Mount Abu" The Doggy Show That Went Down"

Abu gearing up for a dog show 

Anticipating the Abu Dog Show: A Bittersweet Twist

I was over the moon when a dear friend told me about an upcoming dog show in early May. His Highness of Sirohi was sponsoring the event, and my good friend, Thakur Devi Singh of Bera, was to be one of the chief judges. It promised to be an exciting gathering of dog enthusiasts, and I was eager to see it unfold.

 But imagine my disappointment when Mr Singh called me today with unfortunate news—the show had been called off because of a lack of entries. I couldn’t resist a joke, suggesting he should have invited my brother-in-law, a man whose love for dogs is legendary here in Abu. With five pedigree dogs indoors and eleven mongrels roaming his compound, he once had over seventeen dogs, nevertheless, the numbers have dwindled as some fell prey to Abu’s stealthiest predator, the panther.

 For the few of us dog lovers in Mount Abu, this event was something we had been looking forward to. It would have not solely been a delightful experience but also a great opportunity to put Abu on the map for something more than its natural beauty. It’s such a perfect setting for a dog show, with its cool, crisp air and scenic views.

 My own Basset Hound is reluctant to get into vehicles, and waits every morning for our routine walk to St. Mary’s High School and back—a jaunt she never tyres of. So, despite the show being postponed, I am still holding on to hope. After all, who knows? October could be the ideal time to reschedule, with tourists flocking to Abu and the weather turning even more agreeable. It might just be the perfect setting for a new beginning.

Mount Abu " Drinking Water Quality and Health"

" Drinking Water Quality and Health"

An adequate supply of safe drinking water is one of the major prerequisites for a healthy life.The importance of clean water and the link between putrid water is seen by the number of patients flocking to doctors. Abu was once a proud health resort,where the weary came to recoup. Today it's reeking!!!Contaminated water is recognized by its foetid smell and unpleasant taste. The quality of water over the last few weeks has been so bad that the one cannot even muster the courage to bring a glass of water to one's parched lips. The stench from the water is like that of some decayed animals remains.

"Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and, therefore, a basic human right. Contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people. It is an affront to human dignity"
Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General
We the people of Mount Abu strongly urge the honorable members of the Abu Municipality and the councilors of all wards,to take immediate action to resolve the drinking water crisis of Mount Abu before a major epidemic breaks out because of lax attitude by the very people at the helm.
Another issue that needs immediate attention is the lifeline of Abu the Nakki Lake. The smell from Nakki Lake hits you even before it comes in sight. A floating carpet of green algae and a dense matting of weeds, chemicals covers the inflow into the lake behind the mosque.the squatters probably caused this settled behind the mosque of the fresh-water lake whose beauty has inspired generations of poets.
Nowhere is the abject failure of Abu Municipality environmental policies more visible than in Nakki lake the lifeline of the people of Abu .There are virtually no clean-up operations done on the Lake. If any grants have been passed for the cleansing of the lake, there is nothing to show for it. The lake is dirtier than ever.
"In the past three years the condition of the lake has gone from bad to worse. I strongly urge the Authorities to go down to the lake and see for themselves the condition of the lake. Here is a photograph taken by me while strolling around the lake

The appalling state of the lake water

Greetings from Mount Abu!

“Maharao Sirohi Polo Cup”.Mt Abu.

Greetings from Mount Abu!

Visitors planning to visit Abu in April around the second week of April would get to see the third edition of the revival of Polo at Mount Abu.
From the 10th of April, the games will commence for the “Maharao Sirohi Polo Cup”. Tourists interested in further details could contact the Hon. Secretary Dr.Sharma for any additional information.
E-mail: aksamip@dil.in

ELIZABETH MY BITTER HALF PART II Mt.ABU

Liz's ordeal with "Takayasu arteritis" 

As promised, I am here to continue my story concerning my bitter half. After the removal of her small toe, I brought Liz home to Abu. It was bitterly cold as it was the month of January. To keep Liz warm I made sure the room’s temperature never fell below 22 C, mentally and physically worn out. Her ordeal had just begun. Her life changed with Takayasu arteritis, but she was fortunate it only affected her ankle as it can be terminal if it affects the heart. The nights were terrifying as she went through agonizing pain; even powerful painkillers had little effect on her. Her toes turned black and began to resemble something from a horror movie as blood flow decreased. Dry Gangrene had set in.

I called Dr. Anandan in the Maldives and inquired how much longer Liz would have to bear this bombardment. He responded calmly, saying they needed to wait and see how much damage there was before deciding on amputation. I am a complete cynic; his soothing remarks left me shattered. Liz, on the other hand, had complete trust in her mentor's prognosis; she endured the pain with dignity and awaited his return from the Maldives.

Dr. Anandan couldn't make it on his scheduled dates, which made me worried. Liz seemed a bit anxious, something I hadn't seen before.. Her big and second toes were gone to charcoal, shrivelled, and were not a pleasing sight to behold.

A lot has happened since I posted my last blog on her. Today I am in a better frame of mind and do not have the proverbial ‘sword of Damocles’ hanging over my head. After the removal of the small toe, the other toes followed suit. Here are some photographs taken by my web camera of her foot to forward to Dr.Anand.

Dr. Anandan who was one of the chief physicians to the President of the Maldives and had to be away for long breaks, kept in touch with me via e-mail. Here is one such extract.
Dr. Anand.
M.S., M.N.A.M.S., F.I.C.S.,
Dip. Laparoscopy (Germany),
Consultant surgeon,
E-Mail - dranand108@yahoo.com
Dear SIR, NICE to get your mail. You can continue to use the ointment for the foot and request Dr Sharma to have a look periodically to see the foot to decide whether further disarticulation of the toes is needed. Since they have requested me to visit another hospital to take care of a few more surgical cases, I may have to delay my return to Mt Abu. I will try to come as soon as possible. Meanwhile please send me mail often
Anand---

Ainsley wrote:

> Good Day Dr Anand,

How are you? Here is a report as to the progress of my better half, Elizabeth. Although she's improving, there's a minor problem - her skin opens up and there's a reddish and yellowish fluid coming out of her foot when she walks. The third toe at the joint is pink, but the rest has turned black, she has stopped taking painkillers and does not experience the pain that she had previously felt. Also between her toes, she has some raw skin which is difficult to clean. Should we use some medicated cream to keep these parts moist as the climate has turned very dry and the skin also has turned dry?

Do you believe in miracles? I do not, but what I have witnessed is certainly a miracle, the miracle of wonder drugs that have made the impossible possible. Sal Hospital doctors suggested that amputating Liz's leg above the ankle was the best solution to save her life. They did the angiography in 2003 in the month of December, it’s now five years and the team of doctors who had attended to Liz still cannot believe that this adorable woman is still alive and kicking. She’s still on medication, moves around and is in good health. Her foot does give her trouble, especially in the winters, so each winter we leave our Abode in the Mount and head like migratory birds for warmer destinations; Goa, Madras, Ahmadabad and Bombay have been a few of our winter destinations these last few years.
The tide that had taken a turn for the worse in our lives with Liz’s ordeal has helped us to come out of it with a better understanding of what life is all about. We know we are not yet out of the woods, but are thankful that we still have each other to tide us over if the next tsunami hits. Her foot has healed but she has to be very cautious and careful that she never hurts her foot accidentally, as it would take ages to heal. This is a snapshot of her foot as of today.

To have a better idea of this rare disease "Takayasu arteritis" click on the links below

http://vasculitis.med.jhu.edu/typesof/takayasu.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takayasu

Mount Abu "Garasias"

  The Flower Moon

May 2, 2007

The Full Flower Moon. Abu’s hillsides are in full bloom. Out here in India, it’s called “Buddha Purnima”. The full moon this year fell on May 2, 2007; it commemorates the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. On special days, many people go to Indian holy places to ask the gods for their favour. What fascinates me is the large number of "Garasias" who come to my hometown.

These Garasias throng to Abu by the hundreds and that too on foot, they hoof it all the way up from villages all over Rajasthan. They come in enormous groups singing and dancing in their local dialect till they amass around the famous Nakki Lake at Abu, their final destination.

For the Garasias, "Buddha Purnima" is an important day as they decided on marriages on this day. The Garasias pay the bride's "price" to her father after elopement. Should this agreement not work out, the girl returns home with her father, who receives some money for the inconvenience caused.

The Garasias, legend has it is descendants of the Rajput tribe of the Chauhans. Apparently, the Chauhans, after being defeated in a battle aeons ago, fled and mingled with the local Bhil tribe to form a distinctive group. The tribal population of Garasias are concentrated around the hills of Abu and the KOTRA region of Udaipur.

The Garasias have a Bhil culture with bows and arrows for hunting and self-defence. I Still fail to understand how they have a higher status than the native Bhil. Perhaps there is some truth in the legend of the Garasias origin (the fallen Rajputs)

The zest for the life of these people left an impression on me. I’m posting a few snaps of these fun-loving folks, Happy viewing.

"Garasias" who come to my hometown.

"Garasias" who come to my hometown, during Buddha Purnima"

Garasias throng to Nakki Lake