Waiting at the newlyrefurbished Cumballa Hill Hospital
Today I’m waiting at the ACI Cumballa Hill hospital down the road . I’m waiting for the Physiotherapist.
This old hospital has yet another avatar as the Asian Cancer Institute.
It started out as a premier nursing home in the early 1900’s by Dr.V.N. Shirodkar who is famous for the stitch named after him. This hospital has witnessed the birth of many a South Mumbai baby and even celebrated outsiders like Rajiv Gandhi.
Yes, it may come as a surprise to many that Rajiv Gandhi has a deeper Mumbai connect than just his Parsi relatives.
In the 70’s it became a cardiac hospital under another illustrious doctor – a cardiologist this time – Dr. Shetty.
Today it has been taken over by a group of dynamic Oncologists who offer a whole range of specialities including diagnostic services and physiotherapy.
Few know of its existence because for the past several years it had closed down because of sibling rivalry and petty infighting.
I’m glad it’s reopened because it’s literally a hop, skip and a jump away from home.
Sitting in a waiting room gives you plenty of time to ponder and reflect.
What will March bring?
As we enter the third month of the year, I wonder what March will bring . The hope and cheer promised by January was dashed by the outbreak of the Corona Virus.
Despite having a name now CoVid is no less familiar to us. We still don’t know how it came about. How it is spreading and why. And how much longer will it continue with its destructive path?
Already weak, the economy seems to be dealing with this new threat with caution. Every day the market dips and with it, investors lose their money ‘notionally.’ How long will it be before the loss is real?
As a Senior Citizen, the situation presents real fears of diminishing incomes coupled with imminent retirement. Is this a good time to buy blue-chip shares? Or is it better to be a conservationist investor and depend on the Central Bank?
And as a young unemployed person or even employed person, how long will it be before new jobs open up? Or how long will it be before existing jobs close down?
Delhi is far away from where I am, but the situation there is frightening. Currently, the situation is quiet. But is this a lull or a genuine cessation?
And what was the real reason for all the carnage?
These are all thoughts that spin in my mind like needle pricks before the Physio calls me for my session.
And more pricks await me as I brace myself for a short session of muscle stimulation.
Once upon a time, train travel was a regular feature in my life. Come school holidays and we would jump into a train for a visit to grandma’s . Or a visit to an uncle or aunt who lived in an exotic destination. Or it also meant a visit to the train station to pick up the people who were visiting us!
Train travel then, meant a lot of planning. Tickets had to be bought days in advance. We had to get concession forms signed by the school so that we could avail of concessional fares. And finally we had to make sure that we travelled just right.
If the journey was a long one, out came the hold all : that foldable canvas bedding, strapped up with leather belts that carried much more than just the bedding.
And of course, whether the journey was long or short, we carried tonnes of stuff to eat!
Digitalisation has changed the way we book our tickets and modern rakes have changed the way trains look.
Notice the sleek airline type baggage racks, vents and padded seats that actually recline and have an adjustable foot rest. Also note the button at the back to open the automatic closing door.
But it also took off some of the excitement of going somewhere. Where was the planning? The rushing around and the final victory round at the end of the journey?
As I slept in my seat, I missed the noise of the whirring fan trapped in a dusty cage overhead. Gone too were the musty , dusty rags that passed off as curtains. And the windows, they were tightly sealed, not halfway up, as the carriage was air conditioned.
I was briefly prodded by the TC who just asked me my name. I must admit I was disappointed. I was all ready to brandish my phone and have him scan the QR code and ask for ID proof .
A QR Code can’t match the simple railway ticket of yore
Another disappointment was the Railway Catering.
Gone are the days of fat buttered toast with soft, gooey scrambled eggs. Not to mention the steaming hot batata wada and Maganlal Chikki that you had to grab at Karjat where the train stopped for its extra engine .
In their place now were unappetizing sickly yellow omelets, vegetable cutlets, and tasteless pale sabudana wadas. All served in flimsy disposable tableware by apathetic waiters.
But somethings remained the same : the familiar ‘ tadak tadak’ as the train sped on the tracks that lulled me to sleep.
The timeless calm as the train passed fields and distant hills and the occasional sleepy village.
The rising sun behind a mountain shrouded in the morning mist
And the train rattling past the once familiar stations Talegaon, Dapodi , Kirkee , Pimpri, ShivajiNagar till it finally stops at Pune Junction!
p.s. I hope to make this a regular journey as I want to visit my folks there more often.
Twenty- five Seven 