This is the second time in Abu’s recent history that Abu has geared up to greet all tourists with a team of medical doctors and fully fledged staff at the Abu gateway. The first time it was when the rat plague was declared at Surat. Tourist to escape the impending epidemic there made a beeline for the Abode of the gods a safe heaven. Today and the next two days Abu is expected to house thousands of tourists as two very important holidays coupled with a Sunday have fallen together. JANMASHTHAMI a big Hindu festival where the birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated has fallen on the 14th followed by India’s Independent Day.
This is one of Abu’s biggest gateway holiday for our Guajarati brethren, Abu during this time of the year becomes so overcrowded that it sometimes fails to accommodate the volume of tourists that head this way. Today I made it a point to take a drive down to Monkey temple in the hope of snapping some reed warblers along the way and to observe the inflow of the impending traffic that should be heading for this paradise of ours.
I did not witness the volume of expected traffic as predicted probably because of the fear of the dreaded Influenza A (H1N1) Swine flu, that is spreading apparently at an alarming rate in some parts of our country. Yesterday a meeting was held at the Global hospital by prominent members of the Abu officers, the medical fraternity and denizens of this hill station. It was decided that total precautions be taken to dispel fear and trounce rumors, that might arise with the influx of tourists.
Tourists should be requested to comply and co-operate in our endeavor to make this heaven of ours a safe place by going through routine screening at our entry point, if a tourist is ill he should immediately take help offered by our medical help line.
Locals have been advised to avoid crowds, and if suffering from flue like symptoms to remain at home. Tomorrow if I don’t hear the steady drone of vehicles down my road I will conclude that the tourists have taken the necessary precaution of staying at home and adhering to the old adage of our forefathers.
“Prevention is better than cure”. But the festival of JANMASHTHAMI is far bigger than any epidemic, so I know tomorrow Abu will be bursting at its seams before I retire let me conclude with
WISHING ALL A JOYOUS
JANMASHTHAMI!
This is one of Abu’s biggest gateway holiday for our Guajarati brethren, Abu during this time of the year becomes so overcrowded that it sometimes fails to accommodate the volume of tourists that head this way. Today I made it a point to take a drive down to Monkey temple in the hope of snapping some reed warblers along the way and to observe the inflow of the impending traffic that should be heading for this paradise of ours.
I did not witness the volume of expected traffic as predicted probably because of the fear of the dreaded Influenza A (H1N1) Swine flu, that is spreading apparently at an alarming rate in some parts of our country. Yesterday a meeting was held at the Global hospital by prominent members of the Abu officers, the medical fraternity and denizens of this hill station. It was decided that total precautions be taken to dispel fear and trounce rumors, that might arise with the influx of tourists.
Tourists should be requested to comply and co-operate in our endeavor to make this heaven of ours a safe place by going through routine screening at our entry point, if a tourist is ill he should immediately take help offered by our medical help line.
Locals have been advised to avoid crowds, and if suffering from flue like symptoms to remain at home. Tomorrow if I don’t hear the steady drone of vehicles down my road I will conclude that the tourists have taken the necessary precaution of staying at home and adhering to the old adage of our forefathers.
“Prevention is better than cure”. But the festival of JANMASHTHAMI is far bigger than any epidemic, so I know tomorrow Abu will be bursting at its seams before I retire let me conclude with
WISHING ALL A JOYOUS
JANMASHTHAMI!
