Muslim Medics Tend to Hindu’ Pilgrims Agony at Kumbh: Unity and Brotherhood at its Best

Haridwar, April 18, 2010: The Kumbh Mela with its swirling crowds can be as physically daunting as it is spiritually fulfilling. But soothing the aches and pains of pilgrims, mostly Hindus, has been a group of Muslims medics who have organised medical camps here, attending to as many 1000 pilgrims per day.

Hindu devotees arrive at the river Ganges to take a bath during the Kumbh Mela festival in Haridwar. The Kumbh Mela, world's largest religious festival, which is held every three years and rotates among four Indian cities, attracts huge crowds of devotees who believe a dip in the river cleanses them of sin and frees them from the cycle of life and rebirth. AFP

Azim Mir Khan is among the many doctors who has tended to devotees. "We attended to around 2,000 people in two days," said Khan, who was part of a camp set by the Sir Syed Forum, an alumni group of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) that believes in fostering unity and brotherhood among communities.

He said people came with problems like vomiting, stomach ailments, body aches, joint pains, dehydration and hypertension. "We kept a good stock of emergency medicines and those relating to fungal infections. We also sourced some medicines locally," Khan told IANS.

Hindu Sadhus cover their bodies with mud after a bath at the river Ganges during the Kumbh Mela festival in Haridwar. AFP

The camp set up at the Sati Kund temple in Kankhal near here coincided with Baisakhi and Mesh Sakranti - two of the most auspicious days for taking a bath in the Ganga during the Kumbh Mela.

As pilgrims had to walk long distances to reach the bathing ghats April 14-15, the doctors at the camp had their hands full. The forum organised two similar camps on the national highway leading to Haridwar.

Followers of a Hindu Sadhu pour water over his head as they bathe in the river Ganges during the Kumbh Mela festival in Haridwar. AFP

While one was held April 12-13 at Purkazi, 53 km from Haridwar, another was held March 15-16 (coinciding with the second royal bath) at Bhumanand Teerth Charitable Hospital, about seven kilometres from the holy city.

"The forum's decision to take this small step of holding medical camps is in keeping with the views and teachings of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and his followers, who believed in joint participation in all social and religious functions to foster unity and harmony," said Syed Hussain Waheed, convenor of the forum.

Hindu Sadhus, or holy men, take a bath on the river Ganges during the Kumbh Mela festival in Haridwar. AFP

"We believe that it is the common people who pay the price of social and religious tensions and it is they who must take the initiative to strengthen national unity," he said.

The devotees were all praise for the effort by the AMU alumni, saying the initiative would foster a sense of unity and brotherhood among the two communities.

Rajesh Singh, a resident of Jhijora near Jhansi, said he felt relieved after getting medicines for the pain in his hands and legs.

Jai Prakash Gupta from Kolkata who got some medicine for the blisters on his feet, said such camps were the need of the hour. "They increase love and respect between communities and foster the feeling of brotherhood," Gupta said.

Swami Mahamandelshawar Harish Chandra Maharaj, a Hindu saint who was invited by the forum to the Sati Kund temple camp to distribute juice cans among devotees, also lauded the effort.

"Such camps create a feeling of unity," he said and added that serving people does not need any religious sanction.

Kumbh Mela is one of the biggest religious gatherings on the banks of the Ganga river, with the number of pilgrims this year expected to total around four million since the first day Jan 14 till the time it concludes April 28. The auspicious days of the shahi snan or royal baths usually draw hundreds of thousands of devotees.

Source: IANS

“Prosperity” of loved ones' is the key to happiness: A Cambridge University Study

A novel research finds that people link their happiness with that of the welfare and prosperity of their loved ones.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge, England found that both men and women consider a contented, settled family life as the key to happiness. Lead researcher, Professor Jaqueline Scott said, “Men and women may view happiness differently, but when you dig deeper and look at the nature of their perceptions, you find that in both cases their well-being is bound up with that of others.”

Details of the study
The researchers conducted the study as part of the British Household Panel Survey wherein they reviewed over 10,300 adults from 5,500 households across England. In the study that went on from 1997 till 2002, the researchers examined what kind of life affected people in what manner. Under the study, the subjects were asked questions like what according to them was essential for a happy and prosperous living that could well secure their quality of life.

Results of the study
On analyzing their responses, the researchers found that more than a third of the subjects chose health, family and finance as sole means of happiness. Researchers elaborated the findings by saying that the responses were gender specific, wherein men cared more about finances and women were more inclined toward their families.

Yet, a more detailed investigation revealed that many subjects linked their own happiness with that of a near one.

Other findings
Furthermore, it was found that health was a major factor central to happiness for about 57 percent females, in contrast to males where the percentage was 50.

On the contrary, 38 percent men gave importance to finance as compared to 33 percent women. It was further noted that family had significance for just 38 percent men against 49 percent women. But analysis discovered that men gave more importance to money, so as to earn a good amount and a happy living for their loved ones.

“Our research suggests that more should be done to support the actions of both men and women in caring for others, because that will have benefits for everybody’s quality of life,” said Scott.

Study collaborators, Dr. Anke Plagnol and Dr. Jane Nolan stated, “Policy-makers should be taking into consideration, by ensuring that provision is made to enable both men and women to spend reasonable amounts of time with their families.”

The study appears in the book Gender Inequalities in the 21st Century.

Steep Your Genes in Health: Drink Tea

Tea, one of the most commonly consumed beverages in the world, has many health benefits. Tea polyphenols support health by promoting antioxidant enzymes, promoting apoptosis, preventing angiogenesis, and modulating epigenetic change. Considerable basic science and
epidemiologic evidence supports the regular consumption of this tasty, inexpensive beverage:Carolyn M. Matthews, MD

Reference: Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent) 2010;23(2):142–144

Read Full Text @: http://www.baylorhealth.edu/proceedings/23_2/23_2_matthews.pdf

From the Department of Oncology, Baylor University Medical Centre and Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Centre, Dallas, Texas. Dr. Matthews is currently president of the medical staff at Baylor University Medical Centre.
**Corresponding author: Carolyn M. Matthews, MD, 3535 Worth Street, Dallas, Texas 75246

e-mail: Carolyn.Matthews@usoncology.com
Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent) 2010;23(2):142–144

Warm Drinks: Tea or Water

This is a very good article. Not only about the warm water after your meal, but about Heart Attacks. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, may be it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating.
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It feels nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
French fries and Burgers are the biggest enemy of heart health. A coke after that gives more power to this demon. Avoid them for your Heart's Health

Courtsey: Email from Kartik Gahrana, Sanofi-Aventis