cough and cold. Children may be neck tied with a roasted ajwain (ajamo) pouch (potli). Ajwain is a home remedy for cold, cough and chest congestion in babies.

No need to panic.

Stay fit Act fit.

Punamchand
9 August 2017

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Shri KN Zutsi Sir

Shri KN Zutsi Sir

It was my only meeting with Shri KN Zutsi Sir in 1982, when I appeared before him for the GPSC Class 1-2 interview. With the help of three scoring subjects: Statistics, Accountancy and Political Science; I was hopeful for the selection. The Chairman was known for his honesty and objectivity. In fact, my written examination score was more than the cutoff of marks of the selection. However that 25 minutes of interview had put a strong mark in my life. I had learned two things from him during that meeting.

I didn't know that his daughter's name is 'Poonam'. Now I recollect the questions. One of the questions he asked was the number of days between two 'Poonam'. This was unexpected for me, and with a hitch for a moment, I had replied 29-30 days. Thereafter, my interest in astronomy and astrology increased. Now I realised that my name Poonam, might had carried a soft corner of him for me in the interview. But his daughter Poonamji denied it yesterday replying the condolence message that: "my father was too fiercely objective to have let my name influence anything, least of all your selection."

But the most important learning was his scoring pattern in the interview. It was a 200 marks interview and he was very meticulous about the selection of the right candidate. He gave the range of 20-30-40 marks to the candidates whom he didn't want in the list and gave 80-100-100 plus marks to those who to be selected. This pattern of marks we came to know after the results were declared by the GPSC. That moment I didn't know how this will help me in one of the decisions of my career. I passed thereafter, UPSC 1984 (IRS) and 1985 (IAS) and joined Gujarat Cadre.

There was unrest going on amongst the ruling party leaders against the then CM late Shri Amarsinh Chaudhari. They had realised the defeat of the party in the assembly elections of 1990. Late Rajiv Gandhi was the PM and the unrest group was camping in Delhi for the change of the CM. One of the issues of the unrest was the transfers of officers including the DDO Mehsana Shri GD Vyas, who was not listening to the President of the Jilla Panchayat Shri Ishwarsinh Chavada. In July 1989, our whole batch (1985) was promoted in Senior Scale but was posted in Sachivalaya may be because of impending assembly elections. The desk officer Harsh Brahmbhatt was also unhappy with our batch because our batchmates were the first in raising voice against his subjective interpretation of the AIS rules. I was posted in Roads & Building Department as Deputy Secretary. Suddenly, on one evening of September 1989, I received a phone call from Shri PK Laheri Sir, the PS to CM to go to his room immediately. The CM was in Delhi. He told me that I have been posted as DDO Mehsana and directed to sign the CTC on his table. I signed the CTC and went to Mehsana to take the guard. With few such decisions, the pressure of changing the CM didn't stop. Shri Madhavsinh Solanki became the CM (for a short period) to face the assembly elections of 1990.

It was very tough time to work as DDO in Mehsana those days. There are many stories to narrate but let me write one story that has linked with my interview meeting with Mr. Zutsi Sir.

You know, District Panchayat Selection Committee does the recruitment of some cadres of Panchayat. The member of the Gujarat Panchayat Seva Pasandagi Mandal is the Chairman of the Committee and the President and DDO are the members. The Chairman of our committee wished to become MLA, wanted a ticket for the seat from the ruling party and the President District Panchayat was to play a major role as he was close to the then CM Shri Madhavsinh Solanki.; therefore, two of them made a union for selection of the candidates. There were rumours in the market about the corrupt practices and Mehsana was famous for buying jobs. I had 33 marks in hand and they had 67. The night before the interview, I couldn't sleep well. How to find out a way to fight with the injustice to the meritorious candidates. When I woke up in the morning, I remember the sweet and loveable face of Shri KN Zutsi Sir and found out the answer of my puzzle. I recollected the scoring pattern of our selection in GPSC in 1982. I had followed his model of scoring, gave 31-32-33 to the bright and meritorious candidates and gave low score below 10 to the candidates who were weak in their academic records and performance during the interview. At the end, when the select list was prepared, 80% of the candidates were found place in the list from my selection. It was a victory of the idea of Shri Zutsi Sir to fight against corrupt practices in the system.

We won't forget you Sir. We pray God to rest the Pious Soul in Peace of Salvation.

Punamchand
3 August 2017

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