Guest Blog Post (Part 2)

DEDOLOR

Author – Manoj Kumar Sharma

Dr Maan and nurse were so tired, that even sweet chirps of birds while dawn arising, couldn’t control their blinking amid sleepiness.

But Jasoda, seemed came out of anesthesia effect, she looked around. Surprised to see Dr Maan lying parallel to her on the stretcher, connected with her through tubes and then her eyes fell on her bandaged hands.

Memories of past few hours started flashing in her mind as in self-talking mode…Soon after entered into the washroom, under the influence of suicidal rage, she broke her glass bangles and cut her wrists. Then while watching the blood spilling out for few moments, couldn’t remember when she lost her consciousness. But, it seems that again Dr Maan saved her. Again she felt annoyed at her one more failed attempt of suicide…

…But surprisingly this time contradictory thoughts began arising into her mind, where every now & then she is desperately trying to end her life, but, its Dr Maan who is saving her life again and again…What does it signals…And this time its height of saviorhood, he has sacrificed his own blood to save her life, i.e., he is genuinely serious.

What way these incidents are trying to shape up their lives, at least her life, and the lonely life she was not interested at all.

So, this time she started struggling internally with mixed emotions, annoyance coupled with surprising gratefulness for Dr Maan.

But finally selfness dominated the gratitude and she murmured internally, enough is enough…I can’t live anymore without my family, and, now message to be conveyed clearly to Dr Maan for not interrupting her personal domains and to discharge her immediately from this junky clinic…

She tried to get up amid indistinct groaning voices, “Hmmm….”

But, couldn’t get up and while doing so fell down on own bed facing Dr Maan. The stand holding the blood pouch got pushed off and fell down in between the bed and the stretcher with echoing thundering sound…and that in turn made Dr Maan and nurse wake up from their blinking sleep…

“Oh Mam! Don’t move…Do you want anything….,” The sleepy eyed nurse asked as surprisingly got up in a flurry at the disturbing metallic noise.

And then the nurse quickly got up from her place, lifted up the stand and did needful adjustments & realignments in the blood transfusion assembly.

Meanwhile Dr Maan also got surprised at such kinky act of Jasoda, it seemed that by now losing his patience, gave an unpleasant look at Jasoda, and, asked the sister, “Oh! Still going on…How much time it will take…Seems something is wrong…please check?…when it will finish. And also please check her parameters.

Nurse immediately followed his instructions.

Meanwhile Jasoda whispered while gazing hopefully at Dr Maan, “Dr. When I will get discharge?”

Dr Maan got happily surprised as she broke her silence, hiding his inert expressions, came close to her and whispered, “Why?”

Jasoda responded as chewing words, “I have to get rid of this place”

Dr Maan reverted with blunt sarcasm, “This place or this world”

By that time the nurse had completed her course of action and uttered softly, “Dr everything is fine, and, now the blood tubes can be removed.”

Dr heard and nodded his head without looking at nurse, and, came much closer to Jasoda, they both were now in intense eye contact afresh in the morning after the heavy headed night….by that time the nurse removed the tubes and moved from there to attend the Mom…

Whereas Jasoda felt the essence of Dr Maan’s question and without hesitation bluntly responded, “This clinic….not sure about the world…”

Dr Maan in the mood to trap her into talk-webs to soothe her depression, “Indeed! Nobody knows when they will leave this world…See, in few days only in this pandemic, many people lost their lives and left near & dear ones crying behind…and some people want to leave this world, but, God doesn’t want…What to do Jasodaji? Can you enlighten?”

Jasoda quickly reverted, “Leave them on their own fate” 

Dr Maan not willing to miss this chance to break the ice, “Ha ha ha…The same is happening since last 10-11 days….Result? More attempts to end the life. Jasodaji! I also lost my life due to this cruel pandemic, but, I am not thinking for suicide!!

Jasoda whispered with brimmed eyes, “But, I have lost everybody of my family…Now for whom, nobody is there to support me to live…My willingness to live be dead now!

Dr Maan emphasizing his convincing spree, “Hmmm…The same situation with me also. My wife is no more, we didn’t have any children. Only mother is there with me, who is on the verge of last breaths of her life…Tell me with whom do I live?

Jasodaji, everybody has to live their own life…In fact everybody must live their life…If everybody will commit suicide, then this beautiful world will perish very soon…Isn’t it?

Now Jasoda reverted in argument mode, “I don’t need any wisdom, but, discharge…”

Dr Maan tried to escalate the argument in humorous mode, “Ha ha ha…Neither I am giving any wisdom, nor can get you discharge.”

“Dr Saab! Enough is enough. If you will not get me discharge, then I will ran away from here,” Desperate Jasoda threatened now.

“That’s what you are doing since last 10-11 days, but, God is saving you all the times,” Dr taunted with mild sarcasm.

Jasoda groaned, “It’s not God, but you, who is saving me.”

Dr Maan tried to twist, “See….”

Annoyed Jasoda intervened in groaning, “But why? Why you are saving me? So many people are dying, if one dies of suicide, which mountain will fall? What would be spoiled of yours?”

“The answer lies in your question itself,” Dr responded tactfully.

(This time he emotionally wronged her. He hid the fact that it’s not only she, who was in depression. But, he was also tensed. Because, if she dies by suicide while being in his custody, then he could also be caught legally as responsible for her death.)

So, hypothetically with undertone of flirting he continued diverting her mind from depression, “I feel that there is some relation in between you and me, not known to us yet. But, now I am feeling. Maybe of previous birth, or of births. That’s why every time I am being instrumental to save your life. (He touches her hands and shoulders, then patted on her cheeks, while saying) Do you also feel the same?”

(And, this time Jasoda again sensed something bizarre about Dr. Maan. Not only insane or vested interest, but, a mysterious person who might be advancing himself as chance catcher. Definitely willing to tap undue disadvantage out of helplessness of an innocent woman, even shamelessly using dramatics of sacrificing own blood.)

So after hearing such words, her eyes broadened in intriguing shock, penetrating into his eyes, as groping the hidden agenda deep down in his heart through his eyes, and drowned herself as self-talking, “Even so many years after that bad touch incident, never felt such absurd of him…This doctor seems to be lecherous womanizer, even if his own mother and nurse are somewhere nearby around…after all males are males. What a height of pervert? Even leering at a middle aged woman who is having young children. Shame on you doctor! Are you doing treatment of mine or trying to woo me by shrewd cajoling. Needs another woman, because own wife is no more, that’s why saving me every time. Now, I can’t stay here anymore, and I will have to leave this place by hook or crook.”

Her self-talking spree got broken, when Dr Maan’s voice interrupted, “Silence…I know your silence means ‘yes’…..Good! Happy to know that you also think my way”

Felt his expressions beyond her tolerance, Jasoda stared at him with intense anguish, pushed him away, grunted in sheer upsetment ‘Hmmmm…’ and turned around opposite side…Her body language, gestures, attitude, responses clearly indicating that how badly she was into negativities worsening further the sticky depression…

But, Dr Maan continued his efforts to divert her mind from the suicidal thought web, touching her shoulders and hands, even when she resisted bluntly, “Jasodaji, I do understand. Take your own time. Take rest. I will come back soon… (And then he left the room)

And before that the nurse entered in the bedroom to continue watch over Jasoda…

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Same day after couple of hours, Dr Maan was busy over his cell in exploring alternative methods for healing the hyper-depression. The he remembered, what Dr Bhave asked to know about ‘likings’ and ‘dislikings’ of the patient. Direct talking to Jasoda about her liking/disliking couldn’t be helpful, so, he decided to speak her son-in-law Paresh Bhai…

Dr Maan, “Hello!”

Paresh Bhai (sitting saddened, got surprised, as he was not in constant touch with Dr), “Hello! Dr Saab!! How is Mummyji now?”

Dr Maan, “Ya, Mummyji is recovering. But, I need your help.”

Paresh Bhai, “Sure, please tell me.”

Dr Maan, “I need to know Jasodaji’s likings, dislikings, hobbies etc…See, even though I had been their family doctor since more than 25 years, but, I never knew about it…”

Paresh Bhai asked surprisingly, “But why?”

Dr Maan, “For her treatment against hyper-depression. See, because of lockdown the traditional treatment couldn’t be feasible. But, she needs to be recovered as soon as possible, else it would be too late… (He didn’t share Jasoda’s serial suicide attempts).”

Paresh Bhai, “Ok…ok…I got it. But, sorry to say that unfortunately I don’t have any idea about it. Asha might be knowing it sure, but….”

Dr Maan, “I do understand. But. If you can remember something…sometime something Asha did share with you about her mother…”

Paresh Bhai, “Oh…ya…One thing I just remember while talking. Once Asha told me that Mummyji loves ‘Nature’. ‘Nature’ in all forms. In fact she loves ‘Nature’ only…”

Dr Maan reverted with winning smile, Ok, thanks Paresh Bhai…I will keep you updated.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

After a small pause, Dr Maan thought that despite Dr Bhave’s serious health condition, to have a quick round of talk with him regarding best effective alternate therapy through ‘Nature’.

But he was terribly shocked, when Dr Deshmukh picked up the call and informed him in saddened voice, “Sorry Dr Maan…Dr Bhave is no more with us…He passed away early this morning…”

Dr Maan in shocking voice, “Oh no…” The call was immediately terminated from other side.

Saddened, but he didn’t stop. With memories of Dr Bhave’s advises, he took a little pause, then started exploring on net, ‘How Nature can help as stress-buster or depression-buster. Being a ‘GP’, he had only basic surface knowledge about neurological ailments and treatments. He continued as self-talking, “But, Jasoda’s case in such hard times of pandemic, I need easy and workable known or lesser-known, but, proven hacks which could be feasible and miraculous. Trying herbal medicines, Yoga, Dhyan, music, dance, etc couldn’t be feasible in such volatile state of mind in self-harm mode, Jasoda was suffering with right now…”

That day, that moment onwards he spent his whole time in exploring extraordinary unconventional neurological hacks…and after so many hours, finally he smiled in self-talking, “Let’s try.”

As during lock down period, the local markets were allowed to open for 3 hours in the morning only, from 6 AM to 9 AM. He remembered that all essential stuff was available, but, not those extra-ordinary stuff which he requires right now. Only one thing was available, free of cost, in the open society garden area.

Meanwhile he remembered Nandu, the milk man, may be Nandu can help he thought. Thanks God, he saved his no.

Dr Maan, “Hello Nandu!”

Nandu surprised when got call from Dr Maan, even after many days, “Yes Sir….yes sir…Tell me sir…How is Madam’s health? Not saw her after that day, and, I haven’t supplied milk also…”

Dr Maan, “Yes, I have called up you for Madam’s matter only.”

Nandu enthusiastically, “Good sir, please tell me….I will definitely help sir….”

Then they talked for few moments….

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..……  

For next couple of days, Dr Maan and the nurse continued the ongoing routine treatment courses as usual.  But, whenever he comes closer, Jasoda felt irritated and used to turn back in opposite direction.

Though Dr Maan was trying his level best to connect himself with her, but, Jasoda was gesturing reluctantly every time.

Most of the time, Jasoda was found flipping switching off and switching on the TV. She was not in good mood, for watching TV or even talking to anybody….Still under the shadows of negativity filled depression…

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

And then that day, after morning fresh-n-up Jasoda was just lying over the bed, flipping switching on/switching off the TV. The nurse was in Mom’s room, doing the morning courses for her…

Suddenly then some holy voices coming from outside disturbed her silence, intrigued Jasoda wished to check, got up from the bed and glimpsed outside through the window…

The scenario outside, in the garden area was beyond her imaginations. What she watched, made her smile after many days, she whispered as self-talking, “Oh! Nice!! Lovely!!! So it was cows…holy cows mooing…”

And there Dr Maan, lying over the grass, and cuddling a cow…one more cow was lying nearby, and two calves were playing here & there. Few moments later he got up and kept on cuddling the cows and calves. Then he hugged them one-by-one for few moments each.

After some moments he started walking in some odd pattern, she couldn’t understand…

After sometime he moved towards the row of trees, hugged a tree with expressions of deep emotional gratitude (that broadened further smile on Jasoda’s face)…He kept on hugging and kissing the trees, and surprisingly cows were accompanying him.

There were lot of trees, it seemed that he will be going to greet every tree, which could be taking some more time….

Suddenly then, cunning ides flashed in her mind…It’s the right opportunity to flee off. She slowly slowly moved towards the exit door (Mom’s door was closed from inside)…without making any noise, she pushed the door outward, but it didn’t get open. Then she pushed harder and harder and thumped, which created some eerie noises, but the door couldn’t get opened…

“It’s closed from outside,” The voice made her turning the head towards back…It was the nurse, whose words shocked her.

“Oh shit! This dirty man…bastard…” Blue and red Jasoda in self-talking mode abused Dr Maan, gestured gruesome towards the nurse, turned back and moved towards the bed room with thumping feet…

…Stood again at the window, watching Dr Maan as hugging & kissing the trees, and in between feeding the cows & calves, and also playing with few dogs also… (She couldn’t understand from where he got the cows and dogs, as they were not earlier in his house).

“Do you like it,” A voice from back side made Jasoda turning her head, it was the nurse again.

“Hhmmmmm….” Grunted Jasoda wearing irritated face and then moved towards her bed.

Still her mind and heart were filled with depression and negativities…

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

For next couple of days, without fail Jasoda kept on watching Dr Maan’s activities in morning and evening, while he was spending time in feeding, cuddling & hugging cows, feeding & playing with dogs, kissing & hugging trees, and, walking in some strange way…

The nurse secretly kept watch over her, and, kept on updating Dr about her behavioral responses towards those new activities happening around.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

And when that day she was watching him cuddling the cows, suddenly then while looking overhead, Dr Maan saw her standing at window & gazing at him. He smiled with wavy eye contact and yelled, “Jasodaji! Come on!!” (She never ever guessed that he might be knowing about her watching him.)

Perplexed Jasoda immediately turned red & blue, with fiery eyes, annoyed jaw-line, her hands lifted up and pulled down the curtains, while groaning with heavy breath, “Go to hell.”

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Few minutes later…

Jasoda was into brisk walking in her bed room with annoyed face and whispering curses for Dr Maan.

Meanwhile when her face was opposite to the door, and, she was few feet away from the door…all of a sudden Dr Maan entered there, came closer to her, the nurse also zoomed in…

Patting over her shoulders Dr Maan uttered humbly, “Jasodaji! Listen…come to garden, you will feel better with cows, dogs and trees…it’s true…”

Meanwhile Jasoda turned back, and, before he would have completed, she raised her hand, slapped Dr Maan with her all energy and frustrations, and, shouted in her loudest, “I won’t go with you.”

They both shockingly surprised at such unexpected outburst, except Jasoda…

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Next few days there was absolute calm…

Despite annoyed, Jasoda kept on watching intermittently Dr Maan’s activities in morning and evening by hiding herself behind the window curtains. But, behaving irritant whenever he was coming to her for routine checkup rounds. Whereas she was cooperating well with the nurse and quite softer with her, but to the point only…

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

That day after watching Dr Maan doing morning activities in the garden, Jasoda was lying over bed, flipping switching on / switching off the TV…

Her rhythm got broken with the voice echoed from the back side…

“Jasodaji…” It was Dr Maan greeting her with gentle smile.

Jasoda turned back, wearing irritation on her face she declined his greetings.

Dr Maan moved closer, grabbed her hands (which she didn’t like) and uttered, “Hhmmm…Don’t be so rude…every time…It’s not good for your health…”

Irritated Jasoda trying to pull her hands from his grip but not succeeding, groaned in annoyance, “Leave my hands…don’t misbehave…”

Dr Maan didn’t lose his grip and said smilingly (trying to convince her), “Don’t get angry, come with me…”

His obnoxious behavior escalated her annoyance, with her all might she shouted, “I will not go with you anywhere…get me discharge immediately.”

Dr Maan further smiling, which she didn’t like, “Yes Madam…yes…for your discharge only, come with me…”

This time Jasoda surprised but remained expressionless, thought as self-talking, “May be some final checkup…let’s see…”

(As it seems into her favor, she didn’t object him grabbing her hands. But as they moved further, Dr Maan put one hand over her shoulders as supporting her in walking and holding her one hand. She peeked in anguish towards him, as she didn’t like his unnecessary touching gestures. But, Dr Maan ignored her annoyance and pushed her to walk forward, and slowly slowly they moved into the living room…

Mom’s room was half opened…

The nurse standing at door, was watching them coming together..

As soon as they reached the dining table, he gestured to stop. Then wearing peculiar smile, pointing towards a nicely packed glittering box lying on the table, Dr Maan asked Jasoda, “Gift…for you…”

Perplexed Jasoda couldn’t understand, the way things were falling since few minutes, she stared at him as intriguing, “Gift? Means??”

Dr Maan continuing the peculiar smile, “Means…first open it, then only you can know.”

Depression ridden Jasoda thought as self-talking, “May be my reports inside the box, enabling my discharge from here. But, generally it doesn’t happen that way.”…With vibrating enthusiasm she started unwrapping the box, finally one small envelope was surfaced….

The eagerness was building up with every passing moments, her BP was rising, and pulse rate was escalating, breaths getting suffocated…

All hells broke down, as soon as the envelope was unfolded completely…and when finally the much awaited thing appeared, all heavens illuminated…

Her broadened eyes got frozen, her face blossomed into modest bundle of holy emotions emitting graceful vibes around…

Self-talking began internally, “Oh my God! It is RAKHI… I was thinking something else, like my final reports and discharge card… And moreover, whatever I used to think about him, now surprisingly it was nothing like that…It seems that he never had insane feelings for me…Oh my God, what I did….It seems that I was wrong…”

Holding the rakhi in her shivering hands, when she turned her eyes slowly towards Dr Maan, her eyes brimmed with sudden outburst of mixed positive emotions filled with surprise & guilt. Then surprisingly her feet started inching towards him, but, when she touched the rakhi on his hands, soon she broke down like suddenly erupted volcano of dormant emotions…

…The whole ambient filled with high pitch loud cries of Jasoda, who by that time rested her head over his shoulders…

Dr Maan comforting Jasoda by gentle rubbing at her shoulders. By the intensity of her cries, he guesstimated the neurological map inside her heat & brain, somehow sustaining severe whirlwinds & vortex of negative emotions, compelled her for self-destruction repetitively.

While crying under rage of mixed emotions, Jasoda intermittently angling her face upwards peeking into his eyes with traces of guilt (of thinking insane about him, whereas he had such holy feelings for her) and gratitude (for saving her life out of multiple suicide attempts). Watching her prolonging emotional breakdown, now Dr Maan also felt slight brimming in his eyes, signaled the nurse to push a chair closer to enable Jasoda to sit comfortably.

Though Jasoda sat on the chair amid loud cries, but, didn’t leave hugging Dr Maan around his waistline, he continued comforting her. Meanwhile as gestured, nurse brought a glass of water and kept on the table.

Though on one hand, Dr Maan thought let all the latent suppressed negativities should spill out through the flooding out tears, but, other way round the possibilities of unbalancing of various vital parameters could lead to unexpected health fallouts, like abruption in BP, SPO2, pulse rate, breathing suffocation, etc….So, he decided to cool her down and getting rid of crying spree and thought as self-talking, “Seems that the hidden pains out of losing all near & dear ones so quickly, are venting out through tears. But, if she continue crying so loudly, could lead to health complications. So, I must cool down her anyway.”

Then he lifted her face upwards, wiped her tears, unhugged, shifted the nearby chair closer, and sat over the chair…holding her hands and shoulder, Dr Maan whispered softly, “I understand your pains, but….”

Amid tears, shivering lips, Jasoda cryingly intervened, slightly peeking into her eyes, fumbled, “But….I didn’t get any time…”      

Dr Maan (Inquisitively asked intended to vent out her suppressed emotions), “How?”

Jasoda (amid continuously crying, hiccups and tears), “That day I got call from hospital saying that your husband is no more, but, don’t come here, it is not allowed because of dangerous spread of corona infections. Municipality will be doing the last rituals, relatives are not allowed. You will get the death certificate after couple of weeks…

…I just shocked to hear all those news…I was not able to understand, what to do or what not to do?

….Then I called up Asha, but she was not picking up the phone. Then I called Paresh, but his phone was continuously busy…

…Then I spoke to my neighbors for help, but everybody gestured reluctant to help. I was feeling like crying, but, couldn’t…

…Then I called up Jay, that time it was noon time in USA. The call was picked up, it was not Jay, but somebody else, who in very low voice whispered, “Jay and his wife both just passed away because of severe corona infection….”

I felt suffocated, I started losing my breaths, and don’t know when I fall unconscious…

I don’t know but after a while when I came to my senses, I remembered everything. Then I called up Asha, but, Paresh picked up the call… I felt dizzy when he told that after hearing the news of sudden demises of Father, brother and sister-in-law, Asha’s BP gone very low, stress level rose high. Which cause premature labor pain. Somehow Paresh managed an Ambulance, but, couldn’t got admission in any hospital. Almost all the hospitals were converted into corona hospitals, and, not a single hospital was administering any other patient other than corona. 

Wandering like this from hospital to another hospital, when they were hopefully waiting outside a reputed hospital, suddenly she suffered miscarriage and collapsed immediately…

Within a few hours, I was completely shaken by the continuous news of deaths…I found myself unable to understand, what to do and what not to do? At the bottom of my heart I was feeling to cry, but, couldn’t cry…tears not getting rolling out, stuck inside…throat got chocked. Suddenly my BP started rising, body temperature also started rising. Body was getting stiffened, started feeling severe headache…. It felt like my brain would explode…

Within few hours my whole family died, suddenly all left me alone. I couldn’t see anybody’s face, couldn’t get their dead body, and couldn’t do last rituals. The situation was such that I couldn’t go outside of the house. Even if I wanted to leave, I could not find any means, because there was a curfew. Suddenly my life was filled with misery strangely in a cruel way.

Don’t know in that dilemma when I did the act of killing myself too. You know that both I and Sudheer were troubled by sleeping disorders and used to take sleeping pills. So I ate all the pills we both had in stock. Every moment it seemed that I should die, the desire to live had suddenly ended. …..when there was no effect in a few minutes, all the medicines that were in the house, I ate all…….then slowly fainting started…….

When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying in your clinic….I was remembering everything….and upset at being saved…. Everything else happened in front of you…

Self-talking Dr Maan, who was listening attentively, holding her hands and shoulders, comforting intermittently…Seemed finally happy and satisfied, as somehow the ice was broken. His patient came out of the darkest killer depressions. Her bursted cries cleared the emotional blockades, and, now he can milk the improved situations for absolute recovery of his patient. Remembered Dr Bhave’s words ‘Human touch’, ‘emotional touch’ seemed true. Despite her regressions, he didn’t lose hope and kept on trying continuously to bring her back out of depressions. Now ‘alternate treatments’ to be picked up swiftly for faster recovery…

Wearing a balanced smile, Dr Maan patted over her shoulders, whispered softly, “Hhmmm… Whatever happened, can’t be changed now. So leaving it behind now we will have to move forward… Only then our people who lost their lives untimely, their souls will be able to find peace, otherwise they will become even sadder after seeing us sad….Am I right Madam?

Wiping her tears, Jasoda responded, “True”

Then he comically said, “So now get up and tie the rakhi”

Jasoda, who by that cooled down, “But in these clothes of patients? And the materials of worship?”

Dr Maan, “Hhmmm…right. See, we have two options. You can try clothes of my wife and my mother. Whichever be fit, you can use. I have asked for Pooja materials, the nurse is bringing from Pooja room.”

So, all of a sudden the ambient was completely reversed…

When medicines couldn’t, ‘Humanism’, ‘Emotional Quotient’ blew away the grey shades of depressions and its side effects…

The nurse helped Jasoda for the festive clothes and jewelry, which Jasoda picked up from Dr Maan’s mother’s wardrobe and Pooja materials also.

Dr. Maan also changed clothes suiting to festive mood, fancy kurta pajama.

Inexplicable emotions sparkled over Dr Maan’s face, as in smile and glittering eyes, when he saw Jasoda approaching towards him for tying the HOLY RAKHI. More than that beginning of the much needed miraculous transformation of Jasoda from a deeply troubling patient to glowing modest woman as Soulful Sister…

Really those moments were beyond words…Jasoda as well as Dr Maan, both were full of emotions, as the tons of sadness of losing family members seemed vaporizing after many days, when they were being blessed with new lease of relations to motivate the further journey of life….

……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

That day at early evening…

Jasoda just got up after a power nap on afternoon hours…She was feeling light headed after many days. Surprisingly, overall in good mood, a happy soul.

Then today’s memories reeled off in her subconscious mind, a really very nice day in her life after many bad days. After the serial tragic losses when she suffered neurological problems which led to multiple suicidal attempts. But, thanks to Dr Maan, who never ever gave up zest for her treatment. And finally the human-bonding he offered, which surprisingly detoxed the rouge rage boiling inside her system and melted her heart…

Wearing a selfie smile (now she got her cell phone back), she peeked out of the window, which further broadened contours of her smile. Dr Maan was standing in hugging posture around a tree. This time she couldn’t stop herself, whereas earlier the scenario was quite contrary, she was hating him out of misunderstanding his tricky healing tricks…

She was surprised, when found the entry/exit door was open, not bolted like earlier…so, she smoothly headed towards the garden area…

Whereas after spending quite good time while hugging the tree, when Dr Maan opened his eyes, shocked surprisingly, when saw Jasoda staring at him with open eyes standing in similar posture, around the tree in front of him…

“Oh my God! Good…good…good,” yelled happy Dr Maan

Jasoda didn’t utter any word, but filled the ambient with her sweet open hearted loud laughter….

Dr Maan couldn’t control himself and yelled again, “Hhmmm… keep smiling and laughing always like this.”

Jasoda continued laughing loudly…

“How do you feel, hugging a tree?”, Meanwhile asked Dr Maan.

“Hhmmm…very nice…it’s great feeling,” Jasoda pleasurously reciprocated.

“Yes…actually trees are also like us… There is life in them too, there are emotions just like us.” Dr Maan opened up, “If you love them, hug them, kiss them… Then see they love you the same way, you will feel it if you stand for a while hugging them like this… And see, by being with them for some time every day, our stress level also goes down drastically. This is a very natural and effective way to remove anxiety, hyper stress, depression… Sometimes you will feel that the tree is talking to you. People in many foreign countries practice this a lot. But surprisingly, the description of this practice is found in our Vedas, Puranas and Shastras from thousands years ago, which unfortunately we don’t know…”

Jasoda joyfully reverberated, “Good…it’s good to know……….then I would love to spend a lot of time with them every day…”

They stayed there continuing the same for quite some time, and, when the mooing voices of cows from nearby vicinity broke the silence…

Then Dr Maan offered further, “Oh Jasodaji! Let me show you one more good thing”

Jasoda inquisitively asked, “What?”

Dr Maan, “Come on…..see the cows are calling us”

Though Jasoda was knowing all these activities being practiced by him since last few days, but, now she wanted to flow with the time for whatever he was asking to do…

Then they moved towards the cows kept in nearby barricaded area. Initially they started feeding them with the grass and other food stuff kept there. Then slowly started hugging and cuddling them. After sometime Dr Maan lied down keeping his head over a lying cow, Jasoda followed the similar act with the other cow, opposite to him…

Few moments later Dr Maan started telling the hidden truth behind this activity…

Dr Maan, “Jasodaji… As you know in our ‘Sanatan Dharma’ it is said that ‘cow is our mother’…

Jasoda, “Yes…”

Dr Maan, “So as we get milk from a cow and then subsequently other milk products from it – curd, chaas, paneer, khoya/mawa, ghee, etc… All these products are very beneficial for our health, as dairy food products and as well as having medicinal value also up to great extent… Apart from this, cow dung which is used for bio gas, fertilizer, condensed fuel, etc…And cow urine has great medicinal value… These are the things that come from the body of the cow, significantly useful for human life, scientifically proven and surprisingly adopted by developed countries…

But, there are some other very beneficial things that we get from the cow. If we rub our hands on the body of the cow, especially its head and neck, then our stress level goes down. If we spend time in cuddling cow and in hugging them, then it heals our blood pressure, anxiety, hyper stress, depression…

In foreign countries, particularly in so-called developed countries, people pay handsome price for spending time with cows, for cuddling and hugging…

…. But you will be surprised to know that all these things are found in thousands of years old Vedas, Puranas, Granths and Shashtras of our India. And from there people have copied these holy practices and made huge profitable business in foreign countries, especially at the time of this pandemic…

In many foreign countries amid pandemic period, many people are spending $ 40 to $ 100 per hour and sometimes far more than that, for cuddling and hugging cows to distress themselves. Because parallel to the covid pandemic, there is one more pandemic spreading allover as neurological disorders or hyper-stress…And in many cases the conventional medications are not satisfactorily or effectively working , and, suicide cases are escalating day by day…But, this act as natural therapy is helping people with 100% success rate…

Jasoda intervened smilingly, “Interesting bro…really…now everyday…”

Dr Maan intervened, “Yes…three times a day…morning, noon and evening…”

Jasoda agreed, “Yes bro…definitely…”

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..…

For next few weeks, Jasoda and Dr Maan continued practicing the cow cuddling & hugging and tree hugging, whereas parallely he kept on attending his Mom and online consultations to his loyal patients.

Nowadays Jasoda often appeared as cool, calm, smiling, laughing, confident and full of hopes in life….

And that day while evening session was about to complete…

Now Dr Maan quite confident of Jasoda about her mental health, looked at her, who was still lying down over a cow neck & cuddling softly, looked at sky as thanking to Dr Bhave for his right suggestions, glibly started self-talking, “Your those words, for use of ‘Human Bond’, ‘Human Touch’, ‘Emotional Bond’, ‘Mother Nature’, when conventional medicines were not working in dire pandemic times…

….Thanks God! ‘A respectful human relationship’, being brother to an acutely suffering lady, ‘tree hugging’, ‘cow cuddling & hugging’….these simple basic nature hacks made the wonders, which often medicines won’t do….”

“Oh! You finished…,” Jasoda’s voice broke the rhythm of his self-talking.

He turned back and said, “Yes, let’s move…”

Jasoda got up and said ‘Yes Bhai’.

Then while walking down towards the home, Jasoda asked curiously, “And what was that, I saw you few times as walking strangely in some odd way?”

Dr Maan thought for a while and said, “That is called 8-walking…walking in an 8-shape track. That helps in enhancing one’s concentration, focus and reduces stress levels….”

“But why don’t you taught me that also…” curious Jasoda asked.

“Hhmmm well, actually I got clue about you that you are a great lover of NATURE, so, I preferred the healing methods intrinsically close to the MOTHER NATURE….However, the 8-walking comes under the category of exercise, as likes of Yoga exercises, breathing exercises, which also help same way. But, seeing your neurological status that time, I didn’t prefer any kind of exercises…..” Dr Maan told the facts honestly.

Then staring at her he asked, “Ok! Tell me, how are feeling right now?”

“Very good….great….” yelled Jasoda.

“Ok, it means…now I can get discharge to you…I will make all the arrangements at your place…Cows, 8-walking, yoga & breathing exercises…and trees are already there….so, you can continue all these good practices….” Dr Maan directly coming to the point.

“What the hell he is talking now?” Jasoda asked herself as self-talking, her face waned and withered. She grunted loudly with sudden sore throat, “What are you talking about Bro, now I will not go anywhere…I will live with you here only….”

Dr Maan in his attempt for trying to convince her, tried to hold her hands. But, she jerked his hands, limped back few steps, nearing towards a tree, and out of a sudden started crying loudly….

On hearing her cries, the cows got up and started moving towards Jasoda with emotional ‘mooing’ voices….Dogs also started woofing in grief….Trees started shaking their branches…

Jasoda, one hand around the tree, one hand caressing over the cows and dogs, somehow managed herself amid sobbing outbursts and pleaded, “Bro, I will fall into depression again, if you will send me to my house to live alone….still the memories of deaths of my all family members are lying inside my heart, I will not be able to bear those grieves….you gave me new reason to live….so, please don’t separate me out….please….”

Dr Maan staring at Jasoda, trees, cows, dogs and then took a call within couple of seconds, he moved closer, tilted down his posture, wiped her tears, with deep intense eye contact, wearing mild brotherly smile over his ugly beard face…yelled, “Cancelled……Discharge cancelled…..”

Jasoda bursted into mix of laughing, sobbing and tears…

About Manoj Kumar Sharma:

Born & brought up in Bhilai and graduated from Raipur, Chattisgarh and worked as a professional engineer in various MNC’s & Corporates in Mumbai.

Reading & writing were the crazy passions since school days, and, finally MIЯЯЯO alighted. MIRRRO @ THE WEIRD WAYWARD is a Social Fiction / Urban Fiction…where India’s perennial social problems are targeted from absolute cleansing perspectives in unimaginable, unthoughtful weird ways….which never ever happened in any part of the world.

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