Follow COVID-19 safety protocols during Ganeshotsav this year

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Ganesh Chaturthi is just around the corner. We are also excited to welcome Ganpati Bappa into our homes, but there is a constant worry of inviting people at home or celebrating the upcoming festivals in a crowded setting. Well, there goes a famous song, “There’s no place like home for the holidays,” and this classic English song seems more relevant in times today than ever before as we navigate the festival season in the COVID-19 era.

Most experts across the country have insisted that staying home is the best and safest option. That doesn’t make it sting less, though. After months of isolation, economic anxiety, and pandemic fatigue, it is entirely understandable that people are yearning for hugs from family members and meet-ups with friends.

But the reality remains that large parties/gatherings, travelling to see friends and family and brushing off masks and social distancing can have serious consequences – the impact of which will be felt beyond your circle. There is no need to celebrate festivals by gathering in a crowd; the festivities can be scaled down too. The good news is, with some modifications, you can still make the most out of our favourite time of the year. Most festivals bring hope and light – and we must hold onto this meaning all the more if we cannot celebrate them in the way we might have in the past. 

GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW SHOULD YOU HAVE A SMALL GATHERING AT HOME:

  • Make your event as safe as possible for guests; ventilate the rooms appropriately or host the event on the terrace/ balcony to enable natural ventilation.
  • Keep the gathering small and short.
  • Encourage people to wear masks and ensure enough space for each guest to maintain at least a 1-meter distance from others.
  • Help your guests follow COVID19 appropriate measures – provide masks, alcohol-based hand sanitiser or access to soap and water, tissues and bins with lids that close.
  • Follow guidance issued by local public health authorities before you plan a gathering.

IF YOU DO PLAN TO GO OUT, HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF ANY INFECTION, INCLUDING CORONAVIRUS.

  • All crowded places should be avoided; festivals should be celebrated with all precautions.
  • Meet people in open areas and maintain required distancing.
  • Wearing a mask is a must once you step out of the house.
  • Six feet or two meters of social distancing is compulsory.
  • Sanitize your hands frequently (for at least 20 seconds).
  • Go out with only your social bubble.
  • Spitting is strictly prohibited.
  • Even if you get stuck in a crowd by chance, make sure you are wearing a mask and avoiding face-to-face contact.
  • Wash your clothes with detergent after coming back home and also take a hot water bath.
  • Experts suggest that those with respiratory complaints or a weakened immune system must refrain from venturing out at any cost.
  • Consult a doctor without delay if you notice any symptoms after returning home.

THIS FESTIVE SEASON COULD BE CELEBRATED DIFFERENTLY LIKE THIS:

  • As a family, be there for each other – try to have conversations with family and friends. Maybe a virtual call or small gathering while maintaining social distancing can be done. Listen to how others are coping and act with empathy & understanding.
  • Gift-giving – we’re all in this together and you & your gifts can be a way to share your love with your family and friends.
  • Be aware of overindulging – regardless of whether we can have large celebrations or not, it’s important to keep an eye on what you’re drinking and eating.
  • Celebrating with children – this may be when your children usually get together with cousins or friends. You could try to keep them connected through video calls so they feel included. Spend more time with them, cook for them, and indulge in some fun activities with them.
  • Maintain traditions – you could try to stick to the traditions that you have in place. Whether it’s making a particular meal or decorating your home on a certain day, you can create a sense of normality by maintaining these traditions.

To conclude, we can’t become complacent and should not let our guard down until the maximum population gets fully vaccinated or we reach herd immunity. Till then, we can continue following our traditions and enjoy ourselves with our family and friends while following COVID-appropriate behaviour.

(Dr Sandeep Patil, Chief Intensivist, and Dr Sudhir Gore, Head-Emergency Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan)

Frequently feel dizzy? It could be vertigo.

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Dr Pawan Ojha gives the lowdown on the disease of the vestibular system.

Do you often get a spinning feeling while lying down on your bed or when you are still? Often do you experience dizziness that disrupts your balance? This could be a sign of vertigo. Dizziness might imply vertigo, fainting, poor body balance, or even fits. Vertigo is a type of dizziness where you feel like spinning. These feelings may last from a few seconds to days and often worsen with movement.

WHAT CAUSES DIZZINESS? Vertigo is commonly caused by disease of the vestibular system. The vestibular system inside the inner ear helps in sensing our head position in space relative to the body, and works in an integrated manner with the brain to maintain body position. Vertigo can also result from diseases of the vestibular nerve or parts of the brain that deal with body balance.

IS VERTIGO A BIG PROBLEM? The diseases related to the inner ear and its nerve supply are generally considered less worrisome. ‘Benign Positional Vertigo’ often causes the most severe vertigo but can be treated easily by experts. It occurs when the calcium deposits of Otolith organs of the inner ear fall in the inner ear canals to cause short episodes of severe vertigo upon head movement, such as while lying down or getting up from the bed. Another important cause of vertigo is ‘Vestibular Neuritis’ which occurs due to viral infection or autoimmune disease of vestibular nerve, where vertigo, nausea, or vomiting can last up to several days. Meniere’s Disease is caused by a build-up of fluid in the inner ear tubes, causing episodic vertigo with ringing in the ears and hearing loss. The exact cause is unclear, a viral infection, an autoimmune reaction or a genetic component coule be the trigger. Many people who have migraine often complain of vertigo with or without headache, that is called ‘Vestibular Migraine.’ A neurologist can often easily identify and treat the underlying migraine to relieve vertigo.

WHAT’S THE MOST WORRISOME KIND OF VERTIGO? Vertigo that is caused by brain disease should be considered worrisome and treated on an urgent basis. Stroke is an important and serious condition causing dizziness. In a population-based study of more than 1,600 patients, 3.2% of those presenting to an emergency department with dizziness were diagnosed with a Stroke. Apart form this, brain infection, Multiple Sclerosis, hypothyroidism and other biochemical disturbances can cause vertigo even in the absence of fever.

So, one should not delay consulting a doctor as soon as one feels sudden dizziness. Warning signs for a serious cause of vertigo include severe headache, persistent vomiting and imbalance, double vision, vision problems, sudden hearing loss, or early signs of brain stroke (weakness or numbness in arm or leg , face drooping to one side, trouble while speaking or swallowing). People who are older than 60 years, with diabetes, hypertension, smoking and history of heart disease or brain stroke, should be extra careful. Doctors might require an urgent MRI of the brain to diagnose the brain problem and treat it in time.

TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE: Medications prescribed to relieve Vertigo include betahistine, antihistamines and anti-emetics. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) can be treated by physical repositioning procedures performed by expert doctors. Video-Nystagmography equipment might need to be used for complex cases. Special precautions in vertigo are limiting sodium intake, avoiding caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, and tobacco. If diagnosed in time, brain stroke can be effeciently treated with clot busters and/or interventional treatment. If vertigo is caused other serious problem, such as brain tumor or injury to the brain or neck, surgical treatment might be necessary to rectify those problems. Vestibular rehabilitation in the hands of expert physiotherapists forms an essential part of vertigo treatment. With correct diagnosis and treatment, most patients can be relieved of their vertigo effectively.

(Dr Pawan Ojha is Senior Neurologist-Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi-A Fortis network Hospital)

बचपन, बारिश, और सियार का ब्याह

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… क्यूंकि आज यूँ ही मेरा दिल फिर ऐसी बारिश के लिए बेचैन हो गया।

आजकल मेरे बचपन के शहर धनबाद में फिर वैसी ही बारिश हो रही है जैसे सियार का ब्याह हो रहा हो। हाँ, आपने ठीक पढ़ा। हमने तो अपने बचपन में ये खूब सुना था। दादी कहा करती थी – जब धूप में बारिश होती थी तो कहीं दूर जंगल में सियार का ब्याह हो रहा होता है।या यह समझ लीजिये, जब सूरज बादलों के बीच से कहीं झाँक रहा हो और खिली धूप में बस थोडी देर के लिए जोर दार बारिश हो जाये तो उसे सियार का ब्याह होना कहते है।

A view of the rainbow from the terrace of my home in Dhanbad. Photo Credit: Shruti

सिर्फ दादी ही नहीं, मैंने कई लोगों को यही कहते सुना है।और उसके बाद इन्द्रधनुष भी दिखता था। मानो जैसे दुल्हन के लिए बहुभात का आयोजन प्रकृति ने स्वयं ही कर दिया हो। उन दिनों ऐसे मंज़र से ज्यादा खूबसूरत और कुछ नहीं हुआ करता था। पल छीन में बरसात, बादल, धूप, सूरज और इन्द्रधनुष सब देख कर सारी इंद्रियां तृप्त और मन प्रसन्न हो जाया करता था।


फिर कभी-कभार जब हम चारों बहनों को छत पर एक साथ आसमान में दो इंद्रधनुष दिख जाया करता था तो ऐसा लगता है कि जैसे हमें कुबेर का खज़ाना मिल गया हो। आप सोच रहे होंगे ऐसा भला क्यों ? क्यूंकि हमनें कभी किसी को यूँ कहते सुना था – अगर एक साथ दो इंद्रधनुष दिख जाये तो तुरंत किसी कपड़े के टुकड़े में गांठ बांध कर कामना करने से वो कामना पूरी हो जाती है। ऐसा कर के हम चारों बहनों ने न जाने घर की कितनी ही चुन्नियों और रूमालों के कोनों में गांठ बाँधा होगा।अब यह तो मेरी माँ ही बता सकती है क्यूंकि वह आज तक इन गांठों का रहस्य नहीं समझ पायीं। और न हम चारों को यह याद है कि गांठ बांध कर हमारी कितनी मनोकामनाएं अब तक पूरी हुई हैं।

A rainbow hanging atop the hills as seen from my home in Dhanbad. Picture credit: Shruti

सियार का ब्याह क्यूँ कहा जाता था ये आज तक मालूम नहीं कर पाए – न हम और और न कोई और। ऐसा था हमारा बचपन और उसकी बारिशें।

(बारिशों के पानी, बचपन की यादों और हज़ारों अधूरी ख़्वाहिशों को सप्रेम समर्पित। क्यूंकि यह तीनों ही असंख्येय, अविस्मरणीय और अमूर्त हैं। Pictures provided by my sister Shruti from her recent Dhanbad trip; written by Shillpi | शिल्पी)

Kalki Subramaniam: A metaphor for eternity

The Free Press Journal, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
The article was carried in The Free Press Journal, Mumbai, in its edition dated August 29, 2021. https://www.freepressjournal.in/weekend/you-dont-need-bravery-to-live-as-a-transwoman-you-just-need-to-respect-and-love-yourself-says-author-and-transgender-activist-kalki-subramaniam

Footloose in the stunning countryside

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On her way to Tuscany, Upasna Prasad stopped by every single town. So come tag along as she takes you on a memorable road trip around Italy.

There are many good road trips all over the world, but driving through Tuscany, a region in central Italy, is an altogether another level of experience. Known for its dessert wine Vin Santo, made from a variety of region’s grapes, the countryside is a perfect picture book where green hills are dotted with slender cypress trees standing in line, sunflower fields and vineyards at every corner. On the way, every single town is worth stopping by.
It is imperative to feel safe and comfortable while driving, so we hired a tourist Volvo bus in accordance with our budget from Firenze (Florence city, capital of Tuscany) early morning 7 am in the summer month of June two years ago.
The lush green countryside and rolling hills were a sight to behold, needless to say, the Tuscan sun beaming on our faces and the breeze seething through our hair. Many stupendous little villages also dotted the region.
The itinerary detailed here are the places I had visited, encompassing every beautiful village and hilltop Tuscany had to offer. Buon Viaggio!

Montalcino

We had started our journey from the gorgeous city of Florence, known for its art and culture. After driving around for a little over two hours, our first stop was Montalcino, a beautiful historical town perched on a hilltop in Tuscany. If you love wine, this is a special place to be as wine knowledge, passion, and quality are exceptional. Even if you don’t drink, the sheer pride and interest in wine-making will make you love this town. Though you reach this town by car/bus, you discover this place on foot.
Known for the production of delicious wine, the famous Rosso and Brunelleschi di Montalcino, there were stunning views over the surrounding countryside and wonderful food and wine to give the perfect company.

  • San Quirico d’Orcia

Pienza

On our way to Pienza countryside, we stopped at San Quirico d’Orcia to take pictures of the beautiful, scenic countryside. Pienza is Tuscany’s ‘Ideal Town’ perched atop a beautiful hill in scenic Val d’ Orcia, with incredible history.

Here the architecture blended beautifully into the landscape, and there were pretty alleys and excellent food too. Though we met with occasional rains here, we could completely immerse ourselves in this remarkable town.

Montepulciano

It is another stunning Tuscan town famous for its views and wine. The famous wine produced here is Vino nobili di Montepulciano, and the town also houses a historical town centre with pleasant streets, beautiful piazzas, churches and breathtaking viewing terraces over the countryside. The street was long, meandering and delightful; dotted with cafes, restaurants, shops, local souvenirs, local textile and kitchenware. Excellent wine and olive oil are also produced here.
We continued with our Tuscan countryside trip on the second day from Florence.

Siena

After driving for an hour and 10 minutes, we reached Siena at 10 in the morning. It is a city famous for its Palio (horse race) that takes place twice a year and its characteristic narrow streets flanked by brick buildings. The traditional Sienese dishes include Crostini neri, toasted bread with liver; Pappardelle con leprechaun, ribbon shaped pasta with a sauce made with hare; Pici, long thick spaghetti with a rich sauce and ribolita.

San Gimignano

The world’s best gelato and ice cream are served at Gelateria Dondoli, an award-winning gelateria in San Gimignano. That is the reason we stopped here. There were countless astounding and delicious gelatos here, and a long queue waited outside to get their delicious pick. We had to wait for an hour, but it was worth the wait. San Gimignano and its surroundings are well worth visiting to enjoy historical monuments and taste great wines. There are a dozen tower houses, which form a beautiful skyline with its hilltop setting and encircling walls.

Pisa

Our last destination was the city of Pisa, best known for its iconic Leaning Tower, a World Heritage Site. It was a crowded place full of tourists. I could see many Indians also here. It took almost two centuries to complete the Leaning Tower. The tilting towards the north started with the completion of the second floor because of the bad soil underneath it. Pisa is a Greek word meaning “marshy sands”. The terrain in this area is mainly made of clay, and for this reason, it is not strong enough to sustain such a tall construction. The Bell Tower of Romanesque rises next to it in the Piazza dei Miracoli.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa.

That was the end of our Tuscany countryside trip covered in two days. By the end of it, I was exhausted. Black poplar trees were found in the countryside on our way back to Florence. The peculiarity of these trees is that oyster mushrooms grow here, pushing through the bark of trees after a cold rain. Finally, we were back in Florence. This road trip was not so much about the destination, but it was about the journey in between.
All I can say is breathe deep, take your time and soak in the beauty of Tuscany!

(All pics courtesy Upasna Prasad)

Bond beautiful

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The article was carried in The Free Press Journal, Mumbai, in its Raksha Bandhan special edition. https://www.freepressjournal.in/weekend/raksha-bandhan-2021-urban-indians-share-the-significance-of-festival-and-show-how-rakhi-is-not-only-about-cherishing-brother-sister-relationship

A city frozen in time

Travelogue, , , , , ,

Upasna Prasad takes us on a virtual trip to the ruined ancient Roman city, Pompeii, in Italy.

Pompeii is a city in Southern Italy’s Napoli region where history has its testimonials preserved till today. Two years back, while in Rome with my family, we went for a short and sweet day trip to Pompeii.
The easiest way to get to Pompeii from Rome is by train, which is only about an hour and a half each way. From Rome’s Termini Station, we took the high-speed train to Naples’ Napoli Centrale Station. I must add here that it is always better to purchase tickets in advance. From Naples, we hired a taxi to take us to Pompeii en route to Sorrento.
The sleeping Mount Vesuvius overlooks this ancient city. The entire city was destroyed by the deadly volcanic explosions of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Nearly 1000 years later, in the 18th century, this city was discovered by archaeologists.
It is a city frozen in time as it was entirely buried under 12 metres of ash and lava, preserving it for centuries to come. The weather being hot and sultry, as we walked down the cobbled streets and lanes, we got the impression that everyone had been doing their chores, having the slightest idea that their last acts would provide a window to ancient life for the later generations.
Everything has been protected from the normal decay of time, including Pompeii’s paintings, furniture and tools of everyday life. The most significant discovery is human plaster casts – the ghostly impressions in the ash left by the city residents who were buried alive. It was an eerie experience to come across the plaster casts of human bodies, animals and plants. A large of Pompeii still remains unexcavated, and work is going on to dig out the remains.
Pompeii has two theatres – the Teatro Grande, the larger of the two can seat 5000 spectators. It is still used for summer performances.
We spent around three hours in this creepy yet fascinating city before heading back to Rome. Though the sight of the people frozen in their final moments trembled me, but it is a must-visit for history buffs.

(All the pictures in the slideshow are by Upasna Prasad)