I removed my heart blockage without surgery 20 years back and am still active

The heart is the most vital organ of any living being. This organ loses its powers with age and once the symptoms become visible, one seeks medical advice. The patient has to go in for medication as the medical team pores over the findings of various tests. Usually, the suggestion of the learned professionals is surgery. However, I did nothing of the sort when doctors advised that option. It happened in 2003 when I was in service. I still had one year left to retire and the doctors said – ‘don’t worry - you will not need to pay anything because the company will bear the expenses since you are still an employee.’ It did not convince me. Yes, my heart was weak. I was taken to the hospital from my office and preliminary investigation in Mumbai showed my LVEF to be far below limits. In those days, the cardiac scene was practically not there in Nashik and I had to go to Mumbai. I dreaded the very thought of lying unconscious on the operation table as surgeons tried to repair my damaged heart. I had never undergone any surgery until then and even now, there are no such scars on my body.

Well, when I returned back from Mumbai, a woman who worked in my section gave me a local Marathi magazine in which there was a medicine prescribed to improve the functions of the heart. It consisted of three ingredients. These were basil leaves, fresh lemon and ‘khadi’ shakkar. This is a form of sugar that comes in the form of lumps. I would pluck 10 to 12 basil leaves, clean them and make a paste with the ‘khadi’ shakkar using a marble-stone mortar and pestle. I would then put the paste in a cup, mix the juice of a fresh lemon and swallow the mixture on an empty stomach. Simultaneously, I would munch a pod of garlic along with my morning tea. I continued this ‘medication’ for nearly six months. When I next went for checkup in Mumbai, the LVEF value had gone up to a satisfactory level. I did not go for any surgery and am as fit as a fiddle even today. My age is 78.

Durga Puja from outside India and within –

13 Best Durga Puja in London UK 2022

14 Best Durga Puja in New York USA 2022

2022 Durga Puja Calendar for Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Tourist hotels in Puri, Darjeeling and Digha –

GosaniYatra or The Durga Puja of Puri

Darjeeling hotels brim with tourists

How Can You Enjoy Durga Puja At Affordably Priced Hotel In Digha?

Some popular stories of this blogger –

Money is flying in the wind - Kolkata could rename itself as the City of Crorepatis

Cheetahs went extinct in India in 1953 and the first batch of 12 new animals will arrive from South Africa soon

Tropical storm Kay strikes parts of Southern California with winds of over 100 mph

North Korea declares itself as a nuclear weapons state

The Royal family and the world paid tributes to Queen Elizabeth II who passed away peacefully at the age of 96

Virat Kohli scores a century against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022, India registers a convincing win

Bengalis of Kolkata love mouthwatering dishes and Khaibaar Pass helps them choose the best

Kolkata loves variety in foods and the Kokattans have their favorite food joints

Prince William and Kate head to school with their kids George, Charlotte and Louis

He was an out and out Bohemian

Here is the twenty ninth unforgettable character in my life …

There is hardly anyone who has not met at least one Bohemian in his lifetime. This Bohemian friend of mine was a freelancer – he had a small screen printing outfit and would go around collecting orders for visiting cards or marriage cards or labels. He was sincere to his profession but he had a drawback. He had never learnt cycling, therefore he could not ride any scooter and had to use his feet. When the distances were large, he would hire an auto rickshaw.

Since our city had an abundance of small scale industries, he was never short of orders. He faced problems when he bagged large orders – at that time he would recruit temporary hands, mostly girls. Their relationships were always master-servant types, nothing closer than that.
Our paths crossed when we decided to print Bengali books and magazines from Nashik through computers. He arranged for the Bengali fonts through his contact and also the facilities of data entry. We used to meet in his room – it was always in a mess. We would suggest that he get married and settle down to a regular life but he would laugh it all off.
He did have a try tried at writing stories but the results were not that great – he wanted to be a rebel and would insist on his special style of spelling. It was a style that no one accepted in those days but is gradually coming into vogue today!
Anyway, when circumstances forced our magazine, our paths parted – our meetings became less frequent and, one day, we came to know that he had finally got married. Only – she was a divorcee with a kid. She used to help him in his freelancing business and had trouble with her husband. They would fight and, finally, she took the extreme step of separation. My friend gladly accepted her.
We met after a long time during one of the Durga pujas – both he and his wife had come to the puja pandal. He had purchased a brand new car and had a driver – he has not yet learnt driving the car.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

Conflict between man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses


He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics


Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "The 15:17 to Paris"

Work on superhero film "Deadpool 2" begins

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter


Two Americans gored by bulls in the San Fermin bull running festival

At least 15 killed in shootout in Mexico between police and drug gangs

Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

A sudden storm shattered my dreams

Here is the fifth unforgettable character in my life …

He was a very good friend of mine. We both shared a lot of interests. Therefore when, one day, we talked about beginning an English magazine for the Youth, we were on common turf. At that time my wife had gone to her mother’s place and he was a bachelor. His father stayed with him but did not interfere in the activities of his son. Hence, we would spend hours discussing, preparing layouts, debating on what material would be suitable. It should be mentioned here that he had an exceptional ability to analyze anything. Naturally, he was in the Quality control department while I was in the production lines. By default, we seldom saw eye to eye in the work place. Still we discussed our project at length – in between working breaks as also outside office hours.

I still remember an occasion when I landed up in his place. It was a Saturday; he was humming an English tune as he cleaned a bowl of rice of foreign matter and took a sip from a large glass that stood by his side. His father was in the inner room with a book – he loved reading.
My friend welcomed and offered me a drink. It was orange in color and had the distinct taste of orange juice. Only, it was country liquor. Hesitatingly, I took a tiny sip and began discussing our proposed magazine. We planned to visit the college and approach the Principal to let us have a chat with the students on the subject – we wanted to involve them in our decision so that they could get an incentive to associate with us. I never noticed when my glass had become empty.
The night was not young any longer. I stood up and after a few steps, felt that I was walking on air! My feet kept searching for firmness under the soles!! My rooms were round the corner and, I do not know how I climbed down the staircase. When I woke next morning, I found that I had not even bolted the door – I was lying in a heap on the floor.
This friend of mine met with a terrible end. He was from Andhra and the group went for the annual picnic to celebrate Sankranti. He was in charge of the record player. As usual, he had his glass of drink with him. When all the members were busy, he suddenly realized that the record had stopped playing. He walked over to put on a new record and, at that very moment, there was a sudden gust of wind. The force was such that it broke the branch of the tree and it fell on him. He was crushed under it.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Barack Obama enters the league of top US Presidents with ranking of 12

Public tours of the White House will begin again from March 7

Explosion in French nuclear power plant in a non-nuclear zone


Didi caught in the whirlpool of industries (satire)

Moody’s love hate relationship with the raincoat (satire)

The curse of social media – cold blooded murders committed


Mumbai will get to see Justin Bieber in action on May 10

Kangana Ranaut is 'fearless Julia' in Rangoon

Shakti Kapoor holds his audience spellbound in the Khandagiri Yatra


ISIS carries out car bombing in Baghdad - kills at least 55

Suicide bomb attack kills at least 72 in a Sufi shrine in Pakistan

Mayor of London worried about ISIS attacks on the city