The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Strength in old age

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Strength in old age

The recent awareness camp about childhood asthma had many paediatricians from different institutions assemble at the out-patient block of Gandhi Hospital. After the new asthma clinic was inaugurated in the OP block, all the practitioners assembled around the senior most doctor P.S. Murthy, the former Superintendent of Niloufer Hospital, for a tête-À-tête over a cup of tea.

There were plenty of exclamations as Dr. Murthy, going strong at 76, claimed that he still drove his car. Dr. Murthy went a step ahead and said Lord Krishna was 112 years old when he drove the chariot at Kurukshetra. Someone else added that Bhishma was still older. Well, epic tales say that Dasharatha was 60,000 years old when he got married to Kaikeyi. Howzzat!!!

There is simply no way for anyone who has seen his films over three decades from (A)nkur in 1974 to (Z)ubeidaa in 2000, to relate instant humour in this man who has redefined film-making.

At the CMS Academy-FAPCCI Awards 2007, ace film-maker Shyam Benegal had the audience in splits during his speech. He said it was exactly 50 years since he had left Hyderabad and was surprised at the overwhelming response from people here.

It was a humbling experience, he said, going on to add in a humorous note that Shiv Sena leader Raj Thackeray would probably ask him to leave Mumbai if he came to know that he had so many well-wishers here in Hyderabad even after living in Mumbai for five decades.

It is a camel ride of a different kind. It raises both eyebrows and some unpleasant questions. Well, this is a novel way of buttonholing your public representatives – the old city style.

Of late a couple of camels are doing the rounds in parts of the old city with posters fixed on their bodies. Children flock around the ship of the desert and so do elders. Some are taken aback and some surprised to read the posers. Well, the questions are a bit too personal to recount and surely intended to embarrass the legislator.

Some Urdu newspapers have gone to town highlighting the novel protest. Unfortunately, the poor animal doesn’t know how it is being used to settle scores.

Summer is just round the corner and denizens have already started feeling the pinch. It is time for them to prepare for the impending rise in mercury and naturally search for ways to maintain cool. Every summer leaves behind a feeling that it was hotter than the last and this time too one wonders as to what is in store.

Haggard looks typical to summer exhaustion, sweat drenched clothes and roadside kiosks offering sherbets, lassi and faludas will be back soon and so also the sharp rise in the demand for ice-creams and soft drinks.

On health front, the period also usually witnesses a sharper rise in the incidence of seasonal diseases and every time this happens, the health infrastructure ends up in a messy state of affair and pleads not being prepared for it. Are enough precautions taken this time at least? One only hopes so.

Mobile phone ring tones are creating nuisance at gatherings in different settings whether it be a serious discussion, lecture by a distinguished invitee or even when people flock to savour a cultural evening.

One mobile phone beeps, while another rings with melodious tunes of recently released movies disturbing those around.

It turns more agitating when an interested gathering is immersed in a talk delivered by a guest. It happened the other day. The chief guest was delivering an inaugural speech at a seminar at a star hotel and while everyone was hearing it in rapt attention, the mobile phone of a woman started ringing with a popular Hindi film song.

When some participants stared at her on receiving the first call, she immediately informed the caller that she would call back later. However, minutes later, the mobile started ringing again and calls kept coming in. Unable to take it any more, the angered participants directed her to immediately switch off the phone. And the woman was seen rushing out of the hall clutching to her mobile.

SWATHI V.,

SURESH KRISHNAMOORTHY,

J.S.IFTHEKHAR,

T. LALITH SINGH AND

M. SRINIVAS

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh