Sunday 20 November 2016

IT IS NOT ALWAYS BAD TO PAY TAX!!!

Today we all are struggling with cash and card after our PM's decision to scrap 500 and 1000 notes and go forward with demonetization. Alongside where USA economy is expected to undergo changes because of their trump card everybody is wondering what next?
So like you and me when we face this ordeal of checking our pay cheque service at the end of every month with lots of deductions in name of tax x, tax y, tax z, i really wonder why do i pay tax?
I really hate this term tax!
Why do I pay tax to my government is all I wonder!
For dirty roads with potholes?
For stinking garbage and open gutters?
For overcrowded locals where people stack up like cattle to reach work on time?
For not even being covered for health services?
(Just check the condition of any government hospital once in my city! You wiil come out with more infections than you went inside with.)
Even after paying tax there is No guarantee if I will be able to put food on my table.
(If I something  goes up or down with me and I wont be able to go to work.)
There is No guarantee that my children will get good education if I pay tax!
Am i paying tax for everyday THREAT of terrorist blasting local trains or open firing on me, my family, my friends, my near and dear ones, my countrymen and such monsters being provided tight security in jail for same? On whose expense?Tax payers!
Yes! I do compare to other countries where citizen are given all benefits and security for paying tax!
Do i have that in my country ?
I DO HAVE HOPE IN FUTURE THOUGH!
Plus whatever is left after deductions you pay into all forms of toll tax! excise tax! service tax! Entertainment tax! VAT tax etc...So in short word TAX is monstrous but cant escape!
This one incidence that I came across one day mellowed me down against my hatred of paying tax. It made me realize how blessed my tax money was and how did it influenced other people. It really made me happy and at peace once in my life for paying tax.just once!! And after that incident I do say sometimes it is not always bad to pay tax!
So this little shabbily clothed lanky 14 year old girl comes to my ward with extreme paleness,difficult breathing, tiredness and exertion.The girl was extremely anemic with hemoglobin levels of 4%! Yes please 4%! She comes in walking accompanied by her mom. My heart cried out to her. As per routine I admitted her under my supervision and proceeded further to her treatment after establishing diagnosis of IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA (most common in India). I planned blood transfusion to cope up with the emergency. To proceed I had to send her blood samples for blood grouping and cross matching. Like the government nurses who wouldn’t even get out of their chair as if stuck by fevicol over it, my ward wasn’t spared either. So after setting up treatment plan and completing other formalities of admission I go upto her bed! Her mom was at her bed-side, thin and lanky woman same as her.They look upto me with so many hopes and respect in their eyes and a look of helplessness which melts my heart. Girl gave me a limp smile and we started a little conversation to make her comfortable as i was hiding some pricky needles to draw her blood. At the back of my mind I was thinking how underprivileged the little girl was to have iron deficiency anemia bringing her to hospitalization at this age. Is this the situation of people where a balanced diet is also a dream?Biggest challenge comes here when I start withdrawing blood and the blood of girl flows like water which tells so low level of Hematocrit even before lab results!(she was highly anemic).This site shakes me inside out! How can be she be so deprived of basic food and diet that this was the condition of her body! I send her samples for labs. Here comes another challenge as in every hospital where blood banks will withhold blood bags for transfusion to poor patient and sell them to outsiders! Yes corruption even for human blood! So after lots of pressurizing and fighting I managed to get one bag of blood for my patient and we successfully transfused it. She started recovering with the days to follow getting back smile and color on her face and making me more happy every passing day.
Today when I look back I can see the simplicity and innocence of that girl, the helplessness of her mother, their hardships! We fail to see so many things around us! We fail to appreciate the things we get so easilty. The things that we take for granted are dreams for others.I thank god for all the luxury,comfort and resources he made available for me.I wish to contribute that back to society. 

On that day,while walking back to home, I had a proud smile on my face because I could contribute something better for my patients life and yes this was only possible through hard earned tax money paid by all of us! Yes the government hospitals run on tax payers money. However bad condition they are in, they still provide meal to their patients.For whom the bread and milk provided there for breakfast is luxury, meal is royalty and dinner for them is dream! This gives me content that at the end of everything bad and corrupt something good is happening by my tax paid money which is nursing someone who is ill, feeding someone hungry, teaching an illiterate and not just decaying and paying luxury bills of corrupt and greedy officials and politicians.
So here i say again i am proud to be a hardworking honest tax payer and i respect you all for doing same. Lets us all do part of our bit and rise above greed and stink of corruption.

Wednesday 2 November 2016

HIMALAYAS HIMALAYAS HIMALAYAS!

Yes Yes Yes
I shout out loud
And I am filled with pure joy when the memories of my trek to the divine and serene Himalayas flash back.
Just a month back I was in the state of Uttarakhand where tall and giant Himalayas stand and rise high! Above the clouds, the desires, the materialism, the concrete jungle, the rat race........the wealth......and above all of us.
As they rise high they take us with them and leave us among wild and dense in the womb of mother nature who never fail to nurture us,heal us and guide us to highest level of soulful happiness.
THE MAGICAL HIMALAYAS ! 
So for me where Himalayas existed only in images, was finally blessed. After the wait of two long years i got to trek Himalayas! This trek left me detoxicated physically as well as mentally. Trekking made me aware of the unknown  physical potential that was always lying dormant within me.
The Glacial Mysterious Roopkund Lake-15450ft 
From a busy metro city amidst jungle of concrete, academics and rat race to earn more coins when I was put into untouched Himalayas I was just living a true life even it was for merely a very few days.
Roopkund Lake The Mysterious one!!! Untouched and frozen there at 15450 ft above sea level in the Shivalik range of Uttarakhand Himalayas was my final destination of the trek.

The long journey starts  with 16 different strangers.Completely unaware of the challenges to come ahead all i do is simply bond with my co trekkers who end up becoming great friends such that goodbyes become difficult at the end of trek. Starting to rise from ground to higher hills trekking and learning new things fills me with joy. The nature and colors fills my heart with bliss. The paintings of nature which were available only as a wallpaper to me became a real 3D picture for me on my trek trail. I enjoy every step while traversing small villages, terrace fields, Chai tapri,meeting innocent cute childrens greeting us namaste on our way and giving a full blown smile just when i place a one rupee toffee in their hand!

#foodforthought-How innocent and non expensive can happiness be!

Where on other hand every step i adapt to changing altitude and landscape, from dense dark green forests, lush green meadows to rocky mountain and snow clad pristine untouched Summit. Fast acceptance to change and adaptability is the only tool to survive here. While your trek leader teaches  ABCD of easy backpacking as accessibility, balance, compactness and well done above. He was also suggesting tips to carry  life with ease by making our relationships easily accessible , balancing work and life equally, compacting our worries and our life will be well done!
#3D live wall papers! 
The joy of getting up before sunrise amidst mountains, sleeping under blanket of stars, snuggling in sleeping bags of tent, watching rainbows coloring sky, sheep's grazing , bells on mules singing a lullaby, bees making honey, birds chirping merrily , little beautiful flowers blooming in extremes of temperature, clash of clouds, is just a blessing !
#colorburst
Where Every effort to keep a step forward on the trail and with every breath i shout for oxygen the divine force present there,in the ABODE OF GODS  just drives me upward and higher. Our efforts are always rewarded  when we soak our eyes in beauty of giant mountain lying strong and high, untouched and divine!!! Trust the creator at every step !

The weather changes every few minutes, landscape every day, but one thing is constant, we gain altitude every day. Same is life nothing is constant but we step ahead in process of becoming better every day.
All in one package is offered, where every single description by poets, by artists by writers come true here in Himalayas! Famous lines "what is this life if full of care , we have no time to stand and stare" rings at back of my mind !
As Baloo sings ,
"Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
Old Mother Nature's recipes
That bring the bare necessities of life "
We should not forget that we are blessed by everything that we need by the nature. We should live in harmony with all creatures and try our best to use minimalistic resources which can be used by others and make less of wastage. Take a time and reflect how many precious hours we waste just gathering things which cannot really define happiness. Happiness lies in teamwork, where every member completes the task is the true win. Happiness is very simple, it's the state of mind and not in the statement things or rings! Last but not least the downhill journey is even more wonderful where i am filled with joy of reaching the top and now i comfortably walk down the lane with best of friends enjoying the journey so far. Same is life while going up enjoy the challenge while coming down comfortably enjoy the accomplishment and journey so far. Happiness is really a state of mind and multiplies when you share and spread.

During treks we are not supposed to litter, to waste a single grain or drop of water and disturb the harmony of nature and other creatures. We willingly love doing and we bring back that with us to sea level and spread this message with us. 

Trek done with Indiahikes , safe and professional .
My gang , the best gang always walking together ! Know more about them here-http://sudhansudiary.blogspot.in/2016/10/my-first-trek-roopkund-mysterious.html
Pic redits-my gang and yeah iPhone lens! (ROFL) .
My gang
PowerPuff Girls! 
#himalayanhangover
#highaltitudetrek
#himalayasforever
#roopkundtrek