5 numbers linked to ideal heart health

I read this on Harvard Health Publishing and found it very helpful. I have removed certain portions to make it more readable, contextual and smooth. Here it goes:

How well are you protecting yourself against heart disease, a leading cause of death? A check of five important numbers can give you a good idea: blood pressure, blood sugar, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and waist circumference. 

These values provide a picture of a person's overall health and, more specifically, what factors they may need to address to lower their chance of a heart attack or stroke.

How do your heart health numbers stack up? 

Blood pressure: Less than 120/80 mm Hg

Blood pressure readings tell you the force of blood pushing against your arteries when your heart contracts (systolic blood pressure, the first number) and relaxes (diastolic blood pressure, the second number). Your blood pressure reflects how hard your heart is working (when you're resting or exercising, for example) and the condition of your blood vessels. Narrowed, inflexible arteries cause blood pressure to rise.

Why it matters to heart health: High blood pressure accelerates damage to blood vessels, encouraging a buildup of fatty plaque (atherosclerosis). This sets the stage for a heart attack. High blood pressure forces the heart's main pumping chamber to enlarge, which can lead to heart failure. Finally, high blood pressure raises the risk of strokes due to a blocked or burst blood vessel in the brain.

What helps: A diet rich in potassium (found in many vegetables, fruits, and beans) and low in sodium (found in excess in many processed and restaurant foods); minimizing alcohol.

LDL cholesterol: Less than 70 mg/dL

A cholesterol test (or lipid profile) shows many numbers. Doctors are usually most concerned about low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, particles that makes up about two-thirds of the cholesterol in the blood.

Why it matters to heart health: Excess LDL particles lodge inside artery walls. Once there, they are engulfed by white blood cells, forming fat-laden foam cells that make up atherosclerosis.

What helps: Limiting saturated fat (found in meat, dairy, and eggs) and replacing those lost calories with unsaturated fat (found in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils).

Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL

Perhaps less well-known than cholesterol, triglycerides are the most common form of fat in the bloodstream. Derived from food, these molecules provide energy for your body. But excess calories, alcohol, and sugar the body can't use are turned into triglycerides and stored in fat cells.

Why it matters to heart health: Like high LDL cholesterol, elevated triglyceride values have been linked to a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.

What helps: Limiting foods that are high in unhealthy fats, sugar, or both; eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (such as fish); avoiding alcohol.

Blood sugar: Less than 100 mg/dL (fasting)

High blood sugar defines the diagnosis of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is most common. It occurs when the body develops insulin resistance (insulin enables cells to take in sugar) and does not produce enough insulin to overcome the resistance.

Why it matters to heart health: High blood sugar levels damage blood vessel walls and cause sugar (glucose) to attach to LDL. This makes LDL more likely to oxidize — another factor that promotes atherosclerosis. Excess sugar in the blood also makes cell fragments called platelets stickier so they're more likely to form clots, which can trigger a heart attack or stroke.

What helps: Avoiding sugary beverages and foods high in sugar; eating whole, unprocessed grains instead of foods made with refined grains (white flour, white rice).

Waist circumference -- Whichever number is lower: Less than half your height in inches

OR

Women: Less than 35 inches

Men: Less than 40 inches

Measure your waist around your bare abdomen just above your navel (belly button). A big belly — what doctors call abdominal or visceral obesity — usually means fat surrounding internal organs.

Why it matters to heart health: Visceral fat secretes hormones and other factors that encourage inflammation, which triggers the release of white blood cells involved in atherosclerosis.

What helps: Consuming fewer calories, especially those from highly processed foods full of sugar, salt, and unhealthy types of fat.

Protect yourself from the damage of chronic inflammation.

Science has proven that chronic, low-grade inflammation can turn into a silent killer that contributes to cardiovas­cular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and other conditions. 

Universal advice to improve all five measures of heart health

If one or more of your numbers is above ideal levels, you're far from alone. Most Americans are overweight or obese and have bigger-than-healthy bellies. Excess weight and waist circumference affect blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar. Eating a healthy, plant-based diet can help. Regular exercise also helps: aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise like brisk walking most days. Other lifestyle habits that can lower your heart disease risk include getting seven to eight hours of sleep nightly and managing your stress level.

One Nation, One Name?

What

A dinner invitation by President Droupadi Murmu to G-20 leaders has sparked a row, with Opposition parties alleging that the Modi government is planning to drop India as the country's name.

The invitation identifies Murmu as the "President of Bharat".

The Constitution gives two names for the country, with Article 1 declaring, "India, that is Bharat..."

Timing

This comes days after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said 'Bharat' should be used instead of India and urged people to inculcate the habit.

"The name of our country has been Bharat for ages," Bhagwat said on Friday, "Our country is Bharat and we will have to stop using the word 'India' and start using Bharat in all practical fields..."

Focus on the special session

The President's invitation has triggered speculation that the government is planning a Bill to drop India as the country's official name during Parliament's special session slated for September 18-22.

Responding to it, Delhi CM and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal — a constituent of the Opposition bloc INDIA — said, "If INDIA alliance rechristens itself as Bharat, will they change the name of Bharat also?"

Other opposition leaders also criticised the BJP.

Bharat vs India

The name "Bharat" has roots in ancient texts, deriving from the legendary king Bharata who is mentioned in books such as the Mahabharata.

"India" became the official name during British rule as the English company and later the Crown referred to the subcontinent by that name. The word "India" is traced to the Indus river.

Before the British established their rule over India, the biggest empire called itself "Hindustan".

Both Hindustan and India have their roots in the Sindhu which originates north of the Himalayas and drains into the Arab Sea off the Sind coast, traversing through and shaping the landscape of India and modern-day Pakistan.

A Supreme Court ruling

In 2016, the Supreme Court dismissed a PIL seeking direction to call India Bharat for all official purposes. The court held that the citizens are free to call the country India or Bharat as per their wishes.

To rename...

Constitution expert PDT Achary said any change in the name of the Republic of India will require several amendments to the Constitution.

"They [the government] will have to amend the Constitution. Article 1 [will have to be changed] and then there will be resultant changes in all the other articles."

(We had this in TOI, HL by a colleague)

Karna, his wives and children

Karna had two wives and 10 sons. Nine of them died in the Mahabharata war.

Vrishali

She was Karna's first wife -- a sister of Duryodhana's Sarathi Satyasena.

Karna's foster father Adhiratha was  was so impressed with her steadfast character and demeanour that he wanted his son to marry her. Vrishali committed Sati after Karna was killed during the war. They had eight sons

• Vrishasena: The eldest son of Karna. Arjun killed him to avenge Abhimanyu. He declared that 'Karna had killed my son when I was not there, but I will kill his son in front of him'. Arjun fulfilled his vow.
• Sushena: Nakula killed him. 
• Bhanusen: Nakula killed him.
• Satyasen: Nakula killed him.
• Prasenjit: Satyiki killed him.
• Satyasandh: Arjuna killed him.
• Shatrunjaya: Arjuna killed him.
• Vrishketu: Karna’s only son to survive the war as he did not take part in the Mahabharata war. 

Vrikshketu was married to the daughter of some king named Yavanaath. Pandavas adopted him as their son after the war. Arjuna trained him in archery and Bhim in mace fight. After the war, he clashed with Babhruvahana, the son Arjuna and Chitrangada, and was almost fatally wounded. Arjuna, fighting with him, also got near-fatal wounds. But Arjuna's other wife, Ulupi of the Naga tribe saved them with Naagamni.

Supriya

She was Karna's second wife -- a friend of Duryodhana's wife Bhanumati. They had two sons

• Banasena: Bhim killed him on the 16th day of the war
• Dvipata: Arjuna killed him.

Some other Mahabharata traditions, in regional versions, mentions more wives of Karna. They had been identified as  Padmavati, Uruvi, and Rituvati.

The beauty of English

 A must 'check them out' item for all English lovers...

Sesquipedalian Expressions! It's fun.  Try to guess before scrolling! 

1. Scintillate, scintillate asteroid minute. 

Twinkle, twinkle little star.

2. Members of an avian species of identical plumage congregate.

Birds of a feather flock together

3. Surveillance should precede saltation.

Look before you leap

4. It is fruitless to become lachrymose over precipitately departed lactose fluid.

Don't cry over spilled milk

5. Freedom from encrustation of grime is contiguous to divinity.

Cleanliness is next to godliness

6. The stylus is more potent than the claymore.

The pen is mightier than the sword

7. It is fruitless to attempt to indoctrinate a superannuated canine with innovative maneuvre.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks

8. Eschew the implement of correction and vitiate the scion.

Spare the rod and spoil the child

9. The temperature of aqueous content of an unremittingly ogled saucepan does not reach 212 fahrenheit.

A watched pot never boils

10. Neophyte's serendipity.

Beginner's luck

11. Male cadavers are incapable of yielding any testimony.

Dead men don't talk

12. Individuals who make their abode in vitreous edifices would be advised to refrain from catapulting petrous projectiles.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones

13. All articles that coruscate with resplendence are not truly auriferous.

All that glitters is not gold

14. Where there are visible vapors having their province in ignited carbonaceous material there is conflagration.

Where there's smoke there's fire

15. Sorting on the part of mendicants must be interdicted.

Beggers can't be choosers

16. A plethora of individuals with expertise in culinary techniques dilapidates the potable concoction produced by steeping comestibles.

Too many cooks spoil the broth

17. Exclusive dedication to necessary chores without interludes of hedonistic diversion renders John a hebephrenic fellow.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy

18. A revolving lathic conglomerate accumulates no diminutive glaucous syrophytic plants.

A rolling stone gathers no moss

19. The person with the ultimate cachinnation possesses, thereby, the optimal cachinnation.

He who laughs last, laughs best

20. Missiles of ligneous or petrous consistency have the potential of fracturing my osseous structure but appellations will eternally be benign.

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me

21. Pulchritude possesses solely cutaneous profundity.

Beauty is only skin deep

22. You are cordially invited to the theological place of  eternal punishment.

 GO TO HELL!

Demonetisation verdict in simple points

This is from/based on the Supreme Court Observer. 

Demonetisation of 86% of the currency in circulation in 2016 by the Narendra Modi government got the 'legally valid' nod from the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court upheld the Union’s 2016-demonetisation move in a 4:1 majority decision on January 2. 

Justice BR Gavai authored the majority judgment on behalf of Justices Abdul Nazeer, AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian. 

Justice BV Nagarathna dissented. 

The majority judgement

1. The Union has the authority to execute a scheme such as demonetisation. The court ‘cannot supplant the wisdom of the executive by a judicial review of its decision’. 

2. The Union can demonetise currency notes of all denominations through a notification. Section 26(2) of the Reserve Bank Of India Act 1934, allows the Union to declare any series of banknotes as invalid tender, if recommended by the Central Board of the Reserve Bank. The majority interpreted ‘any’ series of bank notes widely as ‘all’ series of bank notes, expanding the scope of the Union’s powers.

3. The Union had consulted with the RBI before carrying out the exercise, as stipulated in the RBI Act. This fulfilled the necessary safeguards to introduce the scheme.

4. The demonetisation scheme was introduced to tackle crucial objectives such as counterfeit currency, black money and terror funding. These objectives justify the introduction of the scheme. Whether the objectives were met or not is irrelevant to decide its lawfulness. 

Dissenting opinion

1. The demonetisation challenges involved an interpretation of the powers of the Union and the RBI under the RBI Act. This brought the case squarely under the court’s powers of judicial review.

2. The Union has unrestricted power to demonetise all series of all currency notes. However, the RBI Act does not give the Union this power. A separate legislation must be enacted to allow this manner of demonetisation.

3. The the entire exercise of the Union consulting with the RBI was carried out within 24 hours. This showed the RBI did not duly apply its mind before the demonetisation exercise was carried out. 

4. The 2016-demonetisation exercise was unlawful purely on legal grounds despite the ‘noble objectives’ of the scheme.

Key issues before SC

• Did the demonetisation scheme abide by the provisions of the RBI Act, 1934? 

Majority: yes

• Did the limits on withdrawing cash violate the Rights to Equality and Livelihood?
• Majority: no
• Was the scheme implemented in an unreasonable manner that violated the Rights to Equality and Livelihood?
• Majority: no
• To what extent can the SC review a scheme relating to the fiscal and economic policy of the government?
• Majority: it can't.

A missed history in Rishi Sunak's defeat

Rishi Sunak would have been the 6th Indian origin head of state. But it was not to be. Here’s how it happened in the UK:

• Controversial, bold and maverick Boris Johnson resigned as the Conservative Party leader and the UK prime minister when Mahendra Singh Dhoni turned 41 — July 7. It was not a call of conscience but a decision thrust upon him, practically. His cabinet had faced a string of resignations, beginning with Sunak.  Alleged scandals were making news waves — allegations of sexual misconduct against a lawmaker, and indictment for holding parties while the nation was in the Covid-19 lockdown. 

• A PM’s resignation in the UK does not necessarily mean a general election. There is another intense democratic process — of holding an election in the ruling party structure to decide who could lead the country. 

• The UK’s oldest political party, the Conservative Party, held that election in a true sense — unlike its Indian counterpart. In that election, Indian origin leader Sunak tasted defeat, with some experts saying that the non-Indian origin sub-continental members opposed him.

• Who was the PM all this while? Johnson. And, he did not try to do any ‘operation’ to stay in power after September 6, as had been scheduled unofficially.

• How did they do it? Their system requires a Conservative Party MP to be nominated by at least 20 fellow MPs to be eligible to run the race to the prime minister’s chair. 

• In the first stage, MPs vote in a series of secret ballots — to eliminate the candidate with the lowest votes. They repeat the process until they have only two PM contenders.

• In the first stage, eight challengers were chosen. You want names? It’s boring but here they are — former finance minister Rishi Sunak, foreign secretary Liz Truss, junior trade minister Penny Mordaunt, former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch, attorney general Suella Braverman, former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, foreign affairs Committee chairman Tom Tugendhat, and chancellor Nadhim Zahawi.

• And as you know, Truss and Sunak stayed the course when secret voting ended. At 42, Sunak was an Indian favourite not because he was an MP from Richmond, Yorkshire, from where Sachin Tendular played county cricket in a historical sporting turn but because of his Indian connection — and for being the son-in-law of India’s favourite IT hero Narayan Murthy. Had he defeated Truss, Sunak would have become the first person of colour — as they call it in the white race world — to become the UK prime minister.

• A little older than Sunak, 46-year-old Truss — born only a month after Indira Gandhi brought India under her National Emergency — was the foreign policy portfolio holder in Johnson’s cabinet. Despite being younger than Rahul Gandhi, the de facto leader of India’s GOP, she is a veteran in handling government roles, having worked under UK prime ministers David Cameron and Theresa May before Johnson.

• In the final stage of election, all the card holders of the Conservative Party — also called Tories; I don’t know much about their origin or why they are called what they are called but I know that they were the supporters of British colonialism, with their origin lying in the British civil war when their guiding philosophy was “God, Queen, and Country” to keep the English traditional culture alive and dominating — vote to elect their leader. This is where Truss defeated Sunak by over 20,000 votes. 

• I was surprised by their numbers. Why? Because the UK has a population of less than 7 crore, and its GOP declares a victory margin that is two times more than the total number of voters in India’s GOP when they elect their president next month. And unlike the UK, Indian GOP voters have their tenures expired.

• When the ruling party voters have decided, the Crown, currently the Queen, completes the formality of accepting the resignation of the resigned and accepting the offer/granting permission to the next (Truss) to form the Queen’s next government. By the way, while we name an Indian government after the prime minister, technically the PM runs the President’s government. If you don’t believe me, tune in to the next joint session of Parliament when incumbent Draupadi Murmu addresses it. She will say, “Meri Sarkaar…”

Why 2 Noida towers were bombed down on Supreme Court orders

Could there have been any other end to Noida twin towers? An exemplary deterrent penalty on builders and speedier pace of justice to catch their government collaborators in committing illegality of this height? After all, why bring down two housing towers if there's no architectural flaws threatening human lives? Because its environmental impact may not be measured so easily. And, it was the violation of the green belt laws that led to rigging the two towers with 3,700 kg of explosives.

The project

It is in Noida Sector 93A's GH-04. Once a famed builder Supertech built a massive housing society, building two additional towers than it was legally permitted to build. These two towers — 16 and 17 — lie in the green belt. 

The storeys lived as a testimony to manipulation by money-merchants, corruption by unscrupulous officers, indifference of the supposed-to-be scrupulous and pedestrian treatment of the cattle class aam aadmi, who is by the way the biggest voter for any government or political party.

This story began in 2004. On November 23, 2004, Supertech was allotted 48,263 square metre land by the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority, known as Noida in abbreviated form, for building a residential complex, Emrald Court. 

As per the New Okhla Industrial Development Area Building Regulations and Directions 1986, the Authority approved the building plan for the construction of 14 storeys on June 20, 2005.

Supertech was originally given approval to build a total of 14 towers, each with ground+plus+nine (10) storeys at a capping height of 37 metres

A year later, on June 21, 2006, the Authority allotted 6,556.51 square metre land to Supertech under the same conditions. 

The project was revised three times — 2006, 2009 and 2012— increasing the number of floors and towers. By the time the third revison came for 8nclusion of the tallest towers, now bombed to the ground, the original plan had been modified to accommodate 15 towers of 14 storeys. The two new towers got approval for 40 towers each. Both these towers remained incomplete — one with 29 and the other with 32 storeys.

Too FAR in law

Every builder is given a Floor Area Ratio (FAR). During 2004-06, Supertech was given 1.5 FAR but as per rules, only a new allottee can be given 2 to 2.75 FAR.

The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) was purchased twice for a total of Rs 23 crore — Rs 15 crore and Rs 8 crore.

FAR is legally binding but practically what happens is once a builder pays the money, the government officials are not there to bother you. 

In Supertech's case, the FAR increased by 33% on second project revision in 2009 — from 1.5 to 1.995.

And on October 25, 2011, Supertech secured another expansion FAR for Rs 15 crore from 1.995 to 2.75. 

A charge was that Supertech got FAR increased by bribing the officials.

If you were a homebuyer 

Supertech presented a different Emerald Court plan to homebuyers in November 2009. It presented to them a plan housing complex plan that had 14 towers, each of 25 storeys (ground included) and a T 16 — a shopping complex (ground plus structure). The height was to reach up to 73 metres. A clear rejection of what had been legally approved.

Emerald Court dragged to court

After 2012-revison that included 40-floor towers — Apex and Ceyane, which, Supertech claimed, met the Noida construction requirements of 2010. The problem was that the Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) was not convinced. It moved to the Allahabad High Court before the end of 2012. It petitioned the high court that Supertech violated  by the UP Apartment Owners Act, 2010 by constructing the Twin Towers.

The Twin Towers occupied an area designated for a garden in the original brochure given by Supertech. The petitioner told the court that the additional buildings, approval for which was allegedly taken through bribes, were separated by less than 16 metres, another violation of law.

After hearing argents from both sides, the Allahabad High Court ordered in 2014 the demolition of the Twin Towers. It also directed Supertech to return homebuyers their money with an interest of 14%. The high court ordered to seal the Twin Towers.

However, as it came out during the Supreme Court hearing, the construction continued despite the high court's seal order. 

In August 2021, the Supreme Court upheld the high court judgement. And instead of keeping the buildings sealed, it ordered them demolished.

In February this year, the Noida informed the Supreme Court that demolition process was underway and that it would be completed by August 22. Later, an extension of a week was given by the Supreme Court, with an additional buffer period of a week if the demolition process got disrupted by weather conditions.

Fixing responsibility

Following the Supreme Court order, the Yogi Adityanath government set up a special investigation team (SIT) in September 2021. The SIT submitted its report in October 2021, finding involvement of 26 officials. The government suspended three. 

Could it have been avoided?

Possibly, yes had Supertech adhered to the rules and stayed honest in its business. But this could be too much to ask. If a business were to be honest wouldn't the proprietors prefer to do a government or a private sector job! They come into business to make profit, big money. In this hot pursuit of money, the rule of law that is meant to protect the aam aadmi and aurat is twisted or blinded. 

Another way to avoid it was change of rules. Had the Noida wanted it could have changed the land use rules and allowed the construction legally. Environmental laws could have been meandered to legalise the illegality. 

But even this didn't happen. And Noida Twin Towers, taller than Delhi's Qutub Minar, met their premature demise.

In nutshell, Supertech violated the law, bribed officials, manipulated the buyers flouted environmental laws (remember environment assessment requirements of 2005-06?) and issued occupancy certificates without structural safety and environmental assessment studies. 

For those interested in politics, a coincidence: Supertech project got began in 2004 after the Congress-led UPA government came to power at the Centre and its fate sealed in 2014 after the Modi government came to power at the Centre. This is not to suggest that there's a connection between the two events.

I was tempted to compile the names of officials found to be involved in the Supertech illegality but curbed the urge. It's system that's is ailing not the individuals who keep the system in motion as its part.

Who are Santhals, the community Draupadi Murmu belongs to?

Draupadi Murmu/Twitter

Santhal, also spelt as Santal, literally means a calm, peaceful man. Santha means calm, and ala means man in the Santhali (also spelt as Santali) language. 

Santhals are the third largest scheduled tribe community in India after Gonds and Bhils. The Santhali population is mostly distributed in Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.

The BJP’s presidential election candidate Draupadi Murmu’s home district, Mayurbhanj, is one of the districts having dense concentration of the Santhali people. 

The Odisha government’s website for Bhubaneswar-based Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI) has amazing details on the lives of the Santhali people, tracing their life from prehistoric times.

The Santhals were a nomadic stock before they chose to settle in the Chotanagpur plateau. By the end of the 18th century, they had concentrated in the Santhal Parganas of Jharkhand (earlier Bihar). From there, they migrated to Odisha and West Bengal. 

The tribal communities, outside the Northeast, generally have lower levels of literacy but the Santhals have higher – a result of a pro-school education awareness since at least the 1960s – literacy rate compared to other tribes in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Many of the community have entered the creamy layer of the Indian society. 

For example, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is a Santhal. The incumbent Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAGI) Girsh Chandra Murmu, who was the first Lt Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, is also a Santhal. 

The current Union Jal Shakti Minister Biseswar Tudu – the Lok Sabha MP from Draupadi Murmu’s home district Mayurbhanj – is from the Santhal community. Some news reports quoted their community leaders terming the nomination of Draupadi Murmu as the ruling party’s presidential election candidate as “a golden era for Santhals” in the country.

Despite their social uplift, the Santhals are usually connected to their roots. They are nature worshippers and could be seen paying obeisance at Jaher (sacred groves) in their villages. 

Most Santhals are agriculturists, depending on their farmlands or forests. 

Their homes, called Olah, have a particular three-colour pattern on the outer walls. The bottom portion is painted with black soil, the middle with white and the upper with red. 

Their tribal language is called Santhali, which is written in a script called Ol chiki, developed by Santhal scholar Pandit Raghunath Murmu. Santhali written in OI-Chiki script is recognised as one of the scheduled languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.

मज़ाक में बेबुनियाद सवाल

कोई मुझे बताएगा कि

जो लोग कही के नही रहते,

वो कहाँ रहते है?

xxxxxxxxxx

किसी को पता है कि

ये दिल पर रखने वाला पत्थर कहाँ मिलता है?

और, कितने किलो का लेना होता है?

xxxxxxxxx

एक बात बताओ जिनकी दाल नहीं गलती

वो क्या सब्ज़ी बना सकते हैं?

xxxxxxxx

किसी को पता है कि

पाप को घड़े में ही क्यूँ भरते हैं?

ठंडा रहता है क्या?

xxxxxxx

किसी के ज़ख़्म पर नमक छिड़कना है।

कौन-सा सही रहेगा?

टाटा या पतंजलि?

(पुराने लैपटॉप के नोट्स में मिला)

We suffer more in imagination than in reality: Seneca

The Death of Seneca, by Peter Paul Rubens, c.1614, Alte Pinakothek, Munich (Photo: Twitter)

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful."

- Seneca

A tweet saying this got me into the world of Seneca, a man who was born before Jesus Christ and seemed a more towering figure than the Son of God during their times in Rome.

Another quote of his is often reproduced in cards travelling on social media. "We suffer more in imagination than in reality."

Seneca was a stoic, that is, he believed in stoicism. A stoic was the person who believed in providential origin of universe which remains in an order. The line of philosophy was founded some time around 300 BC -- about 20-25 years after the time of Alexander. Hard to fathom. But it was the time that was vibrant with the ideas of Socrates and Plato in Greece and Rome.

Seneca was super rich but preached simple, modest living. He enjoyed royal patronage. He was banished from the Roman empire for adultery with emperor Caligula's sister. In some texts, Seneca is said to have been exiled to Corsica, Greece after his run-in with the wife of Claudius, Caligula's successor at the Roman throne.

Seneca was however called back in 49 AD to tutor the prince who would be known to the world as Nero. Seneca is said to have unsuccessfully attempted retirement from politics over his frustration with Nero but he was never practically granted the permission.

Nero's was a horrible time, we have been told by historians. The end to both Nero and his teacher happened in the same manner. Seneca was accused of plotting to murder Nero and forced to die by suicide -- a manner of executing death sentence in ancient Greek and Rome, to which Socrates was subjected.

Nero, the adopted son of Claudius who had married his mother, had angered the upper class of the Roman society and politics by taking measures including behaviour and public appearances as a musician, actor, poet, charioteer, and building places of public entertainment such as amphitheatres and promoting athletics and other games that made him popular among the lower classes of the Roman empire.

In a way, Nero was defamed the elite political class of the Roman empire for catering to the Dalits of the times -- a subaltern polity. Else construction, trade activities and increased taxation of the rich were some of the steps that would have endeared Nero to modern-day critics of politics.

However, the Roman Senate, following a rebellion by influential senators of the time, sentenced him to death for damaging imperial dignity. Nero fled but took his life. 

Suicide ended the story of both Sena and Nero, only to be immortalised by subsequent generations albeit with the purpose of ridicule. While Nero is still mostly condemned, Seneca found some renaissance writers who put his philosophy, mostly compilation of Stoic thoughts, into perspective for the world to appreciate his thoughts some of which still resonate with the modern ways of life.

Some of his ideas:

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." (I found TV Series Mentalist's lead character Patrick Jane [played by Simon Baker] saying to Teresa Lisbon [Robin Tunney] while dismissing the idea of luck.)

"The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately."

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

Invisible Empire: A short review of the book on the history of virus

 

I recently read this book by Pranay Lal, thanks to Kritika, my friend. She gifted me this book. Lal has given a fairly detailed account of the kingdom of virus. Reading this book, I remembered my conversations with another friend of mine, Mohak. Mohak and I discussed the life of a virus during the viral outbreaks, first of Nipah in Kerala, and then of Covid-19 in China.

I remember this conversation primarily because of the expression of disbelief that Mohak had on his face, when I told him that we fear viruses but they also sustain our life on the planet. It is our fallacy to assume that viruses are a lowly life form. They actually are supremely evolved to time their activities to their finding of a suitable host. For the rest of the time, they remain inactive making us believe that they are non-living entities. Also that the viruses follow the same basic principle of life -- survival, by mutation and reproduction. I hope Mohak remembers those conversations we had at India Today.

Reading Lal's Invisible Empire made me feel vindicated 😄. He seems to be a research-oriented writer, previously best known for his debut book, Indica, which gives a historical account of plants and forests on the Indian subcontinent. 

In terms of basic concepts, Lal did not surprise me while explaining the journey of the virus. But what he did was to cement my idea of a viral life with n-number of evidence. 

He cites scientific evidence to show that the humans would not have evolved the way they did had different viruses not infected them and become part of the human genome through millions of years of co-evolution.

Plant and animal kingdoms would not have been what they are but for these viruses. Oxygen-gulping organisms including the humans would not have been possible had there been no virus and bacterium. 

Lal gives a fascinating viral story of the bursting of the first economic bubble in Europe, and virus's Sanskrit connection and the Ganga's links to treatment of a range of bacterial diseases.

The book has been written in the background of Covid-19, a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, but does not discuss the coronavirus or the pandemic much. This could be its shortcoming. It, however, breaks the myth of SARS-CoV-2 being a colourful virus. 

We all read in schools/colleges -- and for someone like me, also during the preparation for PMTs -- that we don't have the technology to know the colour of the virus because it is smaller than the wavelength of the sunrays. Still, a graphically designed photograph by American computer technicians made us believe that the crimson-specked ball was the true look of the SARS-CoV-2. Lal clears the air.

But, I think, the book is not error-free. I, for sure, can say that there is at least one critical mistake for a book telling a powerful scientific story of the virus. It says DNA bases are bound by phosphate bonds. It is the hydrogen bond that keeps them together. I think Lal either missed the point or got confused with what is called the phosphate backbone -- referring to the DNA strands of the ladder -- with the bonding between the bases.

Otherwise and overall, I will recommend this book strongly to anybody and everybody interested in virology or is open to understand the place of humans in the living world, and their association with the microbial world. For, without microbes, there would not be humans, and Charles Darwin would not be born.

सेहतमंद सलाह की समस्या

भरोसा बड़े कमाल की चीज़ है। इसी के भरोसे कुछ लोग मुझसे सेहत संबंधी सलाह लेते हैं जबकि उन्हें पता है कि मैं क्वालिफ़ाइड नहीं हूँ। इसी मामले में कुछ लोग मुझे पुरातनपंथी समझते हैं। वे कहते हैं कि मेरे उपाय गुज़रे ज़माने के-से लगते हैं। कुछ और लोग कनफ़्यूज़न की शिकायत करते हैं। ये कहते हैं कि मैं बात तो साइंस की करता हूँ लेकिन उपाय पुराने बताता हूँ। उनका कहना होता है कि साइंस की बात से तो लगता है कि मैं ऐलोपैथी से कोई उपाय बताऊँगा, लेकिन मैं आयुर्वेद-टाइप सलाह दे बैठता हूँ। लेकिन सच यह है कि मैं साइंस समझने की कोशिश करता हूँ। इसे रोज़मर्रा और शरीर से जोड़कर समझने की कोशिश करता हूँ। न तो मुझे ऐलोपैथी की समझ है और न ही आयुर्वेद की। तो, मैं सलाह दोनों में से किसी की भी नहीं देता, न ही दे सकता हूँ। फिर भी, मैं इस कनफ़्यूज़न को समझता हूँ। अब समझाने की कोशिश करता हूँ।

यहाँ तक थोड़ा पर्सनल था। कारण कि इसी वजह से मैंने लिखकर कहने की बात सोची।

आमतौर पर साइंस और ऐलोपैथी को सेहत की दुनिया में एक-दूसरे का पूरक समझा जाता है। ऐसा है नहीं। असल में ऐलोपैथी अपने मूल मतलब में तो वैकल्पिक रोग उपचार पद्धति का नाम है। ऐसा इसलिए कि जब यह विकसित हो रही थी तो पश्चिमी दुनिया में होमियोपैथी मुख्यधारा की रोग उपचार पद्धति थी। जर्मनी से निकलने वाली धारा मजबूत थी।

लेकिन, क़रीब 100-110 साल पहले अमेरिका में एक पैनल बना जिसने तय किया कि ऐलोपैथी ही मुख्य रोग उपचार पद्धति बनेगी। इसने यह भी तय किया कि वे मेडिकल स्कूल-कॉलेज़ जहाँ ऐलोपैथी की पढ़ाई नहीं होती है या ग़ैर-ऐलोपैथी पढ़ाई होती है, उन्हें बंद कर दिया जाए या उनकी फ़ंडिंग बाधित की जाए। यह उस पैनल की राय थी। उनका मानना था कि ऐलोपैथी ही उनके लिए और भविष्य के लिए भी उचित पद्धति है।

आमतौर पर जैसा भाषा और धर्म के साथ होता है वैसा ही कुछ यहाँ भी हुआ। भाषा के बारे में कहते हैं कि वह एक बोली है जिसे एक विजयी सेना मिल गई। धर्म के बारे में भी यही कहते हैं कि जब एक विचार और विचारक को मिशनरियों-लड़ाकों की फ़ौज मिल जाती है तो धर्म की स्थापना और उसका विस्तार होता है। ऐलोपैथी के साथ यही हुआ। उसे धन और धन-प्रायोजित साइंस का सहारा मिला।

साइंस का वास्तव में ऐलोपैथी से कोई कनेक्शन नहीं है। यह होमियोपैथी, यूनानी पद्धति और आयुर्वेद के लिए भी उतना ही सुलभ और अपना है। ऐलोपैथी ने, लेकिन, साइंस को उपनिवेश बना लिया। ऐलोपैथी को साइंस के विकास से जो फ़ायदा हुआ वही फ़ायदा होमियोपैथी या आयुर्वेद को भी हो सकता था। लेकिन कुछ-कुछ सिस्टम ने और कुछ इन्होंने ख़ुद ही साइंस को अपने से अलग कर लिया। जबकि, ये सभी, ख़ासतौर पर आयुर्वेद, ऐलोपैथी से काफ़ी बेहतर नींव पर थे।

मसलन, ऐलोपैथी का तंत्र रोग के उपचार में कृत्रिम केमिकल दवाई पर आधारित है। सर्जरी एक ज़बरदस्त बढ़त है। लेकिन इसमें फ़ूड का कोई ख़ास रोल नहीं है। मेरे ख़्याल से किसी भी मेडिकल कॉलेज़ में एमबीबीएस के स्टूडेंट्स को न्यूट्रीशन अलग से नहीं पढ़ाया जाता।

आयुर्वेद कॉलेज़ों में भोजन-पोषण पढ़ाया जाता है या नहीं, यह भी मुझे मालूम नहीं लेकिन आयुर्वेद में फ़ूड रोग-उपचार का अहम हिस्सा है। शायद होमियोपैथी में भी। और, अब दुनियाभर में ऐलोपैथी के रिसर्चर्स इलाज़ में फ़ूड को शामिल करने की सलाह देते हैं। यहाँ तक कि मोटापा घटाने की नई क़िताबों में भी रिसर्चर्स इस बात पर ज़ोर देते हैं कि आपको ख़ुद को भूखा नहीं रखना है। बस, जिन सेल्स में फ़ैट स्टोर होता है, उन्हें कैसे अनलॉक करना है, यह समझाते हैं। और, यह सब साइंस में हुए रिसर्च पर आधारित है।

अगर आयुर्वेद, होमियोपैथी या यूनानी पद्धतियों को साइंस का ऐक्सेस रहा होता तो ये पद्धतियाँ बराबर खड़ी होती। कुछेक बीमारियों को छोड़कर शायद बेहतर भी होती। आयुर्वेद तो ख़ासकर क्योंकि जिस प्लांट-बेस्ड लाइफ़स्टाइल का नया ज़माना आ रहा है, वह तो वास्तव में पुरातन ही है। लेकिन, हमारे ऊपर इतिहास का एक बोझ है जो हमें कई चीज़ों को साफ-सुथरे ढंग से देखने नहीं देता।

हालत तो यहाँ तक है कि आयुर्वेद और होमियोपैथी के डॉक्टर साइंस द्वारा विकसित डॉयग्नोस्टिक मेथड्स का इस्तेमाल भी बीमारियों की पड़ताल में करने से हिचकिचाते हैं। अब पैर टूट गया तो बिना एक्स-रे इलाज क्यों कराया जाए? छाती में इनफ़ेक्सन है तो एक्स-रे या स्कैन पर क्यों ऐलोपैथी का एकाधिकार समझा जाए? ख़ून की तमाम तरह की जाँच ऐलोपैथी के डॉक्टर ही आमतौर पर लिखते हैं।

यह कूपमंडूकता है कि लोग अमूमन यूनानी पद्धति को इस्लामी पद्धति समझते हैं। यूनानी मेडिकल कॉलेज़ों में इसीलिए मुसलमान छात्र अधिक हैं। उन्हें भी लगता है कि यूनानी उनका है, आयुर्वेद और होमियोपैथी हिंदुओं का है और ऐलोपैथी विधर्मी बना सकता है। गैर-मुसलमान भी सोचते हैं कि यूनानी मुग़लिया इलाज़ पद्धति है।

सच यह है कि यूनानी पद्धति इस्लामी दुनिया के लिए उतना ही फ़ॉरन है जितना हिंदुस्तानी जगत के लिए। इसकी बुनियाद ग्रीस में पड़ी। वहाँ से भारत आई। पश्चिम से, जिधर से दिल्ली के सुल्तान और मुग़ल आए। वे यूनानी से पहले से परिचित थे। आयुर्वेद उन्हें अनजाना, फॉरन लगा। यूनानी नाम भी भारतीय है।

अँग्रेज़ी हुक़ूमत तक राजा-रजवाड़ों की वजह से आयुर्वेद भारत में पिछड़ गया। वैसे ही जैसे ग्रीस में यूनानी। वहाँ ग्रीक लोगों का भरोसा यूनानी पद्धति पर कम होता गया। इसे फ़ंडिंग की समस्या हुए। इसकी वजह से साइंस से कनेक्शन टूटा। उसकी गति बाधित हुई। यही होमियोपैथी के साथ हुआ। मुश्किल से 100 साल पहले तक यह मुख्य उपचार पद्धति थी लेकिन अमेरिका-यूके में हुए फ़ैसले की वजह से ऐलोपैथी को सपोर्ट मिला। साइंस की उपलब्धियाँ इसके हिस्से आई।

होमियोपैथी को कई लोग दवाई तक मानने से इनकार करते हैं। कारण यह है कि दवाई की परिभाषा सिर्फ़ ऐलोपैथी तक सीमित हो गई। होमियोपैथी ने भी ख़ुद में सुधार नहीं किया। ऐलोपैथी साइंस के साथ-साथ बढ़ती गई। वह सिर्फ़ पेनिसीलीन पर निर्भर नहीं रही। होमियोपैथी आज तक सिर्फ़ उस जर्मन की क़िताब को ही पढ़ती रही।

भारत में आयुर्वेद का हाल यही रहा। साइंस-आधारित पद्धति ने साइंस की प्रगति से ख़ुद को अलग ही रखा। ऐलोपैथी लाने वाले अँग्रेज़ों ने इसमें बड़ी भूमिका निभाई। अँग्रेज़ 75 साल पहले चले गए। आयुर्वेद अभी तक ख़ुद को साइंस की ख़ूबियों को अपनाने से रोकता रहा है।

आयुर्वेद का फलक ऐलोपैथी से बड़ा है। इसमें फ़ूड, शारीरिक गतिविधियाँ, साइकोलॉजी, पर्यावरण आदि समेकित रूप में देखे जाते हैं। रोग उपचार के लिए यह एक पोटेंशियल टोटैलिटी देता है। यह सिर्फ़ उपचार नहीं रोग निवारण तक की पद्धति हो सकता है। आर्युवेद का साइंस से मिलन का समय आ रहा है। एक बार फिर।

मैं तो सिर्फ़ साइंस को फ़ूड से जोड़कर सेहत की सलाह देता हूँ। जीवन से सेहत को जोड़ने का काम आयुर्वेद है। इसे आर्युवेद में ट्रेंड डॉक्टर आगे बढ़ा सकते हैं।

Seven Rules of Life

1) Make peace with past so that it doesn't screw up the present. And, the past includes the moment before this moment.

2) What others think of you is none of your business.

3) Time heals almost everything, give it some time.

4) Don't compare your life with others'. You have no idea what their journeys have been all about. And so, don't judge them.

5) Stop thinking too much. It's alright, perfectly okay not to know the answers.

6) No one is in charge of your happiness, except you. If you don't trust, read it again.

7) Smile. You don't own all the problems of the world. You can't own, anyway.

- Unknown

(2012)

Victory has 100 fathers

25/09/2021

Photo: Twitter

जॉन एफ़ कैनेडी का नाम सुना होगा। कल शाम से अजाने ही कैनेडी की याद आ रही थी। बराय मेहरबानी सोशल मीडिया।

साल 1961 में अमेरिका क्यूबा में एक कांड करने गया था। नौजवान फ़िदेल कास्त्रो को हटाने। चौबीस घंटे में टें बोल गए अमेरिका-प्रशिक्षित लड़ाके।

इसे Bay of Pigs कांड कहते हैं। स्पैनिश नाम है जिसका अँग्रेज़ी रूपांतर शूकरों की खाड़ी है। दक्षिण क्यूबा के इसी इलाक़े पर था अमेरिकी हमला।

पूरी ग़लती कैनेडी की नहीं थी। यह उनके पहले वाले आइसेनहावर की लकीर थी। ख़ैर, पत्रकारों को झेलने की ज़िम्मेदारी कैनेडी पर आ गई। क्रेडिट लेने के लिए कुछ था नहीं। अमेरिका की थू-थू हुई थी। वह भी मानचित्र पर एक बिंदू बराबर देश से।

इसी प्रेसवार्ता में एक पत्रकार के सवाल के जवाब में कैनेडी ने कहा था: “Victory has 100 fathers and defeat is an orphan.”

कल से ऐसा ही कुछ लग रहा था। सोचा सबके साथ शेयर कर लूँ। बिहार से निकला हूँ न। (जहाँ से ये नए आईएएस टॉपर भी निकले हैं।)

वैसे, गूगल कक्का से पता चला कि ये ख़याल पुराना है। कोई इतिहासकार थे टैसीटस। उन्होंने युद्ध विवेचना करते हुए कहा था, “This is an unfair thing about war: victory is claimed by all, failure to one alone.”

लेकिन एरिस्टोटल, हमारे अरस्तू ने भी कहा था: मनुष्य एक सोशल एनिमल है।

सबसे छोटी डरावनी कहानी की कथा

 

फ़ोटोः प्रभाष के दत्ता

नॉक यानी दरवाज़े पर दस्तक अँग्रेज़ी लिटरेचर की सबसे छोटी हॉरर स्टोरी, डरावनी या भूतिया कहानी मानी जाती है। यह सिर्फ़ दो वाक्यों की कहानी है। इसे अमेरिकी लेखक फ्रेडरिक ब्राउन ने लिखी। दूसरे विश्व-युद्ध के तीन साल बाद पहली बार प्रकाशित हुई। अगले ही साल यानी 1949 में यह दोबारा प्रकाशित की गई।

कहानी कुछ इस तरह है – "द लास्ट मैन ऑन अर्थ सैट अलोन इन अ रूम। देअर वाज़ अ नॉक ऑन द डोर..."

अर्थात् "संसार का आख़िरी आदमी एक कमरे में अकेला (अकेलेपन में) बैठा है। दरवाज़े पर एक दस्तक होती है..."

कल्पना करिए कि उस आदनी की जगह आप हैं। भयावह लगता है।

इस कहानी की प्रेरणा एक और अमेरिकी लेखक थॉमस बेली अल्डरिक की कुछ लाइनें हैं – "कल्पना करिए कि धरती के मुखरे से सारे मनुष्यों का ख़ात्मा हो गया है। सिर्फ़ एक आदमी बच गया। कल्पना करिए कि यह आदमी किसी विशाल शहर में है जैसे कि न्यू यॉर्क या फिर लंदन। कल्पना करिए कि अकेलेपन की इस स्थिति में वह तीसरे या चौथे दिन एक घर में बैठा है और उसे डोर-बेल की घंटी सुनाई पड़ती है।"

फ़्रेडरिक ने 1903 में प्रकाशित पॉन्कापॉग पेपर्स में यह लिखा था। प्रथम विश्व युद्ध के 11 साल पहले। चार साल बाद वे चल बसे। मतलब, क़रीब 45 साल बाद फ़्रेडरिक की ये लाइनें कई वैश्विक त्रासदियों – दो विश्वयुद्ध, स्पॅनिश फ़्लू नाम की एक भयंकर महामारी, आर्थिक महामंदी – के बाद ब्राउन की डरावनी कथा की प्रेरणा बनी।

ब्राउन की कहानी की पृष्ठभूमि है कि एलिएन्स, परग्रही ज़ॅन ने धरती पर जीवन समाप्त कर दिया है। कुछ स्पेसिमेन रखे हैं पार्थिव जीवों के म्यूज़ियम, ज़ू के लिए जो वे अपने ग्रह पर, संसार में बनाएँगे।

कमरे में बैठा वो आदमी संयोग से बच गया है। याद करिए, जब आपने दो वाक्यों और तीन बिन्दुओं (जिसे इलेप्सिस कहते हैं) की ये कहानी पढ़ी तो कल्पना में क्या आया था।

उस आदमी की जगह ख़ुद को दो दिन, तीन दिन, एक हफ़्ता रहना क्या भयावह लगा?

अकेलापन, एकाकीपन की ऊब से पैदा होने वाली निस्सारता भी आई होगी, डर के साथ। विचित्र-सी स्थिति है यह कल्पना के लिए।

लेकिन क्या यह ख़्याल आया कि दरवाज़ा किसी महिला ने खटखटया हो?

स्टीरियोटाइप?

लेखक ने तीन बिन्दुओं में डर और संभावना दोनों छोड़ा रखा है। नहीं?