Tag Archives: illness

Treatment of Cancer at BHU for Prabhu

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A few days ago, my friend Prabhu fell seriously ill with severe stomach pain. He was rushed to the emergency ward at BHU (Benares Hindu University) Hospital. The doctors diagnosed him with a serious condition but were reluctant to admit him, citing a lack of available beds in the emergency ward. They directed Prabhu’s family to check the general ward, which also had no vacant beds. Despite Prabhu’s intense pain and distress, the doctors refused to attend to him. Desperate, his family decided to take him to another hospital, Mata Anandmayi Hospital in Bhadaini, but faced the same issue—no available beds. Prabhu was in agony, nearly fainting, and when they returned to BHU, the doctors displayed a concerning lack of compassion, refusing to even start treatment.

Prabhu’s father pleaded with the doctors, even touching their feet to request treatment, but was met with a cold response. The doctors continued to insist there were no beds available. Frustrated, Prabhu’s family sought help from a contact who knew the former president of the BHU student union. After the former president intervened, BHU finally arranged a bed for Prabhu at around 11 PM. Tests and treatment began, but the doctors recommended transferring Prabhu to PGI, Lucknow for surgery. When Prabhu’s family arrived at PGI, they encountered the same problem—no beds available. Prabhu’s brother reached out to a well-known figure in Lucknow, who made a call to the hospital. Following this intervention, PGI managed to provide a bed for Prabhu.

At PGI, after a brief examination and review of his previous reports, the doctors diagnosed Prabhu with colon cancer. They recommended surgery but warned that there was no guarantee he would survive even ten days. The cost of the surgery was Rs. 1,25,000 ($2,500). Fearing the worst, Prabhu requested to be brought back to Benares, preferring to face his fate there. The news of Prabhu’s condition spread quickly in our neighborhood, and everyone was deeply saddened. I suggested to Prabhu’s family that they seek a second opinion at the renowned TATA Memorial Center in Mumbai. I contacted my friend Alok in Mumbai, who arranged an appointment and forwarded Prabhu’s medical reports to TATA Memorial.

The doctors at TATA Memorial reviewed the reports and concluded that there was no evidence of cancer. They indicated that the diagnosis from PGI was incorrect. I relayed this hopeful news to Prabhu and his family, who were overwhelmed with relief and joy. Prabhu was admitted to a private hospital where he underwent successful treatment and is now recovering well. Meanwhile, I had a distressing experience at BHU when my baby fell from a chair and suffered a head injury. We rushed to BHU’s emergency ward, only to find that the registration counter had already closed. After receiving instructions from security guards, I entered the registration room from the back door and saw staff preoccupied with counting money.

When another patient tried to register through an open window, a clerk became aggressive and injured the patient’s hand. I managed to get a registration paper and submitted it to the doctor, who then required me to write a declaration that I would not involve the police in the future. Despite the urgency, there were no available supplies like nylon thread for stitching. I had to leave the hospital to buy these items myself. After waiting for over an hour and a half, junior doctors finally started stitching my baby’s wound. This was in one of Uttar Pradesh’s largest hospitals, and the lack of timely care was shocking.

Having experienced such poor service, I now share Prabhu’s apprehension towards BHU and will avoid it for any future needs. I sought treatment for my baby elsewhere and had the stitches removed at a different hospital. The condition of government hospitals is deplorable; their focus seems to be on money rather than patient care. Despite the considerable revenue and international reputation of institutions like BHU, the reality of their services often falls short. For many who lack health insurance and cannot afford private hospitals, this situation is dire. The question remains: are these hospitals designed to save lives or to fail those who seek their help?

Rinki’s good heart and her marriage

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Rinki, my uncle’s daughter, is now 25 years old. Her father has been searching for a groom for the past two years, but finding a match has been challenging. The primary issue is that Rinki had heart valve surgery a few years ago. Despite the fact that she was treated by one of the most renowned doctors in India, who has confirmed that she is in excellent health now, prospective grooms and their families have been hesitant. They are concerned that Rinki might still be unwell or could face future health issues. My uncle has made considerable efforts, approaching numerous families through his own connections, but to no avail.

He is even willing to offer dowry if needed, but no one agrees. My father also tried to find a groom for Rinki in Varanasi. A friend of his recommended a relative who has a Master’s degree in Astrology and works with his father, an astrologer. Initially, everything seemed promising. The groom’s family did not believe in dowry and appeared very accommodating. After meeting with them and discussing the proposal, my father took a photo of the groom to show our family. Everyone liked him, and the decision now rested on Rinki’s approval. My father informed Rinki’s father, who then traveled to Varanasi to meet the groom’s family.

He also liked the groom and agreed to the match. I was asked to send the groom’s photo to my brother in Noida, where Rinki is currently living, so she could see it and give her opinion. Given Rinki’s shy nature and the history of rejections she has faced, I knew she would likely not express any disapproval, even if she had reservations. Rinki did not view the photo but expressed her willingness to marry the groom chosen by her father. We also sent Rinki’s photo and her Kundali (horoscope) to the groom’s side. Everyone was excited about the wedding, which was planned for February.

My mother inquired about what gifts we would give Rinki, and the family was preparing to come to Varanasi for wedding shopping. Everyone was enthusiastic and hopeful. However, today we received disappointing news: the groom’s family has canceled the marriage. They claimed that Rinki is not as educated as the groom, which seemed like an unreasonable excuse. The groom holds a Master’s degree in Astrology, while Rinki has a Bachelor’s degree in Arts. The educational difference is minimal, and Rinki is still young and willing to pursue further education.

The cancellation was disheartening and left me feeling deeply saddened. It’s frustrating when educated people use such excuses, and it makes me question our society’s values. Repeated rejections can make Rinki feel like a burden to her family and cause her to doubt her worth, which is unfair. This situation highlights broader issues within our male-dominated and often uneducated society. It is distressing to see women’s rights continually violated and to witness the immense pressure placed on girls in small towns and villages. They are often presented as mere commodities in the marriage market, subjected to judgments about their appearance and perceived worth, and pressured into dowry arrangements that their families cannot afford.

Our sex ratio in 2001 was 933 girls for every 1,000 boys, and the imbalance continues to worsen. The future seems uncertain, and it is disheartening to think about how long it will take for girls and boys to have equal rights and opportunities.

Dialysis in Varanasi

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An American student from Boston University, named Andrew, reached out to me regarding his friend Rinat from Uzbekistan, who requires dialysis treatment in India for six months. They had initially contacted Apollo Hospital in Delhi, but found it to be quite expensive and also noted that Delhi’s pollution made it an undesirable option. There were no available apartments near the hospital either. They inquired about dialysis services in Varanasi, and I directed them to Heritage Hospital in Varanasi by providing their email address. Andrew and Rinat contacted Heritage Hospital and discovered that they offer dialysis services for foreigners as well.

I visited Heritage Hospital to inquire about their services and charges. The costs were as follows: Rs. 2500 for the first dialysis, Rs. 1000 for a blood check-up (charged only once), Rs. 1700 for each of the next three dialysis sessions, and Rs. 2500 for the fifth session. This was significantly cheaper than Apollo Hospital, and Varanasi is less noisy and polluted compared to Delhi. Andrew then requested to rent my apartment for six months for Rinat. However, I had reservations about hosting someone who does not speak English and only speaks Russian.

I expressed my concern about the language barrier, but Andrew assured me that they would provide a translator for the first week. I was still concerned about the situation beyond that initial period. I asked about Rinat’s current health and learned that he has only one kidney and very low hemoglobin levels—one-third of the normal range. This situation was worrying, as Rinat’s condition seemed quite critical. They also requested that I contact the Indian Embassy in Tashkent to notify them that I would be hosting Rinat. I was uncomfortable with this, as it would make me responsible if anything went wrong with Rinat’s health.

To better understand the situation, I consulted friends in the US and Canada. While they knew people with only one kidney, they were also concerned about Rinat’s low hemoglobin levels. After discussing with my friends and family, I decided not to host Rinat due to the serious nature of his condition. However, I still wanted to assist Andrew and Rinat. I offered to help by finding a guest house for Rinat, accompanying him to the hospital, speaking with doctors, arranging food and other necessities, and showing them around. They agreed to this arrangement. I have requested them to fax me all of Rinat’s medical reports so that I can discuss his treatment with the doctors.

They want to hire me to assist Rinat throughout his stay. I will meet Rinat in Delhi and bring him to Varanasi. I’ve reached out to students at BHU to find a Russian-speaking student to serve as Rinat’s translator. Additionally, Andrew wants Rinat to learn Hindi while he is in Varanasi, so I have contacted Bhasha Bharti to inquire about a Russian-speaking Hindi teacher and am awaiting their reply. This is proving to be a challenging task, but I am committed to helping in any way I can.

Chicago guest learns Hindi

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An anthropology student named Adam Sergent from the University of Chicago stayed at my guest house for a month. Like Lane and Dave, Adam wanted to learn Hindi with Bhasha Bharti. Although he had initially intended to study Hindi with Bhasha Bharti for three months, he had to adjust his plans. Bhasha Bharti didn’t have the availability for a full three months, so Adam decided to study in Varanasi for a month before moving to Mussoorie for the remaining two months. Adam had previously studied Hindi with Virendra Singh at Wisconsin University, so his proficiency was moderate.

When I asked why he wasn’t continuing with Virendra Singh in Varanasi, he explained that Virendra Singh spends summers in the U.S. teaching at Wisconsin University and only returns to India for the winter sessions. Adam attended classes at Bhasha Bharti for six hours a day, but found the schedule inconvenient, with classes from 8 to 11 in the morning and 4 to 7 in the evening. After about 15 days, he decided to leave early to conduct research related to his future work in India. He was pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago with a focus on labor at construction sites.

Adam had a positive experience learning Hindi at Bhasha Bharti, although he had some minor complaints about the classroom environment. He noted that his chair was positioned under a fan, causing dust to fall on him regularly. Despite these issues, he was generally satisfied with his time there. He then traveled to Delhi to observe construction sites for his research. He provided my brother’s contact information in Delhi for local assistance. Unfortunately, after spending just two days in Delhi and sampling the local food, Adam fell ill. He was hospitalized for three days and received four drips. This experience made me question the quality of Delhi’s food, as I also had problems during my last visit there.

Adam managed to reach Mussoorie to continue his Hindi studies at a local school, with accommodation arranged through the school. However, upon arrival, he found the door to his lodging locked. The house owner informed him that they had relocated to Dehradun for the month and could not host him.

Adam reached out to me for assistance in finding alternative housing in Mussoorie. I contacted a friend in Dehradun who helped locate a new place, but by the time it was found, Adam had already secured alternative accommodation. Due to a family issue, Adam decided to cancel his Hindi classes and leave Mussoorie earlier than planned.

Who are Aghoris

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I first learned about the Aghori society while working with MTV Italy as a local assistant. My role was to find unique characters and schedule interviews for the crew. They were particularly interested in unconventional Sadhus and Aghoris—those with dreadlocks, beards, and unconventional appearances. I had just three days to arrange five days of shooting, so I had to work quickly. I visited numerous monasteries and met many babas, sadhus, and Aghoris across Varanasi.

I went to major Aghor monasteries such as Kina Ram Aghor Peeth, Bhagwan Avdhoot Ram Ashram, Baba Harihar Ram Ashram, and Baba Anil Ram Ashram, among others. I also visited both of Varanasi’s cremation grounds, Manikarnika Ghat and Harishchandra Ghat, in search of Aghoris, which proved successful. Through this, I encountered some fascinating Aghoris and gained insight into their society. Aghori society is part of the Hindu tradition but follows a distinct philosophy. They worship the same deities as other Hindus, though their rituals can be quite different.

For instance, while most Hindus celebrate Diwali by worshipping Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth), cleaning their homes, and lighting lamps, Aghoris may instead spend the night at cremation grounds. They meditate there, seeking to enhance their mantras, gain supernatural powers, or make contact with spirits, which they believe will assist them in the future. This stark contrast highlights how Aghoris and mainstream Hindus differ in their practices. Aghoris have a deep connection to cremation grounds at every level of their religious practice.

In their monasteries, you will always find a place where wood from funeral pyres is continually burned. Genuine Aghoris apply the ash from these fires to their foreheads and navels, believing it provides protection and helps heal diseases. When I spoke to Aghoris about the significance of this ash, they told me it’s largely a matter of faith. They believe that if one has faith in the ash, it can be more effective than medicine. However, if someone lacks belief, it could cause worry and even illness due to the association with cremation. The Aghoris I met had a profound faith in the ash. They applied it daily and carried some with them when traveling. One person shared that when he had a  mysterious illness that doctors couldn’t cure, applying the ash helped him recover.

Unfortunately, some fake Aghoris exploit this practice to attract followers or intimidate others, using the ash to create a sense of fear or awe.