Thanks Doctor!

There was no private opd in Govt Hospital, Srinagar. A very affectionate Dr Reeta Darbari used to favour us by examining wife out of turn. Her husband Dr Varun Raina was Indian Airlines part-time medical officer. On Sept 7, 1987, we visited army hospital too where some Colonel Doctor advised us the expected time of delivery after a week. Returning, we purchased a thermos flask (still with us) from Lal Chowk. While we were passing through the Govt Hospital, she felt some pain and we tried to contact Dr Reeta around 7pm. Fortunately, she had come early for her night duty. After examining, she told wife to pack the bag as she might have to come in the night itself. Very true.. we had to find some cab around 3am, and reached the hospital at 4am. As did luck always favour me in the dark hour, we faced no difficulty as Dr Reeta was there. Neha was born at 05:45 hours! After few days, I posted an appreciation letter for the Doctor. We left Srinagar in 1988 to celebrate Neha's first birthday in Delhi.

After 20 years, one night in 2008, when I was very much busy at IGIA for boarding of our Singapore flight, one pax suddenly asked me, "Do you recognise me?" He was Dr. Varun Raina. In turn, I asked, "How is Dr. Reeta Darbari?" As there was no time for such talks, he gave me his visiting card having numbers of both. Returning home after night duty, I called Dr. Reeta and asked if she ever got and remembered my letter appreciating her 20 years ago. "Yes!" She too was delighted.

Happy Women's Day!

So many cultures over the centuries have cherished ladybugs, believing them to bring good luck! Luck itself is personified as a Lady (Fortuna - the Roman Goddess identical to Greek Goddess Tyche) controlling power in human affairs and bringing good fortune in one's life. There maybe some lady in one's life to bring good luck. She is the love of your life - maybe your daughter, doctor or  a friend - and hard to be away from! Wishing you a Happy Women's Day, I dedicate the Day affectionately to you!..

मां तुझे प्रणाम!

This March 6 is mother's 13th 'punya tithi'. It was daughter Neha's 12th Board exam next day. She too was disturbed and forgot her Entrance Ticket (Roll number) somewhere. Fortunately, it was found at her desk and was deposited with the Principal. Neha met her Dadi little before when she was also preparing for her medical entrance exams and sought her blessings. Neha was then one year old when I returned from Srinagar posting to Delhi and was living at Moti Bagh. Ammaji was then living with my younger brother at Dilshad garden. Many times, on my Weekly Off, I used to visit mother taking Neha in my lap, on a one-rupee DTC bus pass. We used to change bus from Connaught Place and sometime would spent some time at Jantar Mantar while returning. Few years back, I once asked Neha as what she had looked for there in the trees? Indicating to a specific tree, she immediately replied, 'Parrots.. on that tree! Where it has gone?' Her silence replied, 'Perhaps, with Dadi!'

With Love From

With 💖 From

Nehdeep Hospital!

After my night duties, when I was still unable to wake up in the after noon, Neha and Nayan used to 'walk' on my back, hand and legs, in an effort to calm down my body ache to be able to play with them. One step ahead, I had to go to their Hospital Nehdeep (Neha + Nayandeep) where Dr. Neha would advise me certain medicines, like, a prescription dated 15.3.2001 reads:
1. For Hands: Pearl Essential Pain Balm
2. For feet: Krack cream
Further advising healthy tips:
Drink a glass of milk everyday. Exercise daily. Have a balanced diet. Don't move bare foot!..

Numeric compatibility

SONIA ARORA BATRA
Date of birth: 28.4.1984
Total 36, 3+6 = 9 Basic Number
Friendly numerics of 9 are 3 & 6
Name's best numeric value comes 9, 3 or 6
As per Pythagorean Numerology, SONIA comes to 22, ARORA 26, BATRA 15 (ref below pic), totalling 63, finally 6+3= 9 (Best compatibility being same as Birth's basic number). Further, in Numerology, 22 (SONIA) is the most powerful of all numbers. It's often called the Master Builder. The 22 can turn the most ambitious of dreams into reality. It's potentially the most successful of all numbers. Congratulations!

Thus Goes Life

In response to my matrimonial advertisement, one Mr Sinha met me a couple of times when I came back to Delhi after four months from Srinagar for my abinitio training at Safadarajng airport. He was our Deputy Manager and his daughter was working with Engineers India Limited. I remember, every time we met, he would hold my hand to read lines on my palm. Perhaps he didn't find something good in me as a father would like for his daughter in her matrimony, and discontinued the matter. Around ten years later I met a colleague at Delhi airport who happened to be Mr Sinha's next door neighbour. Sharing lighter moments, I once told him the old episode. I was shaken by his reply that his daughter working with EIL had died. Life follows just mysterious ways of God!

Word power

"Airlines selected Bhatnagar boy, double MA, 29, 165 cms, seeks suitable pretty virgin. Write Box No... Hindustan Times, New Delhi." I inserted above matrimonial ad and left for Srinagar to join duty along with my mother, then 65, in 1984. After sometime, I got my mail forwarded by the newspaper. Among others, I found an inland letter, written "pretty virgin'' at the other side at Sender's name. Inside the letter, I found two girls collectively scolding me on my using the word 'virgin' and asking me about my own 'status'. I didn't tore the letter, but replied clarifying that I didn't mention the word in that context but just as a synonym to the 'girl'. The duo were BDS students from Maulana Azad Medical College. Later, I came to know, Times of India was not even accepting the ads containing the word 'virgin'. On the other hand, attracted by the first word 'Airlines', one of Mrs. Bhatnagar's friends, then dropped a simple postcard in response, from her parents side, requesting me to contact on coming to Delhi.

When wedding was fixed through this simple postcard, I posted a wedding card to those girls, doing BDS. They came too and met us at the venue. Perhaps they are also in a pic in our album! (The tiny ad might also be somewhere in old papers!)