Congo Fever fear in Ahmedabad

It was a late night conversation with a friend, Manoj, which alerted me about a killer new virus fast gaining ground in Ahmedabad. A common friend's father was admitted at the Shalby Hospital, and now that hospital has become the centre of investigation to identify the virus.

Image source - www.cdc.gov

Its only today morning that I read in the paper (Ahmedabad Mirror)that the virus is perhaps the deadly Congo Virus, also known as Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever or CCHF. None are really sure about the diagnosis of the virus as of now, though.

The virus is carried by domestic animals and transmitted by ticks, and as of now there is no sure-shot treatment as well. Treatment options are limited, one has to basically support the patient's immune system and recovery generally takes a long time. The hospital death rate is around 30%, which is rather high for any such disease. Our neighbour, Pakistan, was afflicted by this last year (though many of us may not be aware of it as it was hardly covered in the Indian media), and many lost their lives.

Is there any particular food one should avoid? Well, I was very keen on knowing this as I had just boiled eggs and was waiting to eat them this morning. Did a quick search and found nothing to connect the two, so I ended up quickly gulping down both of them. It might be dangerous to eat farm animals, though that's pure speculation from my side.

Does this sound ominous? I do not know, just that Shalby Hospital is just next door to our office and I was planning to visit it to get some tests done today. Its likely that my choice of hospital shall change now. I guess enough on this rather paranoid post for now.

Some more newspapers with the news...

Times of India
Indian Express
BBC

Jugni

This posts is more like an extension of the previous post, exploring the genre of music. It can have many names for the style of music - folk, fusion and so on, but in essence it belongs to the Jugni style of narrative. Jugni literally means a female firefly, the male being the more commonly known Jugnu. These songs generally cover the journey of a Jugni who visits different places and makes different observations, some of these are political, some funny, some satrical, sometimes even with sexual connotations.

The style developed in the region of Punjab, now partly in India and partly in Pakistan. The style continued its popularity in Pakistan with artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Arif Lohar and his father Alam Lohar, often using the Jugni methaphor in their songs. The credit for the revival of the Jugni songs in the mainstream popular music scene in India goes to Rabbi, who sang a very hard-hitting Jugni song in his very first album.

The form is very expressive, but the often used Khadi Punjabi makes it sometimes difficult to understand. The form remains popular still, amongst the Punjabis as well as the non-Punjabis, Hindus as well as the Muslims.

Jhulelal/ Zinda-pir/ Damadam Mast Kalandar

This is in continuation of my previous post on the oneness of God. This isn't exactly my forte so am using religious texts, references from all over to compose these posts.

This is about Jhulelal, the reverend Sindhi God from the Sindhu (Indus). His single most important contribution to the Hindus of Sindh was to let them be Hindus under a tyrant Muslim ruler bent upon converting them to Islam. Also known as Uderolal, he was born out of a prophecy by the Water god. Interestingly, in the pre-partition days of Sindh (and often even now), it was not uncommon for Muslims to pay homage to Hindu Gods and vice-versa. Jhulelal was foremost amongst these Gods, he is claimed by both the sects - as God himself by the Hindus and a Pir by the Muslims. The more common name for the Muslims is Zinda Pir.

An exceptionally beautiful example of this is the song 'dama dam mast kalandar'. You never really know if its a tribute to a Hindu God or a Muslim. God becomes one here for everyone. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sang it beautifully, and so did Runa Laila from the then East Pakistan. Here is a version by Abeeda Parveen.



Researching for just these few lines here, made me feel so low about the Sindhi Hindus who were forced to vacate their land in the modern day Pakistan. The exodus was more peaceful than Punjab, but involved a huge displacement of population. I wonder if its the right time to ponder over this, but the man-made boundaries divided people who had learnt to live together in harmony and even believe in the same God. Half the Sindhis are away from what made them Sindhis, Sindh and Sindhu. But life goes on. We survive.

p.s. this post is derived from a various sources, there might be some errors, would love to know about them, if any.

Disasters

Its so weird, every day I read news online and there is always some natural disaster (maybe at times assisted by humans) causing unimaginable deaths across the globe.

A few examples here.

Moscow Smog

Pakistan Floods

Leh Flash Floods

China Landslide new

I wonder if it was always the case, and we see it more now due to better coverage and more reporting.

Iqbal

Iqbal, also fondly known as Allama Iqbal especially in Pakistan, also happens to be one of my favorite Urdu poets. I wonder if that might count as an anti-national sentiment for some of my brethren. Perhaps even for some of us who think that peace is the only way forward with our neighbors.

A quick glance at his life. He was born in Sialkot, in Punjab (Punjab, Pakistan) in a very modern Kashmiri family, about eight years after the birth of Gandhi in Porbandar (Gujarat, India). Many aspects of his life are perhaps worth discussing here, but what interests me the most are his political leanings and of course his poetry.

Iqbal was always in favor of the revival of the Islamic polity and was critical of the INC for being pro-Hindus during the freedom struggle. He was the first to propagate the idea of a separate state of Pakistan (pretty much the Pakistan as it stands today) way back in 1930 at the Allahabad session of the Muslim League. In fact, Jinnah warmed up to the idea of Pakistan much later in 1940.

Iqbal also wrote the famous poem 'Saare Jahan se Accha'; something that is sung regularly in Indian schools even today. But most of his other works is generally forgotten here. My favourite Iqbal poem is the evergreen 'Khudi ko Kar Buland Itna'. Its just exceptional. The 'Junoon' version of the poem became very popular again in the 1990s in Pakistan as well as India. Most of his work is in Persian (which, unfortunately, I don't understand) and Urdu (which I can understand fairly well, if not completely).



There is no dearth of information on Iqbal on the net, and one can find most of his poems too. Its just great to read him, even if you may not completely agree with what he writes about. There are many poems on conversations with god; though largely Islamic in nature, they are still an interesting read.

Iqbal died in the year 1938 at Lahore. In Pakistan he is still often revered as the "ideological founder of the state'.

Following is a beautiful ghazal by him.

Gulzaar-e-Hast-o-Bood Na Begaana Waar Dekh!

Gulzaar-e-Hast-o-Bood Na Begaana Waar Dekh!
Hai Dekhne Ki Cheez Ise Bar Bar Dekh!

Do not look at the garden of existence like a stranger!
It is a thing worth looking at, look at it again and again.

Aaya Hai Tu Jahaan Mein Mashaal-e-Sharaar, Dekh.
Dam De Na Jaaye Hasti, Napaayedaar Dekh.

You have come into the world like a spark, beware!
Lest your short span of life may end suddenly, beware.

Maana Ke Tere Deed Ke Qabil Nahin Hain Ham.
Tu Mera Shokh Dekh Mera Intezaar Dekh.

I accept that I am not worthy of Your (God's) Sight.
You should look at my zeal, and look at my perseverance (patience).

Na Aate, Hamein Ismein Takrar Kya Thi?
Magar Waada Karte Huwe Aar Kya Thi?

If you had not come I would have had no occasion for contention?
But what reluctance in making the promise was with me?

Tumhare Payami Ne Sab Raaz Khola;
Khata Ismein Bande Ki Sarkaar Kya Thi?

Your messenger disclosed every secret
O Lord!What fault of Man in this was?
(Allusion to Quran as a source of all knowledge)

Bhari Bazm Mein Apne Aashiq Ko Tadha;
Teri Aankh Masti Mein Hoshiyaar Kya Thi?

You recognized Your Lover in the full assembly.
How alert Your eye in the middle of the ecstasy was!

Ta'mmul To Tha Unke Aane Mein, Qasid!
Magar Ye Bata Tarz-e-Inkaar Kya Thi?

True! Reluctant was he to come, O messenger!
But tell me what the manner of denial was?

Kheenche Khud ba Khud Jaanib-e-Toor, Moosa;
Kashish Teri Aye Shokh-e-Deedar Kya Thi?

Moses was effortlessly attracted to Toor!
How strong, O Zeal your attraction was!?

Kahin Zikr Rehta Hai Iqbal Tera!
Fasoon Tha Koi, Teri Guftaar Kya Thi!

Your fame continues somewhere, O Iqbal!
Some magic, not your speech it was!

Benazir

Its only now setting in...but the disbelief and shock is still there...

Its very very weird, but I am actually feeling kind of low still. Am surprised it affected me so much...

I hope her soul rests in peace...