Merry Christmas from The Abode

Joy resounds in the

hearts of those who believe in the miracle of Christmas

Wishing you all the Peace,

Joy and Love of the season!

Season’s Greetings!

“MERRY CHRISTMAS”

Christmas At The Abode after the floods

Some Random snaps and expressions on Mount Abu

Nakki Lake

Oh, Great lake what have we done

Your precious gift so freely spun

Your placid blue face now turned to green

Humanity has no love for thee.

Spare our precious Lake our gracious visitors

See the debris floating on thee

Dumped by indifferent folks using thee

Our beautiful, unique and vital source

Our drinking water supplied by thee

Tourists, visitors and our own  Abuites if you are reading this blog post of mine I simply make an appeal to you to please treat our vital, emergency drinking water source as a top priority  and not dump your junk into our precious lake. This lake provides habitats to a variety of species, drinking water in emergency to the town of Abu, serenity and expression to lovers and dreamers. We Abuites would appreciate it if you folks would give a helping hand by not dumping your waste valuables into our charming lake.

Water snake basking in the winter sun

Sunbird at the lake

White throated kingfisher

Grey Heron

Cormorant our winter visitors

Dragon fly

Basking early morning

Robin

Modern Dinosaur

Suspended moon early morning 

The Beckoning hills of Mount Abu

Mount Abu is a magical reserve of evergreen and deciduous forests, grey granite lava rocks, embracing cool breezes, and greenery all around. Those of us fortunate mortals who have had the pleasure of romping down the various forest paths and experiencing the natural beauty of the mountains are hooked for life. The serenity and the tranquility one experiences here is akin to having visited Paradise, a paradise that haunts those souls who have left and gone away to live elsewhere.

Those who have lived even for a short duration in this paradise cannot resist the urge of the beckoning hills; the charm is so powerful that sooner or later former Abuites make their way back here to experience the nostalgia.

Yesterday I banged into Stephen, an Aussie who brought me up on the latest happenings in and around his work place. Stephen works at the Global Hospital, a venture of the Brahma kumaris. He told me an ex-Abuite who had migrated to Australia had come to the hospital with a wild fowl in his possession. I then asked him how come?     He then gave me the gist of the story.

John Stracey (son of Late Deputy Commandant E.L.Stracey, an IP officer who was posted here in Abu in the CPTC in the early sixties) came to visit his Alma Mater St. Mary’s School, and indulge in the nostalgia of this magical Abode. He had gone for a morning walk the day before to sunset point, being an Abuite he rambled   down one of the jungle trails. What he witnessed blew him away; a local had set a crude trap (a small fishing hook at the end of a nylon sting) for the wild fowl that strayed there. A fowl had apparently taken hook line and bait and lay there helpless. John must have been furious and I’m sure he must have blown a fuse; he immediately went into town and got the authorities to witness the scene. He then took the bird down to the global hospital to see if he could save it. I wish I could have met his as I believe he was an ace Athlete while he was studying here in school.

 As I mentioned in my last post poaching in Abu is quite common, I’m sure any Abuite who reads this post of mine can vouch for the same and also mention the intriguing items and methods used by our present day poachers.

What a Crying Shame Mt. Abu

Today the forest of Mount Abu cannot be considered ecologically alive, as the birds and beasts that once roamed these virgin forest are today almost nonexistent. The Tiger disappeared in the mid-forties as they were hunted by the English and the elite Rajput rulers. Gradually over the years other large animals like the deer, the Sambar, blue-bull and porcupine s have been poached and today one does not get to see hair or hide of these animals. The Leopard can be seen occasionally when it makes its way to the town premises in search of stray dogs and domesticated animals, this beautiful animal is also poached for its expensive hide.

Wild life protection in and around the forest of Abu are extremely poor due to lack of resources. Hunting is prohibited in this sanctuary of ours, but influential people still get a piece of the pie in the form of small game, trapped wild fowl and the hare. Today while returning from my jungle walk I witnessed a native smuggling a wild fowl in a sack, he must have set a trap earlier in the day. Why work one’s ass off for a daily wage of 250 buck when one can earn up to 300 for setting the right kind of trap for these exotic birds. In the seventies these birds were a common sight today they can be barely heard or seen.

Today I had taken a ride to the school and met Shankar at the Paddy’s bridge and this is what I witnessed have a look at the snaps.

Shankar releasing a trap at Paddy’s Bridge

A trap meant for fish

What a shame

Awful

Five snakes in all

[ 14, November, 2011]. CHILDREN’S DAY CELEBRATIONS ST.MARY’S SCHOOL

Celebrating Children’s Day at St. Mary’s School in Mt. Abu

Children’s Day at St. Mary’s School in Mt. Abu is always a vibrant, awaited event, and this year was no exception. The teachers and staff dedicate themselves to making every student’s day unforgettable, transforming it into one filled with joy, laughter, and lasting memories.

In a heartwarming tradition, teachers showcase their creativity and dedication to making the day special for their students by performing skits, dances, and fun activities. The effort is a testament to the school’s commitment to nurturing a positive, supportive, and joyous environment for every child.

Some delightful video clips, captured by final-year student Master Kashyap Trivedi, document the lively performances and candid moments of the celebration, which I have included. His videos portray the authentic joy, enthusiasm, and sense of community characterising Children’s Day at St. Mary’s.

Whether it’s a comical play, a vibrant dance performance, or a moving speech, the teachers’ efforts are clear. They create unforgettable experiences for students and remind us to appreciate and celebrate our youth.

One Man Show

The Puppet Show

Will post a few more videos when I find the time, till then Happy viewing

My Friends are My Estate Mt.Abu

  "My friends are my estate." "A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.""A friend is one who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself." "A hug is worth a thousand words. A friend is worth more." "Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life."

To All my friends I bow my head in gratitude for being there for me, words cannot express the appreciation I have for you guys some of you who actually contacted me after a lapse of  over  40 years. The very thought of being there and getting in touch with me has made me fell ecstatic that there is someone out there in this wide world who still believes in humanity.

I thank the parish Priest Father Jackie and Loretta, who without asking rushed to our aid with groceries to tide us over our initial shock of having lost everything to the flash flood. BIG Thanks go out to all my Mates who came forward to offer assistance in one way or the other.

There are a lot of things with which I’m blessed, a loving and understanding woman by my side, a positive approach to life, and an attitude “Everything happens for the best”, let me expand. If my previous landlord had not insisted that I leave his premises immediately I probably would have had water flowing over my head. I was to take the building bang opposite, as it would have been convenient transferring our luggage, but the impending amputation  put paid to this approach. If I had taken this building I would have probably drowned trying to save Liz as the water rose to over 8 feet in it. The caretaker of this joint was pulled out by the army personnel with the help of ropes.

My problems have been few; nothing that I could not cope with, even this experience of losing our earthly possessions I saw the brighter side of life. A revamp of the household goods was long overdue, and I thank providence for providing me the chance to do just that.

Now we are back in our Abode and life goes on. I once again Thank All of you out there for making us feel whole, all I ask is keep in touch.

Thank you for being
 

           My Friend
P.S
A very special Thank you goes to Our Family Dr.A.K.Sharma for being instrumental in getting the Jawans of the Army & the CRP for rescuing us. 

Floods in the Mountains Mt.Abu

Floods in the Mountains of Mt.Abu

I retrieved my laptop from the cabinet during the second week of August, intending to share some observations about the monsoon on Facebook. Our community, known as Abuites, was quite concerned, as we had encountered only about six light showers until August 7th, with just two of them being heavy. It seemed like we were heading into another dry spell.

On the morning of August 9th, the rain started with a gentle drizzle, intensifying as the day progressed. By midday, the downpour had become a torrential deluge, as if the gates of heaven had opened, releasing a flood instead of the expected brimstone and fire. It transformed the hill station into a waterlogged landscape.

Streams of water began flowing down the small creek in front of our house, causing our modest bridge to overflow. The water volume surged by the minute, and I realized a flash flood was imminent. Relentless heavy rain persisted, and the continuous downpour led to torrents of water converging towards the major drainage system. Unfortunately, the neglected state of the streams and gutters aggravated the situation because of obstructions and backflows, causing water levels to rise in various parts of Abu. It submerged the main road under over three feet of water, and landslides blocked some pathways, forcing people to detour around the affected areas, even trekking from the Hanuman temple because of the landslide.

The deluge caused a significant wall in front of Dhundai Central School to collapse, with debris obstructing the fast-moving water. Vehicles parked in the area became submerged and the current swept away motorcycles. Amid the chaos, my cook, Naresh and I trudged through waist-deep water to retrieve our drifting water storage tanks. I moved my scooter to higher ground and secured our water tanks to the main iron door. As the water level kept rising, the surrounding landscape changed dramatically, with water reaching the fourth step of our house. Liz, who was on her bed, attempted to call for help, but connectivity issues made it difficult. She eventually managed to contact people in town to inform them of our situation.

Around 1:45 pm, water seeped into the house, and by 2 pm, it had risen to three feet. Time was running short, preventing us from salvaging belongings. The rising water engulfed cupboards, causing fridges and a washing machine to float. Liz’s bed was adrift, prompting me to move her into her specialized wheelchair. Urging Naresh and our maid to hold on to the wheelchair, I struggled to open the rear iron door, which was obstructed by the rising water. I put in a lot of effort and managed to open it, letting the water rush in.

The water level had reached about four feet inside the house, submerging Liz’s lower body. After clearing the debris, we guided her to the back of the house. "With the combined effort and Liz's cooperation, we successfully transported her to the rooftop.". As the unrelenting rain ceased by 4 pm, the water gradually receded, leaving behind a messy aftermath. Liz was lowered from the roof by CRPF personnel and taken to a temporary shelter at the Starlet hostel. Leonard and his team arrived to begin the cleanup and restoration process. I’m immensely thankful to everyone who extended their help to Liz and me during this challenging situation.

Despite the impending danger, I managed to capture a few photographs.

.

Close to 1pm, the water 10 above the stream

The rising water

Three feet of water in the kitchen

One of the fridges floating,the water came through the window 

Naresh and the tank

The stream looks like a river 

 The water level at our threshold 

P.S
Read more on the Heavy Rain in Mt.Abu
have a look at the video clip I took Floods in Abu

The Ordeal and Nightmare continue Abu

Life has been one nightmare after another

It’s been over 175 days since I’ve made up my mind to put my tormented thoughts into a clear concise order. Life has been one nightmare after another; I’ve never been as depressed in life as I have been over the last six months. I had lost all sense of perspective, and I found myself in a state of limbo, I could not bring myself to face the eventual reality that was to follow. All along from day one I knew we would one day be faced with the grim reality of Liz losing her second leg to the rare disease of ‘Takayasu’s Arteritis’. 

Liz is no quitter, she has always faced day-to-day problems with a practical outlook on the positive side of things. I remember when I mentioned to her that she had become the victim of an incurable, horrendous disease called ‘Takasuisis Arthritis’, she shrugged her shoulders and with her positive attitude to life said, “The Lord giveth and the lord taketh ‘. She has been through purgatory, the catholic idea of cleansing of the soul before the final journey to the road that leads to the Pearly Gates.

Purgatory my ass, was more a preparation for the trials of Hades, after her amputation of the first foot, it took more than a  year for the wound to close and heal, in the meantime the disease which was restricted all this while through medication, once again began to manifest its ugly head in her second foot. I had never seen Liz grouse, moan or complain even though she had gone through the ordeals of multiple angiographies, amputations of her toes followed by her right foot, she braved all these trials and tribulations but when her left leg started to rankle and the collapsing arteries began to put pressure on her other veins, resulting in them being raptured due to being comprised, and triggering extreme panic amongst the household, did she lose her cool. Twice she had to be rushed to the Global Hospital for first aid treatment. Liz’s spirit began to wane and I could see the agony she was going through. The eruptions on her foot began to ooze and the mucus began to smell, it was a living hell, the excruciating pain, the foul odour, and the hope for a cure made her cry out in a lamented and pathetic appeal to her Maker to release her of this ordeal.

Below are some of the photographs I had taken to send to the various doctors for their opinions and suggestions 

Front view of the foot

 Another angle

The inner side of the foot 

The outer side 

 I could do nothing to alleviate her pain, the world around me seemed to be collapsing, pressure was mounting on me on all fronts, and my financial status from comfortable began to go from yellow to red. I searched the internet for hours on end, contacted doctors from all walks of life, and looked for alternate remedies, to make life less of a hell for her. I profusely thank all the gracious people who went out of their way and who took the time to suggest alternative methods of treatment. I knew all along I was like a drowning man reaching for those straws to pull us through this ordeal.

I’ve inserted a diagram of her arterial blood flow given to us by Dr.Darshan, after he had performed a Doppler test on the 16th Jan 2010. In this test, one can clearly see that the foot of the left leg had also succumbed to the disease. There was only hope that through medication on a regular basis, it could be contained.

Life has been good to us; both of us have had our share of struggles and strife, but this nightmare, has left us devastated. We knew this was no illusion, the symptoms were there to see, gangrene had set in, and it was time to act and not delude ourselves that this would blow over. Jennifer had returned from Kolkata, and it was decided that she would take her mother to Ahmedabad for the amputation while I held the fort here in Abu.

For almost eight months our peaceful existence vanished into thin air, we had no moments of rest, and we knew there was no escape from this dilemma. We just had to go through it. Friends and well-wishers dropped in to lend a helping hand some held prayer meetings to boost her sagging and disillusioned spirit. My restless mind could not be dampened even after popping sleeping pills; sleepless nights began to take their toll on my health. In the darkness I pondered on what action I was to take, sometimes lost in my own opinions, and in this emptiness, I would look for some respite to this predicament. I was often tempted to just rush Liz off to Ahmedabad, and surrender her to the surgeon’s knife and be done with it. Oh how I longed to be rid of this quandary, but I knew I could not delude myself and had to wait it out till Liz made up her mind to take the final plunge. I could see Liz struggling through these tumultuous events, and that she had to make up her mind soon before the gangrene spread through her whole system.

I will forever remain a captive to this spectre, to whom do I turn for solace, in an age where everything is so automatized, folks even near and dear ones are so busy in their day-to-day schedule that making time to visit a dear friend in need is indeed an herculean task. I stood beside her in solitude and waited with abated breadth for her to take the final decision of going in for the amputation and clinging on to life with its share of both pleasure and pain. I know the zeal to have achieved great heights in our lifetime now would boil down to a life of struggle and strife. I know that after the amputation, our lifestyles will change radically.

I know and feel the frustration that life isn’t fair, but on looking down the road it isn’t all that bad. We ran a Doppler test in the first week of June at the Global Hospital and the prognosis was that the arteries in her leg had narrowed down and that perhaps stenting would prolong the impending amputation. In light of this forecast and the unbearable pain, Liz took the final decision to go ahead with the amputation. Once again I rang up my friends and classmates in Ahmedabad to arrange for blood for the operation that was to be slated on the 16^th of June. All arrangements with the hospital and the team of doctors had been taken care of.

The operation went off without too much of a hassle, there were a few hiccups prior to the operation, the dye used for the double angiographies one through the arm and the other through the groin to check the extent and spread of the disease caused a reaction and Liz had to be given emergency shots to regulate the reaction. Liz was back in Abu on the 21^st of June. What a relief it was for me to see her sleep through the nights without the Nightmares she had been going through for the last eight months.

Before I forget, let me once again thank all who came forward to give us their support and time. Will be keeping you all updated on this Abode. This year I did not cover the annual concert or the sports as I’m still wobbly from a natural calamity that struck my home on the 9^th of August. Can you imagine Floods in Abu!!!

The Cat with More than Nine Lives, lives through another accident Mt.Abu

The Incredible Story of the Cat Who Has More Than Nine Lives

The day began in the early hours of April 28th with surprising news. My good friend Kunoo, the Thakur of Bera Village, called to inform me of his mother's death. With the funeral set for 11.30 a.m., I rushed to contact family members in the hopes that they would join me in this moment of support and solidarity. My brother-in-law, on the other hand, indicated his inability to attend owing to approaching job responsibilities relating to his impending retirement on April 30th. This unexpected turn of events required me to attend the burial with another close buddy before returning to Abu by 7 p.m.

Around 8 p.m., I received a frantic phone from my sister, summoning me to the accident site where my brother-in-law had been involved in an accident. My blood raced cold as the fortunes of this accident-prone man were almost tragic. I called another friend to make a hasty trip to the spot because his house was in that area; I drove instantly, dreading the worst. When I arrived at the site, there was a tremendous throng and commotion, my sister weeping, Walter's eldest daughter was raging and yelling and crazy, and some cops had also arrived. 

It only took a few seconds to see that there was complete turmoil, but over the bustle, I heard my brother-in-law's painful cry, and my sinking being sprang to life. "Charlie's Aunt the old cock is still kicking and alive", I sighed, and we took him to the Global Hospital.

After examining Walter, I encouraged him to relax; his left leg was obviously in horrible shape, but it did not appear crushed; he most likely had a dislocated knee. The prognosis following the X-ray reinforced my suspicion. To his good fortune, teams of orthopaedic surgeons were on the scene since the Global Research Centre was hosting a symposium. They brought Walter into the emergency room, where these specialists set his leg.

Against all odds, they released Walter today around 4 p.m. Despite his physical restrictions, we made certain that he attended his department's retirement ceremony, although in a more muted way. It was a touching and wonderful event that celebrated this exceptional man's tenacity.

This remarkable sequence of events reminds me of Walter's unbreakable spirit, which is comparable to a cat with more than nine lives. His fortitude and capacity to persevere in the face of adversity serve as an example to us all. He has demonstrated time and again that he is more than simply a survivor, but a fighter with an unyielding spirit.

Today, I'd like to offer some photos that capture the soul of this wonderful man. A grin in the face of hardship is a testimonial to inner strength and courage.

May Walter's strength inspire us all and remember the importance of a strong spirit until the next part of this journey.

This story exemplifies the perseverance and tenacity of the human spirit. Walter's unwavering determination in tough times serves as a reminder that a resilient spirit can endure any adversity.

 33 years of service

 All eyes glued

All smiles 

 Bhagwan a dear friend

 Farewell ole  mate

 Feels good

 Gift  by the department

 Good one

Great joke

The backbone of the dept the linesman

Helping hands

Back to base

An emotional moment 

staff

Not too Bad

A great moment

Wifey n wally

Ouch 

Groan

Staff

Dharmendra the present boss

All ready to roll 

Retired staff

Speech by the big wig 

Staff n well wishers 

Helping hands

Touching

All smiles

Back home

One for the camera

The final signature

Smile man I'm retired