LET US LOVE OUR HEART

LET US LOVE OUR HEART

(A report by Subbaram Danda)

Heart is a willing worker doing its job ceaselessly

to our delight.   It is our charming darling!
But are we taking good care of it ?

September 29 is World Heart Day.  In observance of this occasion social organizations have been arranging, since a week, lectures and exhibitions to create awareness among the people about heart health.  Newspapers and television channels were also on their toes.   For the layman, several startling and interesting facts came to light on September 25, when Dr. V. Chockalingam, eminent cardiologist, made a presentation at a packed hall in Chennai.

Here is a snapshot:

·    Even in a child of five years, fatty substances known as bad cholesterol start accumulating on the inner walls of arteries supplying blood to the heart.  Silently and slowly, the build-up goes on for years, if left unchecked.  

·    Till the accumulation at any point, popularly called a block, is 70% of the diameter of the blood vessel, a person will not be able to feel it.  When this limit is crossed, it starts showing up in the form of uneasiness or pain in the chest region.  If this block obstructs blood flow, a heart attack occurs and can be fatal.    

·    Though genetic factors tend to contribute to heart ailments, they can be easily countered, it has now been established through research.  A man need not get into despair, where his parents or close blood relatives have had an attack.  Taking professional advice and following it up will surely help prevent its occurrence.

·    Removal of cholesterol blocks through stenting and bypass surgery is not a permanent cure.  Stenting is a procedure by which a block is removed by inserting and manoeuvring a balloon in the affected blood vessel.   Bypass surgery is an operation, whereby blood vessels with blocked portions are replaced.  Permanent cure can come about only through strict adherence to medical advice after the respective procedure.   

·    Blocks can be got rid of through medication without stenting or bypass surgery with timely medical advice, which will have to be strictly followed. 

·    There was a time when heart attacks were seen predominantly among the elderly.  But now even youngsters in their 20s get affected.   What is astonishing is that women, who were considered immune to heart attacks till their menopause in view of the play of hormones specific to them, are coming to clinics with heart ailments even in their youth.

·    India has earned the dubious distinction of being the world’s capital for heart diseases and diabetes.  But, the silver lining in the dark clouds is that this can be prevented.

·    The human heart is created to work for 125 years.   It beats 70 times a minute and about one lakh times a day.  It does not take “rest” at all.   

·    What is to be done?  Mental peace, proper eating habits and regular physical exercise together with medication where necessary will pamper the heart to function for more than 100 years.

·    Mental peace can be achieved through meditation, remaining calm even under trying circumstances.  Stressful situations should be overcome with a positive attitude towards men and matters.  One should accept change.  When an environment cannot be changed, man should adapt himself to the new environment.   Anger is enemy number one of the heart. One should have a head for humour.

·    Eating only when one feels hungry and that too only up to half the stomach is very important.  Water should fill one quarter of the stomach and the rest should be empty.    Fatty and junk foods should be avoided.   Smoking and drinking are definitely a taboo.  More and more vegetables and fruits should be consumed.  Wherever possible they should be eaten with the skin on.  But we remove the skin and throw it to animals.  Consequently they become healthy and we lose our health!

·    Exercise -- particularly walking, swimming or cycling for at least half an hour a day -- should become a habit.  Healthy men should not hesitate to climb steps.  At the same time, over exercise should be avoided.

Dr. Chockalingam, whose lecture was peppered with humorous anecdotes, has this to say in lighter vein:

·    Are Indian marriage organizers friends and well-wishers of the invitees?  In reality they do great disservice to the guests, though unintentionally, by throwing a feast with several sweets and a variety of other dishes.  They all add to the build-up of cholesterol and sugar in the system.  Beware!

·    In a family, differences of opinion are sure to crop up, particularly among couples.  Each should develop a broad mind to agree to disagree and adjust.   Where the husband and wife tend to frown at each other, let them not go for a walk together at the same time and at the same place.  Instead of helping, the stroll will only result in their blood pressure shooting up.    Let them go for a walk but in the opposite direction!!

September 27, 2011

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HUMOUR UNLEASHED -- 15

HUMOUR UNLEASHED -- 15

(Compiled by Subbaram Danda)

Some jokes are like Coke.  One has to

cultivate a taste for them.  Then

the enjoyment will be total.

What a way to slim!

A stocky middle-aged man, very popular in his circle of friends, was seen losing weight day-by-day.  Some were happy that he was slimming but others were worried that he might be facing a major problem.

One day one of his close friends told another, “I am sure he should be going to the gym near his residence.”  The other argued, “The problem started after he lost his mother, to whom he was closely attached.  He seems to be unable to cope with the loss.” 

The friends decided to meet the man and dig out the truth.   They went to his residence and one of them asked the man:  “Hi, you have been shedding weight consistently.  What is the matter?  Are you on any slimming programme?”

The man:  “No, no.  I owe it all to my wife.”

The friend: “There you are.  It looks like she wants you to be sleek and smart.   She should be taking really good care of you.  Is she a nutritionist or a culinary expert?”

The man:  “None of them.  She is a novice in the kitchen.  Ever since my mother’s demise, I have been eating only what she cooked.”

                                   

“Honest” accused

The judge to the accused:  “You have moved a bail application but do you know that the charges against you are grave?  You have been held for a daring house-break and a gruesome murder.  You are the head of a notorious gang.  What is the guarantee that you will not run away?”

The accused:  “My Lord, I want freedom for only 12 hours tonight.  I have an important piece of work to do.  I will be back after that, I assure you.”

The judge: “What are you going to do?”  

The accused:  “It is purely personal, my Lord.  One night is enough to complete it.  Once it is over, I will be back myself in the jail.   I am honest, believe me.  I am aware this is a court.  What I am speaking is whole truth and nothing but truth.”

Upset over his long-winding reply, the judge asks him angrily: “What is that personal work?  Are you going to spend your time with your family members?”

The accused in a cool and unperturbed style: “I want to kill my professional rival.  If I am hanged in the current case, he will manoeuvre to step into my shoes.  I don’t like that to happen.   It is my personal wish.”

What’s in a name!

This is a real incident that took place many years ago.  A major public sector undertaking, which has its manufacturing unit on the outskirts of Chennai, took a press party from the city to its facility.   It had just reached a major milestone in its growth and wanted to apprise the media of its achievements and plans.

The visiting journalists, after going round the plant, moved to a hall, where they sat around a long oval-shaped table.  The chairman of the company formally introduced himself and welcomed them.  He then came round to meet each one so that he could personally acquaint himself with them.  

At one point, a reporter shook hands with the undertaking’s chief and said, “I am Shafiullah Khan from The Hindu.”    Then it was the turn of the man next to him.  He introduced himself saying, “I am Rama Iyer from The Musalman.”  The chairman looked at the two interestingly for a moment and moved forward with a little smile on his face.

(A word about the Chennai media scene:  The Hindu is an English daily published from several centres in India, and The Musalman is a popular Chennai-based Urdu newspaper.)

September 24, 2011 (640 words)

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MARVELS OF THE WORLD -- 12 : THE OPERA HOUSE, AUSTRALIA

THE OPERA HOUSE : BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

(By Subbaram Danda)

The Opera House is a distinctive multi-venue centre for performing arts standing majestically on a scenic site in the harbour of Australia’s premier city of Sydney.  Its roof is imaginatively designed like a cluster of soaring white sails artistically placed, glistening brilliantly against the blue sky.  It is regarded as “one fantastic piece of architecture.”  In 2007, when it received UNESCO’S prestigious World Heritage Site status, it was the youngest edifice of its kind in the world.

As one drives down the main road and enters the precincts of the Opera House with a tastefully laid out promenade, an astonishingly picture-perfect vista opens up.   On one side, sky-scrapers in different shapes and styles stand towering over each other offering an excellent view to behold.  The harbour waters sway in huge ripples as boats, ferries and a variety of other sea craft sail past.   Straight ahead at a distance lies the famous bow-shaped elegantly-ribbed Harbour Bridge forming an excellent backdrop.   In the foreground a running curved concrete bench along the shoreline allows people to sit, chit-chat, refresh or take photos.  On the other side, the large sails of the great architectural masterpiece beckon the visitors. 

The Sydney Opera House

Perfect harmony

Experts say that the entire structure has a “pleasing sculptural quality” that allows it to be viewed and admired from any side or angle.  More important, its overall design and the exterior finish, especially the neatly tiled sails, blend in perfect harmony with the surroundings, particularly its elder neighbour Harbour Bridge.

It all started in mid-1950s, when the authorities and lovers of performing arts decided to give a concrete shape to their long-felt need for an innovative and avant-garde centre for such arts in Sydney.   Subsequently, they invited entries from all over the world for its design.  There was a flood of 233 entries from experts in 33 countries.   Finally, the design of a Danish architect Jorn Utzon, who had submitted only a sketch with scanty details, was chosen in view of its “revolutionary, bold and ground-breaking” concept.   Work on the Opera House began in 1959.

But its progress was chequered, marked by hurdles and more hurdles of every kind at every stage.  First of all, reliable technology to construct the sails was not available and had to be developed.  Structural problems, changes to original plans, political intrigues, fund-raising difficulties and cost escalation all cast a dark spell on the project. 

Pressures and resignation

Utzon faced “frustrating pressures,” which he could not counter.  Ultimately, he resigned and left Sydney in 1966.  However by then, he had managed to supervise and complete construction of the basement and the vaulted shells in their essentials.  Then other professionals took over.

Finally, in October 1973 Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated the Opera House, but unfortunately Jorn Utzon was not even invited to the ceremony.   And he never re-entered Sydney nor told his side of the story to anyone.  He died in 2008 at the age of 90.

Contrary to what its name indicates, the Opera House hosts not just operas but a variety of other performances too.  In fact, there are several covered venues under the sails – the Concert Hall, the Opera Theatre, the Drama Theatre, the Playhouse, the Studio and the Utzon Room.   They cater to every artistic taste – symphonies to rock concerts, ballets to contemporary dances, cabarets to Shakespeare, films to experimental theatre, and children’s skits to corporate presentations. And there is an open-air Forecourt too for events of other types, including the New Year Eve bash.

Warm play of colours

Of all the spaces, the interior of the Concert Hall is arrestingly attractive.   As patrons enter it, its vaulted ceiling, overwhelmingly spacious atmosphere and a colour scheme of golden yellow, brown and red greet them with inexplicably pleasant warmth.   Artistically laid-out rows of seats made of birch timber and upholstered in red woollen add to the overall cozy ambience.  The concert platform with a floor area of more than 2,000 square feet holds everyone’s attention.  The largest venue in the complex with a maximum seating capacity of 2,679, it is “designed primarily for acoustic performances.”

The interior of the Concert Hall 

While the other halls too have their own individual characteristics, the Utzon Room has a ring of specialty about it.  Originally called Reception Hall, it was refurbished after Utzon was re-engaged some years later “to develop a set of design principles to serve as a guide for all future changes to the building.”  Though he did not visit Australia, he ensured that the relatively small multi-purpose venue had his signature features.  It was turned into a stunningly light-filled space.  Another highlight is a specially-made floor-to-ceiling tapestry depicting colourful paintwork.   It is also known for its “quality acoustics.”

Another place that deserves a special mention is the Forecourt, a vast open-air area in front of the first two adjacent performance venues commanding a breathtaking view of the harbour.  With a cobblestone surface, the spectacular space is used for staging a variety of events.   A long array of wide granite “monumental steps” leading up to the two venues allows a natural amphitheatre style of seating.

Eternal grandeur

The Opera House was completed several years after its scheduled date, and its cost jacked up to ten times more than the first estimate.  Despite its roller-coaster ride, light at the end of the tunnel bathed it brilliantly unfolding its eternal grandeur.  The “daring and visionary experiment” resulted in creation of “an icon of immense beauty.”  In the opinion of UNESCO, it brought together “multiple strands of creativity and innovation in both architectural form and structural design.”  Jorn Utzon received the architecture world’s highest honour of Pritzker prize.  

The Opera House conducts more than 3,000 events every year and has an annual audience of two million people attending its performances.  For tourists too, it is one of the most popular attractions with more than seven million men, women and children visiting it. 

September 17, 2011 (999 words)

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HUMOUR UNLEASHED -- 14

HUMOUR UNLEASHED -- 14

(Compiled by Subbaram Danda)

"In the world of films  it is more

difficult to be a comedian

than a hero."

A “different” wife

A woman’s birthday was fast approaching.  She had been asking her husband to take her for shopping but he was cleverly avoiding it.

One day the wife told him in no uncertain terms:  “Hi, what do you think you are?  My birthday is hardly a week away.  I have not got my new clothes yet.  If we are not going to the supermarket this week-end, you will see a different type of wife in me.”

The man was aghast.  He loved his wife alright but the problem with her was that her appetite for shopping was insatiable.   She would spend hours and hours in the mall grabbing all and sundry and finally the bill would sky-rocket.

He pleaded with her:  “Darling, do not be upset with me.  Actually I have a new idea.  Why not we celebrate your birthday in a totally different way – without buying new clothes?  You can wear any of the several dresses you bought for the last festival, which still remain untouched.   I will take you to the new highly-hyped restaurant for dinner.   I will invite your parents and brothers too.”

The wife was not amused, having known his dodging ways for years.   She insisted on shopping but he was for a bash at the hotel.  After a few minutes of angry exchanges, they agreed to take a decision by tossing a coin.

The husband said:  “Heads, we go for dinner with your parents and brothers.  Tails, we alone go for dinner.  If the coin rests on its edge, we head for shopping.”

Next day she went on a fast.  She sat on the porch floor of her house wearing a Gandhian cap and waving the national flag!   Some of her friends also squatted there surrounding her.  

Problems and problems

Different people deal with problems differently.  Their actions speak for themselves.  Who is who in this sizzling world of problems?   Here is a snapshot:

A person, who predicts problems and keeps on lamenting over them without ever doing anything about them, is a philosopher.

A person, who magnifies problems of the people coming for consultation, terrifies them in a cunning way, offers exotic remedies and extracts easy money out of them, is an astrologer.

A person, who loves people with nagging problems, gives assurances, and feels elated when it becomes clear that they can be fleeced again and again, is a lawyer.

A person, who analyses problems, suggests outlandish methods to tackle them, then creates a controversy over the solutions and finally writes a book on them, is a management guru.

A person, who blows up problems out of proportion and complicates them by tagging in the views of all and sundry, is a television news channel anchor.

A person, who looks for problems with hawk eyes, welcomes them when they arise and employs all weapons in the armour to embarrass the government with them, is a politician of the opposition party.

A person, who views problems vividly but sleeps over them conveniently, allowing them to fade away in the hazy march of time, is a clever government head.

A person, who comes forward to thrash out problems meaningfully without self-interest, is a rare breed.

Affection redefined

A leading television channel ran a daily programme “Meet the Doctor.”  It was a major hit with the viewers.  One day a diabetologist spoke about the latest advances in the field and also answered questions very ably from the audience.

A woman, who was watching the presentation, called the channel’s number and asked:  “Doctor, my mother-in-law, who is 65 years old, has a blood sugar count of 140 (fasting) and 200 (after food).  What should she do to control this?”

The physician: “First, she should go to a doctor and seriously follow the advice given.  At any rate, she should cut down on consuming “added sugar” in everything she eats and drinks.  In particular, she should avoid sweets.  Fruits like mango and jack are also a taboo.  She should be encouraged to take small quantities of food several times a day at short intervals.  She should eat more and more vegetables and walk daily for at least half an hour.”

The young woman was highly pleased.  A short while later she received a phone call from a close friend.   “Hi, I have been watching the same TV programme.  What is this new-found love for your mother-in-law?”

The woman: “Don’t rush to conclusions, my dear.  Citing the doctor’s advice, I would like to stop giving her enough food.  I want to make the illiterate oldie starve.  Then only she won’t have the stamina to find fault with me.  How is my idea?”

The friend:  “Don’t be too optimistic.  It may indirectly help her.  Instead, display your affection by giving her lots of sugar-rich food as often as possible!”

Sept.10, 2011 (830 words)                             

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MARVELS OF THE WORLD -- 11 : THE GREAT SPHINX, EGYPT

THE GREAT SPHINX : "GUARDIAN OF MYSTERIES"

(By Subbaram Danda)

The Great Sphinx is the most ancient colossal statue of a lion with the head of a pharaoh (Egyptian king) crouching heroically in the Giza plateau on the west bank of the Nile near modern Cairo in Egypt.  Behind it in the vicinity are the three famous time-honoured pyramids, where the mummified bodies of pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Mankaure had been laid to rest.  The sphinx looks to the east to face the rising sun every day and “lines-up” with the middle pyramid of Khafre. 

Visitors to the pyramids, thousands every day, make it a point to go near the gigantic open-air six-storey tall sphinx for a close look.   Its face is eerily enigmatic with a conspicuously missing nose and deeply eroded eyes.  Its smile is intriguing.  Its head-dress strains to reflect the profundity of the Egyptian royalty.  A beard hanging from the chin and a hooded cobra resting on the forehead, both originally sculpted, have fallen off.  Its paws are outstretched and its tail wraps around the right hind paw.  Clearly visible all over the body are the tell-tale marks left behind by the onslaught of the elements over the millennia.  The statue casts a mystifying spell on the people.

The Great Sphinx (close-up of face)

The sphinx is the largest ancient statue in the world – 66 feet in height, 240 feet in length and 20 feet in width.  The paws themselves are 50 feet long.   Archaeologists and connoisseurs of art describe it as a “monumental sculpture” in view of its “grand, noble and elevated nature” and “timeless character.”  It is regarded as “the stunning icon of the Egyptian civilization.”

While the exact age of the sphinx has been in the realm of conjecture, it is generally believed to be 4,500 years old.   It was carved from an outgrowth of the limestone bedrock presumably on the orders of Pharaoh Khafre in the fourth dynasty of the Old Kingdom. (The ancient Egyptian history is divided into three periods – old, middle and new kingdoms.)  Some researchers, however, argue that the pattern of erosion suffered by the sphinx indicates that it was carved more than 12,000 years ago!  But, the authorities do not attach much credence to this view.

From Herodotus to Barack Obama

Egyptians proudly say that the sphinx has gazed over the march of the armies of many monarchs, including Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar.  It has watched Napoleon and his men pass by.  It has seen the British troops head for German Field Marshal Rommel in World War II.  It has evoked awe and wonder in the high and the mighty ranging from ancient Greek historian Herodotus to the present US President Barack Obama.   

Stories and legends abound on various aspects of the sphinx.  How its nose has broken off is interesting.  It is said that Napoleon’s men shot off the nose while target practicing.  But this was scientifically disproved.  Similarly, it is attributed to the handiwork of the Turks.  At any rate, it has been established that the nose was “deliberately pried off with chisels.”

In ancient times the entire statue was painted.  The face and body were in fierce red.  Yellow and blue stripes highlighted the head-dress.  It served as the divinity of the inhabitants of the surrounding region.

No clear proof

Though it is largely believed that Pharaoh Khafre was behind the creation of the sphinx, some argue that it was actually built by his father Khufu, whose pyramid is known as the Great Pyramid.  More recently, there has been speculation that the statue was built by Khafre’s elder brother Pharaoh Djedefre.  Some Egyptians even hold the view that it was erected by Gods themselves!  Strangely, as of now, there is no inscription or any solid proof to indicate who really built it and whose face it represents.

Larger view from the side

Why was the sphinx sculpted?  Despite studies by many for long, no convincing explanation is available.  Local people trust that it was conceived to be a guardian of the pyramids.  In ancient Egypt lion was considered a powerful symbol of strength and courage.

For all its glory, the sphinx remained buried for scores of centuries in sand up to the neck.  The first restoration took place in 1400 BC.  How this came about is fascinating.  A young prince, who fell asleep under the head of the statue, dreamed of the sphinx promising to make him a pharaoh of Egypt, if he cleared all the sand around, though he was not in line to become a king.  He did it and it was this prince who later became Pharaoh Tutmose IV of the New Kingdom.   To commemorate this event Tutmose IV installed a granite slab called the “Dream Stele” between the paws of the sphinx, inscribing on it the entire anecdote.  Engulfed by sand again and again and constantly exposed to forces of natural elements, its restoration and conservation have been a major job of the Egyptian authorities.  

Secret tunnels and chambers?

Are there hidden tunnels and secret chambers under the sphinx?  If so, what are they for?  What do they contain?  These are the questions that have been engaging the attention of archeologists throughout the world for generations.

Some experts point to certain geological and seismic surveys conducted in the last decade that “found several unexplored tunnels and cavities in the bedrock beneath the sphinx, including a large rectangular chamber.”   This is in line with the predictions of an American psychic Edgar Cayce several decades ago that there is a “Hall of Records” beneath the sphinx, in which the survivors of a far earlier highly advanced ancient civilization had “concealed chronicles of their lost land and the true history of the human race.”  This implies that the sphinx had existed far earlier than reckoned at present.  However, Egyptian authorities reportedly dismiss these “claims” as “hallucinations.”  What the surveys have shown are “anomalies” in the bedrock structure, which cannot be interpreted as passages or chambers, they point out.  

Visitors to the Great Sphinx go home with the utmost satisfaction of having seen the “most massive surviving statue of the ancient world.”  But several unanswered questions linger in their minds – What was the real purpose of the sphinx?  Who actually got it sculpted and when?  Does it hold any startling secrets under its paws?  Only time can unravel these mysteries.

Sept. 03, 2011 (1,070 words)

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